Tuition, Fees, and Refunds

Full-Time Day Division Students *

* 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 *

* 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.

*** Please see the Course Audit  policy for more details.  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 College of Graduate and Continuing Education for Continuing Education students.

A student who leaves the University without “officially” notifying the Office of the Registrar (Day students) or the College 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

Graduate and Continuing Education

* 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, 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

Credit Card Payments

Effective July 1, 2017, credit and debit card payments for educational expenses will be charged a 2.5% service fee.  To avoid this fee, consider paying online via e-check, mail check, money order or bank check or pay in-person by cash, check, money order, or bank check.

This fee is not assessed by Westfield State University, nor does the university receive any part of the service fee.  The university contracts with a third party payment processing company, CORE Business Technologies.  The fee is being charged by CORE Business Technologies to cover the cost of transaction fees assessed by credit card companies.  To learn more about the fee, visit http://www.westfield.ma.edu/tuition-financial-aid/credit-card-fee-faqs .

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.

Veteran and Military

Westfield State University billing adheres to the requirements of and complies with S2248 PL 115-407, Section 103.  All students using Chapter 31 VA education benefits, are required to ensure Veteran & Military Services has a copy of the 1905 from their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor by the first day of classes. Students using Chapter 33 VA education benefits, are required to submit their Certificate of Eligibility or Statement of Benefits by the first day of classes.  Students using Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 VA Benefits are required to submit a written request to confirm they want to use benefits each semester.  All of the above are to be submitted to Veteran & Military Services.”

Out-of-state-students:  To ensure that our recently discharged veterans and their eligible family members will not have to bear the cost of out-of-state charges while using thier Post 9/11 GI Bill^® education benefits, WSU is fully compliant with section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.  We have also elected to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make additional funds available without an additional charge to your GI Bill^® entitlement. 

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 College 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.