Financial Information

Tuition and Fees

Program Tuition and Fees

Program-specific tuition and fee information is available within the Catalog under each program.  Supporting information that is relevant to all programs is listed below.

Tuition Reduction for Decelerated Student

Students on an extended graduation date schedule will pay 50% of normal tuition, and 100% of normal educational supply fees for each extended year. If the graduation date is not extended, the student will pay for repeat courses along with normal tuition and educational supply fees.

Example: Student “A” began as a 2018 KCOM graduate. However, it was determined that she or he needed to have his or her graduation date extended to 2019. Therefore, she or he will be billed for four years of normal tuition and one year of 50% tuition.

Tuition will be billed twice each academic year, beginning in the 2014-15 year.

The two examples apply for a four-year program of study:

Example #1 Student Decelerates in First Semester of First Year of Study:

Students will receive 100% of all eligible living expenses for each disbursement period.

The educational supply fee will be charged at the full amount for every year enrolled in the program.

Example #2 Student Decelerates in Second Semester of Second Year of Study:

Students will receive 100% of all eligible living expenses for each disbursement period.

The educational supply fee will be charged at the full amount for every year enrolled in the program.

Payment Information

Tuition Payment Policy (ATSU Policy #50-112: Student Account Collection)

1. All ATSU programs’ tuition, educational supply, and equipment fees are due and payable by the first day of each term. The controller’s office will receive tuition payments and make refunds as necessary.
2. Students enrolled in online programs may opt for a payment agreement with 50% due the first day of the term and the remaining 50% due 5 weeks after the first day of the term. An administrative fee will be charged each academic term for this payment plan.  For programs that have payment per program, payment in full is due prior to the start of the program or per the payment agreement on a quarterly payment schedule.  The controller’s office will receive tuition payments and make refunds as necessary.
3. Lenders will be requested to forward all funds to the University by electronic funds transfer (EFT). Where necessary, lenders will be requested to make checks co-payable to the University and the student. The controller’s office will process such funds on a bi-weekly basis and post to the student’s account. Funds credited in excess of the tuition, late charges (where applicable), educational supply fee, short-term and emergency loans will be refunded to the student.
4. Federal Perkins, Primary Care Loan and other institutional award funds will be applied directly to the student’s account with any overpayment refunded to the student or returned to the lender to prevent an over award.
5. Students who apply for Direct Loans (subsidized and/or unsubsidized), or GRAD PLUS will not be subject to the late payment fee if the following conditions are met:
   • A properly completed master promissory note (MPN) is submitted to student financial services at least 30 days prior to the tuition due date. Students accepted into the first-year class less than 30 days prior to the due date have 30 days following acceptance to make application for loans; and
   • The student is eligible for the loan for which he/she applies.
6. If a student chooses a lender which disburses funds by check only, the student must make a tuition payment within three (3) business days after notification the loan check is available.
7. A late payment fee will be assessed on past due amounts at the rate of eighteen percent (18%) per annum, beginning the fourth (4th) business day after the due date. A service charge of $25 for returned checks will be assessed. Any waiver of the late payment fee applies only to the amount applied for on eligible loans or payable from approved third-party sources.
8. Students owing balances for the previous academic term will be required to pay past due amounts and late charges before registration for the next term.
9. The University will withhold all official transcripts under the following circumstances:
   • There is an outstanding balance due the University for tuition, fees, short-term or emergency loans, or any other amount due the University unless satisfactory arrangements have been made in accordance with paragraph J. of this general order.
   • There is a default on any student loan obtained through the University.
   • In the event it becomes necessary to engage an attorney and/or collection agency to secure collection of any debt owed to ATSU by a student or former student, fees charged for these services will be the responsibility of the debtor.
10. In the event an ATSU scholar award recipient does not complete their education at ATSU, the scholar award must be repaid to ATSU under one of the following options:
    • Repayment in full within three (3) months of the date of withdrawal/dismissal with no interest charge.
    • If not paid in full under option J.1 above, the balance is due in twelve (12) monthly installments plus interest based on the prime rate at a local Kirksville bank as of the date of withdrawal/dismissal and will begin accruing on same date.
    • If a repayment agreement is not established or becomes sixty (60) days past due, the remaining balance will be referred to a collection agency; and the former student will be responsible for all related costs the University incurs that are associated with collecting the debt.

Debts Owed to ATSU

Fees and expenses charged by an attorney or collection agency to secure payment of any debt owed to ATSU by a student or former student will be the responsibility of such student or former student.

Refund Information

Tuition Refund Policy

A student who officially withdraws from any program or course while at ATSU must complete either an ATSU Withdrawal/Exit Process form (please contact your academic advisor) or an ATSU Course Add/Drop Request.  The following information, also, applies to students who are administratively withdrawn or dismissed from a program.

For a student withdrawing from an ATSU program with tuition based on the program and not per credit, the following refund policy applies:

• Withdrawal prior to logging into the first course, tuition will be refunded minus a $500 administrative fee.
• Withdrawal after logging into the first course or thereafter, the tuition refund will be prorated based on the date of withdrawal minus a $500 administrative fee.
• For a student withdrawing from an ATSU residential or online pay per credit program or dropping a course from an online pay per credit course and does so by the end of the seventh calendar day of the term, 100% of the tuition and educational supply fee will be waived. Any equipment fees will be waived if the equipment is returned to the school in the condition in which the student received it.  Otherwise, a student’s eligibility for a refund will be determined by the Institutional Refund Policy or the Return of Title IV Funds Formula.

Refund Policy for Dropped Course

An online student who drops a course in the current term (but remains actively enrolled) will be subject to the following refund policy:

Institutional Refund Policy

For students who did not receive federal financial assistance, ATSU adheres to the Return of Title IV funds formula. Please see the Return of Title IV Funds Formula section of this catalog for more details.

Institutional Refund Formula - for Credit Hour Programs (For students who did not receive federal financial assistance)

Institutional Refund Formula – This formula gives the student the same refund as the R2T4 Refund Formula.

If a student withdraws during a payment period, ATSU will determine how much tuition, fees and equipment charges (if any) were unearned by the institution. It will be figured by calculating how many remaining calendar days there are in the payment period divided by the total number of calendar days in that same payment period. The institution will pay back to the student the unearned amount. After 60% of the payment period, the institution will have earned the total amount paid for that payment period.

For example, if a student withdrew after 51 calendar days, but paid for 153 calendar days, ATSU would have earned 33.3% of educational costs paid. Therefore, 66.7% of the educational costs paid are unearned. ATSU would refund to the student (or lender) 66.7% of the tuition, fees, and equipment charges paid.

• Educational costs paid for 153 calendar days = $17,280.00
• Calendar days attended by the student = 51
• Calendar days remaining the in the payment period = 102 (153 – 51)
• 102/153 = 66.7% (Percentage of educational costs unearned by ATSU)
• 66.7% of $17,280 = $11,525.76 (Educational costs unearned by ATSU)
• Amount ATSU refunds to the student = $11,525.76

Federal Financial Aid

Standard Academic Progress for Federal Financial Aid

According to the United States Department of Education regulations (34CFR 668.16 and 668.34 and October 29, 2010, Final Federal Register), all students receiving federal financial assistance must meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress. Student Financial Services will review the academic progress of all students after each payment period. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is measured in terms of qualitative and quantitative standards.

Qualitative Measure

The qualitative measure of a student’s progress is measured by cumulative grade point average. The minimum cumulative GPA students must maintain for financial aid is as follows:

Minimum cumulative grade point average for Financial Aid at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences

Quantitative Measure

Maximum Time Frame

Financial aid recipients must complete an educational program within a time frame no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program. All attempted withdrawn, failed, repeated, and/or transferred credits that apply to a student’s program count toward this maximum time limit. For example, a student pursuing a doctorate degree requiring 120 credit hours may attempt up to 180 credit hours before financial aid eligibility is suspended (120 x 150% = 180).

Pace of Progression

Pace of progression is required to ensure students complete within a maximum time frame and that the pace is measured at each standard review time. Financial aid recipients must maintain a 67% minimum completion rate for attempted credit hours or contact hours. For example, a student pursuing a doctorate degree requiring 120 credit hours may attempt up to 180 hours before financial aid eligibility is suspended (120 ÷ 180 = 67%).

Dropped, failed, and remedial courses for which no credit is received do not count towards credit hours earned but do count toward credit hours attempted. Courses dropped during the add/drop period will not be counted in credits attempted. Credit hours for a course are earned by completing and passing the class.

Financial Aid Warning

Failure to meet the minimum academic progress requirements will result in a student being issued a financial aid warning. Students issued a financial aid warning will have one payment period to correct a progress problem due to qualitative or quantitative standards. Students will be notified of their status in writing via ATSU email. Students issued a financial aid warning will have an opportunity to file an appeal to request financial aid probation prior to the upcoming standard review time, which is at the end of each payment period (information for this process will be included in the financial aid warning email notification).

Financial Aid Probation

If a student appeals his or her financial aid probation status and the appeal is approved, that student is put on financial aid probation for one payment period. A student may receive federal financial aid while on financial aid probation if he or she meets the terms of his or her appeal decision. If a student fails to meet SAP standards during the term of financial aid probation, he or she may request an additional appeal.

Financial Aid Suspension

Students who fail to meet the requirements of the financial aid warning or do not appeal their financial aid probation status are placed on financial aid suspension and are not eligible for federal financial aid. These students will receive written notification to their ATSU email account of their failure to comply and that future federal aid will be canceled.

Appeal Procedure

Students who have been issued a financial aid warning may submit a written appeal to the Associate Director for Student Financial Services for reinstatement of eligibility prior to the start of the next payment period. Occasionally, extenuating circumstances contribute to their inability to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Death of an immediate family member
• Severe injury or illness of the student or an immediate family member
• Emergency situations such as fire or flood
• Legal separation from spouse or divorce
• Military reassignment or required job transfers or shift changes

Students who have extenuating circumstances may appeal using the following procedure:

1. Submit a completed appeal form (included in the financial aid warning notification). Student will be notified if additional supporting documentation is required.
2. Appeal packet is presented to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Committee for consideration.
3. Student is notified via ATSU email of the SAP Committee’s decision and recommendations.

Students whose appeal is denied must establish eligibility by completing courses without federal aid in one or more payment periods at ATSU until the cumulative GPA and/or completion rate meet the required standard before any additional federal aid will be disbursed.

Reinstatement

Federal financial aid may be reinstated when one of the following conditions has been met:

1. The student completes courses without federal aid in one or more payment periods at ATSU until the cumulative GPA and/or completion rate meet the required standard.
   
   OR
    
2. The student files an appeal and the SAP Committee approves the appeal. It is the student’s responsibility to notify Student Financial Services when reinstatement conditions have been met.

Return of Title IV Funds Formula

Return of Title IV Funds Formula - for Credit hour Programs

(For students who received federal financial assistance)

If a Title IV recipient withdraws during a payment period, the institution will calculate the amount of Title IV funds that was unearned by the student and wire the funds back to the lender. Unearned Title IV funds is determined by how many calendar days are remaining in the payment period divided by the total number of calendar days in the payment period. Unearned Title IV funds will be returned to the lender, up to 60% of the payment period for which the student was charged tuition/fees and equipment charges. After 60% of the payment period, the student will have earned all Title IV funds for that payment period and no financial returns or refunds will be made.

For example, if a student paid tuition, fees, and equipment charges (if applicable) with Title IV funds for 174 calendar days, but withdrew after 87 calendar days, the percentage of Title IV funds earned will be 50.0%. Unearned Title IV funds will be 50.0%, as well. Therefore, ATSU will return 50.0% of all Title IV funds to the lender. (Please note: The federal funds may not cover institutional charges due to ATSU at withdrawal. So, the student may owe a balance to ATSU upon withdrawal.)

• Tuition, fees, and equipment charges paid with Title IV funds for 174 calendar days = $37,000.00
• Student enrolled for 87 calendar days out of 174
• 87/174 = 50.0% (Percentage of Title IV funds unearned)
• 50.0% of $37,000.00 = $18,500.00 (Unearned Title IV funds)
• Amount ATSU returns to the lender = $18,500.00

The funds must be paid back to the federal loan programs in the following order:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
2. Federal Perkins Loan (if applicable)
3. Federal GradPLUS Loan

Military Tuition Assistance

For assistance with utilizing your military tuition assistance benefits, please contact the Finance Office by email at studentaccounts@atsu.edu or by phone at 1.866.626.2878 ext. 2533.

Requirements for Return of Tuition Assistance (TA) Funds

All Tuition Assistance (TA) Funds will be returned directly to the military service, not to the service member up to the start date, 100% of all TA funds will be returned to the appropriate military service when the service member fails to: begin attendance, start a course (regardless if the student starts other courses), or the course is cancelled. All Tuition Assistance (TA) funds will be returned according to the university’s institutional refund policy. A committee comprising of the Dean of the applicable school, the university CFO, and Vice President for Student Affairs will determine the appropriate actions needed when a Service member ceases their attendance due to a military service obligation. This decision will take into consideration the unique circumstances for each individual Service member, with the goal of no student debt for the returned portion.

Veterans Benefits

For assistance with utilizing your veterans benefits at ATSU, please contact your School Certifying Official via the Registrar’s Office by email at registrarsoffice@atsu.edu or by phone at 1.866.626.2878 ext. 2356.