FEES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
You are expected to have your own funds sufficient for the duration of your studies here at Texas A&M Commerce as shown on your sponsor statement and financial document. Since on-campus jobs are limited and off-campus jobs are ristricted for all international students, you will need to basically rely on the source of funding you documented when you applied for admission.
Make sure you have enough ready funds to pay at least half of campus housing, meal plan, and tuition and fees at the beginning of the semester. If you prefer, you can bring a bank draft made payable to Texas A&M University-Commerce in US dollars (separate checks for tuition/fees and books required). The cashier will deposit your bank draft. When the payment is cleared by the bank (this may take 10-15 days) you can receive your cash from the cashier of TAMU-Commerce. Be sure to also have sufficient cash or traveler checks on hand to make necessary payment until the draft clears.
Students renting off campus housing will need to pay deposits for utilities, at least one month of rent and a housing damage deposit in order to acquire an apartment or rent house. Private businesses usually do not accept bank drafts.
Tuition and Fees
American colleges and universities have complex finance systems involving funding from private, corporate and government sources. This affects the manner in which school costs are passed on to students, often separated into tuition (payment for academic instruction per credit hour), fees (providing various on-campus services) and living expenses (housing, books, insurance, food, etc.). Rates vary widely among universities.
Though many basic costs are the same for domestic and international students, international students should pay special attention to their rate of tuition. American universities often set tuition into two categories: Resident/In-state or Non-Resident/Out-of-state. State residents pay lower tuition because they have paid taxes that subsidize state-supported institutions, such as local schools.
International students are charged the Non-Resident/Out-of-state tuition rate. However, at TAMU-Commerce, any out-of-state student (domestic or international) who is granted a scholarship worth at least $1000 is charged the Resident/In-state tuition rate for the duration of the scholarship. This amounts to a substantial savings in tuition. For more information on scholarships, see the Scholarship Office website.
To estimate your school fees, use the tuition and fees link to access the current published rates for enrollment at TAMU-Commerce. Find the appropriate school term and academic level. Multiply the tuition rate by the number of course hours in which you plan to enroll each semester. (For graduate students, a minimum course load is 9 credit hours per semester, for undergraduate students, it is 12-15). Remember to add pertinent lab and service fees. Information regarding housing, insurance, and other living expenses can be found throughout the International Student Services website.
Other Costs
Costs vary widely between students. You will want to be sure that you have sufficient funds for tuition and fees, housing, books, medical/repatriation insurance (required), meal plans or groceries, entertainment, etc. You may want to spend money during school breaks to see other parts of the US. Estimated costs listed on the I-20 are only an approximation of basic expenses for each academic year (Fall and Spring, not including Summer). Make allowance for additional expenses to meet your personal needs ($1500 to $2000 more per year).
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Students must be fully admitted to the university before being eligible for any scholarships. Scholarships are awarded based on the availability of funds for each fiscal year and each semester. To apply for scholarship directly contact Scholarship Office.
E-mail:
scholarships@tamu-commerce.edu
Mallory_Horne@tamu-commerce.edu
For all questions or information regarding scholarships and financial aid please contact : Scholarship Office (903-886-5915).
Financial Aid (903-886-5096).
NOTE: Students who are not U.S. citizens, whether undergraduate or graduate, do not qualify for federally funded grants, scholarships or work-study employment.
There are short-term emergency loans available in some cases for students. For more information contact the Loan Office at A&M-Commerce (903-886-5994).
