University Catalog

Many sources of student financial aid exist at The University of Texas at Arlington. Any interested student should apply for assistance each year, as eligibility and funding availability can vary from one year to the next. Financial aid is generally limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A minimum of half-time enrollment (as defined in the Registration section of the catalog)  with the intent of obtaining a degree or certificate and the maintenance of satisfactory academic progress are required to participate in most aid programs. Students subject to selective service registration will be required to file a statement that the student has registered or is exempt from selective service registration to be eligible for financial aid.

Unless otherwise noted in this section of the Catalog, financial aid is available through the Office of Financial Aid in Room 252, Davis Hall, 817-272-3561. Information is also available on the financial aid Web site: www.uta.edu/fao.

Students subject to selective service registration will be required to file a statement that the student has registered or is exempt from selective service registration to be eligible to apply for state or federal financial aid including tuition waivers and exemptions provided through legislative action by the State of Texas.

Federal and State Programs

The University participates in most of the federal student financial aid programs offered through the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, several state and institutional programs are available for students with exceptional financial need. Among the programs in which the University participates are Federal Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal TEACH Grants, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct PLUS, Texas Public Education Grants and TEXAS Grants. Award amounts are subject to funding levels set by the appropriate federal or state legislature. Information regarding eligibility and application procedures for these programs is available from the Office of Financial Aid. The Texas Education Coordinating Board administers various tuition assistance programs including programs for teachers and vocational nursing students.

Aid applicants may check the status of their financial aid applications on the Web through their MyMav accounts.  A list of missing documents may be found in the To Do List in the Student Center.  Award information can be viewed on the same page.

Students wishing to participate in the federal and state need-based student financial aid programs should complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible prior to their actual enrollment at the University. The awarding process requires 2 – 3 weeks for completion once all required documents are received and is governed by the availability of funds. The FAFSA can be obtained online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The school code for UT Arlington is 003656.

With the exception of post-baccalaureate students seeking certification in the following areas: early childhood - grade 6, middle level, secondary and all level, non-degree seeking students in stand-alone certificate programs awarded by UT Arlington are not be eligible to receive need-based financial aid.

Grant Assistance for International Students

A limited number of TPEG grants are available to international students. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to complete an International TPEG form during the month of June.  This funding is limited to international students paying the non-resident tuition rate.

Loan Programs

The Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized), and College Access Loan (CAL) are the primary sources of long-term loans available at UT Arlington. These programs include deferred repayment provisions that permit students to repay the loan after termination of at least half-time studies at the University. Interest will not accrue on the loans while the borrowers are enrolled on at least a half-time basis. Information regarding loan amounts and terms can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.

Federal PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students) loans are available to parents to finance their dependents’ educational costs. Information and an application are available at www.StudentLoans.gov. Students whose parents wish to borrow through the Federal PLUS must complete the FAFSA and have the results sent to UT Arlington prior to loan certification.  Grad PLUS loans are available to graduate students.  This loan also requires completion of the FAFSA although the loan is not based on financial need.

Federal Work-Study Program

A student who needs a job to help pay for college expenses may be eligible for employment through the Federal Work-Study Program. Eligibility is based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Most participants are employed in positions with various University departments, but limited off-campus jobs with certain approved agencies are also available. You may view available on-campus student employment positions at SNAP Job by the Office of Human Resources and off-campus employment positions at Hanshake provided by the Career Center.

Financial Counseling

The Financial Aid Office provides financial aid counseling for any and all students regardless of whether they qualify for other types of financial assistance.  Students may also wish to contact the Student Money Management Center at 817 272-2353 for assistance with developing a personal budget or other money management tools.

Out-of-State Student Assistance

Several states offer aid to their students attending schools in other states. Amounts and requirements for this assistance vary greatly. Further information can be obtained from the home-state aid agency.

Veterans' Assistance

Contact the Registrar's Office for information concerning eligibility for and payment of VA benefits and other matters for veterans attending or planning to attend UT Arlington.

Fellowships and Scholarships

252 Davis Hall | Box 19199 | 817.272.2197 | http://www.uta.edu/fao

The University of Texas at Arlington provides a variety of scholarship programs for students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement. UT Arlington also offers a number of endowed scholarships that are administered by a school, department or program. Graduate scholarships are awarded on the basis of scholastic excellence and adequate preparation for graduate study in the student's chosen field, as shown by the student's academic record. Scholarship eligibility criteria include admission into a degree program, enrollment in coursework leading to the degree, reasonable progress in the degree program, good academic standing, GPA, and in some cases, test scores, references and personal statements.Test scores are not used as the sole criterion for awarding scholarships or the primary criterion for denying scholarship to applicants. There are additional specific qualifications for scholarships in various areas of study. Students are encouraged to contact their school dean or department/program office to obtain information about eligibility criteria and scholarships awarded in the student's area of study.

In addition to the specific qualifications required for various competitive scholarships awarded by the University, the committee responsible for selection of a given scholarship may consider such factors as leadership, community involvement and financial need. State law and the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System require that any scholarship and/or fellowship be approved by the appropriate scholarship, loans and awards committee (graduate or undergraduate). Scholarship funds have been contributed by individual donors, UT Arlington alumni, corporations, government agencies and other entities to recognize and reward academic excellence.

Top 10% Scholarship

Per Texas Education Code, Section 51.933, students who graduated in the top 10% of their graduating class may be eligible for a scholarship provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. For eligibility and application information visit College for All Texans website. 

Assistantships

Standard research and teaching assistantships available in most departments can be held only by students admitted unconditionally or on probation to Graduate School. Recipients of the Enhanced GTA and the STEM Fellowship can be admitted unconditionally only. Students admitted provisionally or students who are on academic probation are not eligible for assistantships. Prospective graduate students should contact the appropriate department chairperson for further information. To be continued on a research or teaching assistantship, a student must be in good standing and have performed assigned duties satisfactorily in the preceding semesters as determined by the respective department. Consult the catalog section on General Graduate School Regulations and Information for regulations regarding registration and responsibility of graduate assistants.

Before being appointed to an assistantship at UT Arlington, a student whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. The preferred method to demonstrate English proficiency is to submit an acceptable score of at least 23 on the TOEFL speaking subtest, or a score of at least 7 on the speaking section of the IELTS, or take and pass the UTA Developmental English course. The TOEFL or IELTS score should be sent directly to UT Arlington by ETS or IELTS. Score reports submitted directly by the student or those marked "Student Copy" or "Applicant's Copy" are not considered official and will not be accepted by the University. The English proficiency requirement will be waived for non-native speakers of English who possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution. The TOEFL and IELTS are administered at test centers around the world.

Graduate Assistantship/Associateship Policy

Graduate teaching and research assistantships and associateships are funded through state appropriations and federal, state, local and private grants for at least three principal reasons. First, employment of graduate students in teaching and in research positions during their graduate education encourages and supports their participation in these two major functions of a university and thereby strengthens the quality of the students' educational experience. Second, assistantships and associateships provide direct financial support to outstanding students who are essential to the development of quality graduate programs. Third, graduate students provide valuable and necessary services to the University in their roles as teaching and research assistants and associates. It must be kept in mind, however, that graduate assistants and associates are first and foremost students. As such, their most important task is to complete their degree requirements in a timely fashion; this is the primary expectation of the University as well.

The University of Texas at Arlington supports the "Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants" of The Council of Graduate Schools in the United States. A copy of the resolution and list of signatory institutions can be viewed at www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/CGSResolutionMarch2009.pdf. To assure the appointment of the most highly qualified students available and to best realize the principal objectives for which graduate assistants are employed, The University of Texas at Arlington has adopted the following policies and regulations, all provisions of which apply to both graduate assistantships and graduate associateships.

Admission Status

A student must be admitted to a degree program to be eligible to hold a graduate assistantship. Students admitted as Provisional students may not be considered for an assistantship until all provisional requirements have been resolved. New students, admitted with probationary conditions, may be considered for an assistantship, subject to the requirement that they earn and maintain a 3.0 grade-point average while enrolled as a graduate student, conform to admission conditions specified by the admitting department or the University and meet assistantship enrollment requirements. See Admissions for more information.

English Proficiency

Before being appointed to a teaching assistantship at UT Arlington, a student whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. The preferred method to demonstrate proficiency is to submit an acceptable score of at least 23 on the Speaking Section of the TOEFL, or a score of at least 7 on the Speaking Section of the IELTS, or take and pass the UTA Developmental English course. The TOEFL and IELTS scores should be sent directly to UT Arlington by ETS or IELTS. Score reports submitted directly by the student or those marked "Student Copy" or "Applicant's Copy" are not considered official and will not be accepted by the University. The English proficiency requirement will be waived for non-native speakers of English who possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution. See Graduate Admissions for more information.

Developmental English Program

Students who do not achieve scores on the TOEFL or IELTS high enough to satisfy the English proficiency requirements for graduate teaching assistants must enroll in the Developmental English Program and be certified for English proficiency before becoming eligible to hold a teaching assistantship. This 10-week program, offered by the UT Arlington English Language Institute, emphasizes oral presentation skills and accent reduction. Registration is in 402 Hammond Hall, and the charge for course is payable at the time of registration. Contact the English Language Institute at 817.272.2730 for details, including the current class schedule and charges.

Continuation or Renewal of Appointment

Although a student may be appointed initially to a graduate assistantship for a full academic year, continuation of the appointment beyond the first semester is subject to the following conditions:

1. To continue or renew an appointment, the student must be in good standing in the University. A student on academic probation is not in good standing, and therefore, will automatically lose his or her assistantship. However, Graduate Advisors, with the written endorsement of their department's or program's Graduate Studies Committee, may petition the Academic Dean to allow a one-time exception, granting one additional semester of assistantship support in the next semester of enrollment if they judge the student is capable of raising his or her GPA to the required minimum by the end of that semester and believe that the student is making satisfactory progress in all other aspects of their studies. If granted, the student will be considered to be in good academic standing for one semester for purposes of continuing their assistantship. This broadened definition of academic good standing for a student with a GPA below 3.00 applies only in cases where a program wishes to continue or renew a student's teaching or research assistantship during the semester of enrollment following the one in which his or her GPA dropped below 3.00. Programs may not request this exception on behalf of students who will hold any other type of employment.

   A student granted one semester of good academic standing for purposes of continuing their assistantship must improve his or her UT Arlington graduate grade-point average to 3.00 and return to good academic standing as normally defined in the next semester of enrollment in order to qualify for assistantship support in subsequent semesters. Requests to extend this form of good standing beyond one semester will not be approved. Further, students who have previously received a one-semester extension of academic good standing for purposes of continuing their assistantship will not be eligible for this exception again.

2. The student must be making satisfactory progress toward an advanced degree.
3. The student must have performed assigned assistantship duties satisfactorily in the preceding semester(s) as determined by the department in which the assistantship is held.

A department may limit the number of semesters during which a graduate student may hold an assistantship.

Resident Tuition Rates

Graduate teaching and research assistants employed at least 20 hours per week in positions related to their degree programs are entitled to Texas resident tuition rates. Eligibility for the resident rate must be certified prior to registration otherwise, full tuition will be assessed. Non-resident students receiving appointments after a term's published Census date will not be eligible for resident tuition rates in that term.

Non-resident or international students holding less than full assistantships (full meaning 20 hours employment per week) are not eligible for Texas resident rates.

Course Load

Full Assistantships

Graduate assistants holding full assistantships (20 hours of employment per week) may register for and must complete no fewer than nine semester hours and no fewer than six semester hours during the three summer semesters.

The nine hour minimum registration limit may be reduced to six semester hours for thesis and dissertation students who 1) have completed all required coursework 2) are registered for thesis or dissertation reseach only. In such cases, master's students should enroll in 5698 and doctoral students who have passed their Comprehensive Examinations should enroll in 6699 course. International students meeting these requirements must obtain written permission from the Office of International Education to enroll in fewer than nine hours and present it to the appointing department. Students defending their theses typically must enroll in a six-hour thesis course. Doctoral students who have completed or will complete a total of at least nine hours of dissertation research in 6399, 6699, 6999 and/or 7399 courses prior to graduation may meet minimum registration requirements in the term they intend to defend their dissertations and graduate by enrolling in 7399. However, if a student does not graduate after enrolling in 7399, he or she must enroll in 6699 or 6999 until graduation. The 7399 course may not be repeated. Students may not petition for a course load reduction below these requirements.

Non-thesis master's students with only three to six hours of organized coursework left to complete a program in his or her final semester are permitted to hold an assistantship while enrolled in the three to six hour course. International students in these instances must obtain written permission from the OIE for less than nine hours of enrollment and present it to the appointing department.

Partial Assistantships

Graduate Teaching Assistants or Graduate Research Assistants who have a 25% (10 hours of employment per week) or less appointment must be enrolled for at least six hours during a long semester and three hours during the summer. This enrollment requirement covers both organized courses and dissertation and thesis hours. However, all graduate students, whether funded or unfunded, must follow UT Arlington policy concerning required enrollment in the final semester.

Assignment of Duties

Graduate assistants are under the direction of the department chair with regard to assistantship responsibilities and assignments.

Additional Employment While an Assistant or Associate

All Students

In accepting a graduate assistantship/associateship, students agree to devote their efforts to graduate studies and assistantship/associateship responsibilities. In some circumstances, however, additional employment may be justified. Immigration policies severely restrict the amount that an international student may work.

U.S. Citizen Students

Full-time (20-hour) graduate assistants wishing to hold additional assistantships/associateships or accept additional on or off-campus positions must obtain the approval of their Graduate Advisor. Approval will only be given if the additional work will not impact the student's academic progress negatively or exceed employment limits allowed by law.

International Students

During the fall and spring semesters, international students may work on campus only 20 hours per week unless authorized for additional employment through Curricular Practical Training (CPT). During vacation and the summer, international students may work more that 20 hours per week on-campus without additional authorization. At anytime during the year, employment with an off-campus employer must be authorized by either BCIS or by the International Office in the case of CPT. The Office of International Education must grant approval prior to taking on additional employment if that employment is to be authorized by CPT. Students holding a UT Arlington assistantship wishing to work off-campus in addition to the assistantship, must 1) meet and maintain the enrollment requirements for holding an assistantship 2) meet the immigration requirements for CPT 3) work only part-time (20 hours or less) off-campus 4) be employed in off-campus work that is clearly connected to his or her assistantship. If these requirements are not met, a student will be obliged to give up either the assistantship or the off-campus employment.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that the University of Texas at Arlington establish policies to monitor the academic progress of students who apply for and/or receive financial aid. To retain eligibility, undergraduate recipients must show satisfactory progress toward a degree based on the following requirements. There are two areas specifically addressed in these requirements. The first is cumulative grade point average (qualitative standard) and the other is a comparison of the number of credit hours annually and a review of the maximum number of hours attempted (quantitative standard).  The cumulative grade point average required to meet this portion of the SAP standards mirrors the grade point average required to remain in good academic standing at the University.  Information regarding the calculation of the quantitative standard as well as the notification and appeal process may be found on the Financial Aid website.  Click on the Satisfactory Academic Progress tab.