Columbia University Student Financial Services

Other Fees: 2009-2010

Other Fees: 2009-2010

In addition to tuition and school-related fees, there are other charges that are billed through the Student Account Statement:

University Fees (automatically assessed at registration)

General Fees
FeeCost
Computer Access Fee (Medical Center) $175 per term
International Services Charge $50 per term
Student Life Fee (Morningside Undergraduates)
College and Engineering $623 per term
General Studies $518 per term
Transcript Fee $95 one time
University Facilities Fee Morningside
Full-Time Programs (except as noted) $349 per term
Part-Time Programs (except as noted) $174 per term
Executive M.B.A. and M.P.A. Programs $175 per term
University Facilities Fee Morningside: Exceptions
Full-Time Terminal Masters in Continuing Education, Engineering, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences $379 per term
Part-Time Terminal Masters in Continuing Education, Engineering, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences $204 per term

Computer Access Fee

Medical Center: Students at the Medical Center will be charged a Computer Access Fee each term. This mandatory fee entitles usage of computer labs, provides email and Internet access, and supports a Student Help Desk.

International Services Charge

Students holding a non-resident visa will be charged an International Services Charge each term. This fee supports the University’s services to international students. This fee will not be charged to students in the School of Continuing Education with the exception of those in the Master of Science in Actuarial Science or the Visiting Students programs or to students registered through the Office of Global Programs.

Student Life Fee

Undergraduate students in the College, Engineering, and General Studies will be charged a Student Life Fee. This fee supports student activities, provides access to the facilities at the Dodge Physical Fitness Center and Lerner Hall, supports enhancements for the libraries and computer networks, and entitles usage of computer labs, laser printers, and unlimited email.

Transcript Fee

Entering students will be charged a one-time fee that entitles them to transcripts at no additional charge. This fee will not be charged to students in the American Language Program or to students from the University of Michigan in the Kyoto Program.

University Facilities Fee Morningside

Students registered on the Morningside campus will be charged a University Facilities Fee each term. This mandatory fee provides access to the facilities at the Dodge Physical Fitness Center (except for students in Executive Programs) and Lerner Hall, and supports enhancements for the libraries and computer networks.This fee will not be charged to undergraduate students who are charged the Student Life Fee, to students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences who are registered for Matriculation and Facilities, to students in the School of Social Work who are registered for Continuing Social Work or Ph.D. Doctoral Registration, to students in the American Language Program, or to students in a course of study away from the University.

University Facilities Fee Morningside: Exceptions

Students enrolled in these programs will be charged the fees listed in place of the University Facilities Fee.
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Other Charges (assessed based on certain actions)

General Fees
FeeCost
Late Payment Charge $150 per term and 1.5% per cycle thereafter
Late Registration Fee $50 or $100 per term
Non-U.S. Check Processing Fee $50 per check
Returned Check Fee
U.S. Check $35
Non-U.S. Check $35, plus possible exchange rate changes

Late Payment Charge

Students will be subject to late payment charges if payment for the term is not received by the due date listed on the Student Account Statement. Additional charges resulting from any program changes made after the first Statement of the term is issued must be paid at the time of the change. A one-time per-term late payment charge will be imposed if full payment minus any anticipated credits is not received by the first payment due date for the term. An additional charge per billing cycle will be imposed on any amount past due thereafter.

Late Registration Fee

These fees will be assessed to students who register after the designated registration period.

Non-U.S. Check Processing Fee

The University recommends that payment be sent via wire transfer if it cannot be in the form of a check in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank account.  Any check, draft, or money order of $150 or greater that does not have a nine-digit ABA number along the bottom will be processed through the special collection area of the bank and the student account will be assessed a $50 fee to cover additional processing costs. Any such check that is less than $150 cannot be submitted to the bank for collection and, therefore, will be returned.

In addition to the processing fee stated above, any check payable in foreign currency will be converted to the U.S. dollar equivalent based on the exchange rate determined by the receiving bank. All fees related to the currency conversion and processing costs will be deducted from the payment before the credit is passed to the student account.  This type of payment could take several weeks for processing before the student account is credited.

Returned Check Fee

A fee will be assessed to the student account for any check that is not honored by the bank. Additionally, if the dishonored check was in a foreign currency, the adjustment to the student account may reflect changes in foreign exchange rates.

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Dining Charges (may be required, depending on school)

The Student Account Statement will include the following charges for dining services. Specific information regarding the options available may be viewed at the Dining Services website.

First-year students residing in a residence hall are required to register for one of the four meal plan options available. Each option is a combination of cafeteria-style meals in John Jay Hall and Dining Dollars to be used at the many Dining retail outlets.

For whichever meal plan is chosen, the student’s Student Account Statement will reflect two charges, one for meals and one for Dining Dollars, totally $2,137 per term.

Upperclass, General Studies, and Graduate Students

Students in the above categories may choose to elect any one of four meal plan options for the academic year:

Meal Plan A (150 meals)   $1,910 per term
Meal Plan B (100 meals)   $1,294 per term
Meal Plan C (75 meals)   $998 per term
Meal Plan D (50 meals)   $661 per term

Meal plan selections may be changed within the first two weeks of the Fall or Spring Term for a charge of $25. Selecting the Kosher option for any of the above meal plans will increase the plan cost by 10%.

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Health Service and Medical Insurance fees (required for many students and optional for some)

Morningside
FeeFall TermSpring Term
Health Service Fee $387 $387 incl. Summer
Medical Insurance Plan Premiums
Basic Level $591 $992 incl. Summer
Comprehensive Level $922 $1,422 incl. Summer

Morningside

If you are a full-time or residential student, you are automatically enrolled in the Health Service Program, providing extensive on-campus services and support, for which you will be charged the Health Service Fee. This enrollment may be waived only by students in a Special Registration category.

Full-time or residential students are also required to have adequate medical insurance coverage for off-campus services such as hospitalization. You are automatically enrolled in the Basic level of the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan. Alternatively, you may use the designated system in Student Services Online to request enrollment in the Comprehensive level of the Plan or to request a waiver of automatic enrollment by proving you have other comparable coverage.

Part-time students may request enrollment in the Health Service Program and the Basic or Comprehensive level of the Student Medical Insurance Plan. Those enrolled in the Plan must also be enrolled in the Health Service Program.

Information about the Health Service Program and the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan is mailed to all new students. To see detailed information and to submit an online request for Enrollment/Waiver requests will be accepted until September 30 (for Spring Term new students only: February 1). The request you make for the Fall Term will automatically continue for the Spring Term. The coverage period for the Columbia -Plan extends from September 1 through August 31. Your enrollment or waiver request for each following year must be entered online by September 30. For each year, any full-time student who does not enter a valid Enrollment/Waiver request by the deadline will automatically be enrolled in and billed for the Basic Level of the Plan.

For additional information, please visit http://www.health.columbia.edu/.



Medical Center
FeeFall TermSpring Term
Health Service Fee
Student $427
 $598
Plus Spouse/Domestic Partner $854 $1,196
Medical Insurance Plan Premiums
Student $1,191 $1,667
Plus Spouse/Dom. Partner $3,003 $4,203
Student Plus Child(ren) $2,581 $3,612
Family $4,393 $6,149

Medical Center

All full-time students are required to pay the Medical Center student health fee. This fee is automatically charged to your student account. Full-time students must also purchase the Medical Center student health insurance plan unless they are already have equivalent health insurance.

Part-time students and the adult dependents (spouses and domestic partners) of students are also eligible, but not required, to pay the student health fee and use the health service. Part-time students and all dependents of full-time or part-time students are eligible, but not required, to purchase the student health insurance plan. Part-time students and adult dependents who elect to purchase the health insurance plan must also pay the student health fee.

For waiver eligibility or more information, contact Student Health Services.

Additional information about the student health insurance plan may be obtained directly from the plan administrator, Aetna Student Health, at 877-409-7366 or http://aetnastudenthealth.com. Students may enroll in the health insurance plan or request a waiver online. Students who wish to waive the Medical Insurance and/or add a dependent to their coverage must do so by September 30. Full-time students who do not request a waiver and document equivalent health insurance coverage will automatically be enrolled in the health insurance plan. Fees are assessed on an annual basis in the Fall Term for the period August 17 through August 16. Prorated fees are assessed for students who enter in the Spring or Summer Terms, and for students whose registration status changes to full time during the academic year. Students who are full time in the Fall Term and eligible to graduate in February must apply at Student Health Services by September 30 for a waiver of fees for the period February 1-August 16.

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Housing Charges (for University residence halls and certain University apartments)

 

Undergraduate: $2,978-$3,800 per term

Most continuing students select rooms for the academic year through the selection process carried out during the previous Spring Term and sign Occupancy Agreements before the first Student Account Statement of the Fall Term is issued. New students are sent an Occupancy Agreement as assignments are made. Payment for housing charges should be made by the due date for the first Statement or, for late assignments, at the time when the assignment is made.

Individual Occupancy Agreements will list the room rate for the academic year. These rates may vary by contract length and building to which you are assigned. For a detailed chart, please visit the University Residence Halls website.

UNIVERSITY APARTMENT HOUSING Morningside

University-owned rooms or apartments in 362 or 500 Riverside Drive, 99 Claremont Avenue, 18 or 74 West 108th Street, 544 West 110th Street, 535 or 601 West 112th Street, 600 West 113th Street, 425, 503, or 517 West 121st Street or 600 West 122nd Street, are billed on the Student Account Statement. The contract will state the term charge, which is payable by the term due date, or upon signing the contract if you do so after that date.

For questions about your housing charges, contact Residential Finance and Parking at 212-854-9455. For questions about your accommodations contact University Apartment Housing at 212-854-9300.

UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS Medical Center

Housing charges for most Medical Center Students living in Bard Hall or The Georgian Residence will appear on the first Student Account Statement. For late assignments, payment is due by the term due date, or upon signing the contract if you do so after that date.

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