The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) understands the significance of student debt load and has purposefully established tuition at a value that makes the academic program, as well as repayment, affordable, and far below that of many other schools.   We pride ourselves on providing a quality education at an affordable price. There are two categories of costs associated with attending an educational institution: direct and indirect.

Direct Costs:  Direct costs are those associated specifically with the educational process. UMHS bills the student directly for these charges. Direct charges include tuition, lab fees, course fees, medical and evacuation insurance, and applicable registration fees.

Indirect Costs:  Indirect costs include, but are not limited to housing, living expenses, books, supplies, and transportation. Students are responsible for indirect expenses.  UMHS does not bill nor receive money for indirect costs

Although calculating financial aid eligibility involves the total of all direct and indirect expenses, students will only be billed for the direct costs at UMHS.  Students may choose to arrange for loans to assist with these expenses.

Deposits and Tuition Charges 2008-2009

Deposits

Upon acceptance, a non-refundable $200 deposit must be received within 10 days. This deposit will be credited towards the first semester tuition.

Tuition Charges

Basic Science Tuition:  $7,800.00 per semester
Clinical Science Tuition:  A higher tuition rate applies for the clinical semesters.

Note:  Tuition fees may be subject to change without notice.

Tuition will be prorated for students that are less than full time at a rate of $650.00 per credit.

Tuition and payments are due each semester before classes begin. Payments can be made by money order, check, credit card or through financial aid. Failure to pay fees and tuition may result in an inability to complete registration for classes.

The fee for tuition covers the costs of classes, including lecture notes and materials.

Students are also responsible for lab and competency testing fees each semester. The lab fee is presently $500.00 per semester and is subject to change. This fee will be billed along with tuition for all semesters in St. Kitts.  Charges for lab fees at the U.S. affiliated schools vary by school.

Students are required to have medical and evacuation insurance. UMHS will provide insurance if the student does not have insurance. The cost of medical insurance varies depending upon student's age and could range from $299 to $679 per semester. The current cost of evacuation insurance is $77.00 per semester.

Tuition Refund Policy

Students who officially withdraw from the university will have their refunds, if any, calculated according to the tuition refund schedule that is published in the student handbook and website. The percentage of refund is based on the actual date of withdrawal recorded by the Registrar. This may not necessarily result in a refund and, in some instances a tuition balance may still be due. Insurance and fees are non-refundable. Refunds are mailed directly to the student's home by the Bursar's Office.

When withdrawing from the University, a student is required to complete and file the appropriate form before being entitled to any credit or refund of tuition. The completed document must be returned to the Registrar's office. Once the form is processed, it will constitute an official withdrawal from the University. Discontinued attendance or notification to the instructor or any other office will not constitute an official withdrawal.

The effective date of a withdrawal is normally the student's last date of attendance. The University's handling of tuition and charges corresponds with federal loan entitlement regulations, which are based on the period attended:

• If a student withdraws prior to the start of a semester, no tuition charges are due.
  
• If a student withdraws during the first 60% of a semester, tuition/charges are directly prorated based on the number of days attended during that term. (There are three semesters per year.)
  
• If a student withdraws after the first 60% of a semester, full tuition/charges remain due.
  
• For withdrawals during the first 60% of a semester, student loan entitlement is recalculated in accordance with federal loan regulations. If applicable, the University and the student are each proportionally responsible for returning "unearned" loan funds to lenders. In addition to the lender returns required by federal regulations, the University returns any remaining credit balance to lenders, which decreases the student's loan debt for that semester.
  
• All cash students (non-financial aid) who officially withdraw from the University during the first 60% of a semester may receive a tuition refund in according to the pro-rated tuition.
  

Although a leave of absence may be authorized in limited circumstances, failure to return to school from a leave of absence is considered a withdrawal as of the last date of attendance. Under federal regulations, a leave of absence must be requested and approved in advance, may not exceed 180 days, and may not be granted within 12 months of a previous leave of absence. An interruption of enrollment status that does not qualify as a leave of absence is considered a withdrawal as of the last date of attendance. 

Information about registration, benefits, and coverage are given to students at orientation.

Direct Cost Additional Expenses

 There are additional direct cost expenses for all students attending UMHS.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is required for all students attending UMHS in St. Kitts or in the United States.  Enrollment in the medical health insurance plan offered by UMHS is automatic unless proof of health insurance is provided by the student before or during registration.

The cost of health insurance purchased through UMHS varies depending upon a student's age.  The cost is billed at the beginning of each semester.

Evacuation Insurance

Students are required tohave evacuation insurance while attending the UMHS St. Kitts campus.  This isnurance covers the costs due to evacuating a student from St. Kitts should there be a medical emergency.

Enrollment in the medical evacuation inusrance plan offered by UMHS is automatic.  It is due at the beginning of each semester. 

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance is required for every student during fifth semester at the Portland, Maine UMHS campus and while completing clinical rotations at any UMHS affiliated school.  Students will be provided further details regarding liability insurance prior to returning to the U.S. for fifth semester.

Laboratory and Competency Testing Fees

Students are responsible for laboratory and competency testing fees each semester.  The laboratory fee will be billed along with tuition for all semesters in St. Kitts.

 Indirect Cost Additional Expenses

While UMHS only bills for direct costs, students should also take into account indirect costs when planning their financial needs. 

Books and Equipment Needs

Students receive a list of the required books, supplies and uniforms which they will need to purchase for each semester. The most efficient way to obtain these items is through the Campus Bookstore located in St. Kitts. Students can purchase all their books and supplies during registration. All books offered will be the latest editions available at the time of shipping.

Students should be aware that there is a current airline restriction of seventy pounds for checked luggage. This makes it difficult for the student to also pack books and supplies since because they will exceed the weight limit. There are additional difficulties now as airline security concerns increase restrictions for checked and especially carry-on luggage.

UMHS highly recommends that each student bring a laptop computer with adaptor cards for wireless fidelity (wi-fi) capacity that will function on the St. Kitts campus. Computers serve as an essential educational tool in many courses.

Laptop/Tablet Computers

Students are required to bring a Windows-based laptop/tablet computer to campus as of first semester.  UMHS has followed the lead of U.S. medical schools ind eveloping a digital library of histological and pathological images.  Students can use their laptop/tablet computers to manipulate the images and resolution to optimize the learning experience.

For more information about laptop/tablet computer requirements, contact IT Director, Wayne Williams at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Transportation Costs

In addition to airfare, students are required to secure local transportation to the campus and clinical training sites. UMHS can arrange transportation for students that do not have access to a vehicle or public transportation for a reasonable fee. In some cases, public transportation is available.

Students are encouraged to purchase a vehicle in St. Kitts. This is a short term investment that yields a tremendous amount of enjoyment and satisfaction. Used cars can be purchased at a reasonable cost. 

Our Student Service Office maintains a list of available used cars and can assist students in locating an appropriate vehicle. Students can recover most of their investment when they ultimately sell their vehicle.

Living Expenses

Students need to budget for typical living expenses, including housing, utilities, food, local transportation, and entertainment. Costs will vary based on the level of accommodation and location.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Below is the itemized estimated cost of attendance for your first academic year.

First Academic Year MD Program  - May 2008 Matriculation

Semester 1 = May 12, 2008   -August 20, 2008
Semester 2 = September8, 2008 -December 17, 2008

Bursar

Magdalena Rosario
University Bursar
International University of Nursing, St. Kitts
460 West 34th Street, 12th Fl.
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-868-4720 x623
Fax:      212-868-0928
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it