Admission and Registration
Admission Fees
An
application fee of US $ 25.00 is required to apply for graduate studies
(or US $35.00 for a late application). Payment can be made online
by credit card or personally at the Finance Office on campus. In the
second case, the applicant must present the Graduate Studies Office
(Monzon-303) with receipt of payment.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees vary depending on the student’s origin. Puerto
Rican residents pay $113 per graduate credit, while international
students pay $2,832.00 per semester.
North American citizens who do not reside in Puerto Rico
pay $113 per graduate credit plus an additional fee that varies
according to their state of origin. Applicable fees can be accessed
through the following link. The University considers students Puerto
Rican residents after completing their first year of studies.
In addition to tuition fees, all students must pay the following dues:
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Technology fee - $25 per semester or summer session
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Maintenance fee - $47 per semester
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Laboratory fee - $33 per laboratory
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Medical insurance - approximately $600 per year for basic coverage or $1,300 per year for basic coverage including prescriptions
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Graduation fee - $27 ($40.50 for late payment)
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Thesis publication fee - $45 for a masters thesis, $55 for a doctoral dissertation
Students
that register for courses late will pay a late fee of US $13.00.
Fees are US $20.00 (or US $30 for late payment) to transfer to another
graduate program. Readmission fees are US $33.00 ($49.50 for late
payment).
Cost of living
UPRM’s
Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs has submitted the following
estimate of expenditures for an academic year (10 months), applicable
to students from January 2006 onwards.
|
Courses
|
$5,664
|
|
Building fees
|
$94
|
|
Laboratories
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$66
|
|
Technology fees
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$50
|
|
Student identification card
|
$5
|
|
Medical insurance
basic
coverage
|
$686*
|
|
Medical insurance
basic with
pharmacy |
$1,976* |
|
Food
|
$4,500
|
|
Accommodation
|
$3,250
|
|
Transportation
|
$300
|
|
Miscellaneous
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$1,200
|
|
Books and materials
|
$1,000
|
|
Total
|
$18,105
|
Spouses
and each child over seven years old will cost an additional US $4900.00
(per child up to six years old estimate US $2450.00)
Housing
UPRM
has a Department of Student Housing under the Deanship of Students.
This Department offers information on student housing near UPRM and it
can be reached by telephone (787-832-4040, ext. 2078, 3894 or
787-265-3894), email (vivienda@uprm.edu) or through their web page:
UPRM apartments
The
university has 44 apartments located near campus. Monthly rent is $300.
A down payment of $150 and a $25 key deposit are required. The lease
must be formalized in the presence of a notary and a guarantor who will
agree to cover any of the student’s outstanding financial
obligations. Please contact Mrs. Lydia Hernández Colón,
Administrator,
Darlington
Building, Calle Méndez Vigo 165, Mayagüez, PR 00680 for further information.
Accommodation outside UPRM
The
Office of the Dean of Student Affair’s Department of Student
Housing maintains a list of rooms, apartments and private homes
available for rent. Rent for private homes varies depending on housing
conditions and location. Monthly rentals for one room in a
boarding house vary between $100 and $150. Monthly rent for a study
near campus is approximately $350.
Medical Services
Required Medical Exams
UPRM’s Board of Administrators certificate # 74-75-319 requires that every student admitted to study at the
University of
Puerto Rico at
Mayaguez
undergo a complete physical exam, including laboratory tests, in order
to complete registration. These tests must be carried out within
three months of the entrance date. Student admitted to UPRM will be
informed of submission deadlines for each academic year when they
receive their acceptance letters.
Although
each applicant will receive detailed instructions upon admission,
required medical documentation includes vaccinations against Measles,
Rubella, Mumps, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis
test results (or chest x-rays) and blood tests for Syphilis
(serology). The Health Services Department also requires students
to submit a series of documents that were included in their admission
package including an Authorization to Evaluate and Treat Physical and Mental Conditions, Student Medical Insurance Coverage Selection and Consent to Use or Disclose Health Information. Graduate students will not be able to register for courses while any of these documents are outstanding.
Medical Insurance
The
Health Services Department at UPRM offers primary health care, and
first aid services free of charge, for all students. In order to ensure
the health of all students, the
University of
Puerto Rico requires all students enrolled in three or more credits be covered by medical insurance.
A
student must produce proof of medical insurance coverage (photocopy of
an up-to-date medical insurance card or official document from the
company or insurance agency) if the student is covered by medical
insurance elsewhere for the duration of the semester. If this evidence
is not presented or accepted, the student will be obliged to choose one
of the student medical service plans offered by the
University of
Puerto Rico.
Further information on
requirements and services
offered by the Health
Services Department at UPRM
(http://www.uprm.edu/medical/SM/)
can be obtained by calling
1-787-832-4040, extensions
3408 and 3416. Documents
related with health
insurance:
Graduate Assistantships
The Graduate Studies Office processes graduate assistantships, which involve teaching roles, research or service positions, and a monthly stipend.
Graduate
stipends vary depending on contact hours required for the assigned task
and the student’s completed degree. Currently, a complete
assistantship paid from institutional funds is US$917.00, for students
with a Bachelors degree, and US$1,057.00, for students with a Masters
degree. Assistantship may also include tuition waivers (the equivalent
of US$5,664 per academic year). Monthly stipends paid from
external funds may be higher than institutional funds; but may not be
less for an equal workload. Special fees and medical plans may not be
waived in any type of assistantship.
Types of Assistantships
The
University of
Puerto Rico at
Mayaguez offers three types of assistantships:
Processing Assistantships
To
process an assistantship, the department must fill a form awarding a
graduate assistantship (available online only to authorized
administrative personnel). This form must be authorized by the Director
of the student’s department, Dean of the Faculty (or Director of
the Research and
Development
Center,
if the assistantship is paid from external funds), and finally the
Office of Graduate Studies. Applicants can check the status of their
assistantship using the online assistantship status verification system
found in the sturdent's account in "Mi Portal Colegial" :
Students
may choose to have their assistantship stipend deposited directly to
their bank account. To authorize direct deposits, the student must
download, complete and submit the following form to the Graduate
Studies Office:
Documents related to
graduate assistantships:
Frequently asked questions regarding assistantships
-
Which regulations govern the assignment of assistantships? The assignment of assistantships is governed by
Certificate 05-62 of UPRM’s Academic Senate, titled Rules to Manage Graduate Student Assistantships at the
University of
Puerto Rico at
Mayaguez.
-
Am I considered a university employee if I receive an assistantship?
No, assistantships are stipends awarded for a task that serves as
training towards teaching or research. So taxes, social security,
retirement or savings may not be deducted from the total assistantship
amount.
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Who can apply for financial aid?
Any student who has been admitted (even conditionally) and does not
have a full-time job or grant restricting eligibility may apply for
financial aid.
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For how long can I receive an assistantship?
If
you are a masters student you may receive an assistantship for two
calendar years (four semesters) from institutional and external funds.
In some cases, assistantships can be extended for up to two years, but
only one year paid from institutional funds. If you are a doctoral
student and began your studies with a Masters degree you may receive a
graduate assistantship from institutional or external funds for three
calendar years. In some cases the assistantship may be extended for two
more years, but only one year can be covered with institutional funds.
If you are a doctoral student and began your studies with a
Bachelor’s degree, you may receive an assistantship for five
years from institutional or external funds. In some cases the
assistantship may be extended for three more years, but only one year
can be covered with institutional funds
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If I do not receive an assistantship over the summer, what type of financial aid can the university offer?
You may receive a research assistantship, if your adviser has funding,
or obtain a work study position within the university if opportunities
arise. If a teaching assistantship is your only source of income you
will have to save during the academic year to cover summer expenses.
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Must I maintain a minimum grade point average to continue receiving an assistantship?
Yes, you must maintain an overall 3.00 grade point average. If your
average falls below this point you will be considered on probation and
will not eligible to receive an assistantship.
-
Is an assistantship guaranteed over the course of my studies if I maintain a high grade point average? No,
assistantships are not guaranteed. Assistantships also depend on a good
work evaluation, the department’s need for assistants and the
availability of funds.
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What is the minimum academic load needed to receive an assistantship?
Over
both semesters you must be enrolled in nine credits or in thesis or a
project. Over the summer you can receive an assistantship without
taking courses, if you were a regular student the previous
semester.
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What is the maximum work load I can receive for an assistantship? The total maximum work load is nine credits, commonly referred to as “one and a half assistantship”.
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Can I receive a teaching assistantship and research assistantship? Yes, you can combine assistantships in any way, but the total sum cannot exceed nine credits.
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What type of work will I do as a teaching assistant?
Duties
may include exam preparation, supervision, and correction, tutoring,
managing discussion sessions, auditing conferences and other related
duties as assigned by the director of the department. You
will not be assigned all of these duties, but it is important to
understand that other duties in addition to your teaching load may be
assigned.
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Are there other financial benefits to an assistantship?
Teaching and research assistantships paid from institutional funds
include a waiver of tuition. Assistantships paid from external funds
receive a tuition waiver if this was agreed when the university
approved the proposal.
-
If I do not receive an assistantship, is there other financial aid the university can offer?
You
could be hired by your department or other university entity at an
hourly wage (a work study position), which will not include a waiver of
tuition. North American citizens and permanent residents can apply for
a $2,000 annual grant (does not include waiver of tuition) from the
Financial Aid Office of the Office of the Dean of Students. North
American citizens can apply for student loans. Students may work up to
20 hours per week during classes and up to 37.5 hours per week during
academic breaks. Students on an F1 visa may not accept work off
campus.
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I
am a foreign citizen and my admission letter states I will have an
assistantship for one year. Am I guaranteed an assistantship for two
years?
If
you do a good job during your first year and finish with a 3.00 grade
point average it is most probable that you will receive an
assistantship during your second semester. If you were awarded a
teaching assistantship through a different department, you could lose
it the second semester if the academic course load decreases and the
department offering the courses gives their own students priority.
-
Could an assistantship be cancelled halfway through a semester?
This could occur if you lose eligibility or you are not performing
well. Cancellations must be approved by the Director of Graduate
Studies.
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Can I receive an assistantship if I have an external grant? Yes, but only if it is permitted by the sponsoring organization.
Grants, Work Study and Student Loans
Starting
the second semester of academic year 2006-2007, UPRM will be awarding
the "José Trías Monge Grants", to support outstanding
students that wish to present the results of their research at a
national or international congress or simposium. Information
about elegibility requirements and application procedures is available
in the following link:
Also,
The Financial Aid Department of the Office of the Dean of Students
provides different types of financial aid including grants and student
loans. Grants ,for which only U.S. Citizens are eligible, award up to
$2,000 per year. Grants are awarded based on the student’s
financial needs, their family income and the number of credits required
to obtain their degree. For more detailed information visit the
Financial Aid Department Webpage in the following link:
The program Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate
(AGEP), a project financed by the National Science Foundation in an
effort to increase the number of doctoral degrees awarded by the
University of
Puerto,
also offers grants to doctoral students. Additional information,
including applications forms, can be found through the following link:
Graduate
students may take a work study position in departments or other
establishments with funds that offer them employment. International
students may work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and a
maximum of 37.5 hours per week over the summer. Graduate students may
receive a higher wage that the currently established minimum salary.
Norms governing the selection of candidates for the work-study program
are described in the document in the following link:
Competitive Grants
The following public and private organizations offer competitive grants to graduate students:
(The Graduate Studies Office would appreciate contributions to this list. Please send them to
egraduados@uprm.edu).
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