Honors One-Time Tuition Waiver

General Information :

The University Honors Program believes that a global understanding and cross-cultural competence are essential for success in 21 st-century life. We offer students who are in good standing in the University Honors Program the opportunity to prepare for a semester- or year-long study abroad program by applying for and using a one-time tuition waiver.

Some students use the tuition waiver to enroll in a Miami Sponsored or Exchange Study Abroad programs offered in the summer or in the winter or spring break in order to gain experience studying and living in another country under the close advisement of a Miami faculty member before embarking on a longer study abroad experience. Others use the waiver to enroll in summer courses or intersession credit workshops at Miami so that their schedules during the academic year can accommodate a semester- or year-long experience at a foreign institution. In a few unique cases (e.g., switching majors/areas of study), students may use the tuition waiver after they have participated in a semester- or year-long study abroad program. The key is for students to use the tuition waiver in an intentional and educationally purposeful way and as part of an educational plan that involves a semester- or year-long study abroad program.

A student may use the waiver to cover the tuition for up to 8 credit hours associated with the following experiences:

  • A Miami-sponsored study abroad credit workshop during the winter break, spring break, or summer that builds toward a longer study abroad trip during a full fall and/or spring semester in an educationally meaningful way (e.g., by helping you understand how to interact with other cultures, clarify your career goals, etc.) OR
  • Summer, winter break, or spring break Miami courses or Miami domestic credit-bearing workshops that will free room in the student’s academic schedule to complete a semester-long or year-long study abroad program.

Whichever your reason for applying, the process of application entails two steps: (1) making sure that you have met the basic eligibility requirements, and (2) completing and submitting an application that a review committee evaluates and decides whether or not to approve. Students who are eligible and submit excellent applications will be awarded the tuition waiver.

Note: Because the tuition waiver is not guaranteed to any applicant, each applicant should consider alternative ways to finance the experience in the event that his/her application for the tuition waiver is not approved.
What are the Rules and Guidelines for Using the Waiver?
  • Students can take advantage of this tuition credit for one time only (no exceptions will be made).
  • The waiver covers resident and non-resident instructional fees only (up to 8 credit hours). Other Miami fees will be charged to the student (i.e., General Fee). Costs for study-abroad programs such as transportation, room and board, or other program fees will be the responsibility of the student.
  • Students must return to Miami for at least one semester following the term in which they receive the waiver; therefore, graduating seniors are not eligible to apply for a waiver to be used during spring break or summer term.
  • This tuition waiver program applies only to Miami-sponsored summer study abroad or domestic credit-bearing workshops or Miami summer credit-bearing courses. Specific programs offered by organizations that have a financial agreement with Miami also qualify (e.g., Inside Washington). This tuition waiver program is not applicable towards summer study programs offered under the Ohio International Consortium Agreement for Pooled Access to Study Abroad Programs. Contact a study abroad adviser for more information about the programs toward which you can apply the waiver or see the list of programs below.
  • Independent study hours must be approved through the regular process for approval of independent study hours.
  • Students are responsible for selecting study programs/courses and for processing materials (including financial arrangements) required for these experiences.
  • Students are responsible for working out individual financial assistance issues with Miami’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.
  • If additional financial assistance is required, students should make sure they have a FASFA on file with the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
  • If a student fails to complete a semester- or year-long study abroad program after receiving the tuition waiver, he or she will be responsible for paying back the cost of the waiver to Miami University .
Who is Eligible to Apply?

In order to apply for a waiver, students must:

  • Be in good standing with the University Honors Program (Your record will be reviewed after both the fall and spring semesters. Student who are not in good standing after fall semester may not gain approval for the tuition waiver; students who are not in good standing after spring semester will not be granted the tuition waiver); AND
  • Agree to study abroad for a full fall semester or spring semester or for a full academic year.
What Criteria Will Be Used to Select the Applications?

Applications will be reviewed based on your capacity to:

  1. Articulate the learning goals of your study abroad experience(s) and explain how they relate to your overall goals for college and life;
  2. Explain how you anticipate the study abroad experience will advance your intercultural competence as well as your competence in meeting any of the other Honors Program learning outcomes;
  3. Describe special scholarly, service or leadership endeavors or projects that you hope to complete during your study abroad experience(s).
Toward Which Workshops, Programs or Courses Can I Apply the Waiver?
If you are selected, you may apply the waiver toward the following:
  • Miami Summer School Courses on the Oxford Campus
  • Summer Credit-bearing Workshops on the Oxford Campus
  • Summer or Intersession Study abroad or Domestic Credit-bearing Workshops (e.g., Inside Washington, MUDEC Summer Workshops, Winter Break Vietnam/Cambodia/Hong Kong Workshop)
  • Summer Exchange Programs (University of Seoul, Korea University, ISEP Summer Programs)
Information on Miami summer school classes, summer exchange programs, and summer or intersession credit workshops is available through Miami’s Office of Lifelong Learning, (529-1508, www.muohio.edu/lifelonglearning/), Office of International Education (529-5985, www.muohio.edu/internationalprograms/ ) and through academic departments offering summer or intersession workshops.