Financial Information
Every registration incurs a debt to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and is not complete or official until all financial obligations are satisfied. Returning students may not be permitted to register until all financial obligations are paid in full. Billing is electronic only. All students are required to enroll in e-billing. For information on e-billing, please go to www.umbc.edu/bursar/ebilling.
Bills can be paid online, by mail and in person. There is also a night depository available to drop off bill payments after regular business hours. Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and Discover) are accepted online as are personal checks and withdrawals from savings accounts. To pay online, please go to www.umbc.edu/bursar/netpay. Personal checks and money orders are also accepted by mail and in person at the cashier’s office. All checks and money orders should be made payable to UMBC and reference the student’s name and UMBC ID number. To pay in person, please visit the cashier’s office, located on the ground floor of the University Center. For more payment information, please go to www.umbc.edu/bursar/cashier.
UMBC offers a monthly payment plan for those who find it more convenient to pay tuition, fees, room and board in installments. There is no interest charged. There is a nominal administrative fee charged per semester. For more information and to enroll in the plan, please go to www.umbc.edu/bursar/mpp.
Students eligible for tuition waivers must present their request forms before the end of the second week of classes to the Graduate School office. Forms may be obtained from departmental offices or the human resources department.
A late-payment fee of $150 will be charged if a tuition bill is not paid within 20 business days of the due date. The university reserves the right to make such change in fees and other charges as may be found necessary, although every effort will be made to keep the cost to the student as low as possible.
Questions regarding tuition charges, housing charges or financial aid should be directed to the appropriate office (bursar, registrar, residential life, financial aid). Payments to UMBC will be applied to prior semester debts, parking fines, tuition, board, room and other charges in that order.
Determination of Residency for Tuition Purposes
Applicants seeking classification as a Maryland resident for tuition and charge-differential purposes must complete a Maryland In-State Status form that accompanies the application for admission. It is important that all questions be answered on the form; omitting information will result in out-of-state classification. The statement of residency determination, as defined by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, and the procedures and policies of in-state residency determination may be found on the registrar’s Web site, www.umbc.edu/registrar.
An initial determination of in-state status for admission, tuition and charge-differential purposes will be made by the university when a student’s application for admission is under consideration. The determination made at that time and any determination made thereafter shall prevail for each subsequent semester until the determination is challenged successfully in a timely manner.
Students may request a re-evaluation of their status by filing a petition for in-state classification for admission, tuition and charge-differential purposes. Students must meet the requirements for in-state status and submit a completed petition (including all documents required therein) by the last day of late registration for the semester they wish to be classified as in-state. The burden rests upon students to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university that an in-state classification is appropriate. No change in status requested by the students shall be given retroactively.
A determination of in-state status is valid only if a student actually enrolls in the semester for which he or she applied. Determinations made in cases where students do not actually enroll are not valid for a subsequent semester (all requirements must be satisfied independently and a new and timely petition submitted).
Graduate Tuition and Fees
The fees below are the fees for the 2006- 2007 academic year. As of the printing date of the catalog, charges for the upcoming academic year had not been established. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this or any other university publication, the university reserves the right to change tuition, fees and other charges at any time such changes are deemed necessary by the university and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. Each semester’s current charges may be found on the UMBC Web site, www.umbc.edu/gradschool/funding/tuition_fees.
| Application fee (paper) | $70 |
| Application fee (online) | $50 |
| Graduate tuition per credit | |
| Resident | $412 |
| Non-resident | $681 |
| IFSU online program | $685 |
| University Commons fee | $22/ |
| (non-refundable) | credit hour |
| Auxiliary facilities fee | $20/ |
| (non-refundable) | credit hour |
| Student athletic fee | $20/ |
| credit hour | |
| Transportation fee | $15/ |
| credit hour | |
| Graduate program fee | $10/ |
| credit hour | |
| Technology fee | $9/ |
| credit hour | |
| Orientation fee | $75 |
| (for all new fall and spring students) |
Explanation of Fees
A non-refundable application fee partially defrays the cost of processing applications for admission and enrollment data. It is not refundable under any circumstances.
Tuition is charged to students and is applied to the costs of providing the instructional programs of the University System of Maryland. Students admitted to the Graduate School must pay graduate tuition and fees whether the credits are used to satisfy program requirements. Tuition and fees for audit courses are the same as those charged for credit courses.
- A non-refundable University Commons operating fee supports services and programs available at The Commons.
- An auxiliary facility fee is charged to students to support, develop and maintain of the buildings and facilities essential to UMBC’s programs.
- A non-refundable athletic fee supports inter-collegiate athletics, intramurals and recreation programs.
- A transportation fee supports the maintenance of parking facilities, shuttle buses and the campus program of traffic control.
- A graduate program fee supports the Graduate Student Association, graduate research and travel grants and other services provided to graduate students.
- A technology fee supports the computer infrastructure on campus—computer networking, myUMBC portal, Web site, student labs, wireless systems and the computer help desk.
- An orientation fee (charged only to new fall and spring students) supports the new-student orientation program and Success Seminars.
Miscellaneous Fines and Penalties
| Late-payment fee | $150 |
| Late-registration fee | $20 |
| Parking fines | * |
*Check the UMBC Web site, www.umbc.edu/parking, for the list of parking fines.
Graduation Fees
| Initial Master’s | $110 |
| Initial Doctorate | $150 |
| Graduate Certificate | $35 |
| Renewal | $5 |
Student Debts to the University
Debts incurred during each semester must be paid in full before registration can be completed for a subsequent semester. UMBC will deny requests for leaves of absence, transcripts and diplomas pending clearance of all debts. Any refunds or payments due to students may be applied to existing debts first.
Uncollected debts will be turned over to the Central Collections Unit (CCU). CCU has the right to confiscate the state tax refund of any student and to apply the refund to outstanding debts at the university. Accounts transferred to CCU will be reported to the credit bureau. Accounts turned over to CCU will be assessed a minimum collection charge of 17 percent of the outstanding debt, plus attorney and court fees if applicable. The university and CCU reserve the right to make changes in fees and other charges as may be found necessary. These fees are the student’s responsibility.
Requests for official transcripts will be denied to a student who has defaulted on a Federal Perkins Loan.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are available to qualified, full-time, degree-seeking graduate students. An assistantship is awarded to students to help them progress toward a graduate degree and obtain academic teaching or research experience.
The duties of a graduate assistant shall be consistent with the teaching and research missions of the university. The majority of assistantships are awarded by the program or department in which the student is enrolled. The particular assignment depends on the department’s needs and the experience and qualifications of the student. See the Graduate School Web site, www.umbc.edu/ gradschool/funding/opps.html, for other assistantships.
The Graduate School produces the Graduate Assistant Policies and Guidelines handbook, a manual of graduate assistantship policies and guidelines, which is available from the Graduate School, graduate program or department, and on the Graduate School Web site, www.umbc.edu/gradschool/funding/opps.html.
Applications
Applications for assistantships should be made directly to the department in which the applicant desires to study. Offers of assistantships are contingent upon available funds and admission of the student to degree-seeking graduate status. Each domestic applicant for an assistantship also must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the Office of Financial Aid each year he or she wishes an assistantship. See the Need- Based Assistance section below for FAFSA details.
Qualifications
A graduate assistant must be registered as a full-time student, enrolled in a degree program and making satisfactory progress toward the degree. Satisfactory progress is defined as 3.0 or higher GPA. Appointments normally are given to those students who have shown superior aptitude in their field of study and who appear likely to render a high quality of service to the university by their teaching and research activities.
Benefits
Tuition Remission
All graduate assistants are eligible for tuition remission. A full assistantship generally carries up to 10 credits tuition remission each semester, fall and spring; some departments pay more. All other fees are the responsibility of the graduate student. Graduate assistants are eligible to be billed at the in-state rate during the performance of the assistantship. When the assistantship ends, the student will be billed according to the residency status he or she had without an assistantship.
Health Insurance
Graduate assistants are eligible to enroll in the UMBC Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Plan.
Fellowship Opportunities
Fellowships are also available to graduate students under programs of the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and many other public and private foundations. Applications should be made directly to the foundation or agency concerned.
Applying for Federal Student Aid
Graduate students who wish to be considered for maximum eligibility for federal aid must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online, listing UMBC’s federal school code, 002105. The priority application deadline is Feb. 14 for the following academic year. The link to the FAFSA application is available through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships Web site at www.umbc.edu/financialaid. Click on “Apply Here for a FAFSA Online” and follow the step-by-step instructions. Be certain to submit the FAFSA each year.
Requirements for Federal Student Aid
Graduate students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and be enrolled in either a degree-seeking program or an post-baccalaureate certificate program that is approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission for at least half-time enrollment of 24 units each semester to be eligible for financial aid. Satisfactory academic progress must also be maintained. If students have any questions regarding this process, they may contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 410-455-2387 or via e-mail at finaid@umbc.edu for quality assistance.
Need-Based Assistance
Need-based awards are determined by the graduate student’s cost of attendance, additional aid received, as well as FAFSA results. Students may view their financial aid awards on their myUMBC account under the personal tab.
UMBC Grant-in-Aid (GIA)
The UMBC Grant-in-Aid is an institutional grant available to students who demonstrate financial need. The FAFSA must be completed to be considered for GIA, and funding is limited.
Federal Perkins Loan
A Federal Perkins Loan is a need-based loan for both undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. Priority is given to students who meet the FAFSA priority deadline, and awards vary up to $5,000. UMBC is the lender. No interest accrues while the student is attending school, and repayment begins nine months after the student ceases half-time enrollment status of 24 units or graduates. Loans have provisions for deferment or cancellation in certain situations. Funding is limited; therefore, not all students meeting the criteria will receive Federal Perkins Loan funds.
Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
A Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan is a need-based loan administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. This loan is available to undergraduate and graduate students who meet need-based eligibility requirements. The maximum eligibility for the year is $8,500. The link to UMBC’s preferred lender list is available through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships Web site at www.umbc.edu/financialaid. Click on “Apply Here for a Loan Online.” No interest accrues while the student is enrolled at least 24 units each semester, and repayment begins six months after the student ceases half-time enrollment of 24 units or graduates.
If a graduate student is interested in the non-need-based portion of the Stafford Loan, which is “unsubsidized,” please refer to the non-need-based loan section below for further information.
Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP)
The Federal Work-Study Program is an employment program that enables eligible, need-based undergraduate and graduate students to earn money to meet college expenses while also having the opportunity to gain practical experience in on- and off-campus jobs. If a graduate student is interested in federal work study, he or she needs to contact the Office of the Senior Associate Dean in the Graduate School, who will then notify the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The Graduate School administers several work-study graduate assistantships for various offices on campus. Eligible graduate students in degree-seeking programs may apply. Descriptions, as well as requirements for assistantships, can be found on the Graduate School Web site.
Non-Need-Based Loans
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
If a graduate student is interested in the non-need-based portion or “unsubsidized” Stafford Loan, the maximum eligibility amount for the year could be between $10,000 and $18,500, depending upon eligibility for the Subsidized Stafford Loan. The student needs to be at half-time enrollment of 24 units for each semester. Interest will accrue while the student is in school, and the student may choose to pay on the interest while in attendance. Because the Stafford Loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized, are packaged as a whole, the student will need to contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships if he or she would like to cancel or reduce the unsubsidized portion.
Federal Graduate Plus Loan
A Federal Graduate Plus Loan is a new federal loan initiated in the 2006/2007 school year. This loan is non-need-based and is available to graduate students. Students must maintain at least half-time enrollment at 24 units for each semester to be eligible. The loan is borrowed by the student. To apply for this loan, a graduate student must have applied for the maximum annual amount of the Stafford Loan for which he or she is eligible. Repayment begins 60 days after disbursement; however, students may qualify for in-school deferment.