Compete: Prepare. Excel. Achieve.
Earn your degree from the accredited, nationally-recognized University of Memphis.
Announcing a new partnership between the City of Memphis and University of Memphis:COMPETE is designed especially for City of Memphis employees looking to earn a degree and advance professionally.
Flexible & Accessible
UofM offers a wide variety of program options to match your career goals, including fully-online degrees for maximum flexibility to fit your busy schedule.
Personalized Degree Plan
Whether you need to earn your high school equivalency or already have some college experience, your UofM Global Advocate will help you create the best game plan for earning your degree.
Dedicated Support Network
Enjoy access to 24/7 virtual tutoring and assistance from a program-specific admissions specialist, financial specialist, a designated academic advisor and a team of student advocates.
Your Degree. Your Way.
You can choose any undergraduate or graduate degree program that is offered by the University of Memphis, either on-campus or online.
Not sure where to start? We highly recommend a degree in Professional Studies because it offers the most flexibility in course choices, transfer credits and Experiential Learning Credit, which means you can finish faster!
No Upfront Tuition Expenses
As long as you are in good academic standing and have a satisfactory evaluation, your eligible tuition expenses (up to the maximum annual benefit authorized by the City) will be direct-billed to the City of Memphis.
Federal Financial Aid
You may be eligible for Federal Financial Aid by completing the FAFSA application. Federal aid can be loans (to be repaid) and/or grants (do not have to be repaid).
Tuition Allowance Maximization
A financial aid specialist will review your funding availability and usage to help budget your annual tuition allowance.
The City of Memphis requires students to submit a Letter of Credit (LOC) for tuition benefits to apply towards classes. If you are interested in utilizing your tuition benefit, LOCs must be submitted for every semester you enroll in classes. If you have any questions about the LOC process, please contact your Student Advocate, ShaRhonda Williams, at srwllms7@memphis.edu
COMPETE Prep Academy
If you are new to college, new to online learning or you’ve been out of school for a while, the Prep Academy is an excellent starting point.
- Self-paced, online coursework
- Unlimited attempts to succeed, no upfront costs
- Key topics include: Academic Success, Career Planning and Development, Personal and Career Success
Prep Academy Success = Admission to UofM + 12 College Credit Hours
Are you an employee of the Memphis Fire Department?
Learn more about our program RISE: Responders Initiating Success through Education program >
Experiential Learning Credit
We believe students achieve college-level learning through experiences outside of the classroom, including professional development training, earning licenses or certifications, completing military training and volunteering in the community. Our ELC Program allows you to demonstrate the academic merit of your experiences. All, while potentially earning college credit hours and shortening your path to graduation. Some degree programs allow up to 30 credit hours of ELC, and your City of Memphis training may be eligible to be evaluated for course credit.
COMPETE: Prepare. Excel. Achieve.
Complete this form or contact your COMPETE Student Advocate
at 901.678.5221 for more information.
Review Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Guidelines >