Mar 19, 2024  
Catalogue 2019-2020 
    
Catalogue 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Fees



Payment of Fees

Comprehensive fee charges are billed to student accounts in July for the fall term and December for the spring term. All bills are 100% electronic and notifications are sent to the student’s Vassar email address. Additional bills are produced monthly to reflect all other charges incurred by students. Payments must be received by the designated due dates to avoid late payment fees and/or the denial of student privileges. Payments can be made online through Nelnet Quikpay or in person at the Cashier’s Office. Payments can also be mailed to the Cashier’s Office. All payments must be in the form of United States dollars. Payments made from outside the United States must be drawn on United States banks. To make online payments, please visit our website http://studentfinancialservices.vassar.edu for more information.

Vassar College offers an installment payment plan through Nelnet e-Cashier. e-Cashier works with Vassar College to set up your monthly payment plan account, collect your tuition installments, and forward them to Student Financial Services. To enroll in the payment plan, please log into your Nelnet Quikpay account, click on “view and pay accounts”, and “enroll in payment plan”. If you have questions about setting up your payment plan, you may call Nelnet e-cashier at (800) 609-8056.  A low semester enrollment fee is required.

Fees are subject to change at the discretion of the college’s Board of Trustees and are reviewed on an annual basis.

Application Fee

Application for admission (nonrefundable) $70
An application for admission to the college is not accepted until payment fee is received.

Undergraduate Comprehensive Fee

Tuition - Full time for fall and spring terms $57,910
Room and Board Plan- All residential halls $14,220
Apartment and Board Plan - Apartments/townhouses $14,720
Off Campus Meal Plan $4,190
Student activities fee (nonrefundable) $380
College health service fee (nonrefundable) $480

In general, the college requires full-time students to live in college housing. Permission to live off-campus may be granted by the director of residential life in the spring for the following academic year. If a student does not apply for permission by the posted deadline, the student will be liable for full room and board charges. Housing assignments are secured through a room-draw process, which is based on academic seniority. Apartment units are generally not available to first-year students.

All full-time students are required to be on a meal plan.

The student activity fee is required for all full-time students. These funds are transferred to the Vassar Student Association for use by its various organizations.

The Health Service fee is required for all full-time students. The fee covers limited medical services as provided by the college’s infirmary. Additional charges may be incurred during the academic year related to medications or gynecological services. A schedule of fees is on file at the Office of Health Services.

Other Fees and Deposits

Student Sickness and Accident Insurance (nonrefundable) $2,365*
Arrangements for a group health and accident insurance policy have been made by the college. All students are required to have health insurance coverage. Please visit the Student Financial Services website for more information. All full-time students will be charged for student health insurance each July. If you have comparable coverage, you may waive the insurance and if you are approved, the charge will be removed from the student account. The deadline for waiving insurance is August 10, 2019. This plan covers students while on or away from campus for a period of 12 months beginning August 17. Information regarding insurance will be available on the Student Financial Services website.
* estimate

 

Tuition Insurance through A.W.G. Dewar Insurance $319

Vassar College is a participating institution of the Tuition Refund Plan (TRP), an optional insurance program that would augment Vassar’s refund policy in the event of an unexpected leave from Vassar due to health reasons. The Tuition Refund Plan offers a refund of 80% of the insured term tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, less any refund or credit due to you from the college. This money can be used to repay any education loan or grant which must be returned in the event that a student withdraws from the college. All full time students will be charged for tuition Insurance each July. If you would like to waive the insurance, the deadline is September 3, 2019 and the charge will be removed from the student account.

 

Transcript of academic record (first semester students only) $80
First time students to the college are required to pay this fee as part of their first term bill. This will entitle the student to an unlimited number of transcripts of academic record in the future.

 

Late Fee (nonrefundable) $160
A late fee is charged if term bills are not paid by the designated due date.

Graduate Fees

Full-time tuition $57,910
Part-time tuition per unit $6,910
General deposit $340
This deposit will be refunded upon completion of degree requirements or upon earlier withdrawal on the same basis as the undergraduate general deposit.

Part-Time Student Fees

Part-time undergraduate students per unit $6,910
Non-matriculated special students and full-time high school students taking work at Vassar College per unit $3,500
The general deposit of $340 for part-time undergraduate students and $170 for special and high school students is required. This deposit will be refunded upon completion of degree requirements or upon earlier withdrawal subject to normal provisions.

Music: Private Instruction

Instruction in any single branch
Each semester, full-time
$760

 

Use of practice room and instrument, without instruction
Each semester
$55
Department of Music majors are exempt from three semesters of fees for performance instruction during their junior and senior years. This fee exemption applies to instruction in only one branch per semester. Non-matriculated special students taking individual lessons will be charged one-half of the rate-per-unit fee plus the fee for performance instruction. Individuals from the community may elect, with the approval of the chair of the Music Department, to take instruction in a musical instrument without receiving academic credit. The charge per semester for such instruction is $710.

Miscellaneous Fees

Diploma replacement fee $70
Emergency Medical Training instruction fee $295
Studio Art (per semester) $55-100
Teacher Certification (fifth year program) (per unit) $160
Vehicle Registration (per semester) $130

Student Deposits

General deposit $340
The general deposit, payable by all new students with the first term bill, is refundable either upon graduation or upon earlier withdrawal, subject to its application in whole or in part against any unpaid fees or charges against the student.

 

Enrollment deposit $500
The enrollment deposit is for new students only and is due by May 1. This deposit will be applied toward the student’s fees for the ensuing year (nonrefundable).

Miscellaneous

Fines may be imposed for violation of college and social regulations. Students may also be fined for failure to meet obligations in the administrative and business offices and the library after due notice has been given. Students accept responsibility for damage done to college property, including laboratory breakage, whether caused by individuals or groups.

A schedule of fees for special services and fines is available in the Office of the Director of Residential Life.

Housing assignments and registration may be canceled for those students who do not meet established deadlines for the payment of fees. Students whose accounts remain unpaid at the end of a semester may have their pre-registration for the following semester canceled. Students who have unpaid financial obligations to the college cannot attend classes and are subject to leave of absence or suspension proceedings by the college.

No student will receive a diploma or transcript until the college account is paid in full.

VA Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), this school adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA.  This school will not:

  • Prevent nor delay the student’s enrollment;
  • Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
  • Deny the student access to any resources available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution, including but not limited to access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

  • Produce the Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;
  • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies. 

Other Expenses

Costs of consumable supplies are required in certain courses.

The college estimates that a reasonable budget for incidental expenses (books and supplies, recreation, etc.) is $2,250 per year.

Refunds

Engagements with instructors and other provisions for education and residence are made in advance by the college for the entire academic year. No refunds of any fees will be made because of withdrawal or leave of absence from the college, or for withdrawal from courses, except as hereinafter specified. Refunds will be credited first against financial aid awards, with the balance, if any, remitted to the student.

All notices of withdrawal must be submitted in writing to the Office of the Dean of Studies, and the date that notice is received will be the official date of withdrawal.

Return of Title IV Funds [§484B]

Title IV funds are Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Grants, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Stafford Student Loans, Federal Work Study, and Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students.

Students who are receiving Title IV Financial Aid loans and grants (excluding Federal Work Study) who withdraw from classes are subject to the Federal Title IV Refund Formula. A student granted a personal leave of absence will also be subject to the Federal Title IV Refund Formula.

Where the student has withdrawn from classes, the school will first determine the percentage of Title IV assistance the student earned. For withdrawal on or before the first day of classes, 100-percent of Title IV aid must be returned. Up to the 60-percent point in time, the percentage of assistance earned is equal to the percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment for which it was awarded that was completed as of the day of withdrawal.

In calculating the percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment, the federal formula uses calendar days completed divided by total number of calendar days in the period.

If the student withdraws or takes a leave after the 60-percent point then the percentage earned is 100-percent. The earned percentage is applied to the total amount of Title IV grant and loan assistance that was disbursed (and that could have been disbursed) to the student or on the student’s behalf for the payment period or period of enrollment for which it was awarded as of the day the student withdrew.

Excess funds to be returned to Title IV programs will be credited in the following order:

  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Student Loans
  • Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Student Loans
  • Federal Perkins Loans
  • Federal Direct Parent Plus Loans
  • Federal Pell Grants
  • Federal SEOG (Supplementary Educational Opportunity Grant)
  • Other Title IV assistance for which a return of funds is required.

Tuition, Apartment and Board, Room and Board

Upon withdrawal or leave of absence from the college, or upon withdrawal from courses, refund of the applicable tuition, apartment and board, room and board, will be made at the following rates: 

Prior to the first day of classes in each semester:
(less the nonrefundable fee deposit)
100%
During the first week of the semester 80%
During the second week of the semester 70%
During the third week of the semester 60%
During the fourth week of the semester 50%
During the fifth week of the semester 40%
During the sixth week of the semester 30%
During the seventh week of the semester 20%
During the eighth week of the semester 10%
During the ninth week of the semester 10%

No refund will be made after the ninth week of the semester.

No refund is made in the event that classes are temporarily canceled. The payment of tuition entitles the student to educational opportunities which are not dependent upon a specific number of classes, hours, or weeks of instruction.

No refund is made in cases of suspension or expulsion.

Room and Board

Prior to the first day of classes in each semester, the college will refund 100 percent of the room and board charges.

No refunds of apartment/room and board charges are made in cases of suspension or expulsion.

If a student requests a change in housing during a semester, the following will apply:

  • Move from a Terrace Apartment, Townhouse, South Commons Apartment Area to the Residence Hall
    • If the move occurs during week 1-9, a $250.00 credit will be applied to the student account
    • After the 9th week of classes, there will be no change in the original housing charge

 

  • Moving from the Residence Hall to a Terrace Apartment, Townhouse, South Commons Apartment Area
    • Anytime during the semester if a student requests a move, the student account will be charged an additional $250.00

Music Performance

If the course is dropped before the day classes begin in each semester, the fee will be canceled. In the case of withdrawal within seven weeks, with the dean of studies’ approval, charges will be made at the rate of $50 per lesson. The minimum charge will be $100. The balance will be refunded. No part of the fee is refunded after the seventh week.

Credit Balance on Account

Refunds of credit balances will normally not be made until the beginning of the fifth week of classes. If the student is a Title IV financial aid recipient and if Title IV funds exceed allowable changes (tuition/fees/room/board), these funds will be returned to the student/parent within fourteen days of payment unless the student/parent has authorized the school to hold these funds toward payment of other allowable institutional charges.