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The price of education is of concern to students, their families, and to colleges. Dickinson has been pleased to hold the price charged to a student for tuition, room, board and fees to about 30 percent below the actual cost of that student's education. Gifts, grants, alumni contributions, bequests, and income from summer conferences supplement payments from families to cover a Dickinson education.
Financial aid is available to many students. The college is aggressive in seeking financial aid for those who have valid needs. Financial aid comes from endowment and other college sources and from outside agencies. Further, because certain federal and state programs are broadly available, it is recommended that all prospective students and their families read the section dealing with financial aid at the
Financial Aid web site.
Basic expenses charged to students fall into the following categories:
Tuition The tuition fee applies to students enrolled in three or more courses per semester; part-time students enrolled in fewer than three courses are billed on a per-course basis.
Resident Fee The resident fee includes room and board.
Student Activities Fee The student activities fee supports a wide range of social and cultural activities administered by student officers elected by the student body.
Other Charges Certain activities chosen by students carry additional fees, such as private music lessons and purchases made in the College Bookstore and Dining Services.
Student Health Insurance Dickinson College is committed to providing and supporting a full and rich academic and social environment for students. In order for the student to fully participate, free from illness, injury or unexpected and potentially overwhelming medical expenses, the college requires that all students have health insurance provided through the college at a reasonable premium. A student who has similar or greater coverage under a parent's medical policy is eligible for a waiver from this requirement. Students who hold citizenship from countries other than the United States are required to have the college-sponsored health insurance policy. Specific cost information and access to the waiver form are available on the
Financial Operations web site.
Payment Policy An itemized statement of fees and charges is mailed approximately seven weeks prior to the beginning of each semester. Payment is due and must be paid in full 14 days prior to the beginning of classes. Accounts not settled by the due date will be subject to a late payment fee of $50 and a one and one-half percent per month interest charge on the unpaid balance and could result in withdrawal from the college for financial reasons.
Bookstore and other miscellaneous consumer charges will be billed on a monthly basis and are due upon receipt. Accounts not settled by the due date will be subject to a late payment fee of $50 and a one and one-half percent per month interest charge on the unpaid balance and could result in withdrawal from the college for financial reasons.
Whether or not the student is currently enrolled, an official transcript of a student's records will not be released if any of the student's accounts, including education loans issued by or through or upon approval of the college, is in arrears.
Payment Plans Many families elect to put all or part of a year's charges for attendance into regular, monthly payments spread over the entire school year. Such plans help families manage college expenses by putting them into a regular, monthly household budgeting system. Information on these plans is available from the
Student Accounts Office or from the
Financial Aid Office.
A variety of other financing options is available to those who wish to spread the charges for a Dickinson education over more than four years. To help our families, Dickinson has created DMPL, the Dickinson Manageable PLUS Loan Program (a combined program with the federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students - PLUS). This program permits parents to borrow up to the total annual price of attendance at Dickinson, less any other financial aid. Low federal interest rates make this a particularly attractive alternative for financing a student's education. Information is available through the college's
Financial Aid Office.
Tuition Prepayment Plan Dickinson College offers a prepayment plan for a minimum period of two years. A student may prepay tuition charges at the prevailing rate for the following semester multiplied by the number of semesters to be prepaid (minimum of 4, maximum of 8). This plan guarantees savings by protecting a student from future increases in the price of tuition. The Tuition Prepayment Plan covers tuition only; room, board, and other fees cannot be prepaid and will be invoiced according to the normal fall/spring semester billing cycle(s).
Additional information may be obtained by contacting David S. Walker, Associate VP/Treasurer by telephone at 717-245-1383, or via e-mail at
walkerd@dickinson.edu.
The college accepts all Act 529 Plans and any nationally recognized tuition prepayment plan. For more information on the Act 529 Plan go to
www.independent529plan.org or call 1-888-718-7878.
Dickinson College Refund Policy The Dickinson College Refund Policy applies to all students attending the Carlisle campus who withdraw, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence from the college after the start of classes. A separate policy applies to those who are attending sites approved through the Office of Global Education. Please see the
General Orientation Handbook for Study Abroad, available in the Global Education Office.
A student's date of withdrawal is determined by either:
1) The date the student begins the withdrawal process by contacting the appropriate Class Dean, or
2) The date the student is officially dismissed from the college, or
3) If the student leaves without notifying the institution, the mid-point of the semester or the student's last documented attendance at an academically-related activity, whichever is later.
Refunds of all institutional charges for tuition, required fees, room and board will be determined on a pro-rata basis until 60% of the semester has been completed. No refunds will be calculated after 60% of the semester has elapsed. Weekends are included in counted days, except when part of a scheduled period of non-attendance of five days or more, such as spring break.
A student who withdraws prior to the beginning of the first day of classes will receive a 100% refund, except for the non-refundable enrollment deposit. Charges for room and board will continue until departure from campus. Refund calculations for all flexible meal plan options will be based on the actual meals, points and declining balance used by the student. Any outstanding student account balance will be deducted from the refund prior to payment.
For students receiving financial aid, the following rules will apply:
1) Funds will be returned to financial aid programs before any funds are returned to the student.
2) Return of Title IV (Federal) Funds: Funds received from the Federal financial aid programs will be aggregated and refunded to the programs using the same percentage as calculated above. After 60% of the semester has been completed, federal financial aid funds are viewed as "earned" in their entirety, and no refund will be made. Funds will be returned in the order prescribed by the US Department of Education: Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, then other federal assistance.
3) Grant/Scholarship aid from Dickinson will be refunded to the source from which it came using the calculated refund percentage.
4) State Grants will be refunded in accordance with the guidelines of the appropriate state grant agency.
5) Outstanding balances due to the college will be deducted from any refund due to the student.
Summer School Refund Policy A paid, registered student, who informs the college before the first day of classes that he or she expects not to come to summer school, shall be entitled to a 100% refund of all fees. After classes begin, the following schedule will apply:
Tuition:
Course (for credit) dropped...
during the 1st week, 60% refund
during the 2nd week, 40% refund
after the 2nd week, 0% refund
Course (audit) dropped...
during the 1st week, 60% refund
during the 2nd week, 20% refund
after the 2nd week, 0% refund
Room and Board: No refund
Application Fee: No refund
If the student's bill has not been paid in full or if there are new charges on the student's account, the refund to the student may not fully cover the charges. In this instance, the student may continue to have an outstanding balance owed to Dickinson, and will not receive a cash refund.
Dickinson continues to seek new ways to help families and students manage the costs of education. The college's endowment includes specially earmarked funds for financial assistance; some general endowment funds are also set aside for this purpose. Each year, federal and state funds are allocated to the college for awards to eligible students. In some cases, gifts and grants from corporations and foundations provide help. In addition, some families find that employers and other near-to-home sources can provide assistance.
Most grant assistance from Dickinson is based upon documented financial need according to the financial need analysis system of the college Scholarship Service using the CSS PROFILE form as the application. First year students' filing deadlines parallel the admissions deadlines. A "package" of financial aid is developed for each recipient, and may include scholarships, grants, loans for students, loans for parents, or on-campus work opportunities. Prior to April 15, families must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for federal grants, loans and work/study. Families should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 15 in order for us to determine eligibility for federal grants, loans and work/study. Final tax returns should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office by May 1.
Students must reapply for need-based aid each year. In order to receive financial aid a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress, apply on time, and continue to demonstrate financial need. Continuing students should file their FAFSA by April 15. Students whose family circumstances have changed and who wish to be considered for additional institutional grant assistance should also submit the PROFILE and their tax returns by April 15. Our FAFSA Code Number is 2186; the code number for the CSS PROFILE is 003253.
In some cases, the college may need additional information in order to determine eligibility for institutional grant assistance. In the case of divorced or separated parents, the Divorced/Separated Parent's Statement should be completed by the non-custodial parent. Families that own businesses or farms should complete the Business/Farm Supplement.
Students may access the above two forms on-line on the
Financial Aid web site.
Eligibility for Dickinson Grant assistance will be determined using the family contribution calculated according to the CSS PROFILE analysis. This determination of financial need differs from the FAFSA analysis done by the federal government to determine eligibility for federal aid.
Detailed financial aid information is provided to financial aid recipients each year.
In addition to need-based aid (or as a part of a package if a student has a demonstrated financial need), Dickinson is pleased to offer academic scholarships to the top candidates for first-year admission. The John Dickinson, Benjamin Rush and John Montgomery Scholarships were developed to recognize exemplary academic performance and leadership achievement. These scholarships are awarded to the most competitive among students applying to Dickinson College. Current minimum objective criteria can be found in the admissions literature and financial aid brochure published for each year's entering class.
A financial aid recipient may be granted one or more forms of assistance. Students receiving grants are usually also given loans and campus employment as part of their "package." For more details, read the Dickinson College Financial Aid Brochure and the Financial Aid Policies Manual, which is published annually on the
financial aid website.
Scholarships These awards are designed to recognize the exemplary academic performance of students.
Grants Grants (outright gifts) may be made from the college's own endowment, from state or federal sources, or from outside agency funds.
Campus employment Most students receiving assistance are offered campus employment of up to 12 hours per week in exchange for wages which help defray expenses. Campus jobs are provided to eligible students using funds from the Federal Work-Study Program and from Dickinson's own funds.
Loans Several low-interest loan programs are available to students who demonstrate financial need. The Federal Stafford Loan and the Federal Perkins Loan, available from the college, feature a federal interest subsidy and the delay of repayment until after the student finishes school. Deferments are available for graduate study and a variety of other reasons.
Summer employment Students are normally expected to obtain summer jobs and to apply those earnings toward the costs of education.
Outside Scholarships Any student receiving financial aid who also receives scholarships, loans, tuition remission, or support from a source other than the college, must report the additional aid to the Dickinson financial aid office. Such assistance can impact the student's eligibility for assistance from federal and institutional resources. The total amount of assistance received by federal aid recipients cannot exceed need as computed by federally approved methodology. The college will attempt to reduce or eliminate self-help (loans or work) before reducing grant aid.
