2015-2016 Undergraduate Catalog/Student Handbook 
    
    Mar 18, 2024  
2015-2016 Undergraduate Catalog/Student Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Tuition, Fees, and Refunds



Full-Time Day Division Students *

  Fall 2015
Semester
Spring 2016
Semester
Total
Year
Tuition:      
Tuition for Massachusetts Residents** $485.00 485.00 970.00
Tuition under the proximity clause of the NEBHE New England Regional Student Program $727.50 727.50 1,455.00
Tuition for Non‑Resident and International Students   $3,525.00 3,525.00 7,050.00
       
Room:      
Standard Residence Hall Room  $3,050.00 3,050.00 6,100.00
Apartments $3,930.00 3,930.00 7,860.00
New Hall (single)  $4,525.00 4,525.00 9,050.00
New Hall (double) $3,980.00 3,980.00 7,960.00
Single Room additional charge (if applicable) $415.00-1,000.00 415.00-1,000.00 830.00-2,000.00
Lansdowne Place $3,850.00-4,300.00 3,850.00-4,300.00 7,700.00-8,600.00
University Hall (single) $4,285.00 4,285.00 8,570.00
University Hall (double) $3,735.00 3,735.00 7,470.00
       
Board:      
19-Meal Plan (includes $150.00 Flex Dollars) $1,896.50 1,896.50 3,793.00
14-Meal Plan (includes $150.00 Flex Dollars) $1,854.00 1,854.00 3,708.00
10-Meal Plan (includes $150.00 Flex Dollars) $1,812.00 1,812.00 3,624.00
5-Meal Plan (commuters and apartment residents only)
(includes $50.00 of Flex Dollars)
$665.00 665.00 1,330.00
       
Mandatory Fees:      
Student Activity Fee $56.50 56.50 113.00
General Fee $3,016.00 3,016.00 6,032.00
Technology Fee $800.00 800.00 1,600.00
Capitol Improvement Fee $50.00 50.00 100.00

 

Other Fees:      
Student Teaching (each practicum placement) $100.00    
Over Credit Fee (greater than 18 credits per semester) $70.00   per credit/35.00 per half-credit
Tuition Surcharge (greater than 141 credits) $235.00   per credit
Late Payment Fee $100.00    
Late Registration Fee $25.00    
Bad Check Fee $25.00    
Reinstatement Fee $50.00    
Parking Decal $30.00   Motorcycle
  $100.00   Commuter and South Lots
  $100.00   Main Lot
Student ID $10.00    
Student ID Replacement $30.00    
Nursing Fee $530.00   per semester
       
Waivable Fees:      
Student Health Insurance $2,292.00   August 1, 2015 - July 31, 2016
  $1,344.00   Spring semester only
MASS PIRG $9.00   per semester
Fitness Center $92.50   per semester
Hall Activity Funds $30.00   per year
       
Deposits (non‑refundable):      
Tuition Deposit (New Student) $150.00    
Residence Hall Reservation Deposit (Returning Student) $200.00    
Residence Hall Reservation Deposit (New Student) $150.00    
Wait List Deposit $35.00    

* The schedule of fees and tuition, methods of payment, and refund policies are valid at the time of publication and are subject to change as required without advanced notice.
**Tuition is free for persons 60 years of age and over. Admission is granted on a space-available basis. All fees are payable for tuition-free students.

Continuing Education Division Undergraduate Students *

Tuition and Institutional Fees      
Tuition/Fees $280.00**   per credit
Audit (Select classes only.) *** $50.00   per credit
       
Fees      
Mandatory Health Insurance Fee (9 or more credits) $2,292.00   (may be waived if student has comparable coverage on another policy)
Commencement Fee $75.00   (assessed during semester of graduation)
Returned Check Fee $25.00   per check
Early Payment Discount (only during published dates; cannot be combined with other discount/tuition waivers) $50.00    
Late Withdrawal Fee $25.00    
Late Registration Fee (non-refundable)  $50.00    
Certified Letter Fee $6.00   (each)
Science Lab Fee $10.00    
Transcript Fee $2.00   (per copy)
Transcript Fee (one-day processing) $5.00   (per copy)
Student Teaching (each practicum placement) $100.00    
Student ID Card $10.00    
Replacement ID Card $30.00    
Parking Fee (annual sticker) $60.00   Fall registration
  $30.00   Spring registration
  $30.00   Summer registration
  $100.00   Cross-registered students taking Day classes
Late Payment Fee (accounts not paid within 5 days) $100.00    
Delayed Payment Plan Fee (non-refundable) $100.00    
Nursing Fee $530.00   per semester

* The schedule of fees and tuition, methods of payment and refund policies are valid at the time of publication and subject to change as required without advance notice.

** Includes $85 per credit tuition, $75 Registration Fee (non-refundable), $75 Educational Service Fee (non-refundable after semester start), and other instructional fees.

*** Students may audit any continuing education in-person course.  Online and hybrid courses are not available to audit.  Students are encouraged to audit Signature Classes, which are classes listed on the non-credit section of the course offerings.  Registration for these courses begins on the first day of registration for credit-bearing courses.  In-person classes not listed in the non-credit section of the course offerings may still be audited, pending available space in the class, and registration begins one week prior to the start of the class.  Students registering for an audited class will not be offered an early registration discount nor charged a late registration fee.

Tuition is free for persons 60 years of age and over who are Massachusetts residents. Admission granted on a space-available basis. Tuition-free students are responsible for paying all fees.

Tuition Surcharge Policy

Effective fall 1999, the Board of Higher Education has adopted a tuition surcharge to assess the full cost of education for continuously enrolled native students who accumulate an excessive number of credits. The term “excessive credit hours” is defined as 118% of academic degree program credit hour requirements. Any student who is enrolled in over 141 accumulated credit hours will be assessed $235.00 for each credit hour over 141. Appeals may be submitted to the Associate Dean of Academic Achievement.

Institutional Refund Policies

Withdrawal Refund Policy

Commitments to faculty, staff, and other costs of operation are made by the University in advance of the school year. They are based on anticipated student enrollment and residence hall occupancy and are not subject to change.

To be eligible for a refund, a student must withdraw formally from the University (see Procedure for Withdrawing from College). At this point, the date of withdrawal for refund purposes is determined. This date will be used by the Office of Student Accounts to determine the amount of refund for tuition, mandatory fees, room, and board. Withdrawal forms may be obtained in the Office of the Registrar for Day Division students, or at the Graduate and Continuing Education Office for Continuing Education students.

A student who leaves the University without “officially” notifying the Office of the Registrar (Day students) or the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education Office (Continuing Education students) in person or in writing forfeits all rights to a refund (within Title IV regulations).

When a student withdraws before 60% of the semester has been completed (typically the ninth week of classes), the University is required under federal statute, to refund federal and/or state financial aid funds on a pro-rated basis. The calculation is based on the amount of time the student was enrolled in the semester. For example, a student who completes only 23% of the semester will keep only 23% of his/her federal and/or state funds. The remaining 77% will be returned to the appropriate source. Funds are returned to the federal and/or state source as follows: Federal Direct Loans, Perkins Loans, Plus Loans. Once loans are satisfied, remaining unearned funds are distributed to Pell Grant, then to SEOG, and then to other Title IV funds requiring a refund. This policy is in accordance with the 1998 Financial Aid Reauthorization Act. It will be reviewed annually by the Vice President of Finance and the Board of Trustees. This policy also is subject to change without prior written notification.

Tuition, Mandatory Fees, Room, Board

Refund Policy schedule for tuition, mandatory fees, room and board:

Day Division

Withdrawals prior to the first day of classes 100%  
Withdrawals during the first two weeks of classes 80%  
Withdrawals during the third week of classes 60%  
Withdrawals during the fourth week of classes 40%  
Withdrawals during the fifth week of classes 20%  
Withdrawals after the fifth week of classes No Refund  

Graduate and Continuing Education

Prior to first class meeting 100%*  
Prior to second class meeting 75%  
Prior to third class meeting 40%  
After third class meeting No Refund  

* Before semester starts, no refund made on $75 registration fee. After semester starts, but before first class meeting, no refund on $75 Registration Fee and $75 Educational Service Fee.

In addition there will be no refunds made on the following fees after classes begin: Late Payment Fee, Delayed Payment Fee, and Student Identification fee.

This policy is in accordance with the 1998 Financial Aid Reauthorization Act. It will be reviewed annually by the Vice President of Finance and the Board of Trustees. This policy also is subject to change without prior written notification.

Refunds of Other Fees

There will be no refunds on the following after classes begin: Student Teaching Fee, Late Registration Fee, Late Payment Fee, Bad Check Fee, Student Insurance Fee, MASS PIRG, Hall Activity Funds, Fitness Center Fee, and Installment Plan fee. There are no refunds on tuition and room reservation deposits.

Refund Date

Due to the extremely heavy clerical demands during registration and the beginning of a semester, refunds should not be expected until at least four weeks after the start of a semester.

Payment of Bills

Day Division

The University expects that all bills will be satisfied by the due date as stated on the bill. Generally, bills can be satisfied in one of the following three ways:

  1. A student may pay his/her bill in full;
  2. A student may apply financial aid, scholarships, waivers, etc., to the bill and submit payment for the balance,
  3. A student or parents may establish a contract with the University payment plan that will satisfy the bill.

Bills not satisfied by the due date will be assessed a late payment fee of $100.00. The University reserves the right to assign delinquent accounts to a collection agency. Collection costs of 33.3% of the amount due will be added to the account.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in administrative withdrawal from the University. Students will lose all rights and privileges as students at Westfield State University and will not be allowed reinstatement until the bill is satisfied in full and upon payment of a $50.00 reinstatement fee and a $100.00 late fee.

Continuing Education

Continuing Education students are expected to pay their bills at the time that they register for classes, unless an alternate payment plan has been agreed on at that time. Web registration payment due within 5 days.  Failure to do so will result in the addition of the $100.00 late payment fee.

Policy Regarding Outstanding Debts

It is the policy of the Board of Trustees that students who are listed by the Bursar’s Office or the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education of Westfield State University as having unpaid debts for tuition fees, room, board, medical, or other college related charges where said debts have not been discharged by operation of law or where deferred payment of said debts has not been agreed to by said college, the student will not (1) be issued a diploma to which said student might otherwise be entitled; (2) be permitted to register for any program at any state college for which said student might otherwise be eligible; (3) be furnished a certified copy of any state college transcript (unless said transcript is needed to obtain benefits in the United States Armed Forces), although said student will be entitled, upon written request, to inspect and review uncertified copies of transcripts; or (4) receive grade reports.