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University Business Office |
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Tuition and fee charges for the 2006-2007 sessions are available on the University Business Office Web site. 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.
For a full description of the tuition and fee rates, refer to the Registration and Student Record Services Handbook or the University Business Office Web site.
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Billing and Registration |
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Registration for the fall semester is conducted in April for returning students and in November for the spring semester. Students will be notified by e-mail of their electronic billing statement in early August for the fall semester and mid-December for the spring semester. Thereafter, monthly statements will be posted electronically for any new charges or unpaid account balances. Students and any authorized payers will be e-mailed when student account charges are ready to be viewed and paid.
Course registration for new students will be completed during orientation. Students who attend an orientation session will be notified of the amounts due through the electronic billing statement 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 or through the Web link provided in the billing e-mail.
Students are responsible for payment of their student account by the first week of classes to avoid a late fee and/or hold.
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Tuition and Fees |
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Payment |
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Payment may be made by the following means:
- Remitting payment by check or cash to the University Business Office, Warren Hall, Room 302 by mail or in person.
- Remitting an electronic check payment or credit card payment online through the electronic bill presentment or through a link on e-campus or through the University Business Office Web site at www.jmu.edu/ubo. The service is provided by an outside vendor.
Students may pay by a combination of personal check, cash, money order, cashiers check, electronic 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 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.
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Audit Fees |
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A student registering to audit a course will pay the same tuition and fees as one who registers for credit.
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Specialized Class Fees |
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Certain courses which use off-campus facilities have additional charges which will be determined at the time the course is offered.
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Examination for Credit Fee |
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Arrangements for attempting credit by departmental examination may be made by paying a nonrefundable $25 fee to the University Business Office and presenting the receipt to the Office of the Registrar.
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Returned Check Fee |
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A $25 per check fee is assessed for checks returned unpaid to the university. If a check is returned, the director of 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.
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Service Fee |
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Electronic Student Account payments made by credit card and through e-campus will be assessed a service fee by the outside vendor. This fee is based on the total charges paid. The calculated amount
is displayed separately and assessed at the time payment is made.
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Eligibility for In-state Tuition |
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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. Students who exceed the minimum number of credit hours required for graduation by 25 percent should refer to the UBO Web site for additional tuition charges. A link to the Code of Virginia guidelines can be found on the Web site of the assistant vice president for finance and the University Business Office. 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.
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Dependent Students |
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To qualify for in-state tuition, a dependent student or an 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.
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Independent Students |
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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 Office of Admissions (incoming first year students, re-entries and transfers) and the College of Graduate and Outreach Programs (graduate students and continuing education and special students). Decisions on returning degree-seeking students are made by the director of the University Business Office.
To establish eligibility, an applicant must complete the reclassification form posted on the University Business Office Web site. 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, the College of Graduate and Outreach Programs or the University Business Office.
Once a student receives an initial determination of eligibility, he or she may appeal for a review of the application by contacting the office which made the decision. 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.
A change to in-state status may be made only when the completed application for reclassification form is received by 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.
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Room and Board |
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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 the JMU 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 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, Warren Hall, Room 302; (540) 568-6446 for additional information.
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Refunds |
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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 University Business Office at Warren Hall, Room 302, through the University Business Office Web site at www.jmu.edu/ubo 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 the deadline for fall semester or by the deadline 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 the deadline dates, 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 JMU Ombudsperson will be refunded a pro rata share of all fees. Refunds for withdrawal from the university are calculated from last date of attendance as approved by the JMU Ombudsperson.
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.
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Room and Tuition Deposits |
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New Students |
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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.
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Returning Students |
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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.
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