Academic And Non-Academic Policies

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE DEGREE PROGRAM 
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS 

It is the student’s responsibility to settle any financial obligations with the University, on or before the stipulated deadlines given by the Accounts Department.  Students who are on approved payment plan must honor the payment deadlines given by the Accounts Department.  Failure to do so, will result in a semester deferral.  

 Miscellaneous Expenses 

Students are encouraged to budget for additional expenses associated with studying internationally.  The following expenses and associated cost are an estimation to guide students in the planning process.  

 

Description	Amount – US$
Books	$400 – $500 per semester
Rent/Accommodation (in St. Vincent)	$500 – $600 per month
Rent/Accommodation (Clerkship Site)	$800 – $1000 per month
Food	$300 – $500 per month
Transportation (in St. Vincent)	$100 per month
Transportation (Clinical Sites)	$200 – $300 per month
Malpractice Insurance (Clerkship Site)	$1800 – $2000
St. Vincent Entry VISA	$80 per renewal

 APPLICATION FEE 

This is a one-time, non-refundable fee paid with the submission of an application.   

 ENROLLMENT FEE 

This is a one-time non-refundable fee paid at the point of acceptance into the program for all new and transfer students entering the university for the first time.  It secures a seat for the student in the incoming cohort.  If the student fails to matriculate into the semester, they are not entitled to a refund.  

 RE-ENROLLMENT FEE 

This is a one-time non-refundable fee paid by all returning students who must re-apply to the program due to extensive period of inactivity or otherwise unapproved absence.  

 ENTRY VISA FEE 

This is a non-refundable fee paid by all student traveling to St. Vincent who require an entry visa. This is a St. Vincent and the Grenadines Passport and Immigration Authority Processing Fee.  

 REPATRIATION FEE 

This is a one-time refundable fee paid by all students, new and returning, traveling to St. Vincent for studying at RGU.  It is reimbursed in the form of an airline ticket or wire transfer at the end of the program if the student needs to leave the country for other reasons e.g., withdrawal, LOA, emergencies, dismissal, or legal and immigration issues.  

 LATE RENEWAL OF STUDENT VISA 

Students who apply for a student visa renewal less than 14 calendar days of their visa expiration date in St. Vincent will be charged a fee for administrative processing of late requests.  

LATE REGISTRATION FEES 

Students who are granted permission to register after the deadline for registration has passed, will incur a late registration fee of US $300, payable at the time of registration.  Students must seek the approval of the Dean of Student Affairs to register after the registration period has closed.  

 LATE PAYMENT PENALTIES 

If a student fails to meet their financial obligations by the given deadline, it will result in deregistration from the semester. A US $250 penalty fee will be applied upon reinstatement.   

 TUITION FEE 

Tuition fee is the cost of the credited courses taught per semester.   

 EXAMINATON FEE 

This fee is semester based and is applicable for all quizzes, block and final exams per semester conducted on the Examplify platform.  It is standard per semester irrespective of the number of courses or if the student is repeating.  

 LABORATORY/PRACTICAL FEES 

This is semester based for all semesters with lab-based courses and practical component.  This is applicable to all premedical and basic sciences semester courses.   

 RETAKE EXAMINATION FEE  

This fee is for students retaking exams at the end of the semester.  Students are allowed a maximum of retake exams, depending on course credits and APC review policy. 

 RGU SCHOLARSHIP  

Financial Hardship Scholarship is a percentage of the tuition fee discount that is dependable on the estimated incoming cohort size.   This should be determined by the Scholarship Committee and Financial Aid Office after review of supporting documents that demonstrate the student is eligible for such scholarships. (See scholarship policy) 

 ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP 

Based on the recommendation of the Scholarship Committee after application review and interview. . (See scholarship policy) 

 CAUTION FEE 

This is a one-time refundable fee that is payable at the time of matriculation in each program and refunded at the end of the program.   

 STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE 

The Student Union Government fee is collected by the University on behalf of the Student Union Government. Each student is required to pay US $50 per semester or US $150 per academic year.   

 STUDENT LIFE ENHANCEMENT FEE 

The Student Life Enhancement Fee is a non-academic compulsory ancillary fee that is paid by all students enrolled at the university.  This fee is directed towards the development and improvement of all services provided to students.  The details of the services provided by the Student Life Enhancement Fee can be provided by the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions Department. (see SLEF Protocol) 

 HEALTH INSURANCE FEE  

All international students traveling to St. Vincent must be enrolled in the Health Insurance plan or demonstrate they have private insurance that is equal to or greater in coverage that what is offered by the university. Vincentian Nationals are exempted from the Health Insurance Policy while they are attending their studies in their home country.  

 TRANSITION SEMESTER FEES 

Students returning to the program or those who have completed the basic sciences and are preparing for NBME, and Clinical Rotations are required to pay Student Union Government fee, Student Life Enhancement Fund fees and Health Insurance Fee.  The Health Insurance fee may be waived if the student returns to their home country during this semester. 

 GRAUDATION FEE 

This is a one-time fee that must be paid prior to issuance of the program diploma at the end of the program.   

 MAILING FEE 

Students are responsible for any fees incurred with shipping documents or packages on their behalf.  

 FINANCIAL STATUS  

Students with unpaid balances are not considered to be “Students in good financial standing” with the University.   These students cannot be provided with letters of recommendation, official or unofficial transcripts, diplomas, and any other documents from the University until their “good standing” status is restored.   Students with unpaid balances or who do not fulfill payments by the specified tuition deadline or approved payment plan deadline will be prevented from sitting for their examinations and asked to report to the Registrar’s Office to discuss required course or semester deferral.   

 BILLING INFORMATION 

Students will receive an invoice from the Accounts Department 30 days prior to the beginning of the new semester.  Invoices should be paid upon receipt or before the commencement of classes.  If for any reason a student cannot meet their financial obligation, s/he is required to contact the Accounts Department to discuss the implications of failure to make payments on or before the given deadlines and the possibility of alternative payment plans.  The consideration of alternative payment plans is decided on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Accounts Department.  If a student does not receive an invoice during this period, s/he should contact the Accounts Department to address this matter.  It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Accounts Department, request their invoice and settle their financial obligations prior to the beginning of the semester. 

 REFUND POLICY 

All refunds due to a student will be processed and issued by the Accounts Department.  All refunds will be processed within fourteen (14) business days, after appropriate notice is received from the Office of the Registrar indicating that the student wishes to withdraw from the program. To process approved refunds, students will be required to provide the appropriate account information to the Accounts Department. Any transaction fees incurred will be at the expense of the student.   

 A refund policy for students in the Premedical and Basic Sciences Medical degree program is based on the following criteria:  

• If a student, new or continuing, withdraws prior to the start of the semester, a complete refund of tuition is given.   
• If a registered student withdraws before the last business day of the second week after the start of the semester, a refund of 50% tuition will be given.    

• If a registered student withdraws before the last business day of the third week after the start of the semester, no refund will be given. 

 

CLINICAL CLERKSHIP CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY 

All students are required to complete a minimum of 80 weeks clinical rotations (48 weeks core rotations and 32 weeks elective rotations) in the third and fourth year of their Doctor of Medicine degree program. Students who have cleared their Basic Medical Sciences must contact the clinical department to schedule their clinical rotations.  Once the necessary documents are received by the clinical department, the Clinical Coordinator will contact the Accounts Department to receive clearance to schedule the clinical rotation.   

Once rotations are scheduled, the student is expected to follow through with the scheduled rotation.  

 Cancellation 

Rotation slots are very competitive at all clinical sites due to the large number of clinical students waiting to be scheduled as well as the recent onset of the pandemic.  The following policy will apply to students who cancel their clinical rotations.   

• If a student cancels or reschedules a rotation for any reason within 4 weeks of the rotation start date, a rotation cancellation fee of US $500 plus any third-party fees resulting from the cancellation will be charged.  
• In exceptional circumstances, students may request for a rotation cancellation or reschedule for up to 4 weeks prior to the rotation start date due to unforeseen circumstances e.g sickness, death in the family etc.  Students must immediately contact the Dean of Clinical Affairs and provide their valid reason.  Approval of the cancellation/reschedule is at the discretion of the Clinical Department at RGU. If no approval is given, the rotation cancellation fee and other associated fees will be charged.  

• If the student cancels or reschedules the rotation with more than four weeks’ notice, a fee of US $300 will be charged. 
• Once a clinical rotation has started as per the scheduled date, there will be no refund of tuition if the student wishes to discontinue the rotation for any reason.  

 TUITION CREDIT OR REFUND FOR SUSPENSION, WITHDRAWAL AND DISMISSAL 

A student who is suspended from the University during the semester in which an incident occurred is eligible for a tuition credit that will be applied to the semester immediately following the period of suspension. The amount of tuition credited is dependent on the refund policy given for voluntary withdrawal from the program.  The student will be responsible for all other fees associated with the new semester.   

A student who is dismissed or who withdraws from the University is eligible for a tuition refund based on the Voluntary Withdrawal policy.  If the student has outstanding payments, s/he is obligated to make all payments in full, including full reimbursement of any scholarships awarded by the University.  The University will not release any documents or official or unofficial transcripts until the student settles all outstanding payments.    

 FINANCIAL INCREASES 

Any changes in the tuition or clinical fees and other associated educational cost, will be communicated to the student body at least 3 months prior to implementing any changes in financial structures.  Such changes will affect all students currently enrolled in the university at the time of the change.  Changes to visa and other governmental fees are subject to change without notice at the government’s discretion.