2016-17 Undergraduate Catalog

Student Expenses

Student Expenses

As part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System, Western Connecticut State University offers high-quality degree programs at a reasonable cost. Details of expenses for full-time and part-time, in-state and out-of-state students appear below.

A full-time student is defined as one who has been accepted as a degree candidate by the Admission Office and enrolled for 12 or more semester hours. A part-time student is one who is enrolled for fewer than 12 semester hours of course load credit. All students, when they register, must inform the registration clerk that they are either full-time or part-time.

The schedules of fees, tuition, methods of payment and refund policies provided below are valid at the time of publication of this catalog and are subject to change.

2016-2017 Full-Time Undergraduate Annual Expenses

In-State Out-of-State
Tuition * $5,216 $16,882
Fees ** 4,801 5,996
Housing (dorm double) *** 7,034 7,034
Meal Plan (required for Midtown dorm students) 5,055 5,055
Estimated Books & Supplies 750 750
Sub-total 22,856 35,717
Sickness Insurance(estimated rate) **** 2,953 2,953
Total 25,809 38,670

 

In addition to textbooks, students must furnish their own notebooks, writing implements and art supplies. Students should also be prepared to pay for field trips and regional study tours since these activities are an integral part of the education program.

* Full-time students will be charged $473 per credit hour for each credit hour over 18 credits at the course fee rate. This fee is non-refundable.

** Students are charged a $50 lab fee for each astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, meteorology and physics course registration. Students are charged a $50 art studio fee for each art studio class registration and new incoming students charged a one time $30 transcript fee.

Full-time students enrolled in the following programs are assessed an additional program fee:

Nursing program $396, Music program $150, Music Theatre program $150, Theatre program $350, Art program $150, Art program $50.

All students taking applied music lessons pay $150–$600 per course, per semester.

*** See Office of Residence Life for a complete list of room rates.

**** Domestic students may waive sickness insurance if covered by a private policy.

Nonrefundable Binder and Housing Deposit

  • Admissions Binder: $200 due May 1, or within 15 days of billing. Payment will be applied to state university tuition. The admissions binder may be transferred from Western Connecticut State University to other constituent units of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System. Enrollment in another unit must occur within 60 days of the beginning of the semester for which the binder was paid to Western Connecticut State University. Students requesting transfer should notify the Admissions Office of the institution they will be attending.
  • Housing Deposit:  $250 due within 15 days of billing.

Payment of Tuition and Fees

Returning and new students for the fall semester must make the fall tuition and fee payment no later than July 15.

Returning and new students for the spring semester must make the spring tuition and fee payment by December 15.

Failure to pay tuition and fees by the required dates may result in cancellation of classes.

Students may pay tuition and fees by cash, check, money order or credit card. MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted. Students who choose to pay with a credit card are subject to a 2.5% convenience fee.

Re-registration Fee

Any student who is dropped for non-payment and wishes to re-register will be subject to a $100 nonrefundable re-registration fee.

Late Fee

A $50 late fee will be assessed to accounts that fail to pay the balance due by the payment deadline.

 

Refund Policy

A. Full Time Students:

Nonrefundable fees include the application fee, admissions binder, housing deposit, registration fee, online fee and payment plan fee. In order to be eligible for a refund, a full-time student must formally withdraw from the university. A refund of tuition, university and student activity fees, and the balance of the housing fee, excluding binder and deposit, will be issued according to the schedule below. The refund amount is determined by the official date of withdrawal. The University is not allowed to make exceptions to the refund policy.

  •         Prior to the first day of classes:
100% refund
  •         Within the first week of the semester:
90% refund
  •         Within the second week of the semester:
60% refund
  •         Within the third and fourth weeks of the semester:
40% refund
  • No refund will be made after the fourth week of university-wide classes.

 

Housing refund policy for students who withdraw from the university

Upon withdrawal from the university prior to the first day of university-wide classes, 100% of the balance paid less the housing deposit will be refunded. Terms for partial refunds are:

90% of the balance, less the housing deposit, will be refunded during the first week of university-wide classes,

60% of the balance, less the housing deposit, will be refunded during the second week of university-wide classes,

40% of the balance, less the housing deposit, will be refunded during the third and fourth weeks of university-wide classes,

No refunds will be made after the fourth week of university-wide classes.

Housing refund policy for students who withdraw from housing but remain enrolled in the university

Upon withdrawal from university housing and up to and including May 31, 100% of the housing charges, less the housing deposit, will be removed from the student’s account.

No refunds will be made for students who withdraw from housing on or after June 1 (academic year) or December 1 (spring term for those students who plan to enter housing for the first time in spring), unless otherwise approved through the Housing Office Appeal Committee. 

Meal plan refund

This fee is refundable on a pro-rated basis upon withdrawal from the university.

Refund policy for students receiving Title IV assistance

Both full-time and part-time students who formally withdraw from the university and are recipients of Title IV funds need to contact the Office of  Financial Aid & Student Employment at wcsufinancialaid@wcsu.edu or at 203 837.8580 to discuss the impact withdrawing will have on their financial aid award.  Non-attendance, stop attending or withdrawing from classes may have an impact on a student’s financial aid award which may result in a balance due to the university.

 

2016-2017 Part-Time Undergraduate Tuition on campus and online

Tuition  (in-state) $217 per credit hour
General Fee  (in-state) $256 per credit hour
Tuition  (out-of-state/NE regional) $223 per credit hour
General Fee  (out-of-state/NE regional)    $256 per credit hour
Registration Fee  (non-refundable) $60 (per semester)
Student Activity Fee (per credit hour) $3 per credit hour
Online  Fee $50 per online course (non-refundable)

Students may pay for part-time tuition and fees by cash, check, money order or credit card (MasterCard, Discover and American Express). Students who choose to pay with a credit card are subject to a 2.5% convenience fee.

Refund Policy for Part-time Students Fall and Spring Semesters – Courses greater than eight weeks in length

A tuition refund for part-time students withdrawing from classes will be issued on the following basis:

Withdrawal during first week of the semester: 100% refund
Withdrawal during second week of the semester: 60% refund
Withdrawal during the third and fourth week of the semester: 40% refund

No refunds are issued after the fourth week of the semester. The $60 registration fee is non-refundable. The university is not allowed to make exceptions to the refund policy.

Connecticut Resident Senior Citizen Waiver

Any Connecticut resident 62 or over who is a full-time student is exempted from the state tuition charge and the state university fee. All other fees are not waived.  Senior citizens attending the university as part-time students pay a $60 nonrefundable registration fee, student activity fee, lab fee and transcript fee when taking any continuing education courses.  Senior citizens must be Connecticut residents and show proof of residency. Acceptable forms of identification needed to verify residency are:

  • Connecticut driver’s license or
  • Current automobile registration or
  • Federal and state income tax return 

Foreign Exchange Policy

Western Connecticut State University settles all accounts in U.S. dollars and assumes no liability for losses that may result from foreign exchange rate differences under any circumstances. In the event of an error to a student’s account, Western Connecticut State University’s liability is limited to the correction of the error in U.S. dollars. 

Student Insurance Requirements

Accident Insurance: As part of the general fee, all full-time students are covered under an accident insurance plan, 24 hours a day, on and off campus, from August 1 to July 31 or until full-time enrollment is terminated during this period. Benefits under the accident plan are paid on an excess basis. This means no expense is covered if it would be covered by another health care plan in the absence of this insurance. This insurance supplements, but does not replace, other health care coverage.

Sickness Insurance: The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System requires that all full-time students have sickness insurance to cover medical care not provided by the University Health Service. The university is able to offer its students comprehensive health care coverage. Coverage under this plan includes both inpatient and outpatient services for medical, surgical and mental health needs.

All full-time students will be automatically billed for this sickness insurance plan unless they submit a signed waiver to the cashier’s office indicating alternative coverage. Waivers may be submitted online at www.wcsu.edu/insurance.

In reviewing present insurance coverage and deciding whether or not to carry this student insurance, remember that many sickness insurance plans (e.g., local HMOs or IPAs) provide appropriate or effective coverage which may, however, be based at considerable distance from the campus. This has caused problems in providing medical services for students at the university.

In addition, many insurance plans may have age limits for dependents. Students with known health problems are advised to consider this insurance in addition to their family coverage, especially if the latter does not cover all medical expenses. Parents must inform students which outpatient laboratory, x-ray, emergency room or hospital services they must use, if necessary, in order to have costs paid by their HMO plan.

The WCSU student insurance plan is Aetna Student Health. This is subject to change as we approach a contract year. Insurance information is available at http://www.aetnastudenthealth.com/wcsu

New England Regional Student Program

Western participates in the New England Regional Student Program of the New England Board of Higher Education. This arrangement offers residents of the other New England states the opportunity to enroll at Western for Connecticut resident tuition rates (plus $2,607 per year) in courses not available in their home states. Similarly, Connecticut residents may avail themselves of programs offered by schools in other New England states that are not available at Connecticut State Universities.

Detailed information about the Regional Program can be obtained through the Office of University Admissions at Western, from any secondary school guidance office, or from the New England Board of Higher Education, 45 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111 or by calling (617) 357-9620.

New England Regional Program at Western

Bachelor Degree Programs Open to Residents of:
American Studies Rhode Island, Vermont
Communication Maine
Health Promotion Studies (Community Health Option) New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Justice and Law Administration (Criminology Option) Rhode Island
Earth Science (Astronomy focus) Rhode Island, Vermont
Health Education Vermont
Meteorology Maine, Rhode Island

State Rehabilitation Programs

State Rehabilitation Commissions frequently offer generous educational services to persons with a disability or a handicap. A student with a disability or handicap should contact a commission office to determine eligibility.