Austin College Bulletin 2020-2021
Austin College is a private institution and receives no direct support from taxes or other public funds. Austin College’s primary revenue source is tuition. Other sources of revenue include income from endowment, contributions by Presbyterian churches, and gifts from alumni and other friends who recognize the value of the educational program of Austin College.
Deposits
Undergraduate Students: Applicants pay a $350 matriculation deposit upon acceptance of an offer of admission. The deposit reserves an enrollment space and a room in a residence hall. The deposit should be paid by May 1 if entering in the summer or fall term and by January 15 if entering in the spring term. Deposits are non-refundable after each of these dates. Deposits paid after these dates are accepted on a space-available basis.
Once the applicant enrolls, $150 of the deposit is used as a registration fee; the remaining $200 of the matriculation deposit is held as a general deposit and is used to satisfy charges for loss or damage (including unusual cleaning costs to any college property) for which the student is responsible. The $200 deposit will be refunded, less charges for amounts due, following graduation.
Graduate Students: Applicants pay a $100 matriculation deposit upon acceptance of an offer of admission. The deposit reserves an enrollment space. Once the applicant enrolls, $50 of the deposit is used as a registration fee; the remaining $50 of the matriculation deposit is held as a general deposit and is used to satisfy charges for loss or damage for which the student is responsible. The deposit will be refunded, less amounts due, following graduation.
Charges
The following are charges for the 2020-2021 academic year:
Regular Academic Year: September – May
Tuition
| Full-Time Undergraduate (3-5 course credits per term) | $42,405.00 |
| Part-Time Undergraduate (per course credit unit) | $6,055.00 |
| Graduate (per course credit unit) | $6,055.00 |
| Audit (per course credit) | $3,027.50 |
| Overload fee (per course credit unit in excess of 5) | $3,027.50 |
Residence Hall Rooms
| Double Occupancy | $5,900.00 |
| Single Room (natural) | $6,860.00 |
| Single Room (double as single) | $7,280.00 |
| Converted (triple as double) | $6,700.00 |
| Triple Room | $5,715.00 |
| Quadruple Room | $5,540.00 |
| Jordan Language House | $5,810.00 |
| Robert & Joyce Johnson ’Roo Suites | $6,235.00 |
| Flats at Brockett Court | $7,220.00 |
| North Flats | $7,360.00 |
| Dr. Marjorie Hass Village on Grand (does not include utilities) | $6,520.00 |
| Bryan Apartments (Double occupancy per person) | $6,610.00 |
Dining Services (see Campus Life section for description)
| Seven-Day Meal Plan (Includes $75 Hopper Dollars per semester and $522.23 in tax) | $6,852.23 |
| Five-Day Meal Plan (Includes $75 Hopper Dollars per semester and $485.93 in tax) | $6,375.93 |
Fees
| Activity fee (all full-time students) | $185.00 |
| Transcript fee (assessed in first semester) | $25.00 |
| Health insurance fee (all uninsured students; assessed annually) | $2,297.00 |
| Campus access fee (non-residential students) | $180.00 |
| Study abroad administrative fee (per semester) | $100.00 |
| Art fees (variable depending on course taken) | Variable |
| Science lab fees (per lab) | $100.00 |
| Applied music lessons | $300.00 |
Student Health Insurance
Austin College students are required to have health insurance coverage. Coverage may be provided by a family policy or enrollment in a policy offered by the College. Coverage must be verified annually by submitting an online waiver. Information about student health insurance is available on the Austin College Health Services website. The Health Insurance Fee will be billed automatically to the Student Receivable Account for any student without an approved waiver on file by July first each year.
Undergraduate Students: The tuition charge provides for instruction (five course credits or less for the fall and spring terms), counseling (testing fees not included), library services, physical activity programs, and registration.
There is no separate tuition charge for the January term provided the student is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student for the preceding fall term or the succeeding spring term. No financial credit will be given for a student who fails to take a January term. All other students will be required to pay the normal per course tuition.
An undergraduate student registered for three or more course credits during a fall or spring term is considered a full-time student. The billing status of the student, whether full-time or part-time, is determined by the student’s registration as of the last day to add a course. Consult the Austin College Academic Calendar for official dates. The status of the student on this date also determines what, if any, overload fees will be assessed.
Charges are prorated if a student drops from full-time to part-time after the last day to add and prior to the end of the fourth week of classes. A prorated credit of the full-time charge as well as a prorated part-time charge will be assessed as follows:
| Date of Drop | Full-Time Credit | Part-Time Charge |
| During second week of classes | 75% | 75% |
| During third week of classes | 50% | 50% |
| During fourth week of classes | 25% | 25% |
| After the fourth week of classes | 0% | 0% |
If a student is assessed an overload fee on the last day to add, and later drops (prior to the end of the fourth week of the classes), a prorated credit of the overload fee is given as follows:
| Date of Drop | Overload Credit |
| During second week of classes | 75% |
| During third week of classes | 50% |
| During fourth week of classes | 25% |
| After the fourth week of classes | 0% |
Study Abroad: Students studying abroad for the semester or year pay Austin College tuition, fees, and room and board, without regard to actual costs of the program abroad. In addition, a $100 administrative fee is assessed per semester. The student is responsible for any study abroad program costs exceeding Austin College tuition, fees, room, board, and administrative fee.
Graduate Students: The graduate program consists of nine course credit units. Three of these courses can be taken as an undergraduate as part of the ATP fast track. Education courses taken as an undergraduate are charged at the undergraduate rate. Three of the 6 courses must be taken in the summer with the remaining 3 courses taken in the graduate year. For students accepting graduate clinical teaching or internship positions, positions must be within 90 miles of one of the hubs, which are Sherman, Austin and Houston. Positions over 25 miles from one of the hubs will result in additional supervision fees. The fee is $316 for positions 26 to 60 miles from a hub, $420 for positions 61 to 80 miles from a hub, and $520 for positions 81 to 90 miles from a hub.
Summer Term
The following are charges for Summer 2021:
Tuition & Fees
| Undergraduate (per course credit) | $3,250.00 |
| Graduate (per course credit) | $3,750.00 |
| Career Study Off-Campus – CSOC (Course #s 290) | $810.00 |
| Independent Study Off Campus – NSOC (Course #s 490 or 492) | $3,250.00 |
| Activity fee (all students) | $10.00 |
| Room – Bryan Apartments – 3 occupants | TBD |
| Room – Bryan Apartments – 4 occupants | TBD |
Board available on per-meal cash basis when dining facilities are open.
Miscellaneous Charges
There are various situations in which a student may be subject to special fees. Students should be aware that some college organizations, including the residence halls, may decide to collect fees or dues from their members.
Late Add/Registration: Students may change their initial registration by adding or dropping courses within the time period specified in the academic calendar for each term. After the last day to add a course, a petition will be needed to register for a course. This is considered a late registration and a fee of $20 may be assessed.
January Term: Students who choose to participate in an off-campus program during the January term will be assessed in advance for the additional expenses for transportation and tour assistance.
Financial Obligations
International Students please see International Students — Prepay Policy later in this section.
The Austin College Business Office bills standard charges (tuition, room and board) on or about July 1 for the fall term and December 15 for the spring term. Full payment of the standard charges either by accepted financial aid or personal resources is required prior to the start of each term. The due date for fall term charges is on or about August 1 and the spring term charges are due on or about January 15 each year. Students may pay in one lump sum payment or enroll in a payment plan by the established due dates for each term. A late fee of $25 per month will be charged for accounts not paid by the due dates.
Payments can be made at the cashier window from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and inside the Business Office until 5:00 p.m. Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, debit card, or credit card. A convenience fee of 2.5% is charged if paying by debit/credit card.
Payment Plan Options Offered Through Official Payments
1) Annual Payment Plans — Allows students to divide the amount owed for both the fall and spring terms into either 12 or 10 monthly installments depending on when they enroll in the plan.
2) Term-Based Payment Plans — Allows students to divide the amount owed for each term individually into either 4 or 3 monthly installments depending on when they enroll in the plan.
Each plan allows for a 10-day grace period. A late fee will be assessed by Official Payments for payments made after the grace period. Missing two payments will result in the termination of the payment plan. Visit the Business Office for details on current payment plans.
With the exception of student employment authorized by the Office of Financial Aid, financial aid will be credited to the student account. The earnings for student employment are paid semi-monthly directly to the student. All documents relating to financial aid must be completed in full before aid can be applied to student accounts. Students must respond promptly to the Office of Financial Aid’s request for completion of forms.
Students may contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions regarding applying for and completing financial aid/loan documents.
Students whose accounts are not current with the Business Office and students whose financial aid forms are incomplete, incorrect, or late may be denied any or all college services. Students may not register, attend classes, utilize college facilities, or receive transcripts, grade reports, or other educational records unless all accounts with the college are satisfied. This includes all charges for tuition, room, and board, as well as charges from Abell Library, Student Life Office, and other departments and offices of the college. If the amount due includes a room charge, the student may not remain in college housing. If the amount due includes a board charge, the student may not continue to use the dining service.
International Students — Prepay Policy
All enrolling International Students requesting an I-20 document in order to obtain an F-1 student visa must prepay tuition, room and board costs, less any academic scholarships awarded by the college. Payment for each full academic year (fall and spring term charges) must be received no later than 45 days prior to the first day of the fall term of each academic year.
Please refer to Business Office and Student Billing Information for the 2020-2021 charges. Student Charges are subject to change each academic year for all enrolled students. Historically, charges for tuition, room and board have increased between 2% and 5% annually.
Refund Policy for Matriculated Students Who Withdraw
All tuition credits are determined by the Business Office. Since students 18 years of age and older have legal majority status, refund checks are payable to those students.
The tuition credit policy takes into account the fact that Austin College made its commitment to a student for teaching and operating expenses at the time of admission. Space for enrollment that is vacated after class work begins cannot be filled for the remainder of the term. Students who are placed on disciplinary suspension during the term will not receive a credit except for unused room and board.
If a student has been awarded financial aid, any refund will be subject to federal, state, and Austin College financial aid refund policies. Refunds are apportioned according to strict formulas and procedures among the various aid programs from which the student has received assistance. Any refund made to the student will come only after federal, state, and Austin College financial aid programs are reimbursed according to financial aid refund policies. The policies are available in print from the Office of Financial Aid. Federal law requires that any Title IV aid refund be paid back first to Federal Direct Loan Programs, such as the Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized).
General Deposit: Students who decide to withdraw and fail to notify the college prior to July 15 for the fall term or January 15 for the spring term will forfeit $100 of the $200 general deposit.
Tuition Credits: Credits for students who officially withdraw from the college for a fall term or spring term are made as follows:
| Time Period | Amount Credited |
| Prior to first day of class | 100% |
| First week of classes | 80% |
| Second week of classes | 75% |
| Third week of classes | 50% |
| Fourth week of classes | 25% |
| After fourth week of classes | 0% |
Credits for students who officially withdraw from the college for a summer term are made as follows:
| Time Period | Amount Credited |
| Prior to 1st day of class | 100% |
| 1st to 3rd day of class | 75% |
| 4th to 5th day of class | 50% |
| After 5th day of class | 0% |
On-Campus January Term Course Fee Refund Schedule
The course fee for an On-Campus January term course is published in the Course Schedule on WebHopper in the Comments section. Students who drop a January term course prior to the first class day of January term will receive 100% credit of the course fee. Students who drop a January term course on or after the first day of January term will receive no credit of the course fee.
Residence Halls, Jordan Language House, Bryan Apartments, Johnson ’Roo Suites, The Dr. Marjorie Hass Village on Grand, North Flats and The Flats at Brockett Court: A residence hall contract or lease is a binding agreement between the college and the student. Individuals choosing to cancel this contract after acceptance by the Student Life Office will be charged according to the cancellation schedule as defined in the contract.
| Date of Termination | Amount Refunded |
| Prior to taking occupancy | 100% of semester housing rent |
| Week One | 90% of semester housing rent |
| Week Two | 80% of semester housing rent |
| Week Three | 60% of semester housing rent |
| Week Four | 40% of semester housing rent |
| Week Five | 20% of semester housing rent |
| After Week Five | No Refund |
Board: Credits for students on the meal plans will be calculated as above after deducting Hopper Dollars for the semester.
Military Mobilization: If a student withdraws from Austin College as a result of military mobilization for a period of 30 days or more, and does not receive academic credit, the college will grant a full tuition credit (100 percent) and where applicable, all financial aid will be returned to the appropriate programs (federal, state, and institutional). Room and board will be prorated for the length of residence at the school.
The student will:
- Be required to show proof of military duty (copy of orders) upon withdrawal. Should student resume enrollment at Austin College, proof of discharge from military service (usually DD Form 214) must be provided.
- Be responsible for prorated room and board charges. There will be no credit of fees (i.e., activity fee, transcript fee, etc.).
If the student is the recipient of Title IV federal aid, the Office of Financial Aid is required to do a Return of Title IV Funds calculation if the withdrawal occurs prior to the 60 percent point in the semester.
The college will:
- As determined appropriate by the instructor, grant a student a withdrawal in all courses by designating “withdrawn military” on the student’s transcript; or
- As determined appropriate by the instructor, assign an appropriate final grade or course credit to a student who has satisfactorily completed a substantial amount of course work and who has demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material; or
- As determined appropriate by the instructor, grant an incomplete grade in all courses.
- Allow the student to return to Austin College following military duty and select to follow the curricular requirements of the Bulletin in effect at the time of initial admission or select to follow current curricular requirements at the point of re-entry.
- Allow the student to keep the academic scholarship awarded by the Office of Admission upon entrance to the college as long as the student left in good standing (grade point average requirement was met).
For students who receive need-based financial aid (whether from federal, state, or institutional sources), there is no guarantee that the same financial aid will be available upon returning to Austin College since a student’s federal need can change each year. Thus, need-based aid is dependent upon a student’s federal need calculation.
Financial Standing upon Leaving the College: In order to leave the college in good financial standing, a student must leave with all bills paid. A student who leaves with unpaid bills will not be considered in good financial standing.