Costs and Financial Assistance

Tuition and Fees

Course costs are based on the number of credits per course. All payments must be made by bank money order, postal money order, cashier’s check, personal check, Discover*, MasterCard*, VISA*, or American Express*. Only U.S. currency accepted. No cash is accepted unless it is $10 or under for official transcripts, course descriptions, etc. Costs below are current as of the publication date of this catalog and are subject to change.

Credit and debit card payments for educational expenses will be charged a 2.85% service fee. To avoid this fee, consider paying online via e-check, mail check, money order or bank check or pay in person by 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, TouchNet PayPath Service.  The fee is being charged by TouchNet PayPath Service 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 .

Deadlines for Payment: GCE requires payment two weeks before the start of any term. All students who register in the final 2 weeks of the term, or during the Add/Drop period are required to pay their charges within 5 days of registration. Students will be charged a $100.00 late fee if not paid by the scheduled date. Students will also be placed on a financial hold. 

Tuition Waivers: Are due upon registration of your course selection. Students who fail to submit waivers in a timely manner are subject to the waivers being rejected.  

Health Insurance: For all Full Time GCE Students (9 Credits UG or 6.75 Credits GR) a charge of $3,779.00 (Fall and Spring) or $2,206.50 (Spring only) is on your student bill. If you do not wish to be charged, you must provide your Health Insurance information by completing the waiver form by September 30 (February 28 for Spring) The waiver is available online at: www.universityhealthplans.com.

* Tuition waivers are based on $105.00/GR credit-tuition waiver forms must be submitted at time of registration for waiver credits; retroactive credit is not allowed
** May be waived online: www.universityhealthplans.com - excludes online courses

* 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.

Veteran and Military

The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (codified at 38 U.S.C. 3679) as amended by Public Law 116-315 § 1005.  As amended, 38 U.S.C. 3679(c) requires that the following individuals be charged the in-state resident rate:

• • A veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty Program), Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G Bill), of 38 U.S.C. who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence).
  • Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence).
  • Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same institution. The person must be using educational benefits under Chapter 30, Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 of 38 U.S.C.
  • Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence).

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Physician Assistant Program

In addition, there will be no refunds made on the following fees after the semester begins:

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.

Competitive Program Deposit/Enrollment Fee for Select Programs

Due to the competitive nature of the MA in Counseling, MA in Applied Behavior Analysis, and Master of Social Work programs, we require a nonrefundable “competitive program deposit” of $150.00 within 10 days of acceptance. This deposit is used to ensure your space in the program. The deposit is applied to your first registration as a matriculated student in the Fall semester immediately following your acceptance. If we do not hear from you within 10 days, we will assume you have selected an alternate direction, and we will close your matriculation.

The MS in Physician Assistant Studies requires an Enrollment Fee of $1000.00 to secure matriculation in the program.

Installment Payment Plan

The Office of Graduate and Continuing Education offers a “installment payment” plan for matriculated students that allows for payment of tuition over a period of time during the semester. Students must meet the following requirements to participate in the program:

1. Matriculation in a degree program through the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education.
2. Application to Installment Payment Plan and payment of processing fee (non-refundable).
3. Ability to pay within 60 days of registering into a regular semester and within three weeks into any summer semester. First payment due at time of registration & includes the $100 non-refundable fee. The remaining payments are as follows: Fall: Last Friday in September, October, and November   Spring: Last Friday in February, March and April  Summer: Midpoint in term
4. Students must follow all regulations regarding withdrawals as stated in the College’s refund and withdrawal policy, and are responsible for total payment even if students withdraw before the end of the semester and regardless of grades achieved.
5. No student may apply for the Installment Payment Plan who has been sent to a Collection Agent or placed in Administrative Withdrawal.
6. Consequences of non-payment:
   • $100 late payment fee applied to account
   • Placement in Administrative Withdrawal (no grades, transcripts or diplomas will be released and students may not register for further classes at the University until their obligation has been satisfied.)
   • Student accounts turned over to a Collection Agent will be charged an additional 20% of their unpaid balance.

Financial Aid

The primary purpose of the Financial Aid Office at Westfield State University is to assist eligible students in meeting their educational expenses through a variety of federal, state, institutional and private programs.

The Financial Aid Office serves to assist students throughout the financial aid process. For a full understanding of financial aid programs and policies please visit westfield.ma.edu/financialaid.

For additional information, call (413) 579-3080, e-mail financialaid@westfield.ma.edu.

Policies and Criteria:

1. To receive financial aid, including a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for graduate students, a student must have a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file at the university. 
2. The FAFSA is available starting each October 1 for the following academic year. To complete the FAFSA, go to https://studentaid.gov/. The student will need to create a FSA ID which serves as a legal signature.  You can obtain an FSA ID at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.
3. In addition to the FAFSA, students may be required to submit appropriate income verification to the Financial Aid Office.
4. To be eligible for most forms of financialaid, students must be enrolled in a degree or certification granting program as a regular student and maintain a course load of half-time (4.5 credits) or more.
5. To continue to be eligible for financial aid, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress towards their degree and remain in good academic standing with the university.
6. To receive federal loans, students cannot be in default on any previous federal student loans.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

At the graduate and professional level of study, all Title IV eligible students, regardless of their financial need, will be eligible to receive a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan in the amount of up to $20.500 each academic year.

Students can supplement this loan with a Federal Direct Graduate Plus loan and/or private educational loans.

Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan

The Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loans allows students to borrow additional funds up to their full cost of attendance, including living expenses. To apply for a Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan a student must go to https://studentaid.gov/ and sign in using their FSA ID.

Private Student Loans

Students can apply for additional private or alternative student loans. Most students will need a credit worthy co-signer to apply with them. We use elmselect.com and credible.com as ways to assist students in selecting a lender. The Financial Aid Office at Westfield State University does not endorse any one private educational loan lender over another and can certify eligible loans from lenders not listed on Elm Select or Credible.com

Please visit http://www.westfield.ma.edu/tuition-financial-aid/loan-programs to learn more about loan options, including Private Loan Options.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that Westfield State University develop guidelines to measure a student’s academic progress. All schools are required to measure Satisfactory Academic Progress by evaluating both qualitative (Grade Point Average) and quantitative (credits attempted) measures.  The Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are cumulative and include all periods of a student’s enrollment (including periods in which a student did not receive financial aid).

Qualitative Measures

In order to meet the qualitative measure, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00.

Quantitative Measures

In order to meet the quantitative measure, students must successfully complete at least 67% of the courses all credits attempted during the academic year.  Credits attempted include repeated courses, dropped courses, withdrawals, and incomplete courses.

Maximum Timeframe

The maximum timeframe to complete an undergraduate degree cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program. For instance, if the published length of an academic program is 120 credit hours, the maximum time frame in which to complete the program could not exceed 180 attempted credit hours (120 x 1.5).

The qualitative and quantitative measures are checked at the end of the Spring semester.  Students who fail to meet the requirements will be notified by the Financial Aid Office and will be ineligible for financial aid for the next academic year.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Process

Students who do not make Satisfactory Academic Progress may appeal their status to the Financial Aid Office.  Students must demonstrate they had extenuating circumstances, beyond the normal demands of student life, and may submit an appeal which must include the following elements:

1. A narrative of the circumstances the student faced
2. Why the student failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress
3. What has changed that will allow the student to demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress at the next evaluation

If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP probation for one semester and will be awarded financial aid. The financial aid award will be made on a funds available basis. The student may be required to work with staff to develop a plan for overcoming whatever is preventing them from progressing academically.

At the conclusion of the probationary period, the Financial Aid Office will evaluate the student’s academic record to determine if the student has made Satisfactory Academic Progress.  Students must have made Satisfactory Academic Progress, or have an approved plan in place, in order to receive financial aid in subsequent terms.

Regaining Eligibility

A student who has lost their eligibility may regain the ability to earn financial aid once they have raised their GPA to meet the standard set based on their credits attempted, or by earning credits that will allow the student to reestablish their ability to complete their program within the maximum timeframe allowed.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships are awarded through the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education to students who have superior academic records, are matriculated in a graduate degree program, and are registered for a minimum of six semester hours per semester (fall and spring).

There are two types of placements for graduate assistants:  Graduate Program Placements are designed to serve the needs of the University’s graduate programs, and Campus Support Placements support academic and administrative departments throughout campus.  Both types of placements are designed to contribute to the student’s academic and professional development. The duties of a Graduate Assistant may be to assist in instruction, research or administrative duties and will vary according to the department’s individual needs.

Most assistantships are full academic year assistantships, and appointments are generally decided before registration for fall courses begins in July.  Infrequently there may be a spring semester assistantship available.  Half-time assistantships carry a $1,100 stipend and up to 6 credits of tuition and instructional fees per semester (5 for MSW students), and the student is required to provide 7 ½ hours of assistance to the department per week; full-time assistantships provide a stipend of $2,200 and up to 12 credits of tuition and instructional fees per semester (10 for MSW students), and the student must provide 15 hours of assistance per week to their assigned department.  Graduate Assistants pay Registration and Educational Service Fees.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy

WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND SCHEDULES:

(excludes PA program)

Withdraw and Refund Schedule for Fall and Spring (Full Term Courses):

*There are no refunds on the $75 non-refundable registration fee.

**After the semester begins, there is no refund on the following fees: non-refundable registration fee, educational service fee, late payment fee, late registration fee, installment payment plan fee, student identification fee.

Course Withdraw and Refund Schedule for accelerated Fall/Spring and Summer Sessions:

*There are no refunds on the $75 non-refundable registration fee.

Course Withdraw and Refund Schedule for accelerated Winter Session:

*There are no refunds on the $75 non-refundable registration fee.

Refunds, if any, are based on the date and time of receipt of a student’s withdrawal, regardless of registration date or attendance. All students who wish to withdraw from a course or courses must do so in writing. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from courses or a “Failure to Withdraw” grade of “F” will result. Non-payment or non-attendance is not a withdraw.

Students may drop a course without notation on their academic record during the published add/drop period. A withdrawal after the published add/drop period requires the student to obtain the signature of the faculty member, undergraduates require their advisor signature too. A “Course Withdrawal Form” is available online and must be submitted within the published withdrawal dates as outlined in the academic calendar. Winter and Summer sessions do not have an Add/Drop period due to the accelerated format.

Choosing to withdraw is a serious matter which may adversely affect a student’s status, financial aid, veteran benefits, and degree progress. Students should consult with their course instructor, advisor, and/or respective office prior to dropping or withdrawing from a course.