Fees and Financial Information

FEES
Tuition and other fees do not meet the total cost of supporting the students. The university makes every effort to keep costs at the lowest possible level and reserves the right to change these costs annually.

Bills of approximately one-half of the annual charges will be sent prior to the start of each semester and will be due and payable on the date indicated thereon. Payment is to be made by check, money order or credit card payable to Mount St. Mary’s University, and sent to the Accounting and Financial Affairs Office, Mount St. Mary’s University, 16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, MD 21727.

INSTALLMENT PAYMENT PLAN
The university offers parents and students a payment plan under which they may pay tuition, room and board costs on a monthly schedule instead of in the customary manner of two large semester payments. A finance charge, at the rate of 6% per annum, will be assessed on any unpaid balance. Before the beginning of the first semester, a payment-plan agreement will be sent along with the first bill of that semester. It should be completed and returned to the accounts receivable office in accordance with the instructions in the agreement. Any inquiries should be directed to the accounts receivable office. Final approval of the agreement is subject to university review.

PAYMENT OF BILLS
All bills are normally due and payable upon receipt. For special payment terms and other financial assistance programs, please refer to the installment payment plan as defined above and to the Financial Aid section.

Normally, no student may begin a semester with an unpaid balance on his/her account. Such indebtedness also precludes the possibility of receiving a degree or honorable dismissal. Students who fail to honor their obligations may be dismissed from the university. Upon nonpayment, Mount St. Mary’s University may declare any remaining balance due and payable. In the event a student account is referred to an attorney for collection through legal proceedings or otherwise, the student will be responsible to pay reasonable collection costs and fees, attorney’s fees, court costs and other related costs to Mount St. Mary’s University. Default interest shall accrue at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month (18% APR) from the date of default until the date of payment, and shall be the rate of interest applicable to any judgment. A transcript release hold will be applied to the student record. Transcripts will not be released until the debt is paid in full.

ANNUAL EXPENSES (2008-2009 academic year)

* Fees include incidental dispensary services and care in the wellness center under the supervision of the university physician and nurse; activities; use of the Knott Athletic Recreation Convocation Complex and athletic facilities and equipment; admission to all athletic events, special lectures and programs of visiting artists; support of the campus radio station; student government activities; a copy of the Student Guide and student publications including the university newspaper.

** Multiple meal plans are available to resident and nonresident students. All resident students, except those residing in the apartment complex, are required to take at least a 5-dinner plan, and these meals will be served in the school’s dining hall, Patriot Hall. Meal plans may not be changed after the first week of the semester. For additional information concerning meal plans, please contact the MOUNTcard office.

*** Resident students are reminded that they contract for their rooms for the entire school year and normally will not be permitted to withdraw during the year in order to live off campus.

**** All full-time students are eligible for participation in the blanket accident and health policy, which provides coverage on- and off campus.

ENROLLMENT DEPOSIT FEE
A nonrefundable, one-time-only $500 fee is required of all new full-time students. The first $100 of this fee will be credited immediately to the student’s account, the next $150 will pay for June and August Orientation, and the remaining $250 will be returned to the student if all bills have been paid and one of the following occurs:

1. Studies are terminated for any reason during the semester.
2. After one semester of attendance, a student notifies the registrar, in writing, prior to the first day of classes that he or she will not be attending Mount St. Mary’s.

EDF cards require a parent(s)/guardian(s) signature and must be returned before the beginning of the first semester of attendance. A student may not begin classes until the cards are on file in the Office of Accounting and Financial Affairs.

PART-TIME TUITION
The student enrolled for 11 or fewer semester hours during a regular fall or spring semester will be billed at the rate of $790 per semester hour and any other applicable charges.

SUPPLEMENTAL TUITION CHARGE
The fall and spring semester full-time tuition charge entitles the student to enroll for not less than 12 or more than 16 semester hours. Semester hours beginning with the 17th will be billed at a supplemental tuition charge of $395 per credit hour.

Students pay no supplemental tuition for additional credit with the One Credit Option in Service Learning.

APPLIED MUSIC FEE
A fee of $175 per semester is payable by all students registered for music courses (FAMU) that indicate private instruction.

COURSE AUDIT FEE
The fee for auditing a course is $75 per credit, plus any special fees that would ordinarily be associated with the course.

LABORATORY FEES
Courses requiring laboratory fees are identified in the semester course schedule.

Laboratory fees are payable each semester for each course according to the following schedule:

Art/Music/Theatre trips

each (approximately) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40

Biology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125/course

BIOL 450 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $30/credit

Chemistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125/course

CHEM 450 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$30/credit

Education

Internship I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200

Internship II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250

General Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75/course

Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50/course

Psychology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$70/course

Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125/course

Studio Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $80/course

VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND CAMPUS PARKING FEES
All vehicles must be registered each year with the office of public safety. This registration fee is $25 per semester for commuter students and $50 per semester for resident students.

TECHNOLOGY/TELECOMMUNICATION FEE
A fee of $125 per semester (full-time resident), $62.50 (full-time nonresident) or $6 per credit hour up to a maximum of $62.50 is payable by all students to provide new and upgraded technology services. These include access to the campus network, electronic mail, Internet and World Wide Web; state-of-the-art computer labs, laser printing; telephone, voice mail and cable TV service in all residence hall rooms; and expansion of the student ID debit card system.

FOREIGN STUDY FEE
A fee of $100 per semester and $50 for summer sessions is payable by students studying abroad for administrative expenses connected with the program.

STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE
A fee of $75 per semester is payable by all full-time resident, nonresident and day undergraduates as well as resident graduate students. The fee for part-time undergraduate students is $6 per credit hour up to a maximum of $37.50 per semester. This fee is to support student activities and programs.

GRADUATION FEE
The $100 graduation fee is payable with the fees for the last semester of the senior year. This fee is not refundable if the student fails to graduate with his/her class.

TRANSCRIPT FEE
A fee of $5 per copy is charged for all copies (official and unofficial) of transcripts of grades. The fee for rushed transcripts (requests that can be processed and mailed/picked up within 24 hours) is $25. See the registrar’s office for more details.

BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
Books and supplies are available in the university store at standard prices.

DECLINING BALANCE (DEBIT CARD)
Every student is issued a MOUNTcard for identification purposes. One of the features of the card is the declining balance. As an alternative to carrying cash on campus you can open a declining balance account. The debit feature is accepted at many locations on campus. No cash advances are available. Payments should be made directly to the MOUNTcard office.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY

Voluntary Withdrawal
Because the university receives more applications each year than it can possibly accept, each student is selected on the assumption that he/she will remain for the entire academic year. If a student voluntarily withdraws before the beginning of classes, all fees are refundable provided that written notice is received by the registrar before classes begin. When a student officially withdraws or leaves the university for any reason and has no indebtedness to the university, a portion of the tuition fee is refunded, depending upon the date of formal withdrawal (that date on which the withdrawal forms have been properly completed and returned to the registrar’s office).

By the end of the 1st week of school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100%

By the end of the 2nd week of school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80%

By the end of the 3rd week of school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60%

By the end of the 4th week of school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40%

By the end of the 5th week of school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20%

After five weeks of school there will be no refund of tuition.

Room: Same refund policy as for tuition (above).

Board: Board funds will be returned on a pro-rated basis.

Involuntary Withdrawal
Involuntary withdrawal resulting from either suspension, expulsion or as a result of other disciplinary action, regardless of whether the action took place before or after the semester began, will result in total forfeiture of tuition and room fees for the semester in which the action took place.

Board: Board funds will be returned on a pro-rated basis.

Federal Aid Recipients
Students who receive financial aid from federal sources other than work study and withdraw from the university during the semester are only entitled to the federal aid they have earned. The amount of aid earned is determined by a pro rata calculation, multiplying the percentage of the academic term the student has completed by the total amount of federal aid disbursed, or that could have been disbursed, to the student. If the academic term is more than 60 percent complete, the student has earned 100 percent of the aid.

If the amount of federal aid earned by the student is less than the amount that was disbursed, funds must be returned from the