UAMS Non-Resident Diversity Tuition Waiver – Summer Admits Only

Eligible: New and Continuing Summer Admit Students Only – Non-Arkansas Residents

Deadline to apply: February 18, 2022 at 4:30pm Central time
Deadline for recommendations: February 25, 2022 at 11:59pm Central time

Background and Purpose

This waiver is to:

  1. Assist educational programs at UAMS achieve established diversity recruitment goals.
  2. Increase the diversity of the applicant pools to UAMS education programs with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status and geographic origins.
  3. Help defray rising educational costs for UAMS students especially those who are economically disadvantaged.
  4. Increase the diversity among the Arkansas health and healthcare professions workforce, especially those serving underrepresented and medically underserved populations.

Award Amount and Timing

The award will reduce the tuition of out-of-state students to the in-state (resident) rate.  Each year, the Chancellor will approve up to two (2) applications from each of the colleges and the Graduate School to reduce the tuition of out-of-state students to the in-state (resident) rate, based upon the criteria established for this program. The recipient’s residency status will not be affected for admission purposes, only for tuition cost purposes.

The College of Health Professions can award up to two Non-Resident Diversity Tuition Waivers per scholarship cycle.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. The applicant for the Non-Resident Diversity Tuition Waiver (“applicant”) must be accepted by a UAMS college or the graduate school for the period for which he/she is applying for the tuition waiver.
  2. The applicant must complete all portions of the application form.
  3. The applicant must be enrolled for a minimum of 0.5 FTE (half-time or full-time), as defined by the program/college to which he/she is accepted.
  4. The applicant must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree or a post-baccalaureate or advanced or graduate certificate at UAMS.

Selection Criteria

  1. Applicants must have an excellent academic record that promises a successful academic career. Since specific tests and other measures of academic performance vary widely, each college/school will establish written specific requirements for academic performance and those standards will accompany these program guidelines.
  2. Each college/school judges the alignment of the applicant’s academic and professional goals with the goals of the college/program.
  3. Other important factors include academic citizenship, community involvement, and leadership.
  4. Preference is given to applicants who: a) plan to stay in Arkansas after graduation; or b) have established ties to the state which increase the likelihood that they will stay in the state to work after graduation. These ties or connections to the state should be explained in the application. Applicants who cannot demonstrate these ties or intentions are still eligible to apply.
  5. The student being a first-generation college student is also considered.

Administration

Application Schedule

Applicant must submit the following:

  1. Applicants submit the application to the Dean of each college according to a published schedule each year. Typically, colleges set application deadlines relative to the admissions process because only those selected for admission are eligible for this scholarship.
  2. The deadline to submit an application is February 19, 2021 at 11:59pm Central time.  References will have until February 26, 2021 at 11:59pm Central time to submit recommendations.

Dean’s Responsibilities

  1. The Dean or his/her designee reviews applications and identifies applicants that meet the criteria and guidelines for the waiver. Applicants can be drawn from a college’s program(s) administered through the Graduate School.
  2. Awards can be made in any term during the year. There is no limit on the number of awards in each college or the graduate school.
  3. The Dean then completes an “Applicant Review Form” for each applicant selected for the award. The form is attached to this policy.

Award Process

  1. The Dean submits completed applications and supplementary documents to the Provost for final review.
  2. In addition to the applicant-provided information, the Dean explains that:
    1. Recruitment of the applicant will help meet defined diversity goals within the college and program.
    2. By not awarding the tuition waiver, the highly desirable recipient is likely to enroll in a program elsewhere, outside of Arkansas, i.e., imminent chance of a lost recruitment opportunity.
  3. The Provost approves the applications on behalf of the Chancellor.
  4. The waiver will reduce the amount of tuition from the non-resident tuition rate to the in-state (resident) tuition rate for the program to which the applicant has been accepted.
  5. The award of in-state status for tuition paying purposes will be valid as long as the student remains in the original program and is making satisfactory progress toward their degree or certificate.
  6. Awards are not automatically transferrable from one program to another or from one college to another. However, a waiver granted by one program/college does not disqualify a student from being eligible to apply to a second program/college.