Graduate Student Finances

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Tuition and Fees
Financial Assistance

Egyptian and non-Egyptian students who are permanent residents in Egypt will be referred to as Category A while non-Egyptian and non-resident students will be referred to as Category B.

Tuition and fees are announced for each academic year in a bulletin issued by the Office of Student Financial Affairs. For the year 2009/2010 the tuition fees per semester for 12 credits was set as follows:

Tuition and fees are collected by semester. No student with bills outstanding, including charges for breakage or library fines, will be admitted to any examination, be given any certificate or report of academic standing, or be permitted to register for a subsequent semester.

Deferred Payment

When a student is unable to pay the entire amount due at the time of registration, payment may be made in two installments as follows:

1. At least 50 % percent to be paid at the time of registration.
2. The balance must be paid by November 20th for deferment of fees granted for the fall semester and April 9th for deferment of fees granted for the spring semester.
3. The student will pay an administrative fee that will be decided every year.
4. New students who apply for financial aid will be exempted from the administrative fees for deferment of payment.

Refund Policy

A full refund for graduate students is made only for course(s) dropped before the end of the late registration period. Students who drop a course after the deadline for late registration are not entitled to any refund for the course(s) dropped. However, students who withdraw from the university after the deadline will receive a partial refund, the amount depending on the number of weeks which have elapsed since the beginning of classes. Refunds are made according to the following schedule:

• First week of classes: full tuition refund
• Second week: eighty percent tuition refund
• Third week: sixty percent tuition refund
• Fourth week: forty percent tuition refund
• Fifth week: twenty percent tuition refund
• After the end of the fifth week no refunds will be made

Summer-session students who withdraw one day after registration can be refunded the amount paid. Summer session students who withdraw more than one day after registration will receive a partial refund according to the following schedule:

• By the end of the first week: seventy five percent of tuition and fees
• By the end of the second week: fifty percent of tuition and fees
• After the end of the second week no refunds will be made

The refund schedule refers to tuition for credit courses, audited courses, and instruction in the Arabic Language Institute and English Language Institute. The student services and activities fee, the application fee, laboratory and studio course fees, and special charges are not refundable.

Although the American University in Cairo is a private university that depends upon tuition and contributions for its livelihood, it attempts to provide financial assistance to any student not on probation who demonstrates financial need. AUC offers a range of fellowships, financial aid, and student work programs to assist students in meeting the expenses of their education.

Financial Aid and Work Study for Graduate Students

The American University in Cairo (AUC) believes that the primary responsibility for financing a student’s educational costs rests with the family. If however “need” for financial assistance is determined, AUC will attempt to assist the student. Financial need is determined by the difference between the family’s contribution and the actual cost of tuition (cost of tuition - family contribution = need).

Financial Aid

The University Financial Aid Committee will make awards and establish student assignments for the fall and spring semesters. Approximately twenty five percent of Egyptian graduate students have received financial assistance in recent years.

Eligibility
In order to be eligible for financial aid or work study, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Financial need established through the financial aid form.
2. Accumulated grade point average of not less than 3.0.

Awards and Renewal
Financial aid grants or work study will be determined according to student or family financial resources, as appropriate, within university budget limitations. Financial need is defined as the difference between the costs of attending the American University in Cairo and the amount a student or family can contribute toward those costs. Aid may include both grants and part-time student work.

AUC will provide financial or work aid on application to continuing recipients who remain eligible and continue to demonstrate financial need. The amount and kind of aid a student receives will be reviewed each year so that any changes in fees and in family resources can be taken into account. Students are responsible for reporting the changes in their or their family’s financial resources. A students’ award may increase, decrease, or remain the same from year to year, depending upon university costs, the family’s current financial ability, and university approval. Normally, students on probation are not eligible. Graduate students must submit a renewal form every semester if they wish to renew their financial aid awards.

Students who wish to apply for financial aid or work study must submit the university’s financial aid form with required supporting documents to the Office of Student Financial Affairs by the deadlines shown below:

Category		Period of Support		Deadline
New Students		Academic Year		Sept. 15
Returning Students		Academic Year		May 4
New Students		Second Semester		Dec. 31
Returning Students		Second Semester		Dec. 15

Work Study Program

Part of the financial aid program is made available through work assignments for students on campus which assist them financially, provide them with educational experience, and help develop their skills. Details on the work study program including areas of work, compensation and applications are announced through the Office of Graduate Studies and Research; assignments are also made and supervision exercised by that office. Administrative procedures are made by the Office of Student Financial Affairs.

Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships

The University offers graduate students a wide range of fellowships and assistantships in order to help them in financing their education. For more details about such awards, please refer to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research or your department of major. Following is a brief description of each of the graduate awards that are currently offered:

African Fellowships

African graduate fellowships are offered to qualified applicants from African countries (not including Egypt) who wish to pursue full-time study in one of the master’s programs at the American University in Cairo. Fellowships are awarded for a maximum of two academic years and the intervening summer session. Students taking longer to complete their degree will be expected to pay tuition for subsequent work. Candidates must have an appropriate undergraduate degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent. The award is contingent upon full admission into the graduate program at AUC.

African fellows receive a tuition waiver, graduation fees, a monthly stipend paid in local currency, non-residents receive a monthly housing allowance, and medical service and health insurance. As part of their fellowship and in support of their professional training, fellows are assigned 18 hours per week of related academic or administrative work. Applications for admission, and the required supporting documents are due at the Office of Graduate Studies and Research at AUC no later than December 15 for fellowships beginning in September. Selection of the fellowship is made in April.

Al Alfi Foundation MBA Fellowship

The Al Alfi MBA Fellowship is jointly offered by Al Alfi Foundation and the American University in Cairo (AUC) represented by its School of Business. The program is designed to identify and prepare future industrial leaders who are Egyptian nationals and who have strong knowledge and skills in science and engineering coupled with superior business management and decision making skills. The fellowship is offered for two and a half academic years and the intervening summer session and is intended to enable Egyptian students to attend the MBA program at AUC on a full tuition-free scholarship basis.

Candidates must hold the Egyptian nationality and have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or science from an accredited university with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, or a grade of “Very Good” (Gayyid Giddan), or equivalent. They should also be proficient in the English language, have relevant professional experience in manufacturing and or industrial sectors, and proven financial need. Fellows receive waiver of tuition and fees, and books. Applications for the fellowship are due by May for fellowships beginning the following September.

Arabic Language Fellowships

The Arabic Language Fellowships are offered to full-time new and continuing international graduate students who need to take Arabic language classes in order to satisfy their degree requirements at AUC and would like to enroll in the Arabic Language Institute’s (ALI) full-time fall, spring or summer Arabic program.

International graduate students, who are fully admitted to the AUC graduate program, may apply to the Arabic language fellowships. The fellowships are awarded for one summer, or one semester. Arabic language fellows receive a waiver of 50% of the tuition for the ALI intensive Arabic program. As part of their fellowship and in support of their professional training, fellows are assigned five hours per week of related academic or administrative work. Fellowship applications are available online by April 1 for the fall semester, September 15 for the spring semester and February 1 for the ALI intensive Arabic summer program. Selection of fellowship recipients will be made about one month after each of the deadlines.

Graduate Merit Fellowships

Graduate Merit Fellowships are competitive awards offered to outstanding graduate students who wish to pursue full-time study in one of the graduate programs at AUC. Applicants who are fully admitted to one of the graduate programs at AUC and who have a B.A. or B.S. degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in their major, or a grade of “Very Good” in their final year from one of the Egyptian national universities may apply. Students already enrolled in one of the graduate programs and who have a minimum grade point average of 3.7 in their graduate courses are also eligible to apply.

The fellowships are awarded for one year, renewable for a second year. Egyptian and permanent resident non-Egyptian fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. For international students the fellowship partially covers tuition . As part of the fellowship, and in support of their professional training, Merit Fellows are assigned 18 hours per week of related academic or administrative work. Applications for the fellowship are due at the office of the school dean no later than March 1, selection is made by the School in May and the fellowship starts in September.

International Graduate Fellowships in Arabic Studies, Middle East Studies and Sociology-Anthropology

International graduate fellowships are offered for two academic years and the intervening summer session to international students who wish to pursue full-time study in the master’s program in Arabic Studies, Middle East Studies or Sociology-Anthropology at the American University in Cairo. Candidates must have an appropriate undergraduate degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent. The award is contingent upon full admission into one of the above graduate programs.

International fellows receive a partial or full tuition waiver, a monthly stipend paid in local currency, accommodation in the University dormitory or a monthly housing allowance, and medical service and health insurance. As part of their fellowship and in support of their professional training, fellows are assigned 18 hours per week of related academic or administrative work. Application for admission, application for the fellowship, and recommendation letters are due at the Student Service Center in Cairo, or the New York Office with notification by email at: grad@aucegypt.edu by February 1 for fellowships beginning in September. Selection of the fellowship is made in April.

Jameel MBA Fellows Program

The Jameel MBA fellowships are offered to future industrial leaders who have strong knowledge and skills in science and engineering coupled with superior business management and decision making skills. The fellowship offers a full tuition coverage and is designed to develop a new cadre of entrepreneurial leaders who can fill critical leadership positions in Egypt and the Middle East.

Eligible applicants are Egyptian or Palestinian nationals who have received their bachelor degrees in engineering (mechanical, electrical, industrial, etc) or science (pharmacy, medicine, computers, chemistry, etc.) from an accredited university. Applicants are expected to have scored top marks at the bachelor level with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale or of very good (Gayyid Giddan) and satisfy the English language university admission requirement and the GMAT exam.
Applicants should also have or are in the process of pursuing a career in Industry.

Laboratory Instruction Graduate Fellowships in Engineering, Computer Science and Physics

Laboratory Instruction Graduate Fellowships are competitive awards offered to outstanding graduate students who wish to pursue full-time study in engineering, computer science or physics. To be considered for the fellowship, the applicant must be fully admissible to one of the above graduate programs and have a B.S. degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent. Students already enrolled in one of these graduate programs and who have a minimum grade point average of 3.2 in their graduate courses are also eligible to apply. To retain the fellowship, the recipient must take at least 9 graduate credits and maintain a grade point average of 3.2 or better. In all cases, an applicant must demonstrate an ability and interest in conducting experimental work and interacting with students in a laboratory environment. Laboratory Instruction Fellows must not engage in other work activities outside the University.

The Laboratory Instruction Fellowship is reviewed every semester and may be renewed for a maximum period of two years. The fellowship may cover a summer session. Egyptian and permanent resident non-Egyptian fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. For International fellows, the fellowship partially covers tuition. As part of their fellowship and in support of their professional training, fellows are assigned 24 hours per week of laboratory instruction work. Application for the fellowship is made online by March 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.

The Model Arab League (MAL) and Model United Nations (MUN) Graduate Fellowship

The MAL and MUN Graduate Fellowships are competitive awards offered to outstanding new or continuing graduate students who wish to pursue full-time study in the graduate program of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HUSS) or the Department of Economics, and work as the graduate advisers for the MAL or the MUN Programs. Applicants who are fully admitted to a graduate program in either the school of HUSS or Department of Economics and who have a B.A. or B.S. degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale, or a grade of “Very Good” in their final year from one of the Egyptian national universities may apply. Students already enrolled in a HUSS or Economics graduate program and who have a minimum grade point average of 3.7 in their graduate courses are also eligible to apply. Applicants should have sufficient history of participation in MAL or MUN and applicants for the MAL should have proficiency in the Arabic language.

The fellowships are awarded for one year, renewable by semester, and may be awarded for a second year. Egyptian and permanent resident non-Egyptian fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. For international fellows, the fellowship partially covers tuition. As part of the fellowship, and in support of their professional training, fellows are assigned 18 hours per week of work as graduate advisers for the MAL or MUN programs. Applications for the fellowships must be received by the MAL/MUN faculty advisor by April 1 for the MUN fellowship and by November 1 for the MAL fellowship. Selection is made by the MAL/MUN faculty advisor.

Nadia Niazi Mostafa Fellowship in Islamic Art and Architecture

The Nadia Niazi Mostafa Fellowship in Islamic Art and Architecture is a competitive award offered annually to a second year Egyptian student enrolled in the graduate program in Arabic Studies with a specialization in Islamic Art and Architecture and who wishes to pursue full time study in the program. Egyptian students who are fully admitted to the graduate program in Arabic Studies with a specialization in Islamic Art and Architecture and who have completed one year of graduate study in the program (a minimum of 12 credit hours) with a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale are eligible to apply.

The fellowship is awarded for two semesters of full time graduate study. The fellow receives a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. As part of the fellowship and in support of professional training, the fellow is assigned 12 hours per week of related academic or administrative work. Application for the fellowship is made online or to the department in March 1, selection is made by the department by May and the fellowship starts in September.

Sasakawa Fellowships

The American University in Cairo is proud to be one of 72 universities worldwide offering the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Graduate Fellowships. This highly selective scholarship program covers partial or full tuition, academic fees, medical service and health insurance (for international students) for two years of full-time graduate study at AUC in one of the following graduate programs: Arabic Studies, Economics, Economics in International Development, English and Comparative Literature, Journalism and Mass Communication, Middle East Studies, Political Science, Psychology, LL.M., International Human Rights Law and Sociology-Anthropology.

The primary objective of the Sasakawa fellowship program is to educate outstanding young men and women who have demonstrated a high potential for future leadership in international affairs, public life and private endeavors. For the 2009-2010 program, four graduate students (Egyptian and international) will be selected from applicants who will start or are currently enrolled in the graduate program at AUC.

The award is contingent upon full admission of the applicant into one of AUC’s M.A. programs listed above. Faculty members are encouraged to nominate eligible students for the fellowship. All applicants (Egyptian and international) must submit an application for admission and an online fellowship application, recommendation letters and a covering letter specifying the name of the fellowship to the Student Service Center in Cairo, or the New York Office with notification by email at: grad@aucegypt.edu by February 1. Selection of fellowship recipients will be determined by the AUC Sasakawa Committee and announced in April. Scholars will begin their coursework in September.

Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language Fellowships

Fellowships are offered in the Arabic Language Institute for two academic years and the intervening summer session to full-time students wishing to earn a master’s degree in teaching Arabic as a foreign language and to acquire language teaching experience at the American University in Cairo. Special consideration in selection is given to those with previous TAFL experience and/or excellent qualifications in the Arabic language. Fellows pursue degree study, teach Arabic eight hours per week, and participate in Institute research.

Fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. International fellows are provided, in addition, with medical service and health insurance. Applications for admission and the online fellowship application must be received no later than February 1 for fellowships beginning in September.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language Fellowships

Fellowships are offered in the English Language Institute for two academic years and the intervening summer session to full-time students wishing to earn a master’s degree in teaching English as a foreign language and to acquire language teaching experience at the American University in Cairo. TEFL/TESL experience in the Middle East and knowledge of Arabic or other languages are considered a plus. Fellows pursue degree study, teach English eight hours per week, and participate in Institute research.

Fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. Nonresidents of Egypt are provided, in addition, with accommodation in the university dormitory or a housing allowance, medical service and health insurance and one-way home travel. Applications for admission and the online fellowship application must be received no later than February 1 for fellowships beginning in September.

University Fellowships

The University Fellowships are competitive awards, granted to those who display superior academic performance and promise. Egyptian and permanent resident non-Egyptian fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. For international fellows, the fellowship partially covers tuition. As part of their fellowship and in support of their professional training, fellows work with faculty members in teaching and research activities. To be considered for a fellowship, an applicant must be fully admissible to one of the graduate programs at AUC and have a B.A. or B.S. degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent. Students already enrolled in one of AUC’s graduate programs and who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.2 in their graduate courses are also eligible to apply. To retain the fellowship, the recipient must take at least 9 graduate credits and maintain a grade point average of 3.2 or better. Application for the fellowship is made online by March 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.

Writing Center Graduate Fellowships

Writing Center Graduate Fellowships are established by the American University in Cairo to provide fellowship recipients with valuable teaching and academic experience as tutors in AUC’s Writing Center. The fellowships are competitive awards offered to outstanding students who wish to pursue full-time study in the graduate program of the school of Humanities and Social Sciences. To be considered for the fellowship the applicant must be fully admissible to a graduate program in the school of Humanities and Social Sciences at AUC and have a B.A. degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent. Students already enrolled in a Humanities and Social Sciences graduate program and who have a minimum grade point average of 3.4 in their graduate courses are also eligible to apply. To retain the fellowship, the recipient must take at least 9 graduate credits and maintain a grade point average of 3.4 or better.

The Writing Center Fellowship is reviewed every semester and may be renewed for a maximum period of two years. The fellowship may cover a summer session. Fellows receive a waiver of tuition and fees and a monthly stipend paid in local currency. As part of their fellowship and in support of their professional training, fellows are assigned 10 hours of work per week in the Writing Center. Application for the fellowship is made online by March 1 for the fall semester and by November 1 for the spring semester.

Assistantships

Departments also offer a few graduate assistantships to applicants who have special qualifications. Assistants receive monthly stipends - but no waiver of tuition and fees and assist in teaching, class supervision, and/or research.

Post-Masters Assistantships

The university offers a limited number of post-masters assistantships to candidates who are interested in acquiring advanced professional guidance in improving their academic experience. To be considered for the assistantship, a candidate must have an M.A. or M.S. degree and should be preparing for a Ph.D degree or receiving academic training. The post-masters assistantship is for one year, renewable once. Fellows receive a monthly stipend and assist faculty members in teaching and/or research activities. Upon request to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, fellows who are non-residents of Egypt will have guidance in obtaining student or temporary residence visas and medical service coverage but no health insurance.

Fellowship Without Stipend

The university provides institutional affiliation with AUC in the form of a fellowship without stipend for visiting graduate scholars who wish to do research in Egypt and already have a source of funding but who need such an affiliation. The benefits of this fellowship include guidance in obtaining student or temporary residence visas, sponsorship by an academic department, consultation with faculty, access to the library and medical service and health insurance. The fellow must register at AUC for research, pay a research fee equivalent to the tuition of one graduate credit hour per academic year, and agree to the university’s regulations regarding responsibility in research and publication. The fellowship does not provide housing or office space.

Acceptance of a scholar as a fellow without stipend is conditional upon the compatibility of his/her research interests with those of an AUC faculty member from a sponsoring department. Additional requirements may be specified such as making an oral presentation of the fellow’s research project to a Scholars Seminar sometime during the period of his/her affiliation and presenting the school with a copy of research results such as a copy of the Ph.D dissertation and/or copies of any published articles. To apply, the candidate must submit the following: 1) the university’s personnel information form and a current resume; 2) a letter of introduction or sponsorship from the applicant’s home institution; 3) a research outline, including a description of the research techniques and tools the applicant plans to use in Egypt; 4) a statement describing the source(s) and amount(s) of funding available for the applicant in Egypt; and 5) a recommendation from the AUC faculty member endorsed by the chair of the sponsoring department.

Applications and supporting documents should be submitted to the dean of the appropriate school for final approval

Other Awards

Center for Arabic Study Abroad

Fellowships are offered to American graduate students for participation in the intensive Arabic language program taught by AUC under the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) established by a consortium of U.S. universities, including AUC, and funded annually since 1967 by the U.S. Department of Education. Both summer and twelve-month programs are conducted. Students pay a program fee to help cover administrative costs and receive a fellowship covering tuition, maintenance, and travel from and to the United States. Competence in modern standard Arabic equivalent to at least two years of study on the college level is a prerequisite.

For information and applications contact:
The Director
Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA)
Emory University, Woodruff Library
4th floor, Language Center
540 Asbury Circle
Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
casa@emory.edu

Outside Assistance

Other than the opportunities described above, international students in the past have obtained outside support for work at AUC from the following sources:

1. Rotary Foundation International Scholarships for one year of graduate, or language study. Contact: student’s local Rotary Club or Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, 1 Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60201. (www.rotary.org)
2. Fulbright grants for one year of graduate study are available to U.S citizens. Contact: student’s campus Fulbright Program adviser or Institute of International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York 10017. (www.iie.org)
3. Federal Stafford Student Loans can be used by U.S. citizens or permanent residents for graduate degree study or to earn a certificate in Arabic language (at least one year of intensive study). Pell Grants are not applicable. Degree and certificate students must obtain instructions from the AUC New York office. (e-mail: aucegypt@aucnyo.edu)
4. Veterans Administration educational benefits are applicable to graduate degree study at AUC. U.S. veterans should contact their regional office of the Veterans Administration. Written approval of benefits from the Veterans Administration should be obtained prior to coming to Cairo. (www.va.gov)
5. Canadian students may inquire about AUCC-Foreign Government Awards for graduate study in Egypt at: Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, 350 Albert Street, Suite 600, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B1, Canada. (www.aucc.ca)