The American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine has announced a package of financial support measures for students entering in Fall 2026, including a tuition freeze, free housing and expanded scholarship opportunities.
AUA President Dr. Peter Bell said the university is responding to the financial pressures facing students and their families by introducing three initiatives designed to make medical education more affordable.
The university has revised its scholarship and grant programme to provide what Bell described as more personalized financial assistance for both current students and new applicants.
AUA has also frozen tuition, allowing students to pay the same tuition rate throughout their education rather than facing increases during their studies. According to the university, the tuition freeze applies to students entering in the Fall 2026 cohort.
In addition, students will receive free housing while completing the pre-clinical sciences portion of the medical programme in Antigua. The housing benefit will be available for the duration of the pre-clinical phase on the island.
“We clearly understand that the financial situation is changing and that students, applicants and families face a lot of challenges,” Bell said in announcing the measures. He added that the university hopes the combined initiatives will make medical school “affordable and feasible” for more families.
The university said the initiatives will take effect immediately for eligible students and are intended to improve access to medical education while providing greater financial certainty.
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More likely it’s the drop in applicants that has facilitated this. Word from admissions dept is that the number of people applying to the school has dropped from a couple thousand to now less than 600 annually. There are other places that offer more value for money and a better quality of education. These are probably the real reasons AUA has to now offer incentives to try and attract potential students.
Thousands to less than 600 is a huge difference. However, one must ask why was the acceptance pool so high for a medical school.
Due the restriction to get a VISA to go USA. Is unlikely students from Africa or south Asia (India and Pakistan) will apply to study in any Caribbean American University. Is a nonsense for them to spend thousands of dollars for tuitition and not be able to get a Visa to go and work in USA.
In another hand, the cost of living is ridiculous high in Antigua..All near renters charge too much to those students. They can afford the achools but the libing is more than the school fees. Most places charge 1000 USD for a little studio room and even electricity not included and no internet. Vehicles rentals skyrocket from 300 USD per month to over 600 USD per month (that is even more for lease in USA for better vehicles) Of course those aspects are the main reason. The tuitition fees still have competitive prices on the market, but Cost of living in Antigua is by far too high.
Greed will be the undoing of Antigua. An apartment that used to be $1500 EC is now quoted as $1000 U.S. The same place. Unconscionable! Go online and most places are listed in U.S. prices as if we live in the U.S. The government needs to step in and regulate the housing market, but I highly doubt they will do that as many politicians have properties that they charge exorbitant amounts for also. The LOVE of money really is the root of all kinds of evils. Any day now, AUACOM will exit Antigua and many locals will feel the pain of selfishness.
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