Fees and Payments

When students have accepted their offer of admission to Lindenwood, students and their parents and/or guardians likewise accept all conditions of payment as well as all terms and regulations of the University. By making the non-refundable $300 housing deposit (described below), the student and the parent or guardian acknowledge these terms and signify acceptance of these obligations. No promise or contract that differs from these terms shall bind the University unless it has been signed by the Chief Operating Officer of Lindenwood University. The University reserves the right to increase or reduce fees each year according to changes in fiscal conditions.

Housing Deposit

An initial $300 housing deposit is required to reserve campus housing for residential students. By making the housing deposit, the student and the student’s parent or guardian indicate acceptance of the terms and conditions of the University. No refund of this housing deposit will be granted to any student who withdraws from the University after making this deposit but prior to the start of an academic term.

The housing deposit becomes a refundable room-damage deposit once the student has attended classes, and the semester charges have been paid. This deposit remains on account at the University for as long as the student resides in University housing. The cost for any damages to the student’s University housing will be deducted from the deposit.

Students are eligible for this refund upon departure from campus housing (coinciding with graduation or any move from University housing). In order to qualify for this refund, students must meet all financial obligations to the University, satisfy all outstanding debts, and complete the Residential Check-Out process. Any student wishing to move off campus and receive a refund of the housing deposit must personally notify the Housing Office in writing of his or her plans to move out of University housing. Failure to do so by the date of the last class or exam of the term or prior to vacating campus housing will result in forfeiture of the deposit.

Applications for the refund of the room-damage deposit are available in the Business Office; materials for the residential check out process are available through the Department of Student Development.

Student Expenses

Full-time Undergraduate Semester Tuition

12 - 18 credit hours $7,836/semester

Overload fee (a charge to full-time students who take more than 18 hours in a term)

$453/credit hour

Full-time Undergraduate Quarter Tuition

Full-time quarter Undergraduate $3,375/9 hour cluster
Quarter overload fee Undergraduate $375/credit hour

Full-time Graduate Tuition

Full-time residential semester rate (9-15 credit hours) $7,836/semester
Full-time commuter semester rate $453/credit hour
Semester overload fee, graduate $453/credit hour
Full-time quarter rate, graduate $4,077/9 hour cluster
Quarter overload fee, graduate $453/credit hour

Part-time Undergraduate Tuition

Undergraduate Semester $453/credit hour
Undergraduate Quarter $375/credit hour

Part-time Graduate Tuition

Part-time semester rate
$453/credit hour
Part-time Education Specialist (EdS) rate
$513/credit hour

Housing & Meals

Semester $3,787/term
Quarter $3,142/term
Room fee during breaks $246/week
Meal charge (initial load) $25

Note: An additional charge may be added for all single rooms in the dormitories and/or apartment/house living quarters (as available).

Commuter Student Meals

Commuter students are eligible for the “Commuter Plus” meal plan. This plan permits commuting students to maintain a connection with their campus and their peers during the day while taking advantage of a meal plan at an affordable price. Commuter Plus Meal Plan includes 19 meals per week: three meals per day M-F and two meals per day Saturday and Sunday.

The costs associated with the Commuter Plus Meal Plan are delineated below. 

Annual Cost (for the academic year) $3590.00
Monthly Cost $398.89
Weekly Cost $ 99.72
Cost per meal $5.25

Other fees

Online surcharge 10%/course
Housing deposit (non-refundable) $300
Resident semester health and activity fee $175/term
Communications fee - residence halls (semester) $150/term
Resident semester email fee $30/term
Resident quarter activity fee $78 term
Resident quarter communications fee $75 term
Resident quarter email fee $15 term
Lab fee (in specified courses) $30-$75/course
Studio fee (general) $30-$75/course
Studio fee (ceramics, color theory, photography and drawing) $85/course
Student Teaching fee $250
Counseling Internship fee $65/term
Experiential Learning credit $90/credit hour
Promissory Note origination fee $25
Late payment fee (per month) $50
Graduation processing/diploma fee - graduate $125
Graduation processing/diploma fee - undergraduate $100
Academic Integrity Tutorial Fee $25
Writing Proficiency Assessment (WPA) fee $5

Note: Provisions for “extended stay” housing and meals, degree programs, and tutoring and additional services are available upon request.

Students are expected to pay tuition charges prior to the beginning of each term. Students may use financial aid (grants and loans) as payment. Student Aid Reports and loan applications should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office prior to the beginning of each term.

The communications fee for resident students covers local and campus exchanges such as computer and internet hook-up, cable, and local and long distance telephone services. Non-resident students pay a smaller email account fee.

Payment Options

All tuition charges and fees are due prior to the beginning of the term. Students should consult their student account representatives in the Business Office regarding due dates or to make other payment arrangements prior to the beginning of the term. Alternately, students may also utilize their student portals to remit payment. Payment options include the following items:

  • Corporate Promissory Note: The Corporate Promissory Note is available to students who work for companies that have tuition reimbursement plans. (Proof of employment and a copy of the company’s reimbursement policy must be on file in the Business Office. The amount of the promissory note cannot exceed the amount the employer pays for tuition for each term. The due date for all promissory notes is 30 days following the conclusion of the term for which the note applies. A monthly late charge will be assessed after this date. By signing a promissory note, students give Lindenwood University permission to contact their employers if the note is not paid by the date due. Any payment or financial aid received prior to the promissory note due date will be applied to the balance appearing on the student’s account.
  • Direct Debit Payment Note (DDP): Lindenwood University offers a Direct Debit Payment Plan for the convenience of students. Payments can be made directly (electronically) from a checking or savings account; there are no fees associated with this method of payment.

Delinquent Accounts

Students must meet all financial obligations to the University in order to qualify for continued enrollment or graduation. Each semester or term, students must pay all money due to the University, including tuition, fees, parking fines, library fines, and any other financial obligation. A student with a delinquent account can expect the following:

  • Enrollment for the subsequent term will not be allowed.
  • Grades for the current term will be withheld.
  • A transcript will not be issued.
  • Graduation will not be permitted.

Withdrawal and Refund Calculation

In the event that a student wishes to withdraw from a course or courses or from the University altogether, the following conditions apply with respect to the refund of tuition charges.

  1. Any student who withdraws from the University prior to the beginning of a term is eligible for a refund of all payments for that term except the initial $300 housing deposit.
  2. Any student who withdraws from all of his or her courses after a term has begun is eligible for a refund of the tuition charges (including course-overload charges) for the courses he or she attended upon the start of the term. Refunds are granted according to the schedule in the schedules below.

Refunds for Semester Schedule Courses

Time of Withdrawal from University

Tuition Refund

Withdrawal before 1st class meets

100%

During weeks 1 and 2 of term

75%

During week 3 of term

50%

During week 4 of term

25%

After week 4 of term

No refund

Refunds for Quarter Schedule Courses

Time of Withdrawal from University

Tuition Refund

Before 1st class meets

100%

Before 2nd class meets

75%

Before 3rd class meets

50%

Before the 4th class meets

25%

After 4th class meets

No refund

     3. Any part-time semester student (enrolled in 11 or fewer credit hours) who withdraws from one or more courses once a term has begun is eligible for a refund of the tuition charges for those courses according to the schedule in the table above. 

     4. Full-time undergraduate semester students (enrolled in 12 to 18 credit hours) whose academic status is not affected by the withdrawal from a course or courses they have already attended are not eligible for any refund of tuition for the withdrawal from those courses. 

Students wishing to withdraw from Lindenwood University-Belleville should submit a completed withdrawal form (with the signatures of the instructors for each of the courses the student attended and the signature of the student’s advisor) to the Academic Services Office.

Notes: (1) Calculations of the return of Title IV aid for withdrawals occurring during the first two weeks of a term will be based on the last date of attendance for the term in which the student withdraws. Students who initiate a withdrawal from the University after the first two weeks of the term will be eligible for a refund of Title IV aid based on the date that the withdrawal form was submitted to Academic Services. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point of the term will not be entitled to a return of Title IV aid. 

(2) Any student who earns the grade of AF in all coursework within a term will be considered unofficially withdrawn for that term and will be subject to a Title IV refund calculation. Based on this calculation a portion of Title IV aid may be unearned and required to be returned to the appropriate agency.

(3) No refund for housing charges will be made for a term after the student signs either a New Student Housing Application or a Returning Student Housing Application. Application, activity, lab, miscellaneous fees, and room reservation deposits are nonrefundable, except as indicated under the Housing Deposit section of this catalog. 

(4) Board charges are pro-rated on a weekly basis from the date of withdrawal.

Appeals of Refund Calculation

LU appeals of withdrawal and refund calculations or other institutional charges from students and parents who feel that individual circumstances warrant exceptions from published policy should be addressed to the Lindenwood Chief Business Officer (CBO) on the St. Charles campus. In order to appeal a decision, the student must submit a written request to the CBO including any evidence that would substantiate the appeal.

Refund Distribution of Financial Aid

After the amount of the refund has been calculated, the Financial Aid Office will determine the Title IV refund amounts according to the calculation schedule approved by the US Department of Education. Refunds to specific Title IV programs will be made to the following programs in the order outlined:

  1. Outstanding balances on FFEL Program Loans (Unsubsidized Stafford, Subsidized Stafford)
  2. PLUS
  3. Federal Pell Grant awards
  4. Federal SEOG awards
  5. Other Title IV student assistance
  6. Other federal, state, private, or institutional aid
  7. The student

No Title IV program may receive a portion of the federal refund amount if that program was not part of the student’s original package.

Cash Disbursements

When a student officially or unofficially withdraws from school and has received a cash disbursement for educational expenses that exceeds non-institutional costs of education up to that time, the student owes the excess amount to the Title IV program(s) which helped meet the student’s educational costs. Lindenwood University will follow the same procedures used in the refund policy to determine which Title IV program(s) will receive the student-owed repayment. The University will notify, bill, and collect the amount owed the Title IV program(s) from the student.