Expenses

Matriculation fee - Students enrolled for 12 or more credit hours are assessed a fee (tuition) of $938 at the undergraduate level and $1,126 at the graduate level. Students carrying less than 12 credit hours pay at the rate of $78 per credit hour at the undergraduate level and $94 per credit hour at the graduate level.

Non-resident fee - Non-residents of Georgia pay an additional $2,814 at the undergraduate level and $3,378 at the graduate level if enrolled for 12 credit hours or more. If enrolled for less than 12 hours, the undergraduate non-resident fee per credit hour is an additional $235 and the graduate non-resident fee per credit hour is $282.

Student activity, athletic, health, and campus access fees - For the fall semester and for the spring semester, there is a student activity fee of $22 for students taking one to five hours and $44 for students taking six or more hours. The athletic fee is $65 for students taking one to five hours and $90 for students taking six or more hours. The technology fee is $22 for students taking one to five hours and $38 for students taking six or more hours. All students are assessed a health service fee of $18 and a campus access fee of $7. For the summer term, the student activity fee is $16 for students taking one to five hours and $32 for students taking six or more hours. The athletic fee is $40 for students taking one to five hours and $60 for students taking six or more hours. The technology fee is $16 for students taking one to five hours and $26 for students taking six or more hours. All students are assessed a health service fee of $12 and a campus access fee of $4.

Fee waivers - Residents of Georgia enrolling under Georgia Constitutional Amendment 23 (62 years of age or older) may have fees waived. Arrangements should be made in advance through the Admissions Office. Students approved for graduate assistantships are assessed a matriculation/non-resident fee of $25 plus applicable student activity, athletic, technology, health, and campus access fees.

* Approved for the 2000-2001 Academic Year

The Board of Regents has adopted the following policies for the purpose of determining the tuition status of students:

• If a person is 18 years of age or older, he or she may register as an in-state student only upon a showing that he or she has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of registration.
• No emancipated minor or other person 18 years of age or older shall be deemed to have gained or acquired in-state status for tuition purposes while attending any educational institution in Georgia, in the absence of a clear evidence that he or she has in fact established legal residence in Georgia.
• If a person is under 18 years of age, registration may be made as an in-state student only upon showing that the supporting parent or guardian has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of registration.
• If the legal residence of a parent or legal guardian of a minor changes to another state following a period of legal residence in Georgia, the minor may continue to take courses for a period of 12 consecutive months on the payment of in-state tuition. After the expiration of the 12-month period, registration may be continued only upon the payment of fees at the out-of-state rate.
• In the event that a legal resident of Georgia is appointed as guardian of a nonresident minor, such minor will not be permitted to register as an in-state student until the expiration of one year from the date of court appointment, and then only upon a proper showing that such appointment was not made to avoid payment of the out-of-state fees.
• Aliens shall be classified as nonresident students; however, an alien who is living in this country under an immigration document permitting indefinite or permanent residence shall have the same privilege of qualifying for in-state tuition as a citizen of the United States.

Non-resident fee waivers  - Columbus State University may waive out-of-state tuition for:

• Students who have been legal residents of Lee and Russell Counties in Alabama for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of registration.
• Non-resident students who are financially dependent upon a parent, parents or spouse who has been a legal resident of Georgia for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of registration; provided, however, that such financial dependence shall have existed for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of registration.
• Non-resident students, selected by the institutional president or his authorized representative; provided, however, that the number of such waivers in effect at any time does not exceed two percent of the equivalent full-time students enrolled at the institution in the fall semester immediately preceding the semester for which the out-of-state tuition is to be waived.
• Full-time employees of the university system, their spouses, and their dependent children. Full-time teachers in the public schools of Georgia and their dependent children. Teachers employed full time on military bases in Georgia shall also qualify for this waiver.
• Career consular officers and their dependents who are citizens of the foreign nation which their consular office represents, and who are stationed and living in Georgia under orders of their respective governments. This waiver shall apply only to those consular officers whose nations operate on the principle of educational reciprocity with the United States.
• Active duty military personnel and their dependents stationed in Georgia.
• Full-time Georgia National Guard members.

Students are responsible for registering under the proper tuition status. Students classified as non-residents for tuition purposes who believe they are entitled to be reclassified as legal residents must petition the director of admissions for a change in status. The petition must be filed no later than 60 days after the semester begins in order for students to be considered for reclassification for that semester. If the petition is granted, reclassification will not be retroactive to prior semesters. Information about necessary documentation to support a petition for reclassification is available in the Admissions Office.

Application fee - A non-refundable, one-time application fee of $25 is required of all applicants except those seeking transient student status and Georgia residents 62 years of age or older.

Housing fees - A resident of campus housing must be enrolled full-time at Columbus State University. Fees are due at the time of registration. Effective Fall Semester 2000, fees per semester for Courtyard I will be $2,140 with 10 meals per week provided. Fees for Courtyard II will be $2,240 for a private bedroom and $2,140 for a shared bedroom with 10 meals per week provided. A 15 meals per week plan will be available for an additional $235 per semester.

A $200 room reservation fee must accompany the housing application before it will be processed. Half of the reservation fee will serve as a damage deposit and is refundable if the Residence Life Office receives cancellation at least 30 days prior to the first day of classes. This fee, minus deductions for damages or special cleaning, is also refunded when a resident leaves housing and follows prescribed checkout procedures. The other half of the reservation fee is a prepayment and is applied to the cost of housing. This portion is nonrefundable unless the student is not admitted to the university.

Additional registration fees - First-time registrations during the schedule change period, $25; registrations approved after schedule change, $50.

Graduation fee - Non-refundable, for cap and gown and diploma for associate and baccalaureate degrees, $20; for graduate degrees, $30.

Class fees - A special class fee of $30 is applicable to certain courses in the College of Science and the College of Education to cover the costs of instructional materials.

Applied music fees - Special fees are added for individual and class instruction in applied music. Refer to the Schedule of Courses booklet for the amount of these fees.

Textbooks - All book sales are final; no refunds will be made. Approximate cost of books and supplies is $400 per semester.

Students may be dropped from Columbus State University at any time they become delinquent in the payment of fees, the clearing of fines, or the repayment of loans. Registration will be stopped and copies of educational records will be withheld if a student has either outstanding financial obligations or delinquent loans.

Returned check charge - $25 or five percent of the amount of the check, whichever is greater. After one returned check, personal checks will not be accepted. Any student enrolled who fails to clear a returned check for tuition or non-resident fee within 10 days of notification will be expelled. Records will be held and the check must be redeemed prior to further registration or receipt of transcript.

Fees will be recalculated and appropriate adjustments made for students who register and then find it necessary to drop a course before the end of the schedule change period. No refund will be made for a reduction in credit hours after the schedule change period. Students who formally withdraw from the university on or before the official first day of the semester will be entitled to a complete (100%) refund of all registration fees. Students withdrawing from all courses after the official first day of the semester will be entitled to a prorated refund of the matriculation fee, non-resident fee, activity fee, technology fee, campus access fee, health fee, athletic fee, and elective charges. The proportion refundable is determined by the date of withdrawal and is equal to that portion of the period of enrollment for which the student has been charged that remains on the last day of attendance, up to the 60 percent point in time of the semester. Students receiving Title IV assistance who withdraw from all courses on or before the 60 percent point of the term may be required to return or repay the amount of unearned aid to the appropriate Title IV program. Specific dates reflecting the above refund schedule are published each semester in the Schedule of Courses.

All non-resident fees, matriculation fees, and other required fees paid for the semester will be refunded in the event of the death of a student at any time during a semester. A separate refund schedule will be in effect during summer terms, the intersession, and for continuing education courses. Students who do not formally withdraw, those suspended for disciplinary reasons, or those who leave the university when disciplinary action is pending are not eligible for a refund of any portion of any fee. Refunds for recalculated fees and 100 percent withdrawals will be mailed within approximately two weeks after registration. Other refunds will be mailed immediately after mid-semester.