Tuition, Fees, and Financial Policies

McDaniel College has always attempted to keep its fees within the reach of those students coming from families with moderate incomes while offering a liberal arts education of outstanding value.

The regular academic year for undergraduates consists of a fall semester, the January Term, and a spring semester. Students enrolling for 12 or more credit hours in the fall and spring semesters are charged tuition as full-time students. Students enrolled for more than 20 credits per semester are billed for each credit hour over 20. Students enrolling for less than full time will be charged at the part-time rate. However, all resident students, whether full or part time will pay the full-time tuition rate.

Information on Jan Term charges for tuition and housing requirements is provided in the Undergraduate Student Expenses section.

 Full-time students are charged a flat tuition fee of $22,938 per semester. The tuition for part-time and special students is $1,434 per credit hour.

McDaniel College divides basic charges into two half-year billings, the first payable for freshmen by Aug. 1, 2020 and returning students by Aug. 15, 2020, and the second by Jan. 10, 2021. An additional charge (late payment penalty) of 1 percent a month on the unpaid balance or $25, whichever is greater, will be added if payment is not received in the Bursar’s Office on or before the payment due date and on the unpaid balance of each succeeding month throughout the session. The proceeds of Federal Direct or PLUS Loans are exempt from the late payment penalty provided a completed application is received by the Financial Aid Office at least four weeks prior to the first day of the semester. Additional bills for miscellaneous fees, library fines, property damages, etc., are available online as charges are incurred. Checks should be mailed to the Bursar’s Office. No student will be permitted to enter class, receive grades or transcripts, advance from one class to another, or be graduated until all financial obligations are met. The student is responsible for attorney’s fees and other costs necessary for the collection of any amount due.

Students normally pre-register for the following semester during assigned periods as outlined in the Registrar’s Schedule of Classes booklet.

Students may print their class schedules from the Portal and complete their registration prior to the first day of the semester. A $30 late add fee will be charged to students completing their registration after Aug. 30, 2020. A $30 late drop fee will be charged to students withdrawing from a class between Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2020.

For the convenience of parents desiring monthly payment arrangements, McDaniel College in partnership with Tuition Management Systems offers choices to make education affordable. Whether students prefer to pay the semester expenses by an interest-free, 5-month Tuition Contract or a low interest loan, TMS’s counseling services help keep payments affordable and loan debt at a minimum. Families may make inquiries at TMS’s toll-free number 1-800-722-4867 or online at www.afford.com. There is a $75 per semester enrollment fee payable to TMS.

Schedule of tuition and fees follows:

Modest increases in tuition, room, and board may be expected each year.

A complete listing of miscellaneous fees, including physical education fees and internship fees, is available in the Bursar’s Office. All fees are subject to change. Some of the fees are as follows:

Freshman, sophomore, and junior students are required to live on campus unless they live with their parents, are married, or are over age 25. Exceptions are made by the Residence Life Office. Students are assigned single, double, or triple rooms in the Residence Halls. Double and single rooms are available in North Village, Garden Apts. and Pennsylvania Avenue houses. The semester rates for these rooms follow:

North Village and Pennsylvania Avenue houses are equipped with kitchen facilities.

All students living in College-owned housing will be charged full-time tuition.

All students desiring College housing must make a deposit of $200 in the spring before room assignments will be made for the following fall. This is subsequently credited toward the room charges when billed.

The College offers the traditional  “meals per week” plans that cater to student needs. Meals are allotted per week so students do not run out of meals. Changes or cancellations to the meal plan must be made within the first two weeks of the semester.

All first year students residing in a traditional residence are required to be on the Platinum meal plan (unlimited entrance to the dining hall) or the Gold meal plan (allows 19 meals per week) for two semesters. Upper class students residing in the residence halls are required to be on at least the Silver meal plan (allows 12 meals per week). Residents of North Village, Garden Apts. with a kitchen, Pennsylvania houses and commuters may select any meal plan option by submitting a request to the Bursar’s Office. The meal plans and the semester costs for 2020-2021 are as follows:

Platinum Plan: $3,455 per semester.  The student is given $75 debit per semester and 3 guest meal passes. 100 meals may be used in the Pub/Grille as a meal exchange. This plan allows unlimited entrance to the dining hall.

Gold Plan: $3,310 per semester. The student is given $50 debit per semester and 3 guest meal passes. 75 meals may be used in the Pub/Grille as a meal exchange. This plan allows 19 meals per week.

Silver Plan: $2,741 per semester. The student is given $50 debit per semester and 3 guest meal passes. 45 meals may be used in the Pub/Grille as a meal exchange. This plan allows 12 meals per week.

Bronze Plan: $1,150 per semester. The student is given $50 debit per semester and 3 guest passes. This plan allows five (5) meals in the Dining Hall per week and can be used for any mealtime- breakfast, lunch or dinner, and 20 meals may be used in the Pub/Grille as a meal exchange. Students choose the meal that fits best in their schedule. This meal plan is available to commuter students or provide another option for those students living in non-traditional residence halls.

January Term Meal Plans: 36 meals for $450, 42 meals for $522 or 60 meals for $650 for the 3 week session.  All students residing in the campus residence halls must choose at least the 36 meal plan (12 meals per week), whether they are here for athletics, as student workers, or taking classes.

Students with meal plans have their I.D. cards activated as 1card debit accounts. Commuter students also have debit card capabilities. The card is used to gain access into Englar Dining Hall; purchase books, supplies, and clothing at the College Book Store; purchase meals and snacks at the Pub/Grille, Caseys’ Corner and Green n Go. Please refer to the 1card Dining Plan for more information.

For more information on any of the meal plans, contact the Bursar’s Office.

A Student Health Insurance fee is charged to all students each academic year. Students who have comparable coverage under another policy may waive the cost by submitting an on-line waiver by the due date. Instructions for completing the waiver are included in the Bursar’s billing cover letter, the insurance brochure, or by contacting the Bursar’s Office. The deadline to waive is Aug. 15, 2020.

The College must make financial commitments to its faculty, staff, and service contractors on an annual basis. It is assumed a student will not withdraw from the College during a semester. Should withdrawal become necessary because of prolonged illness or similar unusual circumstance, the following refund policy will prevail.

When registering for educational courses at McDaniel College, students are fully responsible for the cost and expense of all tuition, fees, housing, meal plans and other related educational expenses associated with their enrollment and status as a student at the College.  Payment for any amounts due for these educational expenses must be made by the deadline that is published in this section, “Tuition, Fees, and Financial Policies,” for the semesters/terms they are enrolled. Should students incur any expenses for items not set forth therein, payment is due at the time they are incurred or students are otherwise informed they are due.  Any payments not made by these deadlines will be considered an unpaid balance on the student’s account.

Tuition refund in event of withdrawal (for 2020-2021 the academic semester includes both Sessions A and B):

Effective Date of Withdrawal

The effective date of withdrawal is the date upon receipt of the Withdrawal Form in the Office of Academic Affairs. Students receiving financial aid may have a portion of their original award returned to the program as required by federal regulation and the McDaniel College refund policy, thus creating a balance due to the College. If the result is a credit balance, the credit balance will be mailed to the billing address within three weeks of the withdrawal date. Review the financial aid brochure for more information.

Credit Balances

It may happen that financial aid postings may exceed the cost of tuition, room and board. If this occurs, a credit balance will appear on the billing statement. Refunds are automatically processed starting the second Friday of each semester.  Student refunds will be placed in the student CAMPUS MAIL. PLUS loan refunds will be mailed as designated per the PLUS loan application. If you would like to use a portion of the credit towards books we can transfer up to $600 to your McDaniel 1Card. Stop by the Bursar’s Office to authorize that transfer. 

Room and Board

A pro rata refund will be made from date of withdrawal. For students who have an 1card Debit Account, all remaining funds will be refunded less a $20 administrative fee.

There may be instances beyond the control of McDaniel College that result in a modification or cancelation of classes and/or closure of the college.  Such instances may include, but are not limited to: (a) acts of God; (b) flood, fire, earthquake or explosion; (c) war, invasion, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), terrorist threats or acts, riot, or other civil unrest; (d) actions, embargoes or blockades in effect on or after the date of this Agreement; (e) action by any Governmental Authority; (f) national or regional emergency; (g) strikes, labor stoppages, or industrial disturbances; and (h) epidemic or pandemic (each a “Force Majeure Event”).

The Tuition, Room and Board Withdrawal Refund Policy above will not be offered in the case of modification or cancelation of classes and/or closure of McDaniel College resulting from a Force Majeure Event, and students waive any and all claims against McDaniel College arising out of or related to the modification or cancelation of classes and/or closure of McDaniel College that arise out of or relate to a Force Majeure Event.  However, in the event of a campus closure, the college will provide a pro-rata refund of the board plan.

Students who withdraw from the College during the semester may not be eligible for some or all of the financial aid they received for that semester. Funds for which students are no longer eligible must be returned to the appropriate program fund.

Federal Title IV Aid refunds

Federal Title IV aid includes programs such as Pell grants, SEOG grants, Perkins Loans, Subsidized Loans, and Unsubsidized Loans. Federal regulations require McDaniel College to use these funds to pay for your tuition, mandatory fees, room and meals that we charge. Your bill or account may also include other charges on it, such as parking, McDaniel 1card, library fines etc. Federal regulations allow the college to use Title IV funds to pay for these other charges only if you authorize the college to do so. The authorization form is available on the Bursar’s home page on the portal.

A $30 returned check fee will be charged for each item returned from a bank regardless of the reason it was returned. If an electronic check (Ecommerce/Touchnet) is returned any and all applicable returned check fee(s) will be added as per the agreement signed by student/parent/guardian/spouse or proxy at the time the e-check payment is originally submitted.

Students will be sent a returned check notice specifying the exact date the returned item was presented to their bank.

Checks returned because of stopped payment, account closed or “refer to maker,” cannot be redeposited. The amount of the check plus any applicable returned check fees will become immediately due and payable by the student.

Returned check items must be paid in certified funds (cash, cashier’s check or credit card). McDaniel College will not accept a personal check to pay returned check items (this includes returned check fees). Students who have had three or more checks returned unpaid to McDaniel College for any reason will no longer be permitted to pay financial obligations of any kind using personal checks regardless of whose account the check is drawn from (parent, guardian, spouse, employer, etc.).

Students who have any questions regarding returned checks or have had a check returned to McDaniel College are encouraged to contact the Bursar’s Office as soon as possible.

Undergraduate account balances not paid by the deadlines are assessed a late fee of $25 or 1 percent per month of the unpaid balance, whichever is greater. McDaniel College encourages students to reach out to the Bursar’s Office and/or Financial Aid to discuss possible options.

In addition, students with past due balances greater than $1,000 will have a Bursar Hold placed on their student records. The Bursar Hold prevents students from:

• Participating in pre-registration of the upcoming term’s classes
• Receiving their academic transcripts (must be paid in full)
• Receiving a diploma (must be paid in full) 

ACH payments take five banking days to clear and credit card payments are cleared within 48 business hours. Once payments have cleared and the student’s account is below $1,000, the Bursar’s restriction will be lifted for pre-registration.

All semester balances must be paid in full prior to the last day of each semester to avoid potential cancellation of the upcoming semester’s registration, room and board.