Expenses

Summary of Expenses for Graduate Study (2017-2018)

Regulations Governing Residency for Tuition Purposes

This section gives information about the structure of charges which graduate students may be expected to pay at the University. 

In preparing this catalog, we have made every effort to present the most up-to-date information possible; however, changes in tuition and fees may occur after the catalog has been published. An exact schedule of all current charges is available from the Office of the Bursar, Foster Administration Building, second floor; or the University Enrollment Center, first floor.

All expenses are subject to change at the discretion of the Commonwealth, the Board of Higher Education or the University. Various policies associated with charges may be similarly subject to change.

Students may pay all tuition, fee, room, and board payments by mail, or in person at the University Enrollment Center (UEC), first floor, Foster Administration Building.  UEC hours of operation are typically Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Extended hours of operation are posted on the UEC web site.  Payment can be made by personal check, money order or bank check.  Online payments are processed through Tuition Management Systems from the COIN Student Center by electronic check with no additional fee, or by credit card with additional convenience fee.

All charges are due and payable at a date set by UMass Dartmouth (approximately August 15 and January 15). Payments received after the due date will be charged a late fee. The university sends email notification to students’ UMass Dartmouth email account indicating when an eBill has been generated with the relevant semester charges. The invoice can be accessed through COIN self service.

Students are expected to keep their accounts current and to pay their financial obligations to the university. Students may not attend classes until all charges have been paid or vouched for. In appropriate circumstances, the Bursar’s Office may impose various restrictions in order to enforce payment of an obligation, including withholding of official transcripts, registration and the diploma.  The Vice Chancellor for Administrative & Fiscal Services (or designee) hears appeals of difficult cases.

As a state-supported institution, UMass Dartmouth’s programs and facilities are available at reasonable tuition rates to residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A table at the end of this chapter shows tuition and fee charges for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Residency: Massachusetts state residents pay a considerably reduced tuition charge compared to that paid by out-of-state residents. Under the New England Board of Higher Education’s Regional Student Program, residents of other states in New England are eligible for reduced out-of-state tuition for some academic programs not available in their own state. Later in this section we give additional information about the tuition/fee and residency policies.

Prorating by credit load: Students pay the full amount for tuition and mandatory fees if taking twelve (12) or more credits. Charges for those taking fewer than twelve (12) credits are prorated evenly by the number of course credits. A table below shows the per-credit/per-semester charges in effect for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Charges by type of study: degree students, non-degree students, and students auditing a course or courses pay the same academic charges.

University Extension offers courses under a different structure of charges from that presented in this catalog.

Tuition

Tuition charges are established annually by the Board of Higher Education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the University.

Mandatory Fees

In addition to tuition, all students pay the following mandatory fees:

The student activity fee supports student publications, the student radio station, and various other student-related activities. These fees are determined by the students themselves through the student governance process.

The technology fee supports the technology infrastructure and educational environment necessary to meet the technological demands of the UMass Dartmouth community.

The MassPIRG fee, imposed by student vote, is charged each semester, and is waivable through COIN Self-Service. It supports the activities of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group.

The program continuation fee allows graduate students who require a semester or more to complete a project, thesis or dissertation but who have completed course requirements to register, for a charge well below that for a three-credit course. This fee can also be used to bridge across a semester or more of absence from course registration when a graduate student remains active as a candidate for the degree.

Refunds — Withdrawal from School

A student who registers and commences studies but then withdraws officially from UMass Dartmouth for any reason during an academic semester will be granted a refund according to the refund schedule given below.  A student who remits, in advance, a payment of tuition and fees but then does not subsequently register and attend will be given a full refund of tuition and fees.

All refunds are based on official withdrawal notices as dated and processed by the Office of the University Registrar and then forwarded to the Bursar’s Office.

Withdrawal — Return of Financial Aid

Students who withdraw or discontinue attendance during a semester are subject to specific policies regarding the possible return of financial aid funds, in accordance with federal and state mandates.  Please see the current specific policies at “www.umassd.edu/financialaid/policies/”.

Health Insurance

Students enrolled in a three-quarter (3/4) time load or higher (7 credits for graduate students) are required by state law to be covered by appropriate health insurance. The University provides this insurance and charges a health insurance fee to students, unless they are already covered by an appropriate insurance program.

Students must either enroll in or waive this health insurance using the online process within the campus self-service system COIN. This insurance coverage must meet the Qualifying Student Health Insurance Program guideline and be billable in the local UMass Dartmouth area. Students may not waive this requirement with Health Safety Net, MassHealth Limited, Children’s Medical Security Plan or non-U.S.A.-based health plans.  Contact the Bursar’s Office or Student Health Services Office for more information.

The insurance fee covers the cost of enrollment in a program for group health insurance coverage that has been negotiated by the University. Students enrolling in this plan receive full disclosure of the benefits they will receive. Detailed information is available at the Student Health Services Office or “www.universityhealthplans.com”. Students enrolled in less than a three-quarter (3/4) time load are not eligible for this insurance.

International students on a student visa will automatically be enrolled in the UMass Dartmouth Qualifying Student Health Insurance plan.  International students who are covered under their embassy insurance, Fulbright, a spouse’s U.S.A-based insurance or Commonwealth Care with additional medical evacuation/repatriation insurance should contact the Bursar’s Office to request a waiver of the UMass Dartmouth Qualifying Student Health Insurance plan.

Tuition/Fee Credits for Special Groups

Those in certain classifications may receive credits of tuition or fees, some of which are listed here. Individuals who believe they are a member of a group eligible for a credit should please consult the University Enrollment Center or the Bursar’s Office.

Students sixty (60) years of age or older who are Massachusetts residents are exempt from tuition and mandatory fee charges if they are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress. Applications for tuition and fee exemption may be obtained from the University Enrollment Center or the Bursar’s Office.

Some categories of state workers may receive credits of tuition charges, but not of fees. Some categories of veterans may receive credits of tuition, but not of fees.

Graduate assistants (half-time or more) may receive credits of tuition and fees.

Specific fee amounts are shown the table below.

Charlton College Business Fee. Students in the College of Business will be charged a special fee each semester, to assist with the costs of equipment.

College of Arts & Sciences—Level 1 Program Fee. Students in the Humanities and Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary programs in the College of Arts & Sciences will be charged a special fee to assist with equipment and other instructional costs.

College of Arts & Sciences—Level 2 Program Fee. Students in the Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences will be charged a special fee to assist with equipment and other instructional costs.

College of Visual & Performing Arts Specialized Course Support Fee. Students in the College of Visual & Performing Arts will be charged a special fee each semester.

College of Engineering Equipment Fee. Students in the College of Engineering will be charged a special fee each semester to assist with the costs of laboratory equipment.

College of Nursing Instructional Fee. Students in the College of Nursing will be charged a special instructional fee each semester. Students registered in clinical nursing courses must have liability insurance.

School for Marine Science & Technology Program Fee. Students in the School for Marine Science & Technology will be charged a special fee to assist with equipment and other instructional costs.

Specific fee amounts are shown in the table below.

Application Fee

Applicants are charged a non-refundable, non-waivable application fee.

International Orientation Fee

International students pay a one-time fee to help cover the costs of the orientation program that they are required to attend.

International Student Fee

International students pay this fee to support the infrastructure required to maintain University compliance requirements for the admission, enrollment and retention of international students.

Graduation Fee

Students pay this fee in their last semester prior to receiving a degree. Most of this fee helps defray costs associated with graduation and commencement. An additional portion provides a one-year membership in the Alumni Association. A refund of the Alumni Association membership fee portion may be obtained by those not wishing to participate, if request is made to the Bursar or the University Enrollment Center.

The University makes available the services of private financing programs to assist those students who wish to spread out their tuition and fee payments rather than paying the entire amount at the beginning of the term. Information and application forms are available from the Bursar’s Office or the University Enrollment Center.

Massachusetts “resident students” pay the in-state tuition and fee charges. Others pay out-of-state charges. Students who are residents of specified New England states and who are registered in specified programs may qualify to receive a substantial reduction of the non-resident tuition charge through the New England Regional Student Program.

The full regulations on determining residency are included at the end of this section; what follows here is a brief overview.

To be deemed a Massachusetts resident, students (or their parents, if they are financially dependent on them) must have maintained a legal domicile in the state for at least one year prior to the start of the academic semester in which the student seeks to enroll; and they must have resided in the state during this year for purposes other than attending an educational institution. Those who do not meet the conditions are considered out-of-state or non-resident students. A student at a certain degree level (e.g., graduate) may retain in-state residency classification during continuous attendance at the University, until attainment of the degree for which he or she is enrolled.

Students whose status changes may request a determination of in-state residency by filing the residency reclassification form and submitting appropriate documentation. A similar process is used to contest an initial residency determination. Appeals are heard by a campus Residency Appeal Committee, which makes the final residency determination.

Questions on residency policies, and requests for reconsideration and the appeals process, are handled by the Office of University Registrar (508-999-8623). 

Any student who undertakes graduate study under a non-resident temporary student visa (having been issued a Form I-20 or DS-2019 by UMass Dartmouth) must pay the out-of-state rate for application fee and tuition charges. This remains in force for the duration of the student’s attendance at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for as long as the individual remains an international student on a non-resident visa.

The New England Regional Student Program allows students from other New England states to receive tuition benefits if a similar graduate program is not available in their home state.

For more information, contact the UMass Dartmouth Office of Graduate Studies or the Office of the Regional Student Program, New England Board of Higher Education, 45 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111; phone 617-357-9620. 

Percentage and type of refund, upon Official Withdrawal from UMass Dartmouth.

“Official Withdrawal from UMass Dartmouth” is defined in the chapter on Academic Regulations and Procedures, and pertains to the regular courses of the University.

University Extension has a separate fee schedule, billing process and refund schedule.

One-time fees, such as the application fee, orientation fees and college/school fees, are not refunded.

Refund of charges for on-campus meals and housing is governed by the terms of the housing contract. 

Graduate tuition and fees correlate to the course and/or program curriculum being pursued.  In most cases, students taking graduate courses will pay standard rates (below).  In some instances, students will instead pay University Extension rates or online rates.  Many graduate students take fewer than 12 credits in a semester. Nine (9) credits per semester is a typical load in many programs. The New England Regional Student Program offers reduced rates to out-of-state students in certain programs only. Annual charges are shown to the nearest dollar. Charges are subject to change, and may do so before the next version of this catalog is issued.

Annual, taking 9 credits in each semester, 18 credits total

(rounded to the nearest dollar, and excluding individual and personal expenses)

Per-Credit Graduate Expenses, Per Semester

(rounded to the nearest dollar, and excluding individual and personal expenses)

2017-2018 Apartment Charges 

Refund of charges for on-campus meals and housing is governed by the terms of the housing contract.

While students may do their own cooking in student apartments, some prefer a meal plan.

These rules and regulations, approved by the University’s Board of Trustees, are current as of publication. They apply to the classification of students at the University of Massachusetts as Massachusetts or non-Massachusetts students for tuition and fee purposes.

1.1 “Academic period” shall mean a term or semester in an academic year or a summer session, as prescribed by the Board of Trustees or under their authority.

1.2 “Continuous attendance” shall mean enrollment at the University for the normal academic year in each calendar year, or the appropriate portion or portions of such academic year as prescribed by the Board of Trustees or under their authority.

1.3 “Emancipated person,” for the purposes of residency classification for tuition, shall mean a person who has attained the age of 18 years and is financially independent of his or her parents, or if under 18 years of age:

1. whose parents have entirely surrendered the right to the care, custody, and earnings of such person and who no longer are under any legal obligation to support or maintain such person; or
2. a person who is legally married, or
3. a person who has no parent. If none of the aforesaid definitions apply, said person shall be deemed an “unemancipated person.”

1.4 “Parent” shall mean

1. the person’s father and mother, jointly;
2. if the person’s father is deceased the person’s mother; if the person’s mother is deceased, the person’s father;
3. if a legal guardian has been appointed by a court having jurisdiction, the legal guardian;
4. if neither the father nor mother is living and no legal guardian has been appointed, the person who then stands in loco parentis to the person;
5. if the father and mother are divorced, separated or unmarried, the parent who has been awarded legal custody of the person; or if legal custody has not been awarded, the parent with whom the person lives. With respect to any adopted student, the word “adoptive” should be inserted before the words “father” and “mother” wherever used.

1.5 “Reside,” “residency,” or “resident” shall mean “domicile,” i.e., a person’s true, fixed and permanent home or place of habitation, where he or she intends to remain permanently.

2.1 For the purpose of assessing tuition and fees, each student shall be classified as a “Massachusetts resident” or a “non-Massachusetts resident.” A person shall be classified as a Massachusetts resident if he or she (or the parent of an unemancipated student) shall have resided in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for purposes other than attending an educational institution for twelve months immediately preceding the student’s entry or reentry as a student.

Physical presence for this entire twelve-month period need not be required as long as the conduct of an individual, taken in total, manifests an intention to make Massachusetts his or her permanent dwelling place.

3.1 Proof of Residency

1. Each case will be decided on the basis of all facts submitted with qualitative rather than quantitative emphasis. A number of factors is required for residency to determine the intention of the person to maintain permanent residence in Massachusetts. No single index is decisive. The burden of proof rests on the student seeking classification as a Massachusetts resident.
2. The following shall be primary indicia of residency:
   1. For an unemancipated person, the residency of parents, having custody, within Massachusetts;
   2. Certified copies of federal and state income tax returns;
   3. Permanent employment in a position not normally filled by a student;
   4. Reliance on Massachusetts sources for financial support;
   5. Former residency in Massachusetts and maintenance of significant connections there while absent.
3. The following shall be secondary indicia of residence, to be considered of less weight than the indicia listed above in subsection b):
   1. Continuous physical presence in Massachusetts during periods when not an enrolled student;
   2. Military home of record;
   3. All other material of whatever kind or source which may have a bearing on determining residency.

3.2 Proof of Emancipation. A student asserting that he or she is an emancipated person shall furnish evidence to support such assertion. Such evidence may include:

1. Birth certificate or any other legal document that shows place and date of birth;
2. Legal guardianship papers — court appointment and termination must be submitted;
3. Statements of the person, his or her parent(s), guardian(s), or others certifying no financial support;
4. Certified copies of federal and state income tax returns filed by the person and his or her parent(s);
5. Where none of the foregoing can be provided an affidavit of the emancipated person in explanation thereof and stating fully the grounds supporting the claim of emancipation.

3.3 Presumptions, etc.

1. Residency is not acquired by mere physical presence in Massachusetts while the person is enrolled in an institution of higher education. (See Section 2.1)
2. A person having his or her residency elsewhere than in Massachusetts shall not be eligible for classification as a Massachusetts resident for tuition purposes except as herein provided.
   1. Any person who is registered at the University as a Massachusetts resident shall be eligible for continued classification as a Massachusetts resident for tuition purposes (until attainment of the degree for which he or she is enrolled) during continuous attendance at the institution.
   2. The spouse of any person who is classified or is eligible for classification as “Massachusetts resident” is likewise eligible for classification as a “Massachusetts resident.” This provision will not apply in the case of a spouse in the United States on a non-immigrant visa.
   3. A person who is an immigrant/permanent resident of the United States (or has applied for such status) is eligible to be considered for Massachusetts residency for tuition purposes provided that he/she meets the same requirements for establishing residency in Massachusetts as are required of a United States citizen. Non-citizens who are in (or who have applied for) refugee/asylum status are likewise eligible to be considered for Massachusetts residency for tuition purposes provided that he/she meets the same requirements for establishing residency in Massachusetts as are required of a United States citizen. All non-citizens must provide appropriate documentation to verify their status with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service.
   4. Those students whose higher educational pursuits are funded by the Department of Welfare, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Department, or any of the other Commonwealth of Massachusetts public assistance programs.
3. A person does not gain or lose instate status solely by reason of his or her presence in any state or country while a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.
4. For the purposes of this policy the following persons shall be presumed to be Massachusetts residents:
   1. A member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is stationed in Massachusetts on active duty pursuant to military orders, his or her spouse and dependent students.
   2. Full-time faculty, professional staff, and classified staff employees of the university of Massachusetts system and their spouses and dependent students.

4.1 Any student or applicant who is unwilling to accept the initial ruling relative to his or her residency classification, or who wishes to seek reclassification, may file a “Residency Reclassification Form.”

4.2 Any student or applicant who is unwilling to accept the ruling relative to his or her residency reclassification may submit an appeal through the appeal process established by the campus at which that student or applicant seeks reclassification. The decision on appeal is final and may not be appealed further.

4.3 In any case where the Admissions Office is unable to make an initial determination based on the evidence submitted, the applicant may be required to submit a “Residency Reclassification Form” to the admission office for their review before being finally classified as a resident or a nonresident.

Misrepresentation in or omission from any evidence submitted with respect to any fact, which if correctly or completely stated would be grounds to deny classification as a Massachusetts resident, shall be cause for exclusion or expulsion from or other disciplinary action by the University.