Tuition, Fees and Expenses

Tuition and fee charges for the 2016-17 sessions are available on the University Business Office website. The tuition and fees listed contribute to general maintenance and operation, instruction, and other university service costs, including recreational and health service facility costs. The fees also support student activities such as the Student Government Association, University Program Board and student publications.

The amounts listed do not include the cost of books or supplies. The university reserves the right to adjust tuition and fee charges because of rising costs or other conditions upon approval of the JMU Board of Visitors.

Refer to the University Business Office website for a full description of the tuition and fee rates.

Billing and Registration

Registration for returning students is conducted in April for the fall semester and in November for the spring semester. Students will initially be notified in early August by e-mail when their electronic account statement (Madison Money Manager (M3)) is ready for the fall semester and initially notified in mid-December for the spring semester. Thereafter, all new charges, payments and adjustments will be posted electronically in M3. Authorized Users will also be e-mailed when student account statements are ready to be viewed. Account statements will be processed twice monthly regardless of changes or balances.

Students are encouraged to review their financial account for amounts due after any registration or course adjustment activity. Students may access their financialaccount by using their MyMadison link or through the Web link provided in the billing e-mail. Student account balances are due in full by Friday of the first week of classes.

To keep university costs as low as possible, the Commonwealth of Virginia has instituted the following financial policies:

• There is a $50 fee for each check returned due to non-sufficient funds, stop payment order or account closed.
• There is a late fee for all delinquent accounts. If a student has a balance due that is not covered by financial aid or the installment payment plan by the paymentdue date (Friday of the first week of classes), a late payment fee will be applied to the account which cannot be waived. Financial aid must be accepted and the installment plan must be set up by the due date to avoid the late payment fee. The late payment fee is 3% of the balance due and is non-negotiable.
• Student account balances are due in full by the first week of classes to avoid a late fee and/or hold.

Continuous Enrollment

All graduate students enrolled in graduate degree programs must register each regular semester for a minimum of one graduate credit hour from enrollment to graduation. This policy excludes summer sessions. Students wishing to be excused from the requirements of this policy because of extenuating circumstances must solicit exemption from The Graduate School through the Leave of Absence: Continuous Enrollment option. See the General Regulations section for more information on continuous enrollment.

A graduate student who takes an unauthorized break in registration by failing to maintain continuous enrollment will relinquish his or her graduate standing in the university. Students who wish to be reinstated will be required to file an Application for Graduate Admission, pay the admission fee and register for one graduate credit for each term of unauthorized break in registration.

Tuition and Fees

Payment

Payment may be made by the following means:

• Remitting payment by check by mail to:
  University Business Office
  738 South Mason Street
  MSC 3516
  Harrisonburg, VA 22807
• By check or cash in person at the cashier’s window on the fifth floor of the Student Success Center during regular business hours.
• Remitting an electronic check payment or credit card payment online through the electronic account presentment M3 link in MyMadison or through the University
• Business Office website as a guest payer. The service is provided by an outside vendor.

Students may pay by a combination of personal check, cash, money order, cashier’s check, electronic check and credit cards. Payments from outside the United States should be made through the Western Union link in M3. Foreign currency will be converted to U.S. Dollars for payment to the university. The student’s account number (campus ID number) should be included on all payments to ensure its application to the proper account.

Debts owed to the university are governed by the following policies:

• No credit for university work may be given to any student for a diploma, teacher’s license or transfer purposes until all debts to the university have been settled.
• Until a student’s account is paid in full, he or she will be ineligible for readmission or registration for a future semester.

Upon recommendation of the director of the University Business Office and with the approval of the Assistant Vice President for Finance, students in debt to the university may be suspended from their classes or may be withdrawn.

Audit Fees

A student registering to audit a course will pay the same tuition and fees as one who registers for credit.

Specialized Class Fees

Certain courses which use off-campus facilities have additional charges which will be determined at the time the course is offered.

Specialized Program Tuition

Some courses offered through the College of Business and the Department of Nursing require additional tuition charges.

Examination for Credit Fee

Arrangements for attempting credit by departmental examination may be made by paying a nonrefundable $50 per credit hour attempted fee to the University Business Office and presenting the receipt to the Office of the Registrar. See General Regulations for more information.

Delinquent Accounts

Service Indicators (Holds)

Only service indicators placed by University Business Office can be cleared by this office. Normally, paying the student account balance with the University Business Office will resolve these holds. Other departments that place service indicators include the Health Center, Parking, Telecom, Registrar, The Graduate School and Financial Aid. Those departments place and release their own service indicators.

Late Fees

A late fee of 3% of the past due balance will be assessed to the student’s account if payment is not received by the due date.

Course Cancellation and Returned Check Fee

A $50 per check fee is assessed for checks returned to the university by the issuing bank as unpaid due to a stop payment order, account closed or non-sufficient funds. If a check is returned, the University Business Office will notify the student by e-mail. If the student does not make appropriate alternative payment as specified, the student’s class registration will be canceled and the student may be withdrawn from the university. The university will also hold the student’s records, future registration, transcripts, teaching license and diploma until the check is redeemed.

Collection Fees

Collections in the Commonwealth of Virginia

The university pursues debt in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Virginia Debt Collection Act. Virginia state law requires that the university make every attempt to collect past due amounts owed to state agencies. If, after 60 days, full payment of a debt has not been received, the student account will be placed with a collection agency. Students are responsible for any collection costs incurred at a rate of 33.33% of the total due.

Students also risk tarnishing their credit rating and will be subject to further enforcement proceedings. Collection efforts are costly to the student. Avoid additional costs by paying on time. Agencies charge the student a 33.33% fee that is the collection industry standard. Collection fees cannot be appealed. If a student finds that their account has been referred to a collection company, they must contact the company immediately to make payment arrangements.

Additionally, the account can be listed by the Credit Bureau as a bad debt, a delinquent account can be collected in full from income tax refunds, lottery winnings, or other refunds due from the state, and the account may be turned over to the Virginia Attorney General’s Office for litigation. Timely payment is strongly encouraged so that collection efforts can be avoided.

Eligibility for In-state Tuition

Eligibility for in-state tuition charges is based on the provisions of Section 23-7.4 of the Code of Virginia in effect on the first day of classes for each term. A link to the Code of Virginia guidelines can be found on the University Business Office website. This statute limits in-state tuition to those with Virginia domiciliary status. Domicile is defined as the “present, fixed home to which you return following temporary absences and at which you intend to stay indefinitely.” If there is any question of the right to classification as a domicile of Virginia, it is the student’s obligation, prior to the first day of classes for the semester, to raise the question with the University Business Office.

To qualify for in-state tuition, a graduate student shall establish by clear and convincing evidence that for a period of at least one year immediately prior to the date of the alleged entitlement, he or she was domiciled in Virginia and had abandoned any previous domicile, if such existed and that he or she initially came to Virginia for reasons other than education.

Domiciliary status shall not ordinarily be conferred by the performance of acts which are auxiliary to fulfilling educational objectives or are required or routinely performed by temporary residents of the commonwealth. Mere physical presence or residence primarily for educational purposes shall not confer domiciliary status. A matriculating student who has entered an institution and is classified as an out-of-state student shall be required to rebut by clear and convincing evidence the presumption that he or she is in the commonwealth for the purpose of attending school and not as a bona fide domiciliary.

Initial determinations of eligibility are made by The Graduate School (graduate students) and/or Outreach Programs (continuing education and non-degree students). Decisions on re-entry students are also made by these respective offices. To establish eligibility, an applicant must complete the uniform domiciliary status questions included in the applications for admission to the university. For information on special provisions of Section 23-7.4 covering military families and persons living out-ofstate but employed full-time in Virginia, contact The Graduate School.

Once a student receives an initial determination of eligibility, he or she may appeal for a review of the application by contacting the head of the office that made the determination (director of the Admissions office or assistant dean of The Graduate School). Appeal for a final administrative review of the decision to deny in-state tuition may be made to the university’s Residency Appeals Committee. If there is any question of the right to classification as a domicile of Virginia, it is the student’s obligation, prior to or at the time of registration, to raise the question with the administrative officials of James Madison University. Any party aggrieved by a final administrative decision shall have the right to petition within 30 days for a review by the Circuit Court of Rockingham County.

Returning students may apply for reclassification from out-of-state to in-state status through the University Business Office. The Reclassification Application Form can be obtained at the UBO web site under “Residency Requirements.” Denial of a request for such reclassification may be appealed within 30 days to the assistant vice president for finance with a final appeal within 30 days to the Residency Appeals Committee. Petition for review of this final appeal must be made within 30 days to the Circuit Court of Rockingham County.

A change to in-state status may be made only when the completed application for reclassification form is received in the University Business Office prior to the first day of classes for that semester. Students are responsible for paying out-of-state tuition rates until in-state status has been approved. Refer to the University Business Office website and specifically the section “Residency Requirements” for the reclassification form and links to the Code of Virginia.

Online Courses

Distance-learning courses are offered only by specific programs. Students enrolled in these courses will be charged a higher tuition rate than students taking traditional courses at the university. Refer to the University Business Office website for current tuition and fees.

Room and Board

Part-time students cannot purchase a housing contract without prior approval of the Office of Residence Life. Residents of university-sponsored apartments are only charged for the room portion of their housing contract. These students and commuter students may purchase one of several meal plans through Card Services.

If students arrive late by 10 or fewer days, their boarding fee will not decrease. The only exception, however, is lateness because of hospital confinement. If students are late because of seven-day or longer stays in the hospital, the university will consider adjusting the board fee. Contact Card Services, Student Success Center, Room 2300; (540) 568-6446 for additional information.

Refunds

Any overpayment of a student account can be either refunded or posted to a future semester as a payment. All overpayments are refunded to the student. All student refunds are handled by the University’s vendor – Higher One. A refund preference must be selected on the Higher One website. Review the refunding instructions on the UBO website or contact the UBO office for information at (540) 568-6505.

Withdrawal Refunds

Students who officially withdraw from the university by the deadline for the semester will be refunded all tuition and fee payments.

Students who officially withdraw from the university after the deadline for the semester will be responsible for full tuition and fee charges, unless their withdrawal is due to an illness certified by a physician or for unavoidable emergency or extenuating circumstances. Tuition reduction must be approved and recommended by the Office of the Dean of Students.

All meal plan charges will be pro-rated, and campus housing charges will be based on the refund schedule listed in the housing contract.

For further information on withdrawal from the university, contact the Office of the Dean of Students.

Financial Declaration for International Graduate Students

This form is not an application for financial assistance. The limited financial aid that is available from James Madison University is competitively awarded on the basis of academic excellence. Assistantships are not need based. The university has no financial resources that are specifically reserved for international students. Only after acceptance into a specific graduate program can any student be considered for financial aid at James Madison University.

All applicants planning to obtain a student visa must complete the Financial Declaration and Certification Form and demonstrate sufficient funds to undertake graduate studies at James Madison University. Applicants who have been awarded a scholarship from an international agency or from their government must attach a letter of award to the form.

Financial Requirements

Instructional fees are listed on the University Business Office website. International students attending James Madison University are required to be full-time degree seeking students and are expected to carry at least nine semester hours of credit for each semester they are enrolled.

Living expenses in Harrisonburg are estimated to be $800-$900 per month or $9,600-$10,800 (including $2,000 per year for miscellaneous expenses) per calendar year. The total amount to be certified is $30,890 per academic year. Additional amounts are required for a spouse and per child. Students who wish to study during the summer sessions should be aware that those additional educational expenses range between $2,000 and $3,000. Tuition rates are subject to change.

Projected Financial Requirements

Admission is limited to applicants who are able to guarantee that they have all the funds necessary for their expenses for the entire period of their stay without resorting to employment while in the United States. An international student should expect living expenses in Harrisonburg to increase approximately 10% per year and tuition fees may increase as much as 30% each academic year.

Availability of Funds

It is required that all tuition and other university fees be paid prior to the semester registration period in which the student wishes to enroll.

Tuition and fees and payment due dates are listed in the graduate catalog for each academic year. Specific payment procedures are addressed in the Schedule of Classes published for each semester.

Employment

International students may not accept employment off-campus.