Graduate Catalog

Financial Information

Tuition

Tuition is charged to students and applied to all instructional programs. Students admitted to the Graduate School must pay graduate tuition and fees whether the credits satisfy program requirements or not.

University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) students are expected to accept full responsibility to pay all tuition, fees and other associated costs assessed as a result of registration and/or receipt of services in accordance with the published UMB Policy on payment of tuition and fees http://www.umaryland.edu/policies-and-procedures/library/financial-affairs/policies/viii-220a.php

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this or any other University publication, the University reserves the right to change tuition, fees, and other charges at any time such changes are deemed necessary by the University or the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The Graduate School tuition and fees schedule is located at https://www.umaryland.edu/student-financial-services/tuition-and-fees-by-school/.

According to University regulations, graduate students dropping courses receive a full refund of tuition if they drop courses before the first day of the semester. 

Students who withdraw from some or all classes are responsible for paying all or a portion of tuition and fees in accordance with the published tuition refund policy at http://www.umaryland.edu/registrar/academic-calendar/refund-policies/ and schedule at http://www.umaryland.edu/registrar/academic-calendar/refund-schedule/. 

Students who completely withdraw from UMB, must first consult with the school/program regarding specific policies and procedures relating to registration, cancellations, and withdrawals.

Fees

In addition to tuition, graduate students are charged mandatory technology, auxiliary, and other fees. Auxiliary fees include University Student Government Association, supporting facilities, student activity, and shuttle fees. Some online programs are exempt from the supporting facilities and shuttle fees.

Indebtedness to the University

Delinquent account/debt collection (financial hold) If students fail to pay their student account in full by the scheduled due date, UMB will place a financial hold on the student account, preventing the student from registering for future classes, receiving transcripts and/or any diploma.

Late Payment Charge: If students fail to pay their student account in full by the scheduled due date, the semester outstanding balance is subject to a one-time late fee of 5% to a maximum of $200.00.

Collection Agency Fees: If students fail to pay their student account in full by the scheduled due date and fail to make acceptable payment arrangements to bring the account current, UMB may refer the delinquent account to the State of Maryland Central Collection Unit (SCCU). If UMB refers the student account balance to SCCU for collection, a collection fee of 17% will be assessed.

Student Account, eBilling and Payment of Tuition and Fees

University of Maryland Baltimore has partnered with TouchNet® to provide eBills through TouchNet® Bill+Payment™ suite. Students  are responsible for paying tuition and fees by the due date even if the student does not receive an eBill notification.

eBills are a snapshot in time and do not reflect any activity (payments, credits, or adjustments) until the next billing cycle.

To view current account balances, recent activity, and estimated financial aid, students may log in to the TouchNet® link via SURFS.

Students may access TouchNet® by logging in to SURFS, then clicking on the TouchNet® link in the Main Menu.

Students are encouraged to review their accounts regularly to ensure all charges and payments are posted correctly.  Failure to make payment in full for all outstanding charges results in late fee assessment and registration/transcript holds being placed on your account. Students whom do not have an Authorized User set up are responsible for printing a PDF copy of their bill and sending it to the payer.

Please contact Student Financial Services if you have any concerns so that discrepancies can be addressed and resolved quickly at: studentaccounthelp@umaryland.edu.

ACH payments are accepted online via the TouchNet® link in SURFS.  You may access TouchNet® by logging in to SURFS, then clicking on the TouchNet® link in the Main Menu. *Service fees will not be assessed for online payments made via a checking account (ACH)*

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express are only accepted via the TouchNet® link in SURFS.  You may access TouchNet® by logging in to SURFS, then clicking on the TouchNet® link in the Main Menu.  *A non-refundable convenience fee of 2.85% (minimum $3.00) will be charged for all payments made via credit card*

Due Date and Methods of Payment

UMB accepts payments online, by mail and in person. Please visit https://www.umaryland.edu/student-financial-services/methods-of-payment/ for more information on payment due dates and methods of payment.  Additionally, UMB offers an Installment Plan. A student seeking to pay in installments should email Student Financial Services at studentaccounthelp@umaryland.edu to initiate and execute the agreement before the original due date of the bill.

The terms of the Installment Plan are as follows:

An administrative fee of $10 per semester is added to the outstanding balance.

One-third (1/3) of the charges plus the $10 administration fee are due on the original due date.

One-third (1/3) of the charges is due 30 days after the original due date.

One-third (1/3) of the charges is due 60 days after the original due date.

If an installment is received 15 days after the due date, it is considered late and subject to a late fee of $200 or 5% of the total account balance due, whichever is less.

Returned Check Policy

A service charge of $25 is assessed for each check that is returned unpaid by the bank for any reason.

Health Insurance Coverage

All full-time students (Graduate Level – 9 credit hours or more, Undergraduate Level – 12 credit hours or more) are automatically billed for and enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). This does not include students enrolled in designated Online Only Programs. If students have comparable health insurance coverage they are able to waive the SHIP by completing the online Decision Form by the required waiver deadline, and the SHIP charge will be removed if the waiver is approved.

If full time students are enrolled in online classes that are not part of a designated Online Only Program, they are subject to the health insurance requirement as noted above.

Any students taking fewer than 9 credit hours for Graduate Programs and 12 credit hours for Undergraduate Programs will not be automatically billed for SHIP, but are eligible to enroll on a voluntary basis, excluding students enrolled in a designated Online Only Program. Students who want to enroll in the UMB SHIP will need to complete the Gallagher Decision Form prior to the deadline.

Generally, students enrolled in UMB designated Online Only Programs are not eligible to participate in the UMB SHIP and are not charged the health insurance fee because of the nature of their educational work. This does not include the MSHS Physician Assistant Concentration; these students are enrolled in clinical activities and are required to have health insurance.

For the most up to date information on SHIP and how to complete the decision form, please visit https://www.umaryland.edu/student-financial-services/student-insurance/.

 

Determination of Residency For Tuition Purposes

Applicants seeking classification as a Maryland resident for tuition and charge-differential purposes must complete a Maryland In-State Status form that accompanies the application for admission. It is important that all questions be answered on the form; omitting information will result in out-of-state classification. The statement of residency determination, as defined by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, and the procedures and policies of in-state residency determination may be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website, www.umaryland.edu/orr/. An initial determination of in-state status for admission, tuition, and charge-differential purposes is made by the registrar when a student’s application for admission is under consideration. The determination made at that time and any determination made thereafter shall prevail for each subsequent semester until the determination is challenged successfully in a timely manner. Students may request a re-evaluation of their status by filing a petition for in-state classification for admission, tuition, and charge-differential purposes.

Students must meet the requirements for in-state status and submit a completed petition (including all documents required therein) by the last day of late registration for the semester in which they wish to be classified as in-state. The burden rests upon students to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the University that an in-state classification is appropriate. No change in status requested by students shall be given retroactively. A determination of in-state status is valid only if a student enrolls in the semester for which they applied. Determinations made in cases in which students do not enroll are not valid for a subsequent semester (all requirements must be satisfied independently and a new and timely petition must be submitted).

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available to qualified, full-time, degree-seeking graduate students. An assistantship is awarded to students to enable them to make progress toward a graduate degree and obtain academic or research experience. The duties of a graduate assistant must be consistent with the teaching and research missions of the University. Assistantships are awarded by the program in which the student is enrolled. The assignment depends on the program’s needs and the experience and qualifications of the student. Applicants should apply for an assistantship directly to the program in which they wish to study.

Programs offer assistantships based on the availability of funds and admission of the student to degree-seeking status at the University. Graduate assistants must register as full-time students, enroll in degree programs, and make satisfactory progress toward their degrees. Programs normally award assistantships to students who have shown superior aptitude in their fields of study and appear likely to render a high quality of service to the University with their teaching and research activities. All graduate assistants are eligible for tuition remission. A full assistantship carries up to 10 credits of tuition remission each semester — fall and spring. All other fees are the responsibility of the graduate student. Graduate assistantships are awarded with the intent of providing financial support and contributing to the recipient’s professional development. In all instances, it is understood that the graduate student’s priority should be their studies and research, and that 100 percent of their effort will be devoted to this endeavor. Therefore, graduate assistants are ineligible for additional awards or employment that includes a work component. A graduate assistant who receives external support for their research will be expected to end their graduate assistantship. These principles also will apply during the summer months for graduate assistants with a 12-month appointment.

Exceptions to this policy require the prior approval of the Graduate School. The Graduate School produces the Graduate Assistant Policies and Guidelines handbook, which is available from the Graduate School and is on the Graduate School website.

Other Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities also are available to graduate students through National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health programs and many other public and private foundations. Students must apply directly to these programs or foundations. Students eligible for federal Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits should contact the VA representative in the School of Nursing or the Graduate School regarding processing requirements and services for VA benefits.

Need-Based Financial Assistance - Office of Student Financial Assistance and Education

Students may apply for need-based assistance to help meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, supplies, and normal living expenses not covered by tuition remission or other resources. Need-based assistance includes Federal Direct Stafford loans and Federal Direct Grad PLUS. Students seeking assistance from these programs must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the enrollment year. Students may apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. More information is available from the Office of Student Financial Assistance and Education, which may be reached at 410-706-7347, via email at aidtalk@umaryland.edu, or by viewing the eligibility for need-based assistance at www.umaryland.edu/fin.