Mar 28, 2024  
Catalogue 2013-2014 
    
Catalogue 2013-2014 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Fees



Payment of Fees

Comprehensive fee charges are billed to student accounts in early July for the fall term and early 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://studentaccounts.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 the Office of Student Accounts. 1 To enroll in the payment plan, please log into your Nelnet Quikpay account, click on ‘view 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 $47,180
Room - All residential halls $6,070
Room - Apartments/townhouses $6,745
Board - Base plan $5,110
Student activities fee (nonrefundable) $320
College health service fee (nonrefundable) $390

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.

Students living in residence halls are required to participate in the college board plan. A portion of the room and board fee is used to establish a declining-dollar account. Students utilize their declining-balance accounts in lieu of cash, when they eat at the various food service locations on campus. A range of meal plans provide different levels of declining-dollar amounts. Each alternative plan has a slightly different charge associated with it.

The meal plan is optional for students housed in apartments (Terrace Apartments, Town Houses, or South Commons). A declining-balance account may be established for use in lieu of cash at the college dining facilities.

All declining-balance amounts are expected to be utilized during the semester in which they are established. Any unused declining-balance amounts are transferred from fall to spring term, but unused balances are forfeited at the end of the spring term. Additional declining-balance amounts may be charged to the student’s bill up to $50 per semester.

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) $1,415*
Arrangements for a group health and accident insurance policy have been made by the college. All full-time students must enroll in the plan, except those students whose parents certify that they have equivalent coverage. The deadline for claiming exemption is August 16, 2013. No exemption will be granted after this date. This plan covers students while on or away from campus for a period of 12 months beginning August 21. Information regarding insurance will be available on the Office of Student Accounts website.
*This is the fee in effect for 2012/2013 academic year. The fee is subject to change as formal premium quotes are received from insurance carriers later in the year.

 

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) $130
A late fee is charged if term bills are not paid by the designated due date.

Graduate Fees

Full-time tuition $47,180
Part-time tuition per unit $5,600
General deposit $280
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 $5,600
Non-matriculated special students and full-time high school students taking work at Vassar College per unit $2,830
The general deposit of $280 for part-time undergraduate students and $130 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 Performance

Instruction in any single branch, including practice
Each semester, full-time
$630

 

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 $630.

Miscellaneous Fees

Diploma replacement fee $70
Emergency Medical Training instruction fee $255
Senior Film Workshop (per semester) $170
Filmmaking (per semester) $135
Studio Art (per semester) $55-100
Teacher Certification (fifth year program) (per unit) $130
Vehicle Registration (per semester) $100

Student Deposits

General deposit $280
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.

 

Housing deposit $560
The housing deposit must be received by the Office of Student Accounts on or before March 15 for returning students, May 1 for new students. This deposit will be applied toward the student’s fees for the ensuing year (nonrefundable).

 

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.

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:

  • Unsubsidized FFEL Stafford Student Loans
  • Subsidized FFEL Stafford Student Loans
  • Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Student Loans
  • Federal Perkins Loans
  • FFEL Parent Plus 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.

*Examples of the Title IV Refund Policy are available in the Financial Aid Office.

Tuition

Upon withdrawal or leave of absence from the college, or upon withdrawal from courses, refund of the applicable tuition 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 90%
During the second week of the semester 80%
During the third week of the semester 70%
During the fourth week of the semester 60%
During the fifth week of the semester 55%
During the sixth week of the semester 50%

No refund will be made after the sixth 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.

Examples of the refund policy are available upon request in the Office of Financial Aid.

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.

After classes begin, no refund will be made for room charges, but in the case of a withdrawal or leave of absence from the college, meal plans will be prorated.

No refunds of 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 1-6, a $337.50 credit will be applied to the student account
    • After the 6th week of classes, there will be no change in the original housing charge
    • A meal plan will be pro-rated based on the number of weeks left in the semester
  • 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 $337.50
    • A student will receive a credit on their student account for the unused meals/dining bucks left in their meal plan

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 $40 per lesson. The minimum charge will be $80. 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.