James Madison University - Tuition and Fees

Student Financial Services

302 Warren Hall

Phone: (540) 568-6505

Tuition and fee charges for the 2003-2004 session are available on the Student Financial Services Web site. The tuition and fees listed contribute to general maintenance and operation costs, instruction costs 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.

For a full description of the tuition and fee rates, refer to the Registration and Student Record Services Handbook or the Student Financial Services Web site.

Billing and Registration

Registration for the fall semester is conducted in April for returning students and in November for the spring semester. Students who register during the aforementioned times will be notified of the amounts due through the mail in early August for the fall semester and early December for the spring semester. Thereafter, monthly statements will be mailed for any new charges or unpaid account balances.

Course registration for new students will be completed during orientation. Students who attend an orientation session in July will be notified of the amounts due through the mail in early August.

Students are encouraged to review their financial account for amounts due after any registration or course adjustment activity. Students may access their financial account by using the student information e-campus link on the Registrar’s Web site at http://www.jmu.edu/registrar.

Students are responsible for payment of their bills by the first week of classes to avoid a late fee and/or hold.

Tuition and Fees

Payment

Payment may be made by the following means.

§ Remitting payment to Student Financial Services, Warren Hall, Room 302.

§ Remitting payment along with the billing statement to the university’s bank lock box.

§ Remitting credit card payment online through e-campus or through the Student Financial Services web site at www.jmu.edu/stufin. The service is provided by an outside vendor.

Students may pay by a combination of personal check, money order, cashiers check and credit cards. Payments drawn on foreign banks must be converted to U.S. dollars prior to transmittal to the university. The student’s account number (social security or 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, other than student loans, have been settled This does not apply to Donald E. Gardner Memorial Scholarship Fund loans.

§ Unless accounts are paid in full, students will be ineligible for readmission or registration for a future semester

§ Upon recommendation of the director of student financial services 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 (e.g., bowling, skiing) have additional charges which will be determined at the time the course is offered.

Examination for Credit Fee

Arrangements for attempting credit by departmental examination may be made by paying a nonrefundable $25 fee to Student Financial Services and presenting the receipt to the Office of the Registrar.

Returned Check Fee

A $20 per check fee is assessed for checks returned unpaid to the university. Check cashing privileges may be withdrawn from repeat offenders. If a check is returned, the Student Financial Services Office will forward one notice to the student. The university will hold the student’s records, future registration, transcripts, teaching license and diploma until the check is redeemed.

If the student does not redeem the check, the university may invalidate the student’s registration, cancel the student’s class schedule and participation in university activities, or withdraw the student from the university.

Convenience Fee

Electronic Student Account payments made through e-campus will be assessed a convenience fee. The convenience fee is based on the total charges paid. The calculated amount is displayed separately and assessed at the time payment is made.

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 Web site of the assistant vice president for finance and Student Financial Services. 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 JMU administrative officials.

Dependent Students

To qualify for in-state tuition, a dependent student or unemancipated minor shall establish by clear and convincing evidence that, for a period of at least one year prior to the date of the alleged entitlement, the person through whom he or she claims eligibility was domiciled in Virginia and had abandoned any previous domicile, if such existed.

Independent Students

The statute defines an independent student as one whose parents have surrendered the right to his or her care, custody and earnings; have ceased to support him or her and have not claimed him or her as a dependent on federal and state income tax returns for at least 12 months prior to the alleged eligibility.

To qualify for in-state tuition, an independent 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.

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 Admissions Office (incoming freshmen, re-entries and transfers) and Office of Graduate and Professional Programs (graduate students and continuing education and special 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 or on the special student enrollment form. For information on special provisions of Section 23-7.4 covering military families and persons living out-of-state but employed full-time in Virginia, contact the Office of Admissions or the Office of Graduate and Professional Programs.

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 dean of the Office of Graduate and Professional Programs). Appeal for a final administrative review of the decision to deny in-state tuition may be made to the university’s Residency Appeals Committee chaired by the associate vice president for institutional effectiveness. 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 Student Financial Services. 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 for a semester only when the completed application for reclassification form is received in Student Financial Services 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.

Room and Board

Part-time students cannot purchase a housing contract without prior approval of the Office of Residence Life. Students residing in university housing, except university-sponsored apartments, automatically have a comprehensive 14-Plus Meal Plan included with their housing contract. Other resident meal plans are described in JMU’s Student Handbook. 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, Warren Hall, Room 302.

If students arrive late by 10 days or less, their boarding fee will not decrease. The only exception; however, is lateness because of hospital confinement. If a student is late because of a seven-day or longer stay in the hospital, the university will consider adjusting the board fee. Contact Card Services, Warren Hall, Room 302; (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 except for parent PLUS loans, which are refunded to the parent. Direct Deposit to the student’s or parent’s bank account is strongly encouraged. Direct deposit forms can be acquired at the Student Financial Services office at Warren Hall, Room 302, through the Student Financial Services Web site at www.jmu.edu/stufin, or the Office of Financial Aid Web site at www.jmu.edu/finaid. If no direct deposit form is on record, then a check will be processed within 10 banking days and mailed to the student’s/parent’s home address of record.

Students who officially withdraw from the university by September 12 for fall semester and January 30 for spring semester will be refunded all tuition and fees except the tuition and room deposit. Withdrawing after the end of this period will not reduce tuition charges. Room and board fees will be prorated from the dining hall opening date. After September 12 and January 30 refunds will be for only a pro rata share of the board fee.

Students who withdraw from the university due to illness certified by a physician or for unavoidable emergency or extenuating circumstances approved by the Associate Director of University College Centers for Student Organization Services will be refunded a pro rata share of all fees. Refunds for withdrawal from the university are calculated from the date on which withdrawal is officially approved by the Associate Director of University College Centers for Student Organization Services.

Students whose connection with the university terminates because of disciplinary action or enforced withdrawal will receive a pro rata refund of all fees except for the room.

Room and Tuition Deposits

New Students

For new students, a deposit of $250 is required to confirm their acceptance of the offer of admission. When a student pays the deposit, the money is applied to the student’s account. The deadline for this deposit is May 1. Refunds after the stated deadlines will be made only for personal illness certified by a physician or other extenuating circumstances approved by the assistant vice president for finance.

Returning Students

For returning students who want to live in university residential facilities, a signed room and board contract must be submitted to the Office of Residence Life, Huffman Hall, Room A101. A contract fee will be billed through the student’s financial account.