Overload Tuition

Overload is when a student registers for more than 18 units in a semester. At that point the university charges overload tuition, which is an extra fee per unit. The cost of overload tuition for the current school year can be found here: Office of the Bursar, Tuition & Fees.

After you have met with your academic advisor and it's been decided that you will take more than 18 units in a semester, you will need to apply for overload. If you do not take this step, you will not be allowed to register for anything above 18 units and it will delay your registration process.

No - applied music lessons are exempt from university overload tuition because they carry their own applied lesson tuition surcharges.  

Below are some examples of overload tuition scenarios:

• Sally has 19 units with one unit of private lessons = no university overload tuition

• John has 20 units with two units of private lessons = no university overload tuition

• Jerry has 21 units with two units of private lessons = one unit of university overload tuition will be charged

Yes! Registered units and charges for those units are two separate things. Regardless of whether or not you will incur overload tuition, you will still be registering for over 18 units and therefore need to apply for overload.

Yes - music ensembles do incur overload tuition. However, it is possible to take an ensemble for 0 units to avoid this extra charge. Read more here: Zero Unit Ensembles.

Overload tuition is put on each student's account at the start of each semester if they have registered above 18 units. After Census Date, the Music Office reviews the list of students taking applied music lessons and notifies the Bursar's Office of any overload tuition refunds that should be issued.

University overload tuition refunds for applied music lessons are issued approximately one week after Census Date. Please email Prof. Siri Lyon (siri.lyon@cui.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.