Tuition and Fees

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the definition of residency, fee descriptions, payments and refund policies that are detailed in this catalog.

Annual Tuition

Graduate tuition and fees depend upon the number of credits for which a student wishes to enroll:

• Graduate tuition and fees pay per credit.
• No student may enroll for more than 12 graduate credits in a given term without the written permission of both the department chair in which the program is housed and the academic dean. An individual who is permitted to take 13-15 credits must pay a per-credit overload fee.
• Under no circumstances may a student enroll in more than 15 graduate credits in a given term.

Tuition charges are set each year by the Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees. 

SINGLE SEMESTER RATES

For All Full-Time Graduate Students (Full Time = 9 to 12 credits) 

Health insurance is required for all full-time students: Add $1,940 to your fall semester bill; then the annual policy renews each fall semester. Insurance must be accepted or declined by student, online only. 

PER CREDIT RATES

Summer 2015:

For Summer 2015, students are charged on a per-credit basis; there is no flat full-time rate.

Fall 2015 / Spring 2016:

For Fall 2015 and Spring 2016, students are charged on a per-credit basis for 1-8 credits; for 9-12 credits there is one flat, full-time rate.  For more than 12 credits, students are charged additional tuition only, per credit.

Payment Options

• Personal Payment:  Cash, check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express
• Financial Aid:  Loans, grants, scholarships, military benefits, federal or state benefits
• Monthly Payment Plan:  single semester contract of 6, 5, 4 or 3 payments (available online only)
• Third-Party Payment: If your employer is paying, a purchase order must be submitted with registration           

Additional Fees

• To add or drop a class after the first 2 weeks: $23  (X and Y classes: after 1 week).  Dropping classes at this point will not adjust or credit your tuition bill.
• Late degree application fee: $20 (application deadline is May 1 or December 1 of the year prior to graduation)
• International students: add $100 International Fee
• Graduation fee: $92 (charged to all graduating students, whether or not they attend commencement)
• Transcripts: $5 each  
• Late registration fee: $60

Questions?  Contact Financial & Registration Services: 802-468-6070

Bills and Fees

Castleton does not send out paper bills. You can view your bill online by logging into the Portal/Web Services.

Late Fees

Castleton reserves the right to void all registrations for which satisfactory financial arrangements are not made or honored. All past due balances may be subject to late fees if not paid by the due date. Any balance not paid may also be subject to collection costs, including attorney's fees, and other costs and charges necessary for the collection of the account.

Late fees may be assessed on any student account over $200 if not paid by the due date. The following are established rates that will be charged on a monthly basis until the end of the semester:

• balances from $200 to $2,000 will be charged $50 monthly
• balances from $2,001 to $5,000 will be charged $100 monthly
• balances from $5,001 and up will be charged $200 monthly

Add/Drop Fees

An Add/Drop Fee is assessed after the first two weeks of classes to those students who change their schedule. A fee will be assessed for each class adjustment.

If a class is dropped after the first two weeks of classes, there will be no adjustment to the tuition account. If classes are added, the tuition account will be adjusted accordingly.

Financial Aid

Students applying for federal financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. You may apply on‐line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Castleton University Title IV code is 003683. Matriculated graduate students who are enrolled at least half‐time (four credits during a regular semester or summer period) are eligible to apply for assistance through the Federal Perkins Loan, the Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized/Unsubsidized) and the Federal Work Study programs. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible. We will consider anyone who applies by April 1st to be an on-time applicant. This deadline applies only to the Federal Perkins Loan program. Should you have questions about the financial aid application process please contact Student Services at 802.468.6070 or email them at studentservices@castleton.edu.

Health Insurance

Health and accident insurance is mandatory for all matriculated full-time students (9 or more credits) not otherwise covered under a comparable plan. Students may be exempted from paying the insurance fee by submitting a selection form to the Student Services Center with the coverage plan and policy number. Deadlines for form submittal are, for the Fall: September 15, and for the Spring only semester: January 31. Insurance brochures and information are available in the Student Services Center.

In‐State Residency Policy

Purpose: The Vermont State Colleges charges different tuition rates to in‐ and out‐of‐state students. Therefore, criteria to determine in‐state residency are required. The following requirements must be met by a student prior to being granted resident status for the purpose of admission, tuition and other VSC charges:

1. The applicant shall be domiciled in Vermont, said domicile having been continuous for one year immediately prior to the date of application unless the student has been in the Armed Services, Peace Corps, or other recognized national service organization, and has retained Vermont as his/her permanent address during the period of absence, and has returned to Vermont immediately following discharge from these services. Changes in residency status shall become effective for the semester following the date of reclassification. Domicile shall mean a person's true fixed and permanent home, to which he/she intends to return when absent. A residence established for the purpose of attending an educational institution or qualifying for resident status for tuition purposes shall not of itself constitute domicile. Domicile shall not be dependent upon the applicant's marital status.
2. The applicant must demonstrate such attachment to the community as would be typical of a permanent resident of his or her age and education.
3. Receipt of significant financial support from the applicant's family will create a reputable presumption that the applicant's domicile is with his or her family.
4. An applicant becoming a student at an institution of higher learning in Vermont within one year of first moving to the state shall have created a reputable presumption of residence in Vermont for the purpose of attending an educational institution.
5. A student who is eligible for tuition purposes to enroll as a resident student in another state shall not be enrolled as a ―Vermont Resident.
6. A student enrolling at the Vermont State Colleges shall be classified by the University's Director of Admissions as a resident or a non‐resident for tuition purposes. The decision by the officer shall be based upon information furnished by the student and other relevant information. The officer is authorized to require such written documents, affidavits, verifications or other evidence as he/she deems necessary.
7. The burden of proof shall, in all cases, rest upon the student claiming to be a Vermont resident.
8. A student with resident status will lose that status if he/she, at any time, fails to meet the above requirements. In this event, resident tuition and other charges shall continue in effect only until the end of the academic year.
9. The decision of the University's Director of Admissions on the classification of a student as a resident or non‐resident may be appealed in writing to the Dean of Administration. Further appeal of a student's residency classification may be made in writing to the Office of the Chancellor. The decision of the Office of the Chancellor shall be final.

Note: Teachers or principals who reside in another state but are employed in a Vermont school system are entitled to Vermont resident tuition rates. Please contact Student Services to request the necessary form.

International Students

We welcome international students on our campus. International students must give evidence of levels of formal preparation equivalent to those already described. Proficiency in English at a level appropriate for graduate coursework and research is required. Those who are not native speakers of English must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) unless they have completed undergraduate degrees in the United States.

Before we can process an application for admission we must have assurance that the personal needs of that student will be met as well as the financial obligations to the institution of approximately $30,000 a year.

• Students must provide a financial statement demonstrating their ability to finance their total cost of attendance. (all funds must be in U.S. dollars)
• IELTS/TOEFL is required if English is not your first language. This can be taken in place of SAT/ACT
• All documents must be in English
• All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an accredited service

The international student policy regarding financial arrangements does not apply to Canadian citizens.

Tuition Payments by School Districts

If a school district is covering the cost of a student's tuition, or tuition and fees, a purchase order signed by the school district and the student must be presented to the Student Services Center at the time of registration.

Veterans: Enrollment Certification

In order to receive benefits, a veteran must be admitted to a degree program. Veterans wishing to have enrollment certification completed and transmitted to the Veterans Administration must contact the Registrar's Office at the beginning of each semester.