Presidential Waivers
Out-of-state students selected by the institution president or an authorized representative, provided that the number of such waivers in effect does not exceed four percent (4%) for the University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, and Georgia Regents University, and two percent (2%) for all other institutions of the equivalent full-time students enrolled at the institution in the fall term immediately preceding the term for which the out-of-state tuition is to be waived. Institutions awarding presidential waivers in the spring term semester may use either the fall term one year prior or the fall term immediately prior when calculating the number of allowable waivers. The proportionate percentage of out-of-state tuition waived shall be used when determining the number of waivers in effect such that a full waiver of out-of-state tuition counts as one waiver, while a 50% waiver of out-of-state tuition counts as a 0.5 waiver (BoR Minutes, April 2012; October 2013).
Institution presidents may award Presidential Waivers at their discretion to students within the following categories:
- Academic: Students who have demonstrated the potential to excel within a particular program of study offered by the institution as evidenced by scoring within the top half of students matriculating at the institution or the top half of students matriculating within the particular program of study to which the student has applied. Institutions shall determine the top half using the academic criteria (e.g., Freshman Index, standardized test scores, GPA, artistic ability) applicable either for general admission to the institution or for the particular program of study to which the student has applied.
- Athletic: Students selected to participate in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program and who have demonstrated the potential to succeed within a particular program of study offered by the institution. The percentage of waivers offered within the Athletic category shall not exceed one-third (1/3) of the total number of Presidential Waivers which the institution is eligible to offer, i.e., 4% or 2%.
- International: Non-citizen students who are not otherwise ineligible for a tuition differential waiver under this policy and who have demonstrated the potential to succeed within a particular program of study offered by the institution.
Institution presidents shall define institution-specific criteria and procedures for the awarding of and maintaining eligibility for Presidential Waivers and shall submit the institution-specific criteria and procedures for approval to the Chief Academic Officer no later than June 30 prior to the semester in which those criteria and procedures shall take effect. Extraordinary circumstances may arise justifying award of a Presidential Waiver under criteria not specified in this Policy but consistent with the Policy intent and in support of the institution’s mission. Presidents may offer an Academic Presidential Waiver in these circumstances but must first seek approval, on a one-time or standing basis, from the Chief Academic Officer. A student may be eligible under one or more Presidential Waiver categories but shall only be granted a waiver under one specific category and will only be counted within the category assigned by the institution. Institutions shall maintain evidence of said approval. Institutions shall maintain adequate documentation of waiver awards to validate that waiver recipients met the institutional criteria and complied with Board of Regents Policy.
Students receiving a Presidential Waiver must achieve a specified level of academic performance to maintain eligibility for the Presidential Waiver. Students receiving an academic or international Presidential Waiver must maintain a 2.5 GPA calculated on a cumulative basis at the conclusion of each academic year as specified in the respective institution’s approved procedures and using the same GPA method used to calculate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students receiving an athletic Presidential Waiver must maintain SAP.
Failure to maintain the specified level of academic performance at the conclusion of the respective academic year shall result in the student being placed in a two-semester probationary period for waiver purposes. The student shall be eligible to maintain a waiver during this probationary period but shall be ineligible for the waiver if the student is not able to achieve the specified level of academic performance for the student’s specific Presidential Waiver sub-category. The student is eligible to re-gain the waiver, subject to the institution’s discretion and consistent with this Policy, should the student achieve the specified level of academic performance for the student’s specific Presidential Waiver sub-category.