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287 Rivers St, Boone, NC 28608 | (828) 262-2000 | Copyright 2016 Appalachian State University. All rights reserved.
| 2021-2022 Graduate Bulletin |
Office of Student Accounts: Tuition and Fees - studentaccounts.appstate.edu
Office of Financial Aid: Student Loans and Grants - financialaid.appstate.edu
NC Residency Determination Service (RDS) - www.NCresidency.org
Graduate School: Assistantships and Fellowships - graduate.appstate.edu
Tuition and fees are charged by the semester and are due and payable in advance at the beginning of each semester in accordance with payment instructions issued prior to each semester. North Carolina residents are subsidized by the State and pay tuition at the lower in-state rate. Out-of-state students pay tuition at a higher rate.
Fees are paid by both in- and out-of-state students. Main Campus students pay fees at a higher rate than Distance Education students who do not have access to the facilities on campus. Student fees support such services and activities as the Student Health Services, Student Union, Quinn Recreational Center, campus technology, cultural programs, student government, concerts, social activities, theatre, intramurals, student publications, and attendance at athletic events on campus. Current tuition and fee information is available on-line at studentaccounts.appstate.edu.
In addition, graduate students pay the following charges if appropriate: textbook costs; internship or practicum general and professional liability coverage; fee for late payment of student account; application for graduation; binding fees for thesis or dissertation.
Before taking final examinations at the close of each semester, a student is expected to settle all accounts. A student may not register for a new semester until all charges have been settled. A student cannot receive a degree, certificate, license or transcript if any account or loan is delinquent.
An often unexpected financial burden is the cost of being treated for illnesses or accidents that require admission to the hospital or a visit to a specialist. All students are required to carry health insurance and must supply proof of coverage each academic year. Many can be accommodated on plans carried by their spouses or parents. Others who do not have this opportunity should contact the Student Health Services (828) 262-3100 concerning the available basic insurance plan open to students for their own coverage and for coverage of their dependents.
Students who do not supply proof of insurance will be enrolled in a policy and billed for the premium. See healthservices.appstate.edu/health-insurance-information for more information.
Appalachian State University recognizes that some students do not have the financial resources to meet their educational expenses. Through student financial aid programs, Appalachian makes every effort to assist students in financing their education. With the exception of certain Appalachian academic scholarships, all students interested in receiving financial assistance must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The student, and at least one parent of a dependent student, must have a U.S. Department of Education FSA ID to complete the FAFSA. Obtain these FSA ID’s at www.pin.ed.gov. Complete the FASFA at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
In order to receive priority consideration, the FAFSA should be completed as soon after January 1 as possible and before Appalachian’s priority deadline of March 1 for the upcoming year. The FAFSA can be completed after the March 1 filing deadline, but the student will not receive priority consideration for need-based grants. Students must reapply for financial aid each year. Financial aid funding does not transfer from one institution to another. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire about Appalachian’s financial aid application procedures for the academic year or for summer sessions.
Appalachian State University offers grants, loans and work opportunities to eligible students once the FAFSA data has been received. Several of these programs are briefly described on the following pages. Further information may be obtained at finanialaid.appstate.edu.
Financial aid recipients should refer to the “Refund Policy” topic in this section for information concerning the return of funds due to withdrawal from the University.
For further information, please visit our web site, financialaid.appstate.edu. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding University observed holidays.
The University is approved for training veterans and dependents of deceased or disabled veterans under the following programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs:
Persons eligible to receive these benefits must process an application to utilize VA Education Benefits or to transfer their established benefits to Appalachian from another school. Applications can be accessed online via the GI Bill® Website: www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/apply.asp. Additionally, eligible individuals must complete an Enrollment Data Sheet and Statement of Understanding in order to receive their benefits at Appalachian. These forms can be obtained online (financialaid.appstate.edu) or in the Office of Financial Aid.
Children of disabled or deceased veterans, who are North Carolina residents, may be eligible for a scholarship from the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs, Raleigh, NC, that pays tuition, some fees, and an allowance for room and board. Applications may be obtained from a veterans’ service officer located in the student’s hometown or county. The award is administered by Appalachian State University through the Office of Student Accounts.
Members of the National Guard and Selected Reserves may be eligible for tuition assistance. Service members applying for federal tuition assistance must apply online at www.GoArmyEd.com. Members of the North Carolina National Guard may also be eligible for state tuition assistance; applications must be completed online through www.cfnc.org. Information regarding tuition assistance eligibility should be obtained from the service member’s unit.
Additional information regarding VA education benefits may be obtained by contacting the Office of Student Financial Aid, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina 28608, (828) 262-2190 or by visiting the Financial Aid Office website at financialaid.appstate.edu.
The Student Employment Office, located in the Career Development Center, assists students in obtaining part-time job opportunities. On campus jobs are found through the Federal Work Study program and various Student Temporary positions. Student Employment places students who have accepted an award for Work Study through the Financial Aid Office. For more details about the Work Study Program, please visit: studentemployment.appstate.edu/pagesmith/11.
If a student does not qualify through Financial Aid for a Work Study assignment, Student Temporary work is found by applying with campus employers which include, but are not limited to: Food Services, University Recreation, University Housing, the Belk Library and Information Commons, and the Child Development Center.
For more information regarding finding employment, please go to studentemployment.appstate.edu or visit the Office of Student Employment located in John E. Thomas Hall, Room 388 to meet with a staff member.
Eligible students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive a federal student loan. Detailed information concerning student loan programs is available at financialaid.appstate.edu. General information is available in The Student Guide (published by the Department of Education), which may be obtained from any post-secondary institution or by accessing the Office of Student Financial Aid Web Site at financialaid.appstate.edu. Loans available to Appalachian graduate students include:
Competitively awarded graduate assistantship employment involving teaching, research or service to the University are available in most academic departments, the Division of Student Development, and other units on campus for the Fall and Spring semesters. Additional support in the form of summer assistantships may be available depending upon funding.
Students may be classified as a Graduate Assistant, Teaching Assistant, or Research Assistant. Only degree-seeking students are eligible to hold an assistantship, and students who are admitted provisionally must complete one term of enrollment successfully before they are eligible.
Students must be registered for at least 9 hours of program of study coursework to hold an assistantship during a semester, unless they are in the final semester of study and have completed all program of study coursework, in which case they may carry an assistantship with a 6 semester hour course load. In summer, students must be enrolled in at least 2 hours in the term of the assistantship.
Half and full-time assistantships are possible, in which students work 10 or 20 hours a week respectively. Assistants are permitted to carry an academic load of up to twelve semester hours depending upon the classification of the assistantship. Assistantships do not include reduction in tuition or fees. Further information can be obtained from the Graduate School (graduate.appstate.edu/enrolled-students/financial-support/graduate-assistantships).
A number of fellowships are available to qualified graduate students. The Graduate School awards these fellowships to students who have been selected by the Graduate School’s Scholarships Committee; individual programs and departments make other awards. The Graduate School coordinates the Lovill Fellowship, the Chancellor’s Fellowships and Provost’s Fellowships when funding is available.
A limited number of scholarships equivalent to the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition are available to exceptional non-NC-resident students who also hold graduate teaching or research assistantships during fall and spring semesters. Requests should be made to the Graduate Program Director or Department Chair as early as possible for consideration. Students who receive Tuition Scholarships must complete a full time schedule (at least 9 hours per semester) of program of study coursework and must maintain a 3.4 cumulative GPA.
The UNC Campus Scholarship is available for doctoral students who are first generation college students, or students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, or traditionally underrepresented populations. Doctoral students who have completed a FAFSA, are maintaining satisfactory academic progress, are enrolled at least half-time (5 or more) credit hours per semester, have NC residency, are in a degree-granting program of study, and demonstrate financial need may be considered for this scholarship. The scholarship amount is dependent on the number of eligible applicants and the amount of allocated funds each year. Various ethnicities are considered for this scholarship.
The UNC Campus Native American Scholarship is available to Native American doctoral students who submit a Tribal Card or a Certificate of Blood, have completed a FAFSA, are maintaining satisfactory academic progress, are enrolled half-time (5 or more) credit hours, have NC residency, are in a degree-granting program of study, and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship amount is dependent on the number of eligible applicants and the amount of allocated funds each year.
In order to be considered for this grant, a student must be a resident of North Carolina and demonstrate exceptional need. This grant may be awarded to graduate students who meet the above requirements and enroll for at least 5 credit (not audit) hours. The student must complete a FAFSA to apply for the NCNB grant.
The basis for determining the appropriate tuition charge rests upon whether a student is a resident or a nonresident for tuition purposes as defined by the Residency Determination Service (RDS). For more information about requirements to gain North Carolina residency for tuition purposes visit www.NCresidency.org.
The term “refund” should be understood to mean either a) the repayment of money received by the University for tuition and fees, or b) a reduction of charges if tuition and fees have not yet been paid.
If a student withdraws from the University (i.e., discontinues all classes and formally notifies the Registrar’s Office), a refund will be made according to the refund table found in the “Refund Policy” link in the “Schedule of Classes” tab on the Registrar’s website. Go to www.registrar.appstate.edu.
The refund calculation will be based upon the date of official withdrawal from the University. (Students who wish to withdraw should immediately notify the Registrar’s Office, located in John E. Thomas Hall.)
The only refund granted is when the student goes through the official withdrawal process from the University. The meal account money refunded will be from the current semester only.
Returning students who have prepaid tuition and fees will be due a full refund if they subsequently become academically ineligible to re-enroll. Newly admitted students who do not enroll will be due a full refund LESS any advance payments made as part of the admissions process. Currently enrolled students who are suspended or expelled for disciplinary reasons will be given a pro-rated refund based on the University’s published refund schedule for the academic term in question.
If a student reduces his/her class schedule (drops courses) during the first five days of classes (during the “Drop-Add” period), one hundred percent of the difference in tuition and fees between the original and revised schedules will be automatically credited to the account.
Students who reduce their class schedules (drop courses) after the first five days of classes will not be eligible for a refund.
Please note that a reduction in class schedule or withdrawal from the University may affect financial aid status. Questions about the effect of either schedule reduction or withdrawal from the University should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
If a student withdraws from the University, the Office of Student Financial Aid is required to calculate the amount of financial aid he/she has earned and the amount that is unearned. The unearned portion must be returned to the appropriate financial aid programs according to federal regulations and institutional policy.
If a student withdraws on or before the 60% point of the term, a percentage of his/her financial aid will be calculated as earned and a percentage as unearned on a pro-rata basis.
Example: The student enrolls in a semester that has 113 days in the term, and withdraws on the 18th day of the term, earned and unearned financial aid would be calculated as:
18 / 113 = 15.9% of financial aid has been earned and 84.1% is unearned.
The unearned amount must be returned to the federal financial aid programs in this order:
The same policy applies to state, institutional, and other types of aid and will be returned in this order:
The University will return to the appropriate financial aid program the lesser of a student’s total amount of unearned aid or the institutional charges of tuition, fees, room, and board. Students are responsible for returning to the appropriate programs any remaining amount.
If the student is required to return funds from the loan programs, those funds will be repaid according to the normal repayment terms of the loan program. If the student is required to return funds to the federal grant programs, the student will be required to return 50% of the federal grant amount that they originally received. If the student is required to return funds from the state, institutional, or other sources, the student must return the entire unearned percentage.
If the calculations result in a balance due from the student, a bill will be sent to the student’s permanent home address and will be due upon receipt.
If the student is a Federal Direct Loan borrower, the student is required to complete Exit Counseling at the time of the withdrawal. The student may complete the Federal Exit Counseling at www.nslds.ed.gov. The Federal Loan lender(s) will be notified that the student is no longer enrolled, and the loan repayment process will begin. It is important that students understand their rights and responsibilities, and their completion of the required exit counseling will prepare you for repaying your loan(s).
If the student is a Federal Perkins Loan borrower, the student must complete the Perkins Loan Exit Counseling. Educational Computing Systems, Inc. (ECSI) handles Perkins loan billing including payment processing, entitlement processing and Perkins Loan Exit Counseling. The student can contact them at their website,www.ecsi.net, by phone at (888) 549-3274 or by mail at 181 Montour Run Road, Caropolis, PA 15108-9408. The school code for Appalachian State University is 4Q. It is a federal requirement that the student complete this exit counseling.
Refunds will not be made to alternative loan lenders unless requested by the student.
For more information, please go to financialaid.appstate.edu, or visit our office located in John E. Thomas Hall, Room 265.