ARP Financial Aid

Cost and funding for the Accelerated Review Program (ARP)

The Accelerated Review Program is a one-semester preparatory program designed for select students who have the drive to become successful physicians but need additional academic and study skills support to ensure their success in UMHS' rigorous medical education program.

Students may opt to apply directly to the ARP program or may be considered for this program by the admissions department. ARP students may attend classes online from the convenience of their homes and participate in class virtually alongside their on-campus classmates. For an in-person experience, we also offer the program at our state-of-the-art campus in St. Kitts, where you’ll have full access to our anatomy lab, library, and learning resource center.

Students who complete the ARP Program are granted admission to the Basic Science or Extended Basic Science program.

Qualify for an ARP scholarship: Students who have completed ARP can also qualify for a total award of $9,000 for the Basic Science Scholarship. This will be a merit-based scholarship reliant on the student’s academic performance in ARP. To qualify, the student must have achieved a grade of B or greater in ARP. Students who have maintained a B or greater will automatically qualify for the scholarship.

If you have more questions about the ARP program, please reach out to our ARP Alumni contact, Allyson Shipp. 

ARP cost of attendance

The cost of attendance (COA) for this one-semester program is outlined below (click to view) the details. The COA includes all direct charges billed by the university and all indirect expenses. This budget is calculated based on the average student to support a modest lifestyle while enrolled in the program. It is important to be mindful of all anticipated costs for this program when making financial plans.

These figures are calculated as follows:

Tuition:

Actual amount billed by the school

• Costs for housing expenses are calculated at $1400.00 per month
• Food allowance is included at $125.00 per week.
• Students must budget for typical living expenses incurred during daily life: housing, utilities, food, etc. The estimates provided anticipate that students will live in safe, comfortable, but modest accommodations-likely with a roommate.

• $900.00 for one round-trip flight to St. Kitts at the beginning of the program and to depart the island when the term is over
• $35.00 per week, for transportation expenses on the island

Books and supplies:

To cover the cost of any books and school supplies needed for the term

Personal incidentals:

$50.00 per week allowance for any miscellaneous personal expenses

• A median rate, of the school-sponsored health insurance policy, is included in the COA.
• Actual per semester charge for air-evacuation insurance.

Payment and funding options available for the ARP

Once you enroll in the program, you will receive a bill from the university Bursar. For information regarding payment options, please contact the Bursar’s office.

In general, you can choose to cover the cost of your ARP semester with:

• A direct payment: Submit your payment in full before registration with our available online payment options.
• A payment plan: We offer the option to budget your semester bill into equal monthly installments over the course of the semester.
• Student loans: Sallie Mae has extended its undergraduate Smart Option Student Loan program to eligible UMHS ARP students. This program is only available to students of U.S. citizenship or Permanent Residency. (All eligible students who have been extended an invitation to attend the Accelerated Review Program will receive an email with all pertinent financial aid information.)

Sallie Mae Smart Option loan program

The Sallie Mae Smart Option loan is a private educational loan. This means that it is not subsidized by the federal government, nor is an approval guaranteed. The lender’s decision to approve a loan request will be based on the student’s (and any cosigner’s) creditworthiness as displayed by the data in their credit report. This may also include a review of the applicant’s debt-to-income ratio.

• Easy online application
• Three repayment options to choose from, including deferring until after graduation or making minimum monthly payments while in school.
• Competitive interest rates, with the choice of a variable or fixed rate once your request is approved
• Up to 20 years to repay with no prepayment penalties
• 6-month grace period
• Up to 48 months of residency and internship deferment

There is no cosigner requirement; however, applying with a creditworthy cosigner may help you qualify and/or receive a lower interest rate. 

Please wait until you receive your financial aid package email with all specific instructions for your term of interest before you apply for any loan.