Study in a specialized field at an out-of-state college, while paying in-state tuition
rates.
Do you want to pursue a degree program that is not available in your
state? Have you found a degree program at an institution that is
located outside your home state, but out-of-state tuition is a
hindrance? If so, Academic Common Market could be for you.
The SREB Academic Common Market has enabled students to pursue
out-of-state college degrees at discounted tuition rates, through
agreements among the states and colleges and universities.
The Academic Common Market (ACM) is a tuition scholarship program allowing residents of a participating
state to pursue specific academic degree programs not offered in their home states without having to pay nonresident tuition charges. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) coordinates the ACM program for
the sixteen participating states, which include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and
West Virginia.
To be eligible for the Academic Common Market, the student must be a legal resident of that state and be
approved for an academic program that has already been approved for ACM. Both Undergraduate and
Graduate students may be eligible to apply.
Search from more than 1,900 undergraduate and graduate degree programs available in the 16 SREB states.
It's quick and easy. For more information on Academic Common Market, visit SREB.ORG.
Source: SREB Academic Common Market
To qualify you must:
To be eligible for the ACM non-resident out-of-state fee waiver, certification letters for the student from the
ACM state coordinator must be submitted and approved by The University of Southern Mississippi. by the
first day of classes of the term in which the student enrolls. Questions regarding submission or deadlines should
be directed to 601-266-4733.

Be a resident of one of the 16 SREB states.

Select a program eligible for residents of your home state.
 Complete the admission process at the institution offering the
eligible Academic Common Market program.
 Be certified as a resident of your home state by contacting the
ACM coordinator for your state of residence.
To retain your ACM waiver, you must:
The ACM Non-resident Tuition Remission is 100 percent and will remain at the 100 percent level as long as the
student meets the following criteria.






The student must remain a legal resident of the state from which the student received ACM certification.
The student must remain in the approved academic degree program which the student was certified. If a
student changes his or her academic degree program (major) from the approved ACM academic degree
program, then the student must inform the Graduate School of said change. Effective the date of the
major change, the student will be responsible for the non-resident tuition which will be pro-rated for the
current semester and for any remaining semesters at USM and will no longer be eligible for the ACM
non-resident tuition waiver.
The student must remain enrolled as a full-time student each semester. For undergraduates, the
minimum requirement is 12 semester hours for the fall and spring semesters. For graduate students, the
minimum requirement is 9 hours for the fall and spring semesters.
A student does not have to be enrolled during the summer term, but if they do, then the student must be
enrolled as a full-time student.
The student must remain in academic good standing and comply with all the requirements of the
approved academic program (requirements may be program specific) for which the student was certified
for ACM. To be in good standing the student must be making satisfactory academic progress towards
the academic degree program, such as taking the appropriate courses as approved by the academic
advisor each semester. The student must also maintain the appropriate GPA (2.0 GPA for
undergraduates and 3.0 GPA for graduates). Progress and course requirements will be determined by the
Graduate School at the end of each semester to determine eligibility for the next term.
If a student remains out of school from USM for one calendar year or more, then the student must obtain
recertification from their ACM state coordinator. Continuance in the ACM program after a one year
absence is not automatic.
At the end of each semester grades will be checked and you must:





Be in academic good standing with a USM overall GPA of 2.00 (undergraduate) or a USM overall GPA
of 3.00 (graduate).
Comply with all the requirements of the approved academic program (requirements may be program
specific and require a higher GPA) for which you were certified for ACM.
If at the end of the semester you do not have the required GPA, you will be placed on ACM probation.
Students will have one term to raise their overall GPA to the required minimum.
If at the end of the ACM probation semester you do not have the required overall GPA, you will no
longer be eligible for the ACM non-resident tuition remission until you are back in academic good
standing.
There is only one ACM probation semester for ACM recipients for which the tuition remission will be
covered.
Questions concerning ACM for USM should be directed to Financial Aid at 601-266-4774.