University of Vermont
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Pell eligible Vermont students attend the University of Vermont tuition and fee free. The combination of Pell Grant, SEOG, VSAC State Grant and UVM grants and scholarships cover the full cost of tuition as well as the student comprehensive fee. In addition, we have a partnership program with 9 high schools located in Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL and Philadelphia, PA and we fully fund low-income students admitted to the University of Vermont from these locations. In addition to these programs, UVM provides $32 million in need-based funding to our undergraduate students each year to make attending UVM accessible.

Student Support Services (SSS) serves first-generation college students (students who do not have a parent who has graduated from a four-year university or college), students who have a documented disability, and students whose family income falls within U.S. Department of Education guidelines. SSS is committed to student success and provides comprehensive academic support and professional mentoring with the goal of increasing retention and graduation rates. SSS believes that all students, regardless of age, family background, learning style, or presence of a disability, should have equal opportunity to reach their full personal, academic, and career potential.

Akol Aguek Scholarship: Newly-admitted and transfer Vermont residents who have left their home country as a refugee and who have demonstrated academic talent are eligible. Recipients are selected based upon review of the admission application and are awarded a merit-based scholarship of $1,000.00 annually for four years. Simon Family Scholarship: Out-of-State prospective, first-time undergraduate students admitted to the College of Arts & Sciences who demonstrate outstanding academic merit, financial need, leadership and volunteerism may apply for this scholarship. A small number of students are invited to campus to be interviewed by faculty and staff. The recipient will receive a $18,000 annual Simon Family Scholarship. The recipient is expected to excel as a student leader on campus and through volunteer work in the community. Recipients are also expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average. U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status required.

The University of Vermont works closely with the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) outreach staff and the Upward Bound programs throughout the state of Vermont to help make UVM possible for students with low-income backgrounds. Beginning in 9th grade, we offer a campus visit program for students in upward bound and VSAC programs to visit UVM, St. Michael’s College and Champlain College. For 10th graders from Upward Board programs, we host an on-campus visit program called Sophomore Summit to help expose students to a sample college class and to help students see themselves on campus. As seniors, we offer the Discovering UVM program that encourages students to spend the night on campus with current students. We waive the application fees for students from low-income backgrounds. Similarly, UVM has developed partnership programs with high schools in the Bronx, Philadelphia and Chicago. In 2001, the University of Vermont established an urban partnership with Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx. The program was designed to give students from the Bronx a chance at higher education and to introduce a college setting outside of New York City. The program begins as early as 9th grade with advising on applying to college, financial aid and the academic challenges of college life. Students from the partnership schools also travel to campus several times during high school to experience college life. The partnership now includes schools in the Bronx, such as Pelham Preparatory Academy, Collegiate Institute of Math and Science, and Astor Collegiate Academy. More than 200 students from these schools have enrolled at UVM since 2001. The program has also expanded to Chicago and Philadelphia.

The University provides tuition remission to students whose parents work at UVM as staff or faculty. 185 students with financial need received tuition remission in 2014-2015.

We work closely with VSAC (Vermont Student Assistance Corporation) with students who qualify for the Vermont Incentive Grant, as well as the Vermont Part-Time Grant and the Vermont Non-Degree Grant.

All families are invited to apply to the UVM Campus Children’s School, including students with children. If any parent qualifies for subsidy through the State of Vermont the parent is only asked to pay the difference between the state payment and the Campus Children’s School fees.

At the University of Vermont we believe that we both have a moral imperative, and are uniquely positioned to support our veteran population as they transition to the civilian workforce. UVM works with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support students’ efficient use of VA educational benefits and bring together on-campus and community based academic, social, and health resources. UVM is investing in a program fueled by the experience and knowledge of recent student veteran graduates to develop a flexible, dynamic academic and social support structure. That program focuses on teaching an aptitude for navigating systems and uses technology to balance student needs with UVM strategic goals and VA certification and reporting requirements. Student veterans are active at UVM; there is a growing support structure, and a regularly meeting and visible student group. They participate in academic, community service, and social gatherings. Students celebrate their peers with military experience. Veterans at UVM are able to easily research benefits and systems, register for classes, submit VA paperwork, and request enrollment certification for VA benefits online and paperless. We developed a page in the myUVM Portal specific to VA students’ needs and aligned that messaging with a communications plan aimed at proactively informing students of critical inflection points throughout the academic year. In 2015 we opened an office of Student Veteran Services, increased staffing by .5 FTE, and developed a VA reporting tool that estimates benefits payments for students based on changing enrollment information which collapsed the school’s certification timeline by three weeks. That leads to more timely benefit payments, better informed students, and more accurately awarded institutional aid. These tools are being presented at a regional financial aid conference in May of 2016 and will be shared with schools nationally at no cost to them. So far in the 2016-2017 academic year, there are 121 undergraduates receiving veterans benefits.

UVM Student Information System data extraction for students in the Fall and Spring census in the academic year of 2014-2015.