Q. | What is the Academic Common Market? |
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The Academic Common Market (ACM) is an agreement among the 16 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) member states that allows students to seek degree programs not available in their home state and to enroll in an eligible program in another SREB state at in-state tuition rates. The program was established in 1974 by SREB to help member states avoid developing and maintaining costly academic programs through sharing resources and the exchange of students across borders at in-state rates.
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Q. | How does it work? |
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If the degree program you want to pursue is not offered in your home state (one of the 16 SREB member states), your state can select the program if it is offered by another SREB state. A large number of degree programs are already available at the undergraduate (baccalaureate) and graduate (master's and doctoral) levels. After selecting an eligible program, you must seek admission and if accepted, complete a residency certification from your home state. You can then enroll in the program and you will pay the in-state tuition rate of that institution.
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Q. | What is the process for getting my residency certified by my home state? |
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This is a process established by each state to confirm you are a resident of the state.
The process usually involves the completion of a certification application form and submission of records to show you are a resident of the state.
These records vary from state to state, but usually such items as a driver's license issued by the state, voter registration card, housing receipt, etc. is requested.
You can learn more about the specific information your home state needs and the application form by visiting the SREB's Academic Common Market home page.
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Q. | How can I find out if my program of study is eligible? |
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You can check the list of eligible programs or send an e-mail to acm-rcp@sreb.org.
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Q. | Who can participate? |
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Students who are legal residents of an SREB state are eligible to participate. You must be admitted to the eligible degree program as well as being certified by your home state as noted above.
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Q. | Which states participate? |
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All 16 SREB states participate. However, some states limit participation to certain degree levels (e.g. only graduate programs) and there may be other restrictions. The SREB states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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Q. | Which colleges and universities participate? |
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Many, but not all, public colleges in the SREB states.
A complete list is available at home.sreb.org/acm/participating/institutionstates.aspx.
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Q. | Are all degree programs at participating institutions available in the ACM? |
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No, participating colleges select the programs of study they wish to make available to other states.
A number of factors determine whether a program is made available including capacity and demand for the program.
However, institutions will sometimes add a new program to the ACM upon request from a participating state.
Contact your state ACM Coordinator to initiate an inquiry on your behalf.
First professional degree programs, such as law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and optometry are not offered in the ACM, they may be offered through the Regional Contract Program.
For additional information about the Regional Contract Program, visit the website.
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Q. | Do available programs change? |
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Yes, participating institutions review the programs they are offering each year and may add or remove programs. States review and add or drop programs annually as well.
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Q. | The degree program I want to pursue is not available in my home state but is in another SREB state, but I don't see it listed in the ACM. Can it be? |
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If you are interested in a degree program that is not available in your state but is in another SREB state, you should contact your state coordinator to inquire about whether it can be made available.
Use the following link to get your state coordinator's information: home.sreb.org/acm/faq/acmfaq.aspx.
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Q. | Are distance learning degree programs offered in the ACM? |
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Yes, through a SREB program called the Academic Common Market/Electronic Campus program, students now have the opportunity to pursue eligible degree programs via distance or e-learning and not have to leave their home state, work, and other commitments. The same eligibility requirements apply to the ACM/EC as the ACM. Effective June 1, 2004 and for a period of one year the Academic Common Market/Electronic Campus program will conduct a pilot effort wherein states may make available in the Academic Common Market/Electronic Campus distance-delivered associate degree programs.
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Q. | Are there any other restrictions? |
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Yes, restrictions can be set at the discretion of the participating college or university or the participating state.
Your eligibility for the ACM is dependent on your enrollment status.
In addition, students must meet the ACM requirements of the college they are attending, which may include full-time enrollment and maintaining a specified GPA.
Students who must complete coursework before they are fully admitted to the program of study are not eligible for ACM tuition savings until they are formally accepted into the major.
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Q. | How do I apply? |
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You must complete and submit an ACM certification application to your state's designated agency.
You must be certified by your home state to participate in the ACM. Confirm that the desired degree program is not offered by a college or university within the home state.
Submit at the required documentation to verify state residency. Additional information can be found at www.sreb.org/page/1395/academic_common_market_faqs.html.
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Q. | What is the deadline to apply? |
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You may submit your ACM application at any time, but each college sets its own policy for payment of tuition deadlines. Students not certified for the ACM by the institution's deadline may have to wait until the next academic term to receive out-of-state fee tuition.
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Q. | Do I re-apply each year for certification? |
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No, as long as you remain in the same program of study at the same college or university, you do not need to re-apply.
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Q. | Will my ACM participation affect my financial aid? |
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Reducing your tuition costs by not requiring you to pay out-of-state tuition rates can decrease your eligibility for need-based aid. However, your ACM tuition savings may be greater than the need-based aid you are awarded. Your tuition savings will depend on which college you attend, their tuition rates, fees, etc.
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Q. | I just learned that I am enrolled in an eligible ACM program and have been paying out-of-state tuition rates. Can I apply for the ACM benefit? Can I get a refund of the out-of-state tuition I have already paid? |
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Yes and No. Yes, you can and should immediately contact your home state ACM coordinator, get certified for participation, and begin receiving the tuition benefit in the next semester. For any previous semester or even the current semester, you are not eligible for a refund.
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Q. | Where can I get more information about the academic program I am interested in that is listed in the ACM? |
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Visit the participating college or university through our Campus Tours where general information about the institution is available including admissions requirements, costs, credit transfer, institutional financial aid, and various deadlines. You can also contact the academic college or department for more information.
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