Undergraduate Student Finances

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Tuition and Fees
• Scholarships and Financial Aid

Starting the academic year 2003/2004, there has been two tuition rates: one for Egyptian students and non-Egyptian students who are permanently resident in Egypt (category A) and the other for non-Egyptian, non resident students (category B).

Category A students will pay the tuition fee in Egyptian pounds according to the tuition rates stated in the bulletin issued by the Office of Students Financial Affairs. Category B students will pay in US dollars according to the rates stated in the same bulletin. For the year 2010/2011 the tuition fees per semester for 12 credits was set at:
Category A students L.E. 48,468
Category B students $ 10,260
Additional charges are added for additional credits.

The highest-ranking undergraduate students are given tuition scholarships based on academic achievement providing them with reduced actual rates. Students may retain their achievement scholarship at the same level as long as they maintain their performance level. (Refer to achievement scholarship policy under “Undergraduate Scholarships” in this section of the catalog). Students beyond their freshman year have to maintain a full time status during the year in order to be eligible for continuing scholarship awards.

A few students may also be admitted with sports or cultural scholarship. Sports and cultural scholarships awarded at the time of admission are one-year scholarships. They may be renewed for subsequent years if the student represents the university in the official championships or contests organized by national government bodies.

No student with bills outstanding, including charges for breakage or library fines, will be admitted to any examination, 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 can be made in two installments as follows:

For continuing students:
 

• 50% to be paid at the time of registration.
• The balance must be paid by November 19th for the fall semester and April 8th for the spring semester.
• The student will pay the set administrative fee.

For new students:
 

• 70% of the tuition must be paid at the time of registration.
• The balance must be paid by November 19th for the fall semester and April 8th for the spring semester.

Tuition Fee for Readmission

1. Disqualified cases: students who were disqualified and readmitted will be required to pay the full tuition fee prevailing at the time of readmission.
2. Readmission after one semester of withdrawal: no change in tuition level, same as prior to withdrawal.
3. Readmission cases for students who withdrew for more than one semester: students will pay according to the tuition level of their cumulative GPA at the time of readmission.

Refund Policy

Given the need to know which new undergraduate students will attend AUC in order to admit alternate candidates by the beginning of classes, new undergraduate students are not entitled to refunds.
A full refund for continuing students is made only for courses 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 ALI and English Language Institute. The student services and activities fee, the application fee, laboratory and studio course fees, and special charges are not refundable.

School of Continuing Education

For regular courses offered by the School of Continuing Education, the Management Center, and Engineering and Science Services, schedules of fees are included in separate announcements. Fees for other educational and training programs are based on separate contractual arrangements. Most programs have differential fees for Egyptian and non-Egyptian participants.

Although the American University in Cairo is a private university that depends upon tuition and contributions for its operation, it attempts to provide financial assistance to any student with a GPA of not less than 2.00 who demonstrates financial need. AUC offers, in addition to its high tuition scholarships for most students, a range of merit scholarships, financial aid, and student work programs to assist students in meeting the expenses of their education. For a listing of the available scholarships offered by outside organizations, please see the section on scholarships in the chapter entitled “The University”. Scholarships and financial aid are not available for the winter sessions.

Undergraduate Scholarships

1. Achievement Scholarships :

The achievement scholarship is granted to the top 25 percent of the degree-seeking undergraduate students for a one-year period, which is revised annually. The scholarship amounts to 30 percent of the full tuition fees.

Students admitted before the academic year 2010-2011 will be evaluated after the summer session.

Students admitted starting academic year 2010-2011 will be evaluated as follows:

• Students enrolled in the fall semester will be evaluated after the summer session.
• Students enrolled in the spring semester will be evaluated after the winter session.

Students will retain their achievement scholarship as long as they maintain a cumulative GPA of not less than 3.0 and a full-time status (a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester). Students who take remedial English courses (ELI) or English 100 during the fall and/or spring semesters of the previous academic year will retain their achievement scholarship at the same level. Transfer credits are not counted in the achieved hours.

Students who have either lost their scholarship or joined the university with no achievement scholarship may be granted the achievement scholarship if they maintain full time status (a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester) and achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or above for a minimum of 30 credit hours of work at AUC at the evaluation period. Transfer credits are not counted in the achieved hours.


2. Scholarships for Students from Government Secondary Schools:
AUC offers Twenty full-tuition scholarships per year to students from governmental schools with good academic qualifications demonstrating serious financial need. Selected students will maintain their scholarship until graduation as long as they are making satisfactory progress towards their degrees. Nomination of students is made by the Ministry of Education and final selection is made by the university from among those who meet the admissions requirements.

3. Sports Achievement Scholarship:

• Sports Achievement Scholarship is awarded to a limited number of students who participate in sports, which include but are not limited to basketball, swimming, judo, rowing, cocker, tennis, handball, and squash.
• School competitions are not accepted.
• Documents proving sports achievement levels will be examined by the Athletics Department and the applicant’s activities will be evaluated by a committee.
• The Sports Achievement Scholarship gives the student a reduction of 15% of the full tuition fee per semester for that academic year.
• The scholarship is awarded to applicants meeting the following level of distinction in their final secondary school year.

(For more details please refer to the following website: http://www.aucegypt.edu/currstudents/finaffairs/scholarships/Pages/Sports.aspx).

4. Sports Merit Awards:
Students who participate in the National Universities Championship may be granted a cash award according to the criteria which will be determined every year by the University according to the allocated funds and number of winners of gold, silver and bronze medals. Selected students must have a Grade Point Average of not less than 2.5 in the year of which the award is granted.

5. Innovation, Cultural and Leadership Scholarship:
Cultural achievement scholarship is awarded each year to a limited number of new students who participated in cultural activities, which include but are not limited to music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, and writing, organized by local official government bodies and in which they have achieved a high level of distinction. The applicant will be interviewed by the Office of Student Development and his/her activities will be evaluated by a committee to determine eligibility.

The cultural achievement scholarship gives the student a reduction of 15% of the full tuition fee per semester for that academic year. (For more details, please refer to the following website: http://www.aucegypt.edu/currstudents/finaffairs/scholarships/Pages/Cultural.aspx).

6. Cultural merit Awards:
The university annually provides a number of cultural achievement awards to students who have been enrolled for at least one academic year. The criteria and size of cultural achievement awards are determined every year by the University according to the allocated funds and the number of winners of first place in one of the national cultural contests organized by an official government recognized body, or students recommended by the trainers. Selected students must have a grade point average of not less than 2.5 in the year for which the award is granted.

Financial Aid and Work Study for Students

The financial aid and student work program at the American University in Cairo is designed to provide financial assistance in the form of a grant or student work to Egyptian undergraduate students who need it to attend AUC. This financial aid or work covers only partial tuition at the university.
In addition to the achievement scholarships that students receive, approximately fifty percent of Egyptian undergraduate students have received additional financial assistance in recent years.

Eligibility
In order to be eligible for financial aid, students must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Financial aid established through the financial aid form (for financial aid).
2. Full-time undergraduate degree status.
3. Accumulated grade-point average of not less than 2.0.

Selection
The University Financial Aid Committee will make awards for the fall and spring semesters. A student applying at the beginning of the academic year may receive financial aid for the full academic year.

Awards and Renewal
Financial aid grants 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 to continuing recipients who remain eligible and continue to demonstrate financial need. Students are responsible for reporting changes in their family’s financial resources. A student’s award may increase, decrease, or remain the same from year to year, depending upon university costs, the family’s current financial ability, and university budget. Students on probation are not eligible.
Students who wish to apply for financial aid must submit the university’s financial aid form with supporting documents to the Student Service Center by the deadlines shown below:
 

		Fall Semester		Spring Semester
New Students		Sept. 15th, 2010		Dec. 30, 2010
Returning Students		May 16th, 2010		Dec. 15th, 2010

Summer Financial Aid

No financial aid is awarded in summer semester.

Student Work Study Program

The Office of Student Financial Affairs in collaboration with the Career Advising and Placement Services office provide you with the opportunity to gain on-campus work experience and develop skills while earning some money through the Work Study (WS) program.

The WS gives students the opportunity to work in various departments on campus during the academic year and contribute to AUC’s academic and administrative departments’ projects and programs.
It allows students to contribute towards their education expenses, make use of their free time, gain experience, helps them develop transferable skills, boost their resumes and earn money.

Student participants should be willing to dedicate 8-10 working hours per week with a maximum of 120 hours during regular semester and 60 hours during the summer session.
Details on the student work study program is on the website:
http://www.aucegypt.edu/currstudents/finaffairs/work_study/Pages/default.aspx

Other Financial Assistance and Awards for Non-Egyptian Students

Study Abroad Students from U.S. State Universities
A partial tuition waiver is available to students currently enrolled full-time in their first undergraduate degree program at a U.S. four-year state university. The waiver assumes that the out-of-state (non-resident) tuition rate is lower than AUC’s tuition. The waiver equals the difference between the two tuition rates. AUC must receive an official letter from the state university bursar or other responsible officer confirming that college’s out-of-state tuition rate for the same period the student will be attending AUC. The waiver of the tuition difference is applicable only to undergraduate study abroad and ALIN program students for a maximum of two semesters. It does not apply to the summer session; to study in the Arabic Language Institute’s intensive Arabic program; to part-time study; or to study towards an AUC degree. Students should contact AUC’s New York Office for details (e-mail:aucegypt@aucnyo.edu).

AFS, EIL, and YFU Scholarships
The American University in Cairo offers two scholarships annually to alumni of each of the following programs: American Field Service; Experiment in International Living; and Youth for Understanding. Alumni of these programs must be non-Egyptian and seek their undergraduate degree from AUC. The award is a tuition credit equivalent to $1,000 per year and will be awarded based on the individual’s academic merit and financial need. Students must file the Financial Aid Profile of the College Scholarship Service (Box 6376, Princeton, New Jersey 08541, U.S.A.) and AUC’s financial aid form immediately after admission. The scholarship is renewable based on academic performance and financial need.

Outside Assistance for American Students
Other than the opportunities described above, American students may be able to obtain outside support for work at AUC from the following sources:

1. Rotary Foundation International Scholarships for one year of undergraduate, 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. Veterans Administration educational benefits are applicable to undergraduate 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
3. Federal Stafford Loans can be used by U.S. citizens or permanent residents for undergraduate 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). Study abroad students may apply to their home university’s financial aid office for campus-based aid and/or student loans to be used while they are enrolled at AUC
4. Gilman Scholarships U.S. undergraduates can receive financial support for study abroad programs worldwide through the new Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program of the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program is named after Congressman Ben Gilman (R-NY), the sponsor of legislation that sets aside $ 1.5 million to broaden and increase opportunities for study abroad by undergraduate students who face financial constraints. The Institute of International Education (IIE), a New York-based non-profit organization, will administer the program through its Southern Regional Office in Houston, Texas under a grant from the Bureau.

Established under the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2002, Gilman International Scholarships will provide up to $5,000 for American students to pursue overseas study for college credit.

Application forms are available at the Gilman International Scholarship website, www.iie.org/gilman. Additional information is available through IIE’s Southern Regional Office by e-mail, at gilman@iie.org, or by calling (713) 621-6300 ext. 25.