Fees, Tuition, Refunds, and Holds

Fees and Tuition

The following tuition fees and other expenses are scheduled for the 2011/2012 academic year.

The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees, without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by The Board of Trustees.

Updated tuition fee information, payment deadlines, and procedures are provided each semester in the Class Schedule.

You may pay tuition fees in cash, by check, or electronically. For information, please contact Student Financial Services at 530-898-5936 or see http://www.csuchico.edu/sfin.

Legal residents of California are not charged non-resident tuition for their bachelor's or master's degree. Application and Semester Tuition Fees are applicable to all students. See also Fee Waivers and Exemptions at the end of this chapter.

Application Fee $55.00

The Application Fee is non-refundable and payable by check, money order, or credit card at the time you submit your application. Fees are subject to change without notice.

Semester Registration and Tuition Fees

You will be charged and liable for registration and tuition fees and non-resident tuition (if applicable) for any and all classes in which you are enrolled on the first day of classes or subsequently add. You will be able to add and drop classes within the first two weeks of classes without financial penalty as long as you remain enrolled in classes. If you drop all classes or withdraw from the University on or after the first day of classes, you will be liable for part or all registration and tuition fees depending upon your drop/withdrawal date. Exceptions are granted only for compulsory military service. (See the Class Schedule "Important Registration Activities Dates, and Deadlines.")

Registration Tuition Fees Owed when Additional Units Are Requested: After the Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline, you may only register for the total number of units for which you have paid. If you paid for only part-time registration and tuition and want to add to the full-time level, you must pay the additional tuition fees before you add more classes. Go to Student Financial Services-Cashiering to pay additional fees if necessary.

Non-resident Tuition Fee

In addition to the registration tuition fees on page 106, non-resident students (U.S. and international) must pay an additional $372.00 for each semester unit or fraction thereof. The tuition must be paid by the end of the second week of the semester to avoid deferred payment plan fees and service charges.

Payment of Registration and Tuition Fee

Credit Cards

Master Charge bank credit cards may be used for payment of student tuition and other fees. VISA is not accepted.

The Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline

Registration and tuition fees are payable anytime, but they must be received no later than the published Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline for the term. See "The Academic Calendar" in the University Catalog, or "Important Registration Activities, Dates, and Deadlines" and the sections on "Fees, Tuition, Credits, and Refunds" in the Class Schedulefor current term fee and deadline information.

A $25 late fee will be assessed if registration and tuition fees have not been paid by the Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline, unless you are a financial aid recipient. Financial aid recipients must pay any difference between anticipated aid and registration and tuition fees by the Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline. Any remaining balance must be paid by financial aid disbursement or personal payment no later than the 2nd Friday of the term to avoid a $25 late fee. If you have not paid fees or have sufficient anticipated financial aid, classes may be dropped prior to the first day of classes.

If you do not plan to attend, you are responsible for dropping classes and/or withdrawing from the University.

Deferred Payment Plans

The CSU offers two deferred payment plans to assist non-financial aid students. The first plan will defer two-thirds of the State University Tuition Fee for all eligible students who apply, and the second plan will defer non-resident tuition for non-resident students. The first plan has a $33 non-refundable service charge; the second plan has a 15 percent non-refundable service charge.

State University registration and tuition fee deferment contracts must be signed and all non-deferred fees must be received prior to the Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline. Non-Resident Tuition contracts must be signed prior to the Non-Resident Tuition Payment Deadline of the 2nd Friday of classes. To receive additional information or payment contracts, please see http://www.csuchico.edu/sfin or go to Student Financial Services, Student Services Center (SSC) 230, or phone 530-898-5936.

Financial Aid Students and Payment of Registration and Tuition Fees

You must pay any difference between your anticipated financial aid and registration and tuition fees by the Registraion and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline. Any remaining balance will be deferred until your financial aid disbursement(s). A $25 late fee may be assessed after the 2nd Friday of the term if your financial aid has not been disbursed, your financial aid disbursement was insufficient to pay your balance in full, or you have not paid your fees yourself. An additional $20 past due fee may be assessed if payment is not recieved per billing notification. Students with insufficient anticipated financial aid may have their classes dropped for non-payment.

If you defer payment of registration and tuition fees pending your financial aid disbursement, you are still liable for part or all fees and tuition for all classes in which you were enrolled on or after the first day of classes depending upon the date of your drop/withdrawal, regardless of whether you later receive financial aid or not.

If you do not plan to attend, you are responsible for dropping classes and/or withdrawing from the University.

Regional & Continuing Education Registration Fees

Fees for courses providing academic credit are listed on the Continuing Education website http://rce.csuchico.edu/ and The Continuing Education Bulletin.

Course Fees and Deposits

Course fees and deposits are approved for certain classes which have extraordinary costs for materials or services. Courses that require a fee are listed on the Class Schedule with the amount of the fee given in the "Fees" column, on your Study List, or announced in the course syllabus. The fee varies by the course requirements. Most courses do not have an additional course fee.

Course fees and deposits are payable by mail using the Pay-By-Mail procedure as explained on the Class Schedule, or at Student Financial Services-Cashiering, unless otherwise stated. Course fees may be deducted from financial aid.

Penalty Fees and Assessments

Assessments of varying amounts will be made by appropriate departments for breakage and wastage of materials and equipment.

Fines will be assessed by the library for overdue, lost, or damaged materials.

Other penalty fees:

• Late payment of registration fees $25.00
• Dishonored checks* or credit card returned for any reason $20.00
  • *A dishonored check or credit card will be considered the same as no payment.
• Past Due Receivable Fee $20.00
• Late (after the sixth week of classes) Add/Drop Form Submission $10.00

Transcript Fees

Costs associated with ordering official transcripts of your academic record (CSU, Chico permanent record only) and other Student Records (SRO) services are listed below.

Other Documents Service Fees

Unofficial copies of your transcripts are available for pick up only and can be ready within forty-eight hours at SRO for the following fees:

For further information, call the Office of the Registrar, 530-898-5142.

Parking Fees

Parking on campus is by permit only.

Regular Session (per semester):

• Automobiles $88.00
• Motorcycles/Scooters $20.00

Summer Session:

• Automobiles $59.00
• Motorcycles/Scooters $13.00

Daily parking permits available at dispensers located in various lots on campus.

• $1.00/hr up to 4 hrs
• $5.00/day

Please note: On-campus parking at Chico State is limited. Parking permits are expensive, hard to obtain, and once you have one there is still no guarantee you will be able to find an available space in the lot of your preference. We strongly encourage you to leave your automobile at home and consider using a bicycle or bus to travel back and forth to class. It is more economical, conserves energy resources, and saves you the frustration of trying to find a parking space.

Financial Credit Policy for Fees and Tuition

In order to receive a full refund of mandatory fees, including nonresident tuition, a student must cancel registration or drop all courses prior to the first day of instruction for the term. The amount of financial credit received (if any) is dependent upon the date all classes are dropped or withdrawal is processed. Students who remain enrolled in classes for the semester may add and drop classes during the Add/Drop Period without financial penalty and are liable for classes in which they are enrolled as of the 2nd Friday of classes plus any classes in which they may subsequently enroll. No financial credit will be received for any classes dropped after the 2nd Friday of classes unless the student drops ALL classes and/or withdraws from the University for the semester and may be eligible for a partial financial credit depending upon the drop or withdrawal date.

Students will also receive a refund of mandatory fees, including nonresident tuition, under the following circumstances:

• The tuition and mandatory fees were assessed or collected in error;
• The course for which the tuition and mandatory fees were assessed or collected was cancelled by the University;
• The University makes a delayed decision that the student is not eligible to enroll in the term for which the mandatory fees were assessed and collected and the delayed decision was not due to incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the student; or
• The student was activated for compulsory military service.

Students who are not entitled to a refund as described above may petition the University for a refund demonstrating exceptional circumstances, and the chief financial officer of the University, or designee, may authorize a refund if he or she determines that the fees and tuition were not earned by the University.

How to calculate pro-rated refund:

1. Count the number of calendar days from first day of classes to actual withdrawal date.
2. Divide the number of days by 110 (number of days in the semester) and multiply it by registration fees and tuition charged to get your pro-rated fee.
3. Subtract pro-rated fees from fees paid. This will be your refund, less a $5 administrative charge. If you have not paid your fees because of a financial aid deferral or payment plan, it is possible that you will still be financially responsible for an unpaid portion of your fees.

Example:

1. John withdraws from all his classes on Sept. 2, 2005 (10 days).
2. / 110 x $1685.00 = $153.18.
3. $1,685.00 - $153.18 = $1,531.82 - $5.00 admin. fee = $1,526.82 refund

Refund of Fees—Financial Credit Refund Policy

A refund check or electronic funds transfer (if you have signed up) will automatically be processed whenever there is a financial credit on your account, either as a result of an overpayment, change in enrollment, or financial aid disbursement.

Any funds owed to you by the State of California may be withheld as payment against any unpaid obligation to the University. Refunds to financial aid recipients may be offset by the University in order to return the funds to the aid programs.

Details regarding which fees may be refunded, the circumstances under which fees may be refunded, and the appropriate procedure to be followed in seeking refunds may be obtained by consulting Section 42201 (parking fees), 41913 (nonresident tuition), 42019 (housing charges), and 41802 (all other fees) of Title 5, California Code of Regulations. Information concerning any aspect of the refund of fees may be obtained from the Student Financial Services office.

Debts Owed to the University

Should a student or former student fail to pay a debt owed to the institution, the institution may "withhold permission to register, to use facilities for which a fee is authorized to be charged, to receive services, materials, food or merchandise, or any combination of the above from any person owing a debt" until the debt is paid (see Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Sections 42380 and 42381).

Prospective students who register for courses offered by the University are obligated for the payment of fees associated with registration for those courses. Failure to cancel registration in any course for an academic term prior to the first day of the academic term gives rise to an obligation to pay student fees, including any tuition for the reservation of space in the course.

The institution may withhold permission from any person owing a debt to receive official transcripts of grades. If a student believes he or she does not owe all or part of an asserted unpaid obligation, the student should contact the campus business office. The business office, or another office on campus to which the business office may refer the student, will review the pertinent information, including information provided by the student, and will advise the student of its conclusions.

If a person believes he or she does not owe all or part of an asserted unpaid obligation, that person may contact the campus business office. The business office, or another office on campus to which the business office may refer the person, will review all pertinent information provided by the person and available to the campus and will advise the person of its conclusions.

For more information, please contact Rosa H. Renaud, Financial Manager, Financing & Treasury in the CSU Chancellor's Office, at 562-981-4570 or rrenaud@calstate.edu.

Registration Holds

A registration hold will prevent you from requesting or adding classes through the Chico State Portal. The Portal will inform you if you have a registration hold. Placement of holds may be done at any time a University debt or other serious violation occurs. Take care of all registration holds as soon as possible. For a balance due hold the University will remove the hold within two working days of payment of all outstanding fees. The Portal will direct you to appropriate offices to clear other holds.

Determination of Residence for Non-resident Tuition Purposes

The Office of Admissions determines the residence status of all new undergraduate students for non-resident tuition purposes. The Graduate School determines the residence status for graduates. Responses to certain items on the Application for Admission and, if necessary, answers to the Residency Questionnaire, are used in making this determination. A student who fails to submit adequate information to establish a right to classification as a California resident will be classified as a non-resident. Please see the section on "Determination of Residence for Non-resident Tuition Purposes" in the CSU System Policies and Regulations.

Fee Waivers and Exemptions

The California Education Code includes provisions for the waiver of mandatory systemwide fees as follows:

Section 66025.3—

Qualifying children, spouses/registered domestic partners, or unmarried surviving spouses/registered domestic partners of a war period veteran of the U.S. military who is totally service-connected disabled or who has died as a result of service-related causes; children of any veteran of the U.S. military who has a service-connected disability, was killed in action, or died of a service-connected disability and meets specified income provisions; any dependents or surviving spouse/registered domestic partner who has not remarried of a member of the California National Guard who in the line of duty and in active service of the state was killed or became permanently disabled or died of a disability as a result of an event while in active service of the state; and undergraduate students who are the recipient of or the child of a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor and meet certain age and income restrictions; and

Section 68120—

Qualifying children and surviving spouses/registered domestic partners of deceased public law enforcement or fire suppression employees who were California residents and who were killed in the course of active law enforcement or fire suppression duties (referred to as Alan Pattee income restrictions); and

Section 68121—

Qualifying students enrolled in an undergraduate program who are the surviving dependent of any individual killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C., or the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in southwestern Pennsylvania, if the student meets the financial needs requirements set forth in Section 69432.7 for the Cal Grant A Program and either the surviving dependent or the individual killed in the attacks was a resident of California on September 11, 2001.

Students who may qualify for these benefits should contact the Admissions/Registrar's Office for further information and/or an eligibility determination.

Fee Waiver For Students Sixty Years of Age or Older

Program currently suspended.
You may obtain further information from the Office of Admissions, 530-898-6321.

Procedure for the Establishment or Abolishment of a Student Body Fee

The law governing the California State University provides that fees defined as mandatory, such as a student body association fee and a student body center fee, may be established. A student body association fee must be established upon a favorable vote of two-thirds of the students voting in an election held for this purpose (Education Code Section 89300). A student body center fee may be established only after a fee referendum is held which approves by a two-thirds favorable vote the establishment of the fee (Education Code Section 89304). The student body fee was established at California State University, Chico by student referendum in March 17, 1982. The campus President may adjust the student body association fee only after the fee adjustment has been approved by a majority of students voting in a referendum established for that purpose (Education Code Section 89300). The required fee shall be subject to referendum at any time upon the presentation of a petition to the campus President containing the signatures of 10 percent of the regularly enrolled students at the University. Once bonds are issued, authority to set and adjust student body center fees is governed by provisions of the State University Revenue Bond Act of 1947, including, but not limited to, Education Code Sections 90012, 90027, and 90068. Student body association fees support a variety of cultural and recreational programs, childcare centers, and special student support programs.

The process to establish and adjust other campus-based mandatory fees requires consideration by the campus fee advisory committee and a student referendum. The campus President may use alternative consultation mechanisms if he/she determines that a referendum is not the best mechanism to achieve appropriate and meaningful consultation. Results of the referendum and the fee committee review are advisory to the campus President. The President may adjust campus-based mandatory fees, but must request the Chancellor establish a new mandatory fee.

For more information or questions, please contact Colleen Nickles, Senior Director of Financing & Treasury in the CSU Chancellor's Office, at 562-981-4579 or cnickles@calstate.edu.