Financial Information

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and Fees* academic year 2012-13

Note: Some courses taken for audit require full tuition; consult the course descriptions for complete details.

Laboratory Fees (per course):

*Tuition and fees are subject to change each academic year.

Note: Students registering for courses after courses have met twice will be charged a $100 late registration fee.

Payment of Bill

Tuition and fees must be paid in full at the time of registration unless students are receiving financial aid. Students with financial aid must have a current FAFSA on file at the time of registration. Only checks, money orders, and credit cards (Visa or MasterCard) will be accepted as forms of payment. Students registering through CyberFriar must complete the online tuition payment using a credit card (MasterCard or Visa) or ACH payment (online check payment) at the time of registration. Students who do not submit payment at the time of registration will be dropped for non-payment.

Tuition remission paperwork must be completed with Human Resources prior to the student’s registration. Students whose tuition is paid by third parties must present a letter of authorization on company letterhead at the time of registration. Students who do not submit payment at the time of registration will be dropped for non-payment. Students dropped from a course(s) who wish to re-register will be allowed registration only on a space-available basis.

Tuition Payment Plan

As an alternative to payment in full at the beginning of each semester, Providence College offers an optional payment program for SCE students who wish to pay in installments. This service is provided exclusively through Tuition Management Systems.

Under this program, SCE students may budget their educational expenses in several equal installments. Tuition and fees for the upcoming semester may be budgeted under this plan. There is a $35 application fee each semester you enroll. There are no interest charges for the plan.

Information and application forms for this program are mailed to all students each term. For more information, students may contact Tuition Management Systems directly at 1.800.356.8329, or online. Students should be sure to mention SCE to ensure they are enrolled in the correct program. Students can also contact the Bursars office by phone at 401.865.2284, or email with additional questions.

Tuition Discounts

Tuition discounts are available for some special groups of students—including PC alumni, religious and clergy, and persons over 65 years of age. In all cases, enrollment using the discounted tuition is on a stand-by basis, meaning that the students are enrolled at the end of the registration period only if seats are available. As a result, students using a special discount may be closed out of classes. The discount must be requested at the time of registration; it will not be applied retroactively.

Tuition discounts do not apply to audited course,, directed study courses, student teaching, or courses taken through a contract program. Discounts apply only to tuition and do not apply to any fees or other charges attached to a course.

Procedures for registration are as follows:

1. Mail or fax a completed Registration Form or register in person for the course(s) of your choice. Students using a tuition discount may not register through CyberFriar.
2. If seats are available in the class at the end of the regular registration period, individuals will be contacted and invited to register at the reduced rate. Seats will be offered according to the order in which the registrations are received.

Alumni

Alumni are defined as students holding a bachelor’s degree from Providence College. A 25 percent standby discount is available on all School of Continuing Education credit courses.

Religious and Clergy

A 25 percent standby discount is available on all School of Continuing Education credit courses. This discount does not apply to courses taken for audit.

Persons 65 and Over

Persons 65 and over may take courses for $100 per course, plus lab fees as required. Course participants are encouraged to make a contribution to the SCE Rev. Michael Murphy Scholarship Fund or Rev. John F. Cunningham Diversity Scholarship Fund to assist other adult students in need of financial aid.

Return of Title IV Funds

Providence College is required by federal and state regulations to make known the following information to financial aid recipients: Upon withdrawing from the College during the first 60 percent of the enrollment period, a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time he or she remains enrolled. That is, the percentage of time during the period that the student remains enrolled is the percentage of disbursable aid for that period that the student earned. Again, written withdrawal notification serves as the date of a withdrawal. In cases where a student unofficially withdraws from the College (defined as having earned NO grades during that semester) the student will be subject to a similar refund calculation based on the last day of academic-related activity or back to the 50-percent point of the semester. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60-percent point earns all aid for the period.

Refund Distribution

Prescribed by law and regulation

1. Unsubsidized loans
2. Subsidized loans
3. Federal Perkins Loans
4. PLUS Loans
5. Federal Pell Grants
6. Academic Competitiveness Grant
7. National Smart Grant
8. Federal SEOG

Tuition Refund Policy

Tuition and lab fees are refundable according to the following schedule. Other fees are nonrefundable.

Financial Aid

School of Continuing Education students who are enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program half-time or more (i.e. at least six credits) are eligible to apply for federal and state financial aid and may do so by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.gov. If students (and parents, if applicable) want to sign the FAFSA application electronically, they must apply for a federal Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov.

Financial aid applications usually require 10 to 20 business days to process and should be submitted at least four weeks prior to the semester in which the student plans on matriculating. Please note, Rhode Island residents should complete their FAFSA no later than the March 1 deadline in order to ensure consideration for the Rhode Island State Grant. Students who are not Rhode Island residents should check with their individual states regarding their state scholarship deadlines.

In determining financial aid awards, Providence College distributes financial assistance based on a number of factors, including federal and state policy, academic qualifications, and the availability of other resources. The College reserves the right to modify a student’s financial assistance at any time if the federal law or College policy subsequently changes.

Providence College primarily uses the Federal Methodology required by the Higher Education Act (1992), as amended, to determine a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid programs. This methodology allows the College to distribute federal financial aid to eligible students in accordance with federal guidelines.

Sources of Federal and State Aid

Grants and Loans

Federal and state funds in the form of grants and loans are available to School of Continuing Education students, primarily in the programs described below. Specific information regarding eligibility, institutional or federal policy, and procedures can be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid, Harkins Hall, Room 403, 401.865.2286.

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grant awards are a type of assistance that does not have to be repaid. This grant is restricted to undergraduate students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree. For the 2012-13 academic year, the annual Pell Grant awards can range from a minimum of $575 to a maximum of $5,550. Specific Pell Grant amounts are determined by the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) generated from the FAFSA and the number of credits for which a student is registered and billed for at the end of the add/drop period in each semester.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) funds are a type of assistance that does not have to be repaid. This grant is restricted to undergraduate students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree. Priority for this fund is given to students who are eligible to receive a Pell Grant. Grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $1,000 and are highly subjective to availability of funds.

Rhode Island State Grant (RISG)

Rhode Island State Grant funds are assistance that does not have to be repaid. Eligibility is determined by the Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority (RIHEAA). Amounts for the 2012-13 academic year have not yet been determined. (In the 2011-12 academic year, RISG’s ranged from $250 to $900 depending on the recipient’s financial need.)

Consideration for these funds is given to undergraduate students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree, are legal residents of Rhode Island, AND meet the state’s March 1 deadline for filing the FAFSA.

Federal Direct Loan Program

Providence College participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. A Federal Direct Loan is available to those students admitted and enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program and registered for at least six credits each semester. A student may be awarded a Federal Direct Loan that is either subsidized, unsubsidized, or a combination of both. A subsidized loan is awarded based on need as determined by the FAFSA and the cost of the individual student’s program. If a student qualifies for a subsidized loan, the federal government will pay the loan interest during in-school deferment periods. An unsubsidized Direct Loan is available to students regardless of the determination of need on the FAFSA application and cost of the student’s individual program. The unsubsidized Direct Loan requires that student borrowers pay interest during in-school deferment periods. For borrowers who take out a Subsidized or Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan beginning with the 2012-13 academic year, will have a fixed interest rate of 6.8%. Repayment on the principal loan amount is deferred until six months after graduation and may extend up to 10 years for repayment. The annual borrowing limits for undergraduate students are listed in the chart below.

Since the Direct Loan Program is administered by Providence College, the FAFSA is the only application required in order to be considered for these funds. The Student Loan Office at Providence College will electronically provide information on how to complete the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling for all first-time student borrowers. The Office of Financial Aid will determine a student’s eligibility and the Student Loan Office will process all paperwork involving the Direct Loan Program. Throughout the academic year, students will receive communications from both offices regarding these loans.

Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

The Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program is available to parents interested in borrowing loan funds to meet educational costs for their student. Since this program is a part of the Federal Direct Loan Program, all loan transactions will be handled by the Office of Financial Aid in conjunction with the Student Loan Office at Providence College. Parents of dependent students who are admitted and enrolled in a degree program and have registered for at least six credits each semester may borrow up to the cost of education minus any financial aid they are already receiving.

Interested parents may submit their applicaiton request directly with the U.S. Department of Education here.  PLUS Loan borrowers are subject to a credit check, and a onetime origination fee is deducted from the loan amount.

Providence College SCE Scholarships

In addition to the FAFSA, students must submit a scholarship application to the SCE Office by August 1 for consideration for the fall semester, January 1 for consideration for the spring semester, and May 1 for summer awards. Scholarship applications are available in the SCE Office and on the SCE Web site.

The Rev. Michael Murphy Scholarship Fund provides limited, short-term scholarship assistance directly from the School of Continuing Education. These non-renewable awards for accepted degree or certificate program students are based on academic achievement and financial need.

The Rev. John Cunningham Diversity Scholarship Fund supports students whose native language is not English and/or who are members of under-represented minority groups and others who have experienced challenging circumstances, or demonstrated financial need, and do not already have an undergraduate degree. The scholarship provides a two-thirds reduction in tuition for two classes per semester during the first three semesters of study. Eligibility is determined by a formal application request and an interview.

The SCE Women’s Scholarship Fund was established through the generosity of an SCE alumna—provides up to $5,000 per academic year to one or more female SCE students, based on financial need and academic performance. The application process is competitive, with recipients determined by a standing committee. For more information, contact the SCE Office.

The SCE Alumni Scholarship Fund was established through the generosity of an SCE alumna—provides $600 per academic year to a student not receiving other forms of financial assistance and earning a salary within a maximum range. For more information, contact the SCE Office.

The Eleanor Casserly Memorial Scholarship was established in 1980 to support SCE students who attend school at least half-time and work full-time. Students must demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA.

Other Resources

Company (Third Party) Reimbursement Plan

Many firms will reimburse their employees in full or in part for educational expenses. Students should check directly with the benefits officer regarding their company’s policy.

Income Tax Deductions for Educational Expenses

Under current regulations, educational expenses that have not been reimbursed—such as tuition, books, supplies, and related travel and living costs—may be deducted under certain conditions. Please consult the appropriate income tax agency (state/federal) for detailed information.

Veterans Administration (VA)

Providence College has been approved for training veterans. Students who have performed military service may be eligible for financial assistance. For applications or questions regarding eligibility, contact the Enrollment Services, Harkins Hall, Room 310, 401.865.2982.

Helpful Financial Aid links

The U.S. Department of Education maintains a student portal that allows students to get all the information they need from just one place. At that site, you can access department publications, apply for a PIN, file the FAFSA on the Web, access the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), link to information about your state’s scholarship or grant program, link to searches for private scholarships, and much more.