Tuition Waivers and Exemptions
Exemptions and waivers are a type of financial aid that allow some students to pay a reduced amount of tuition, or no tuition, depending on different eligibility criteria. Students enrolled in the Executive MBA program cannot receive any exemptions because that program does not receive state formula funding.
In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria, you will also need to complete other requirements, like confirming your Selective Service registration status, . You must also be lawfully present in the United States to receive any state benefit. If eligible, your tuition waiver or exemption will be awarded as part of your financial aid offer, and once you’ve completed all steps, it will be applied to your student account when financial aid is disbursed each semester.
Tuition Waivers
Waivers allow students who are not residents of Texas to pay a reduced tuition rate that is close to or as low as in-state tuition. If you have questions about your residency status, or whether you can be considered a Texas resident, reach out to the Office of Admissions. If you are not a Texas resident, you may qualify for a tuition waiver if any of the following apply to you:
You are a resident of the state of New Mexico
The 100-mile waiver allows New Mexico residents to pay in-state tuition at UTEP. If your address is in New Mexico, you may already see this tuition waiver in your financial aid offer, but you will still need to submit this waiver request form and a valid New Mexico ID that matches your address on file. Email these documents to residency@utep.edu.
You live in Mexico and have financial need
Thanks to PASE (Programa de Asistencia Estudiantil), residents of Mexico with financial need qualify to pay in-state tuition. If you are a citizen of the United States but live in Mexico and intend to remain in Mexico after you complete your program, you will need to complete a form and submit it to the Office of Admissions; you will also need to submit a FAFSA to determine your financial need. If you’re not a US citizen, you will need to complete the visa process with the Office of International Programs.
You are affiliated to the US military and assigned to or relocated to Texas
If you are military-affiliated (either member of the Armed Forces or the spouse or dependent children of one), you may qualify to pay in-state tuition. Contact the Military Student Success Center for more information and for help with any military benefits.
You are receiving a competitive scholarship from UTEP
If you submitted an application for a UTEP scholarship and were selected for an award of $1,000 or more, you may qualify to pay in-state tuition. The tuition waiver will be awarded to you automatically along with the scholarship, make sure you complete any pending requirements in .
You are employed as a graduate TA, RA, or faculty member, or are dependent of a faculty member
If you are a UTEP employee in one of these positions, you may qualify to pay in-state tuition. Make sure your HR paperwork is complete and reach out to the Graduate School for additional steps.
If you are a graduate student from one of the states of the Academic Common Market (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia), you may qualify to pay in-state tuition. Reach out to the Graduate School for additional steps.
If you are a member of the NATO military forces stationed in Texas, or the spouse or dependent children of one, you may qualify to pay in-state tuition. Reach out to the Office of Admissions for additional steps.
Exemptions
You may qualify for an exemption that covers some or all of your tuition, if any of the following apply to you. If you think you qualify, let us know.
- You are a Texas resident and either blind or deaf
- You were in foster care in Texas
- You are a police officer or firefighter enrolled in certain courses
- You are a Texas resident and a police officer or firefighter (or dependent of one) who was disabled in the line of duty
- You are a clinical preceptor or the child of one
- You are a Texas resident under the age of 25 and the child of faculty or staff in a Professional Nursing Program
- You are 55 years old or older
- You are the valedictorian of a Texas high school attending your first year in college
- You are a student from certain nations of the American hemisphere and selected for the Good Neighbor Program
- You are a Texas resident in the Texas National Guard
The Hazlewood Act benefit is also an exemption. For more information about Hazlewood, contact the Military Student Success Center.