Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid

Tuition is set by the College and typically increases between 3-5% each academic year. Please consult your Department's Senior Administrative Assistant for the cost per unit for your particular program.

Course Materials Fees

Some courses have nominal course material fees ranging from $5 to $50 to $200 for IP courses. These fees are assessed and paid with tuition. Lab and course material fees are generally not refunded if a course is dropped.

Cohort Transfer Fee

On occasion, a student may need to re-enter the program in a different academic year or a different cohort from the one they were in previously. Students who change cohorts are assessed a $150 administrative transfer fee. All students will be assessed tuition at the rate of the new cohort into which they transfer or at the current rate of tuition. Your program will let you know if the Cohort Transfer Fee applies to you.

Tuition Refunds

If you have questions about tuition balance or about a possible refund from a course that has been dropped, taking a Leave of Absence, or Withdrawing from the College, please contact the SMC Business Office. A representative from Student Accounts will be able to answer your questions. Please know that time is always a factor in determining tuition refunds from dropped courses, so please gather your information promptly and submit the required paperwork as soon as possible.

In most cases, you will receive an email to your SMC account confirming that your request has been received. Please keep this email confirmation and note the date. If you do not receive an emailed response, please submit your request again or contact the office responsible for the form.

Billing Method & How to Pay your Bill

The billing method at Saint Mary's College of California is electronic. An email notification to your SMC email account will be sent when a bill is available. Payment is typically due by the 15th of the month before the term starts.

Payments may be made electronically by eCheck when logging into GaelXpress and clicking on “Student Account Center” then click on "Make Payment." Checks, money orders, cashier's check and cash are also accepted.

The College does not accept credit cards for tuition and fees. Students may submit an e-check payment, available through their GaelXpress account (no fee charged) or submit a check or money order to:

Saint Mary’s College Business Office

1928 Saint Mary’s Road PMB 4600

Moraga, CA 94575

Please include your Student ID number to ensure proper posting.

Students with delinquent balances will be prevented from registering for classes in current or future terms. Delinquent balances will also prevent other services, such as participation in commencement exercises. Late fees will accrue and collection efforts and credit reporting may ensue.

Monthly Billing Statements

Tuition is due on the 15^th of the month before the semester or trimester begins: typically, August 15 for the fall term, January 15 for the winter/spring terms, April or May 15 for the summer terms.

Should you have an account balance, on or around the 20^th of the month--and for each month following should the balance remain--you will receive an email with the subject saying, “St. Mary's eBill Notice...."

If the balance is not paid by the due date, a $50 late fee is charged.

A three month payment plan is available online through GaelXpress, click on “Student Account Center.” There is a setup fee of $50 per semester or trimester. The payment plan is voluntary but you must schedule this in advance of the term start.

If you need clarification about your account, please call the Business Office at 925-631-4209 or email business@stmarys-ca.edu.

As you start your program, we would like to offer some insight and assistance with regard to the financial aid process. While the information below is an overview, our goal is that you have a better understanding of the financial aid that is available to assist in paying the tuition, and the different loans that are available to help cover that tuition cost. You will want to speak directly to the Financial Aid office at (925) 631-4370 or finaid@stmarys-ca.edu to have your specific questions answered. When applying for financial aid it can take 4-6 weeks for processing, so apply early.

Tuition is calculated by the unit rate, which varies for each program. If your goal is to finance 100% of your tuition, you will need the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and an additional loan. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan will not cover the entire cost of your tuition.

Financing

• Fill out your FAFSA application, the federal school code for Saint Mary's is 001302;

• Please complete an additional FAFSA application each academic year in order to continue receiving financial aid;

• Funds are disbursed to your SMC account;

• Registration for classes may only be done when the account balance is paid in full.

The Direct Unsubsidized Loan will cover up to 6 units per term. If the additional balance due is not feasible through personal funds or company reimbursement; we suggest looking into other loans. Please visit the Financial Aid website www.stmarys-ca.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/graduate/loans for details on the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan and Private Student Loans.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I apply for financial aid?

If aid is needed to pay tuition, students should apply for financial aid when applying for admission to the program. Students are billed from the beginning of the program and are obligated to pay tuition not covered by financial aid. Students may also apply once in a program, if aid becomes a need. Students should also apply for financial aid each additional academic year they are in their program.

When do I receive financial aid?

Students receive disbursements each financial aid loan period, about one month into the term, after the College verifies students are admitted, registered, and have no outstanding debt from the previous term.

On occasion, the amount of aid is more than the cost of courses and fees for the period of the aid. If that is the case, students receive a check from the Business Office for any amount over the cost of the courses and fees for the term in which the aid is disbursed. You can also go to GaelXpress, then Student Account Center, then My Bank Acct e-Reimbursements and set up a direct deposit to your personal checking account.

However, if the amount of the aid is less than the cost of the courses during the term in which the disbursement is made, the student must pay the difference to the Business Office.

What else do I need to know?

• To be eligible for aid, students must enroll a minimum of 6 units per term for fall and spring graduate semesters, 3 units for the graduate summer semester, and 6 units for all of the undergraduate trimesters in each of the terms that make up a loan period.

• Students must remain in the program during the loan periods. Withdrawal from courses may disqualify the student from receiving financial aid.

• Students must be fully accepted into the program before aid is awarded. Acceptance is contingent upon receipt of all admissions documents and is sent in a separate letter.

• Students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to be eligible for financial aid.

Financial Aid Office Satisfactory Academic Progress

Financial Aid Office SAP is different from Academic Satisfactory Academic Progress. Federal regulations require the Financial Aid Office to monitor undergraduate and graduate students’ academic progress to ensure that students are maintaining a required cumulative GPA and finishing their degree within an allotted time frame. Aid can be withheld if a student does not make satisfactory progress. The Financial Aid Office will notify all students who do not meet SAP.

Where can I get more information?

Students may call the Financial Aid Office at 925-631-4370 or finaid@stmarys-ca.edu.