Estimated Expenses for the Academic Year

An itemized estimate of the cost of attending Columbia College for the 2012–2013 academic year of nine months is as follows:

There is an additional charge of $416 for new students who are required to attend Orientation.

Information on planning and managing educational expenses is contained at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/.

Fees

The following fees, prescribed by statute for each fall or spring term, are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the Trustees. The fees shown are those in effect during the 2012–2013 academic year.

University charges such as tuition and fees, residence halls, and dining plans are due and payable in full by the date announced before the beginning of each term. To check on an account balance, call 212-854-4400. A late payment penalty is assessed on payments received after the due date.

It is the policy of the University to withhold all University services including registration, diplomas, and official transcripts until all financial obligations have been met.

Tuition 2012–2013

There is a flat tuition charge for all Columbia College students, including visitors, regardless of the number of credits a student is taking. Students who are enrolled for eight terms must pay the flat tuition, regardless of the number of credits they are taking. The charge for 2012–2013 is $22,514 a term.

Postgraduate special students and degree candidates enrolled for a ninth term are billed according to the per-point system; the per-point cost is $1,502.

Late Registration Fee

Students who register after the scheduled period (see Academic Calendar) are charged a late registration fee of $100.

Mandatory Fees

Transcript Fee

All first-time registrants at Columbia University are charged a one-time fee of $105, which thereafter allows them to order transcripts without charge. This fee appears on the first Student Account Statement of the fall term.

Columbia Health Program Fee and Student Medical Insurance Premium

Columbia Health Program Fee

Services and programs offered by Columbia Health are supported by the Columbia Health Program fee. Students who have paid the fee pay no additional charges when using services provided on campus, except for charges for certain immunizations and travel assessments. University policy requires all full-time students to have acceptable health insurance coverage and pay the Columbia Health Program fee. There are limits and restrictions on this coverage. Please review the full program descriptions and directions for utilizing the benefits at www.health.columbia.edu. The fee is billed separately for each term according to the following schedule:

The periods of coverage and fees for 2012–2013 are as follows:

Student Medical Insurance Premium

University policy requires all registered full-time students to have acceptable health insurance coverage. Columbia University offers a Student Medical Insurance Plan (Columbia Plan), which provides both Basic and Comprehensive levels of coverage. The Columbia Plan is administered and underwritten by Aetna Student Health. Full-time students are automatically enrolled in the Basic level of the Columbia Plan and billed for the insurance premium in addition to the Columbia Health Program fee. Part-time students may elect enrollment in the Columbia Health Program and in the Columbia Plan. For detailed information about health insurance coverage, or submitting a waiver request, visit http://www.health.columbia.edu.

Rates

The following rates are for the 2012–2013 plan year. Columbia Plan rates and benefits change annually. For additional information, visit http://www.health.columbia.edu.

When a student drops below full-time status during the change of program period, the Columbia Health Program fee and Columbia Plan premiums and enrollment are automatically reversed unless the student has already confirmed insurance enrollment via Student Services On-line (SSOL).

Students who wish to remain enrolled in the Columbia Health Program and the Columbia Plan should stop by the Columbia Health Insurance Office located on the first floor of Wien Hall (212-854-3286).

Withdrawal and Adjustment of Fees

Withdrawal is defined as the dropping of one’s entire program in a given term as opposed to dropping a portion of one’s program (see College and University Policies). Any student withdrawing from the College must notify the Center for Student Advising in writing; notification to instructors or failure to attend classes does not constitute a formal withdrawal and results in failing grades in all courses.

A student who withdraws is charged a withdrawal fee of $75. In addition, the Columbia Health Program fees, the Columbia Medical Insurance Plan premium, and all application fees, late fees, and other special fees are not refundable if the student withdraws after the first 30 days of classes, and any coverage remains in effect until the end of the term.

Any adjustment of the tuition that the student has paid is reckoned from the date on which the Center for Student Advising receives the student’s written notification. Students receiving financial aid are not entitled to any portion of a refund until all Title IV financial aid programs are credited and all outstanding charges
have been paid.

The date upon which the Center for Student Advising receives written notice from the student determines the percentage of the rebate.

Fall and Spring Term Tuition Refund Schedule

For the purposes of tuition proration, a week is defined as beginning on Monday and ending on Sunday. Also note that the official change of program period normally ends on a Friday.

There is no difference in the proration schedule of a school or program charging per point or flat rate tuition.