Expenses

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Tuition and fees are subject to change. The official charges are those billed by the Bursar’s Office during the fee payment period for each term. For the most recent tuition and fee rates, see the Bursar website at www.niu.edu/bursar.

Checks are receipted assuming the student has been approved for enrollment. An appropriate refund will be made if the university denies enrollment.

Fee Coverage

A complete listing of each fee amount and its designated use will be supplied upon request to the Office of Student Affairs. These fees are required of all students, unless a partial refund is warranted by study and residence more than 15 miles from campus, as defined under “Tuition and fee payment” in the Schedule of Classes.

Activity and athletic fees may be used to support services and privileges such as the use of gymnasium facilities and participation in intramural activities; admission to athletic events, concerts, dramatic productions, lectures, and speeches; and subscriptions to certain student publications. Additional charges for such services and privileges may be imposed as necessary.

Regional and Workshop Courses

Courses taught at regional sites are included in the calculation of tuition charges, but are excluded from total hours in the assessment of general student fees. Workshop hours are included in the assessment of general student fees. Tuition charges are applicable to the total enrolled hours, with an additional delivery fee for each regional course. (See “Special Fees” below.)

Special Fees

A student may be charged for departmental field trips, library fines, or excess breakage. When a course involves use of materials, rather than equipment, the student will ordinarily pay for such materials. Other special fees, not applicable to all students, are as follows.

Enrollment certification fee: $3.50
Fee for new international students: $125.00
Graduation fee (baccalaureate degree): $29.00
Regional-campus course/high-tech delivery fee: $50.00-$315.00 per semester hour
Replacement identification card (after the first is issued):$20.00
Technology surcharge

$50.00 for 6 or fewer semester hours
$100.00 for more than 6 semester hours

Transcript fee: $5.00

Class material fees where applicable will be billed as part of the total billing. See the current Schedule of Classes regarding those courses that require additional fees.

Costs for housing for 2007-08 varied from $3284 per semester for a gold meal plan in a double room in one of the “low rise” residence halls to $5019 for a space in a single room and a titanium meal plan in a recently renovated “high rise” residence hall. Charges for the 2008-09 academic year are expected to increase. (See “Payment of Fees.”)

In this section, the term “refund” is strictly applicable only if all charges for which the student is liable have already been paid. Otherwise, any refund due will take the form of a corresponding reduction in the total liability on the bill.

In the following discussion of policies governing refunds of tuition and fees it should be understood that “refund” refers to “refund of monies paid” only in cases in which a student has already paid the full balance due. Where payment in full has not yet been made, an equivalent adjustment may be made on the total amount due. If only a partial reduction in tuition or fee liability occurs, a student who had a balance due may still owe an additional amount beyond that already paid. If no reduction in liability occurs, not only will funds paid not be refunded, but the student will be liable for the unpaid balance.

Tuition and fees, due at the time of registration, include tuition, general student fees, material fees, the technology surcharge, outreach delivery fees, regional course fees, and health insurance fees. Refunds can be applied for at the Bursar’s Office, unless otherwise noted. The following provisions govern refunds of tuition and fees.

A student who has registered and officially withdraws from the university may receive a refund of tuition and fees including any advance deposit thereon, according to the following schedule.

If withdrawal is prior to the first regularly scheduled class day–all tuition and fees.
If withdrawal is within the 60 percent point in time of the period of enrollment–a refund equal to the portion of the period of enrollment remaining.
If withdrawal is after the 60 percent point in time of the period of enrollment–no refund shall be made.

The university may designate shorter refund periods for special courses, short courses, and other enrollments of a limited nature.

Students may receive a refund of tuition and fees if the university declares them ineligible for enrolled status prior to the first day of regularly scheduled classes.

Students who reduce the number of semester hours carried within the first 15 calendar days beginning with the first regularly scheduled class day may receive a refund of tuition and all fees not applicable to their new status, excluding student medical insurance. If the number of semester hours is reduced to fewer than 6, the student medical insurance may be refunded.

Students who reduce the number of semester hours carried (but remain enrolled in some course work) after the 15th day but no later than the 30th calendar day may receive a refund of 25 percent of the difference in tuition only. If the number of semester hours is reduced to fewer than 6, the student medical insurance may be refunded.

Part or all of a student’s tuition and fees may be refunded because of a student’s death, disability, or extreme hardship. The student, or in the event of a student’s death, his or her family, must contact the Vice President for Student Affairs to request an adjustment of charges for tuition and fees and to receive a partial or full refund when university withdrawal is the consequence of one of the aforementioned circumstances. The student or his or her family will be required to provide documentation supporting the request. In the event of disability (medical withdrawal), medical documentation is to be sent to the University Health Service. In the event of a student’s death or extreme hardship, documentation should accompany the request sent to the Vice President for Student Affairs. University withdrawal (i.e., withdrawal from courses) is an academic procedure that must be completed by the student’s college advisement office. Contact with the Vice President for Student Affairs should be only for the purpose of seeking an adjustment of tuition and fees charges.

Students who have paid tuition and fees may receive a refund if they later receive scholarships which cover tuition and fees. The application for refund must be made no later than 60 days after the close of the term.

Students enrolled in courses of study over 15 miles from the campus which require their absence from the campus for the entire semester and who are residing over 15 miles from the campus may receive refunds of activity, student bus, health service, and athletic fees. To receive such a refund, students must apply to the Bursar within the first 15 calendar days beginning with the first regularly scheduled class day. Refunds will be processed after the sixth week of the semester.

Students who receive financial assistance and withdraw from the university after the 60 percent point in time of the period of enrollment may be required to repay a portion of their award(s) from any university refunds which they may have been eligible to receive. The exact amount to be repaid to financial aid accounts will be determined by the amount of aid received, the educational costs incurred, and the length of time attended during the semester.

Students enrolled in foreign study programs must adhere to the refund regulations stipulated by the Division of International Programs.

For answers to questions on tuition and fee payment refunds call (815) 753-1885, 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The above refund policies are subject to change.

Payment of all charges on the student’s account is due seven days prior to the start of the term to which they apply. Any additional expenses incurred after this initial payment due date for the term will be due within seven days of the assessment of the charge. Any student who pays less than the total amount due on the payment due date will be assessed a 1.08% late payment fee on the unpaid balance. This late payment fee will be assessed monthly on the unpaid balance that continues to be past due.

Any student with a past due balance remaining at mid term will have a hold placed on the student’s account records. This hold will prohibit the student from registering for classes and obtaining official transcripts until the account balance is paid in-full.

Financial Responsibility: By registering for courses at Northern Illinois University the student is accepting financial responsibility for the costs of and related to the student’s registration at the university including choosing to reside in the university’s residence halls, selecting a meal plan, or other university services. In the event a student’s account is past due, service charges will be applied to past-due amount. Continued failure to pay a past due debt may result in the debt being listed with credit bureaus, the State Comptroller’s Offset Program and, if necessary, referred to a collection agency and/or authorize legal action for the collection of this debt. The student is then responsible for all fees and costs incurred by the University in the collection of the past due debt, including collection fees and/or attorney’s fees.

The tuition fee for in-state students is charged according to the definitions of residence below. Length of university attendance or continued presence in DeKalb during vacation periods is not considered proof of Illinois residence. The following is based upon Regulations of the Board of Trustees, a copy of which is available on the Internet at www.niu.edu/board/regs/botregtoc.shtml.

Adult Students. An adult student whose parents or guardians are Illinois residents and who lives with them or elsewhere in the state may be regarded as a resident, if the student’s parents or guardians are bona fide residents of the state at the beginning of the term for which the student enrolls. An adult student whose parents are not Illinois residents may be considered a resident if the student has been a bona fide resident of the state for at least six consecutive months preceding the first class day of the term and continues to maintain that residence.

Minor Students. The residence of a student under 18 years of age is considered to be and to follow that of the student’s parents. Self-supporting minors are subject to the same regulations as adults.

Exceptions

Marriage. If a nonresident student marries a resident, the nonresident can request reclassification as a resident before six months have elapsed. All other regulations pertaining to adult students apply.

International students. To be considered a resident, a student who is not a United States citizen must have “Permanent Resident” status or “Refugee” status with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization service and must also comply with all other requirements of these regulations.

Armed forces personnel. The nonresident portion of the tuition will be waived for a person on active duty who is stationed and present in the state in connection with that service and who submits evidence of that service and station. Spouses and dependent children who live in the state are also eligible for waivers.

University staff and faculty members. Nonhourly staff members of the university, and faculty members of Illinois state-supported institutions of higher education, employed at least one-quarter time, and their spouses and dependent children, are considered residents. The term “staff members” does not include graduate assistants or student hourly workers.

Teachers. Teachers in the public and private elementary and secondary schools of Illinois may be assessed at the resident rate, during the term in which they hold appointment at least one quarter time.

A student who takes exception to the residence status assigned shall pay the tuition assessed, but may file a petition in writing to the Office of Registration and Records for reconsideration.

The written claim must be filed within 30 calendar days from the first class day of the semester for which the tuition is payable or the student loses all right to a change of status and adjustment of the tuition assessed for that semester.