Financial Aid & Scholarships

Funded by the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, this programme provides tuition, compulsory course fees, stipends and accommodation grants for students who qualify. It includes additional stipends i.e. for nursing and teacher education majors based on specific programme requirements.

Eligibility

Recipients of this grant programme must:

• Be Bahamian citizens;
• Be enrolled full-time (a minimum of 12 credits per semester for new and returning students);
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (and remain in satisfactory disciplinary standing with the University);
• Graduate (or complete all course requirements) within five years from the commencement of their studies unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Accommodation Grants

To be eligible for accommodation payments of $500 per month from August to April, qualified recipients must:

• Be Bahamian citizens;

• Have moved from another island of The Bahamas to undertake the course of study, or otherwise be (or have been) a ward of the state, in foster care, or in a children’s home;
• Be a full-time student;
• Be less than 25 years old at the time of enrolment;
• Agree to reside in University accommodation for the first full two years of study, provided that sufficient such accommodation is available to house them.  In these instances, the accommodation grants will be applied directly to their housing fees related to same;
• Remain otherwise academically eligible for the grant programme.

The Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas provides financial aid to help meet the financial needs of UB students.  Financial aid is designed to ensure that no student is deprived of the opportunity to earn a UB degree because of financial constraints. Currently, financial aid is available to students in undergraduate degree programmes only and is awarded solely on the basis of demonstrated financial need.  All awards are contingent upon available funding. 

Financial aid is awarded to students who are eligible and who apply.  To be eligible, current or prospective students must be Bahamian citizens who are enrolled, or plan to enrol, full-time in a UB undergraduate degree programme.  Students on academic probation are not eligible for financial aid.

To be considered for financial aid, students must submit a financial aid application to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships with all required documents by the specified deadline. [see deadlines below] Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Financial aid is allocated according to a measurement of demonstrated financial need.  All expenses related to attending UB and all financial resources available to the applicant are assessed to determine the amount of aid to be awarded.  The calculation of need also takes into account whether the student is a ‘dependent applicant’ for whom responsibility for the payment of tuition and fees is primarily that of the student and the student’s family or an ‘independent applicant’ for whom responsibility for the payment of tuition and fees is primarily that of the student alone.  The amount of aid awarded is based on the level of need that is calculated.  Best measures are taken to ensure that the aid meets the difference between what students can afford to pay and the costs they incur to attend UB.

At the beginning of each semester, financial aid is paid directly to the student’s account.  No money is given to the student and the amount of aid awarded will not exceed the cost of attending UB.  Students who withdraw from or fail a course are not eligible for financial aid to cover the cost of repeating the course.

Financial aid recipients are advised that:

• Financial aid is awarded annually subject to the availability of funds.
• Financial aid is awarded to assist with tuition and laboratory fees for the fall and spring semesters only; financial aid is not awarded for courses taken during the summer session.
• Students who reduce their course load without prior written approval of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will forfeit part of their award in accordance with the calculation of the cost of attending UB. The forfeit will take the form of a charge against the student’s account.
• Students who change their programme of study without prior written approval of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships may forfeit all or part of their award. This decision will be based on the terms of the award, the circumstances leading to the student’s decision and the costs already incurred.  A cancelled award will take the form of a charge against the student’s account.

To remain eligible for financial aid, students must:

• Maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00;
• Continue to be enrolled full-time in a bachelor or associate degree programme at UB;
• Register for a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester or get prior written approval from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to reduce their course load to fewer than 12 credit hours;
• Submit a copy of their transcript to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at the end of every semester;
• Get prior written approval of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to change their programme of study;
• Submit a completed Application for Renewal of Financial Aid along with all required documents to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Oakes Field Campus, or the Office of the Vice President, University of The Bahamas-North, by the specified deadline; [see application deadline below]
• Not exceed 6 years of full-time study in a bachelor degree programme or 3 years of full-time study in an associate degree programme;
• Submit true and accurate information.

• Financial aid for fall semester (August) – First Friday in February.
• Financial aid for spring semester (January) – Last Friday in September.
• Financial aid renewal, fall semester (August) only – Third Friday in May.