Fees, Tuition, Refunds, and Holds

Fees, Tuition, Refunds, and Holds Page Navigation

• Payment of Registration and Tuition Fee
• Regional & Continuing Education Registration Fees
• Course Fees and Deposits
• Penalty Fees and Assessments
• Parking Fees
• Financial Credit Policy for Fees and Tuition
• Refund of Fees—Financial Credit Refund Policy
• Debts Owed to the University
• Registration Holds
• Non Residency for Tuition Purposes
• Fee Waivers and Exemptions
• Fee Waiver for Students Sixty Years of Age or Older
• Procedure for the Establishment or Abolishment of Campus-Based Mandatory Fees

Fees and Tuition

The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Tuition and fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU reserves the right, even after tuition or fees are initially charged or initial payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees. All listed fees, other than mandatory systemwide tuition, are subject to change without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed tuition and fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, or the Presidents, as appropriate. Changes in mandatory systemwide tuition will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act (Sections 66028 – 66028.6 of the Education Code).

The following reflects applicable systemwide tuition and fees for both semester and quarter campuses that were authorized by the Board of Trustees at their March 2017 meeting. These rates are subject to change.

You may pay tuition fees in cash, by check, or electronically. For updates on tuition fee information (Schedule of Fees), payment deadlines, and procedures check the Student Financial Services website each semester or call 530-898-5936.

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*

The Application Fee is non-refundable payable online at the time of application via credit card, e-check or PayPal: $55*. Fees are subject to change without notice.
*On July 24, 2019, the CSU Board of Trustees adopted a change to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations that included an increase of the admission application fee from $55 to $70 to be effective for the fall 2020 application cycle that begins on October 1, 2019.

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 U.S. 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, non-resident students (U.S. and international) must pay an additional per unit fee 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

You may pay tuition fees in cash, by check, or electronically. For updates on tuition fee information (Schedule of Fees), payment deadlines, and procedures check the Student Financial Services website each semester or call 530-898-5936.

Credit Cards

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards may be used for payment of student tuition and fees but maybe be subject to a non-refundable credit card processing fee. Credit cards are accepted online only through our payment processor, CASHNet, and are subject to a 2.75% service fee.

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, or Student Financial Services for 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 fee payment deadline 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, including waitlisted 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 5-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 is due by the second Friday of classes, if any balance is unpaid by this date the student will be automatically placed on the Non-Resident Tuition Fee contract and subject to a nonrefundable 5-percent service charge. To receive additional information or payment contracts, please contact Student Financial Services, Student Services Center (SSC) 230, or by phone at 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 Registration 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 received 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 your financial aid fails to disburse by the following semester registration appointment a hold will be placed on our account until your balance for the current (or previous) term is paid in full.

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

Regional & Continuing Education Registration Fees

Fees for courses providing academic credit are listed on the Regional & Continuing Education website.

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.

You may pay all registration, course fees, and on-campus housing installments by mail. Please send payments to the following address:

SFIN - Cashiering
California State University, Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0999

Make your check or money order payable to CSU, Chico. To ensure credit to the proper account, include the following information on your check or money order:

• Print your full legal name
• Chico State student ID number
• Description of what you are paying

DO NOT MAIL CASH.

Payments in amounts greater than actual or anticipated university charges for the semester cannot be processed and will be returned.

For information on fee payment methods, visit the Payment Methods page of the Student Financial Services website.

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.
• Dishonored checks or credit card* returned for any reason $20.
  • *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.

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. Fees apply each time transcripts are ordered. Additional service charges may apply when ordering documents online.

Other Documents Service Fees

Unofficial copies of your transcripts are available for pickup only and can be ready within 48 hours at Student Records & Registration, SSC 110, for the following fees (that are applicable each time transcripts are ordered):

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

Parking Fees

Parking on campus is by permit only. Parking permits are purchased on a semester basis, and are valid only for that specific semester. Permits are only sold online through our online parking permit e-market site.

For more information regarding fees, refunds, and method of purchase, please refer to the Student Financial Services website's Parking Decal and Permit Sales page.

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.

Refund of Mandatory Fees (including Nonresident Tuition)

Regulations governing the refund of mandatory fees, including nonresident tuition, for students enrolling at the California State University are included in Section 41802 of Title 5, California Code of Regulations. For purposes of the refund policy, mandatory fees are defined as those systemwide and campus fees that are required to be paid in order to enroll in state-supported academic programs at the California State University.
NOTE: Refunds of fees and tuition charges for self-support, special session, and extended education programs or courses at the California State University are governed by a separate policy established by the University. Specific information regarding refunds for any non state-supported fee payments is available at Regional & Continuing Education, 530-898-6105.

In order to receive a full refund of mandatory fees, less an administrative charge established by the campus, including nonresident tuition, a student must cancel registration or drop all courses prior to the first day of instruction for the term. Information on procedures and deadlines for canceling registration and dropping classes is available Student Records & Registration Office's Registration Help webpage.

For state-supported semesters, quarters, and non-standard terms or courses of four (4) weeks or more, a student who withdraws during the term in accordance with the University’s established procedures or drops all courses prior to the campus-designated drop period will receive a refund of mandatory fees, including nonresident tuition, based on the portion of the term during which the student was enrolled. No student withdrawing after the 60 percent point in the term will be entitled to a refund of any mandatory fees or nonresident tuition.

A student who, within the campus designated drop period and in accordance with the campus procedures, drops units resulting in a lower tuition and/or mandatory fee obligation shall be entitled to a refund of applicable tuition and mandatory fees less an administrative charge established by the campus.

For state-supported non-standard terms or courses of less than four (4) weeks, no refunds of mandatory fees and nonresident tuition will be made unless a student cancels registration or drops all classes, in accordance with the University’s established procedures and deadlines, prior to the first day of instruction for state-supported non-standard terms or courses or prior to the first meeting for courses of less than four (4) weeks.

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

• The fees were assessed or collected in error;
• The University canceled the course for which the fees were assessed or collected;
• The University makes a delayed decision that the student was not eligible to enroll in the term for which 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.

Information concerning any aspect of the refund of fees may be obtained from Student Financial Services.

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 108 (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.

Refund of Fee - Financial Credit Refund Policy:

The Financial Credit Refund policy complies with the requirements listed in Title V, Section 41802 of the California Code of Regulations.

Once a refund of registration fees or other fees is credited to the student’s account, it is treated in the following manner:

1. The credit shall be first applied toward any required return of student financial aid funds that have been received by the student or on his/her behalf from federal, state, institutional, or external sources that were conditioned on the student’s enrollment.
2. Any remaining credit available after item (1) above will be applied to other charges owed to the University.
3. The University will periodically review account credits, and if it deems appropriate will automatically refund credits directly to the student via refund check, electronic deposit (if the student is enrolled), or credit card (if original payment method, and within 6 months of payment).
4. The student concurs that the balance of any credit after the application of (1) and (2) above shall remain as a credit on the student’s account at the discretion of the University. The student may request a refund of the credit, after application of (1) and (2), by contacting the Student Financial Services Office, SSC 230. A processing fee of $5.00 will be deducted from the refund amount.
5. Credits involving Federal Aid funds will be handled in a manner consistent with the regulations provided by the Federal Student Aid Handbook.

Fees and Debts Owed to the University

Should a student or former student fail to pay a fee or a debt owed to the institution,including tuition and student charges, 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 charges and 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 charges and fees including any tuition for the reservation of space in the course.

The institution may withhold permission to register or to receive official transcripts of grades or other services offered by the institution from anyone owing fees or another debt to the institution. The institution may also report the debt to a credit bureau, offset the amount due against any future state tax refunds due the student, refer the debt to an outside collection agency and/or charge the student actual and reasonable collection costs, including reasonable attorney fees if litigation is necessary, in collecting any amount not paid when due.

If a person believes he or she does not owe all or part of an asserted unpaid obligation, that person may contact the Student Financial Services. Student Financial Services, Student Services Center (SSC) Room 230, 530-898-5936 will review all pertinent information provided by the person and available to the campus and will advise the person of its conclusions.

The institution may not withhold an official transcript of grades by the institution from anyone owing fees or another debt to the institution (see Title 1.6C.7 (commencing with Section 1788.90) Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code). The institution can still charge a fee for the issuance of the transcript pursuant to their published transcript processing fees.

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.

Nonresidency for Tuition Purposes

The Office of Admissions determines the residence status of all new undergraduate students for non-resident tuition purposes. The Office of Graduate Studies determines the residence status for graduate-level students. 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 Determination of Residency for Tuition Purposes.

Fee Waivers and Exemptions

The California Education Code provides for the waiver of mandatory systemwide tuition fees as follows:

Section 66025.3

Military

Dependent eligible to receive assistance under Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code; child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, and meets specified income provisions; dependent, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of any member of the California National Guard who, in the line of duty, and while in the active service of the state, was killed, died of a disability resulting from an event that occurred while in the active service of the state, or is permanently disabled as a result of an event that occurred while in the active service of the state; and undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor who is no more than 27 years old, meets the income restriction and California residency requirement.

Foster Youth

Current or former youth who are 25 years or younger; have been in foster care for at least 12 consecutive months after reaching 10 years of age; meet one of the following: is under a current foster care placement order by the juvenile court, was under a foster care placement order by the juvenile court upon reaching 18 years of age, or was adopted, or entered guardianship, from foster care, complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFASA); maintain a minimum grade point average and meet the conditions necessary to be in good standing at the campus; and meet the financial need requirements established for Cal Grant A awards. The waiver of mandatory systemwide tuition and fees under this section applies only to a person who is determined to be a resident of California pursuant to Chapter 1(commencing with Section 68000) of part 41.

Section 66602 –A qualifying students from the California State University who is appointed by the Governor to serve as Trustee of the California State University for the duration of his or her term of office.

Section 68120 –Surviving spouse or child of a deceased California resident and who was employed by a public agency or was a contractor or an employee of a contractor performing service for a public agency and was killed in the performance of his/her principal duties of active law enforcement or fire suppression and prevention duties (referred to as Alan Pattee Scholarships). Additionally, a person who qualifies for the waiver under this section as a surviving child of a contractor or of an employee of a contractor, who performed service for a public agency, must have enrolled as an undergraduate student at the California State University and meet the applicable income restriction requirement with supporting documentation (i.e. his/her income, including the value of parent support, does not exceed the maximum household income and asset level for an applicant for Cal Grant B award).

Section 68121 – A qualifying student enrolled in an undergraduate program who is 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 need requirements set forth in Government Code 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 the above benefits should contact the Admissions/Registrar's Office for further information and/or an eligibility determination.

The California Education Code provides for the following nonresident tuition exemptions as summarized below:

Section 68075 – A student who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in this state, except a member of the Armed Forces assigned for educational purposes to a state-supported institution of higher education, is entitled to resident classification only for the purpose of determining the amount of tuition and fees.

If that member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is in attendance at an institution is thereafter transferred on military orders to a place outside this state where the member continues to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States, he or she shall not lose his or her resident classification so long as he or she remains continuously enrolled at that institution.

Section 68075.7 – A nonresident student is exempt from paying nonresident tuition or any other fee that is exclusively applicable to nonresident students if the student (1) resides in California, (2) meets the definition of “covered individual” as defined in either (A) Section 3679 (c)(2)(A) or (B)(ii)(I) of Title 38 of the United States Code, as that provision read on July 1, 2017; or (B) Section 3679 (c)(2)(B)9(i) or (ii)(II) or Title 38 of the Unites States Code as the provision read on January 1, 2017; and (3) eligible for education benefits under either the federal Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty program (30 U.S.C. § 3301 et seq.) or the Post-9/11 GI Bill program (38 U.S.C. § 3301 et seq.) as each read on January 1,2017.

Section 68122 – A student who is a victim of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes who has been granted T or U visa status (respectively under Section 1101(a)(15)(T)(i) or (ii), or Section 1101(a)(15)(U)(i) or (ii), of Title 8 of the United State Code) shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees under Section 1157 of Title 8 of the United States Code.

Section 68130.5 – A student, other than a nonimmigrant alien (8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)), who is not a resident of California is exempt from paying nonresident tuition if the student meets the requirements of (1) through (4) below:

1. Satisfaction of the requirements of either subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B):
   1. A total attendance of, or attainment of credits earned while in California equivalent to, three or more years of full-time attendance or attainment of credits at any of the following:
      1. California high schools.
      2. California high schools established by the State Board of Education.
      3. California adult schools established by a county office of education, a unified school district or high school district, or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (subject to the class hours’ requirement).
      4. Campuses of the California Community Colleges (subject to the credit requirements).
      5. A combination of those schools set forth in clauses (i) to (iv), inclusive.
   2. Three or more years of full-time high school coursework, and a total of three or more years of attendance in California elementary schools, California secondary schools, or a combination of California elementary and secondary schools.
2. Satisfaction of any of the following:
   1. Graduation from a California high school or attainment of the equivalent thereof.
   2. Attainment of an associate degree from a campus of the California Community Colleges.
   3. Fulfillment of the minimum transfer requirements established for the California State University for students transferring from a campus of the California Community Colleges.
3. Registration as an entering student at, or current enrollment at, an accredited institution of higher education in California not earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001–02 academic year.
4. In the case of a person without lawful immigration status, the filing of an affidavit with the institution of higher education stating that the student has filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status, or will file an application as soon as he or she is eligible to do so.

Fee Waiver For Students 60 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 Campus-Based Mandatory Fees

The law governing the California State University provides that specific campus fees defined as mandatory, such as a student association fee and a student center fee, may be established. A student 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). The campus President may adjust the student association fee only after the fee adjustment has been approved by a majority of students voting in a referendum established for that purpose. 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. Student association fees support a variety of cultural and recreational programs, childcare centers, and special student support programs. A student 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). Once bonds are issued, authority to set and adjust student 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.

The process to establish and adjust other campus-based mandatory fees requires consideration by the campus fee advisory committee and a student referendum as established by Executive Order 1102, Section III. The campus President may use alternate 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 to establish a new mandatory fee. The President shall provide to the fee advisory committee a report of all campus-based mandatory fees. The campus shall report annually to the Chancellor a complete inventory of all campus-based mandatory fees.

For more information or questions, please contact the Budget Office in the CSU Chancellor’s Office at (562) 951-4560.