Statement from The University of Texas at Austin
Concerning Students and Faculty Members
Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Updated 10 a.m. September 23, 2005
Information about Spring Enrollment for Students Displaced by Hurricane Katrina
This information is based on the assumption that the campuses affected by Hurricane Katrina will be open for the spring 2006 semester. If an affected university is not open by the time The University of Texas at Austin begins its spring semester, affected students who are enrolled at UT Austin during the 2005 fall semester will be allowed to continue as visiting students during the 2006 spring semester. It is our expectation that all “visiting” students will return to their home campuses. We are not encouraging students to remain at The University of Texas at Austin. The following information is solely for the purpose of helping students complete their spring 2006 plans.
Displaced students seeking spring admission will have to compete with all other prospective students for the spaces available for the spring 2006 semester and must submit the admissions application and credentials by Oct. 14, 2005*.
[*Please Note: The online application is available until Oct. 1, 2005. To apply for spring admission after that date, affected students should submit the Texas Common Application in paper form, available for download at http://www.collegefortexans.com/applying/commonapp.cfm.]
We normally enroll about 100 new freshmen and 500 new transfer students for the spring semester. Many of the freshman places are already taken by students we deferred from the fall 2005 semester. Therefore, the competition for spring spaces will be very strong. Below are definitions and policies regarding students displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Definitions of Displaced Student Status
- Visiting transfers are students who attended an institution of higher education beyond high school graduation prior to becoming a visiting student at UT Austin. These students must have completed at least 24 college credits by the spring semester. They must use the application for transfer students at http://www.applytexas.org and follow the transfer policies at http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/transfer.
- Regularly admitted freshmen are students who had been originally admitted to UT Austin for the fall 2005 term but who elected to enroll in a university in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area. These students were permitted to attend UT Austin for fall 2005 as regularly admitted students and they do not need to take further action to remain for the spring and subsequent semesters.
Information about the Admission Process for Spring 2006
Visiting transfers: Must provide all required transfer application credentials (including the essay and statement of purpose) by Oct. 14*, with the exception of the official transcript(s) from institutions that cannot produce transcripts due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Transcripts from these institutions are required by Dec. 15 when we will close the decision process. Demonstrating the quality of prior college performance is a necessary part of the competition for a place at UT Austin, therefore we cannot make an admission decision until we have an official transcript from all prior institutions. We will begin making admission decisions in November and will continue to make decisions through Dec. 15.
[*Please Note: The online application is available until Oct. 1, 2005. To apply for spring admission after that date, affected students should submit the Texas Common Application in paper form, available for download at http://www.collegefortexans.com/applying/commonapp.cfm.]
Transfer grade point average (GPA) requirements vary slightly by major, but the most recent competition required a GPA in the range of 3.5 to 3.7 to gain admission to most programs. The required GPA is higher for programs with special requirements. There are also competitive requirements in addition to the GPA. Please review http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/transfer/ for full information about applying to UT Austin as a transfer student.
Visiting freshmen: As part of the university’s hurricane relief efforts, students who did not apply to UT Austin for fall 2005 and applicants who were denied admission in the normal process were accepted as “visiting freshmen” for fall 2005 but are expected to return to their home campuses.
- Visiting freshmen who applied for freshman admission at UT Austin for fall 2005 and were not admitted will not be eligible for spring admission. They may apply as a transfer student when 24 college credits have been completed.
- Visiting freshmen who did not previously apply for regular admission and who want to become UT Austin students must apply for freshman admission by Oct. 14* for admission for spring 2006. All application credentials must be submitted by Oct. 14, including official test scores directly from the SAT or ACT testing agencies. (The university does not accept test scores on high school transcripts as “official” scores.) Official transcripts from high schools that cannot produce transcripts due to the effects of Katrina are due no later than Dec. 15. The admission process is competitive and students will be selected through the university’s regular admission process for freshmen. Please review http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/ for full information about applying to UT Austin as a freshman. We will begin making decisions in November and continue through Dec. 15.
[*Please Note: The online application is available until Oct. 1, 2005. To apply for spring admission after that date, affected students should submit the Texas Common Application in paper form, available for download at http://www.collegefortexans.com/applying/commonapp.cfm.]
Updated September 12, 2005
Frequently Asked Questions for Students Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Q. When is payment for tuition due?
A. For students who have been “specially admitted,” those who have never applied or been admitted to the university in the past, the Student Accounting Office will contact you during the next two weeks and help you obtain an interest-free tuition loan which will not need to be repaid until the end of the semester.
For existing students, or those admitted previously but chose to attend another institution in the affected area, the Office of Student Financial Services is available to provide financial assistance on a case-by-case basis. This office can be contacted at 512-475-6282.
Q. If I’ve already paid, how do I get a refund?
A. The Student Accounting Office has a list of “specially admitted” students and will be refunding the money either with a check or an electronic funds transfer by the end of September.
Q. What is the tuition rate that will be charged?
A. For “specially admitted” students, who are not in the Law School, only the state mandatory rate will be charged, which is $50 per semester credit hour, and this will be capped at 14 hours. So the highest amount that will be owed for these students is $700 for the entire fall semester. For “specially admitted” students in the Law School, the rate is $80 per semester credit hour, regardless of the number of hours being taken.
For existing or previously admitted students, the full tuition and fee bill will be initially computed; however, if financial assistance is needed due to Hurricane Katrina the Office of Student Financial Services is available and prepared to assist on a case-by-case basis.
Q. How can I make a payment?
A. Payments can be made securely and conveniently at the “My Tuition Bill” Web site at www.utexas.edu/business/accounting/sar. You may pay using eCheck, MasterCard or Discover. Please note that payment made by credit card is subject to a 1.75 percent convenience charge.
Q. Are emergency cash loans available?
A. Yes, a student may receive up to $300 in emergency cash by going to the “My Tuition Bill” Web site. Click on the “Cash Loan Requests” link and follow the steps on the screen.
Q. Are emergency cash loans available for more than $300?
A. A student may be able to take a cash loan in an amount more than the usual $300 limit. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Services at 512-475-6282 for more information.
Q. What if I was charged interest on my tuition loan?
A. Please contact Student Accounts Receivable at T&F-Hurricane@austin.utexas.edu or by calling 512-232-4048, and we will correct your account.
Q. Where is Student Accounts Receivable located?
A. We are located in MAI 4 (the Tower). Lobby hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., telephone service hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Q. Will the same considerations apply next semester as well?
A. The policy for students affected by Hurricane Katrina is implemented for the fall 2005 semester only. At this time we have no information on related policies for subsequent semesters.
Updated September 8, 2005
The University of Texas at Austin has adopted the following 2005 fall semester tuition and fee policy for students significantly affected by Hurricane Katrina:
Texas Resident and Nonresident “Special Admission Students” (definition: students not previously offered admission or admitted to UT Austin and enrolled for the fall semester at an institution in the hurricane-affected area that is closed for the fall semester):
Tuition Charge — The University will charge tuition as follows:
- Undergraduate Students: $700 flat rate for the semester
- Law Students: $80/semester credit hour enrolled
- Other Graduate Students: $50/semester credit hour enrolled
- Required Service, Lab, College and Course Fees will be waived for the above students
Tuition Payment — Students are expected to pay their tuition bill to UT Austin. If requested, the University will extend to those who cannot pay their tuition up front a student loan bearing interest at 0 percent with full payment due prior to the end of the fall 2005 semester.
Texas Resident and Nonresident “Regularly Admitted Students” (definition: students previously offered admission to UT Austin regardless of whether the student actually enrolled at the time and either enrolled for the fall semester at an institution in the hurricane-affected area that is closed for the fall semester or enrolled at UT Austin and with financial hardship resulting from Hurricane Katrina):
Tuition Charge — These students are expected to pay tuition and fees based on the university published schedules for Texas Resident Students.
Tuition Payment — Students are expected to pay their tuition bill to UT Austin. If a student has financial need, he/she will be referred to the Financial Aid Office for review. If it is determined that there is financial need the Financial Aid Office has been authorized to provide financial assistance to address that need. If requested, the University will extend to those who cannot pay their tuition up front a student loan bearing interest at 0 percent with full payment due prior to the end of the fall 2005 semester.
Updated September 7, 2005
The end date for applications has been extended to Friday, Sept. 9. The Sept. 1 and Sept. 5 policy statements below remain in effect with only this change to the end date.
Updated September 5, 2005
[The Sept. 1 policy statement remains in effect with only the following changes.]
Due to the overwhelming devastation and projected length of time before residents of the affected areas will be able to return to some form of normalcy, and after further assessing how we can use our limited campus capacity to meet one-semester, temporary needs in this time of national crisis, The University of Texas at Austin is announcing an expansion of its policies regarding the admission of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Since Wednesday, Aug. 30, the University has been admitting Texas residents and now will also consider the admission of nonresidents at the undergraduate and graduate level for the fall 2005 semester. This expansion of our policy will allow nonresidents to take advantage of the decision by the Governor of Texas to allow nonresidents to pay in-state tuition rates. The policy remains applicable only to students enrolled or enrolling in colleges and universities that will be closed for an extended period as a consequence of Katrina.
Effective with the opening of business on Tuesday, Sept. 6, applications from qualifying nonresidents will be received and reviewed. This will be done on a case-by-case basis through Wednesday, Sept. 7, so long as classroom capacity exists. Of necessity, this may involve offerings through the University’s Division of Continuing Education when class sections are at capacity or otherwise difficult to schedule.
The end date for this expanded policy will match that for Texas residents which is Wednesday, Sept. 7.
September 1, 2005
The University of Texas at Austin stands with the nation in expressing our sorrow in this time of terrible tragedy in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. We are committed to providing help this fall to colleges and universities in the New Orleans area which are unable to operate while they are attempting to recover and rebuild. To assist university students and faculty who have been affected by the disaster of catastrophic proportions in our neighboring states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, The University of Texas at Austin is taking the following emergency steps, effective immediately.
These policies apply to students who were enrolling or enrolled in colleges and universities which are in the area of greatest disaster impact and which are likely to remain closed for an extended period.
- Undergraduate students who are Texas residents or graduates from Texas high schools will be eligible to take available undergraduate courses at the University for the fall 2005 semester.
- Graduate and professional students who are Texas residents or graduates of Texas colleges and universities will be eligible to take available graduate courses at the University for the fall 2005 semester.
- Graduate students who have no need for coursework but who need to use libraries and research facilities will be eligible to use appropriate University facilities.
- Foreign exchange students will be eligible to take available courses at the University for the fall 2005 semester if the University has a formal exchange agreement with the students’ home institutions.
The details of these policies can be found at Web sites of the Office of Admissions and the Office of Graduate Studies.
In addition, faculty members of colleges and universities in the affected disaster areas will be offered the opportunity to work on our campus, with access to office space, libraries, research facilities, and the Internet. For more information, contact Dr. Neal Armstrong in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at 512-232-3305.
These temporary measures are intended to help students and faculty colleagues in a time of unprecedented disaster. The University of Texas at Austin is firmly committed to aiding the affected higher education institutions in any way possible as they seek to recover from the devastation brought by Hurricane Katrina.
We are also concerned about current University of Texas at Austin students who have been affected by this disaster. Those students who need assistance with University matters or matters of a more personal nature are urged to contact LaToya Hill, Emergency Services Coordinator, Office of the Dean of Students. They may also visit the Dean of Students Web site at and go to the “Spotlights and Events” link on that site.
Larry R. Faulkner
President
The University of Texas at Austin
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