Expenses

Application Fee

A non-refundable application fee of $50 must accompany the student’s application for admission.

Enrollment Deposit

To reserve a place in the university, all new students who plan to enroll at Furman must submit a non-refundable enrollment deposit of $500. This payment is not covered by scholarship or financial aid. It will be held until the student graduates or leaves at the end of an academic year. Applicants being considered via early decision and transfer students enrolling in the spring semester must submit the deposit no later than January 5. Early action and regular decision applicants and transfer students for the fall must submit the deposit by May 1.

Basic Fees

Special Fees

A late enrollment fee of $100 can be assessed to students not registering in designated periods. 

A study away fee will be assessed to all students participating in faculty-led travel study programs or exchange programs. An administrative fee is assessed to all students participating in affiliate programs. Consult the Study Away and International Education web site at www.furman.edu/international for more information.

Summer session undergraduate tuition for 2016 is $959 per credit.

Room and Board Fees

All students, except those married or living at home with a parent or guardian, must live in university housing throughout their entire undergraduate career at Furman.

The basic double room rate is $6,358. Other housing options, such as single rooms and apartment style living, cost more depending on a student’s specific housing assignment. Students are responsible for paying the rate that coincides with a specific housing assignment, regardless of the origin of the assignment.

All resident students are required to subscribe to a meal plan. Furman offers five different meal plans. First year students are required to subscribe to the unlimited plan which provides unlimited access to the dining hall and 300 food points. Students entering their second year must subscribe to at least the 160 meals per semester plan, while students in their third year are required to choose at least the 90 meals per semester plan and fourth year at least the 75 meal plan. Vinings residents are also required to purchase a meal plan. Commuting students may purchase a meal plan, but are not required to do so.

Food points are also offered and may be used on a $1 per point basis to purchase items sold in the dining hall, PalaDen Food Court, Einstein Bagels or the Paddock. Food Points, which are stored on the student ID card, expire at the end of the academic year and are not refundable for cash.

Campus Cash accounts may be established as well. These accounts work like a declining balance debit card-add funds to your account and the balance is reduced by the amount of each purchase. Money added to a Campus Cash account can be used for on-campus purchases in all Dining Services locations and the Furman Bookstore.

General Fee Policy

The university reserves the right to change tuition and other charges at the beginning of any term if such a change is judged necessary by the Board of Trustees. In recent years, Furman has seen a rapid increase in expenses. While every effort is made to keep operating costs low, it is probable that fees for academic years subsequent to this year will be increased as costs rise.

Payment of Fees

Fees must be paid in full to begin enrollment. For all students, fees are payable prior to the start of each term for all students:

Statements will be delivered via e-mail in July and November.

Tuition Payment Plan

Furman University recognizes that managing the cost of education is a challenge for some families. Through our program with Educational Computer Systems, Inc. (ECSI), we are pleased to offer you affordable and convenient payment options for meeting the costs of the academic year.

The Tuition Payment Plan (TPP) helps you to stretch out your tuition payments instead of making a lump sum payment each semester. The annual plan provides for ten monthly payments and semester plans are available for three, four, or five payments per semester.

This is an interest-free payment plan. The only cost to you is the non-refundable application fee, $75 for an annual plan and $50 for a semester plan.

Apply for a new TPP at www.heartlandecsi.com. Click on “Borrower/Student Login,” “Your Tuition Payment Plan,” “Apply for Monthly Tuition Payment Plan” and then select “Furman University.” If you had a TPP last year, enter your current ECSI account number. For questions in setting up a TPP, please contact ECSI at 1-866-927-1438.

TPP is not available for students participating in study away programs. However, students participating in a study away program during only one semester may use the TPP for the other semester in the academic year.

Students who register for any term after established deadlines may be assessed a $100 late registration fee.

Comprehensive Fee Policy

Furman assesses a comprehensive tuition fee for students seeking a bachelor’s degree through the undergraduate day program enrolled for up to 20 credits in the fall or spring semesters. Requests for exceptions may be made by students who are financially independent as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), who have documented medical, or learning difficulties, or who are considered fifth year seniors for billing purposes.

Students are considered fifth year seniors for billing purposes if one of the following conditions is met. Credit awarded through exam equivalencies, such as Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB), do not contribute to the credit requirement in this situation.

• A student has attended Furman University and been charged the comprehensive fee for eight or more semesters,
• A student has attended Furman University for at least six semesters and has received at least 27 transfer credits prior to their enrollment as a degree-seeking student, or
• A student has attended Furman University for at least four semesters and has received at least 57 transfer credits prior to their enrollment as a degree-seeking student.

Students may request an exception to be charged on a per course basis by completing an application through the Associate Academic Dean. The request must be submitted to the Associate Dean no later than the last day of the drop-add period for the term in question.

Students permitted to register for an overload while on study away will be assessed tuition for any credits beyond the standard course load expected for the specific study away experience consistent with the per-credit charge in effect for the term in question.

May Experience Fees

Students charged the comprehensive tuition fee in either the fall or spring semester may enroll for the May Experience tuition-free. The tuition discount applies to faculty-led study away programs as well, but travel costs are the responsibility of the student and vary depending on program location. Need-based scholarships are typically available to address these travel costs for May Experience study away programs, consult with the Office of Study Away and International Education for more information.

Students charged on a per credit basis during the academic year or not enrolled at any time during the academic year on a degree-seeking basis will be charged on a per credit basis for May Experience.

Students failing to register for May Experience by the established deadline available on the Registrar’s web site are subject to a $100 late registration fee.

Students choosing to live in university-affiliated housing during the May Experience will pay a discounted all-inclusive room and board rate determined each year prior to May Experience registration.

Refund Policy

The university is committed to expense based upon the enrollment anticipated at the beginning of each term. Enrollment at Furman is considered a contract binding students and their parents for charges for the entire term. Refunds are granted in certain cases, as follows:

Withdrawal from the University

Students who withdraw from the university may receive a partial refund in accordance with the tuition schedule below. The date of withdrawal is established by the Associate Academic Dean.

Furman offers tuition insurance through A.W.G. Dewar, Inc. to extend the refund policy for students who must withdraw from the university for medical reasons. In cases of withdrawals due to accident, illness, or mental health, the plan provides a 75% refund throughout the term. Please refer to A.W.G. Dewar for more specific information.

Course Withdrawal

Because tuition is normally assessed on a comprehensive basis, no refunds are issued when a student withdraws from one or more courses while remaining enrolled at the university. A student who has been granted an exception from the comprehensive fee structure in a given term will receive a prorated refund for withdrawal from a course.

The following schedule describes the time frames and amounts of pro-ration for tuition refunds:

Meal Plan

50% of the unused portion at any time during a term if withdrawing from the university.

Room

Student on-campus refunds to be issued when a student withdraws, is approved for a leave of absence, or is granted a leave of absence are consistent with the time frames and amounts of pro-ration established for tuition. 

Student Government Association Fee

Not refundable on or after the first day of the term.

Enrollment Deposit

Not refundable to students who decide not to enroll or who withdraw for any reason during the academic year.

Financial Aid

Furman will return the unearned portion of federal (Title IV) student aid for any students receiving this aid who withdraw from the University, do not return from an approved leave of absence or extend an approved leave of absence beyond 180 calendar days. Title IV funds that may have to be returned include the Pell Grant, Direct Loans, Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), Perkins Loans, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) and the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (funds part of the South Carolina Tuition Grant).

The unearned portion of federal Title IV funds is determined by dividing the number of days in the term that have passed as of the date of withdrawal (defined below) by the total number of days in the term. If the withdrawal occurs after 60% of the term has elapsed, no return of Title IV funds is required. The Office of Financial Aid calculates the return of Title IV funds using a federally-prescribed formula.

Funds will be returned in the following order: Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct Subsidized Loans, Perkins Loans, and PLUS Loans. If funds remain after repaying all loan amounts, the remaining funds are repaid to the Pell Grant and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs.

Students and their families should be aware that the requirement to return federal Title IV assistance may result in a balance due to the university; the student and/or his or her family is responsible for paying any balance resulting from the return of Title IV aid.

For non-federal funds, the institutional refund policy is applied to all other aid received by the student unless the university is instructed to do otherwise by the donor or sponsor of the award.

A student’s withdrawal date is defined as the earliest of three dates which include the actual date the student began the withdrawal process, the student’s last date of recorded attendance or the mid-term date for a student who leaves without notifying the university.

Students withdrawing at any time during a term due to required active military service will receive a refund in accordance with stated policy. Any student in this situation who re-enrolls within the following five years will receive a credit against the expense of the first term in an amount equal to fees for the last term enrolled, less the amount of any refund paid at the time of entry into military service.

All questions about refunds or other financial matters should be directed to the Student Business Center.

Personal Expenses

Books and Supplies

Students should have money to purchase books and supplies. First year students should allow $1,200 per year. Students are permitted to charge required books and supplies to their student accounts, regardless of financial aid status. While this option to charge books and supplies to the student account is not a requirement, it can help provide flexibility for students with financial need to purchase these items prior to the start of classes.

Membership Fees

Students have various organizations that operate on small budgets of their own. Membership in the departmental, honorary and social clubs, which is voluntary, frequently involve nominal fees.

Group Medical Insurance

Furman does not provide medical insurance for its students. Please check with your family insurance provider to ensure that the student will be adequately covered throughout the enrollment period.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Most recreational facilities are for use without charge. A small fee is assessed to students for use of the golf course and indoor tennis courts.

Residence Hall Furnishings

Traditional residence hall rooms are furnished with beds, desks, dressers, chairs, and a microfridge unit. Students supply pillows, bed linens, blankets, bedspreads, towels, laundry bags, study lamps and similar items.

Laundry

The cost to use this service is included in the housing charge.

Residence Hall Fines and Special Fees

Students are expected to preserve good order in buildings on campus and to pay damages, if necessary, as determined by Housing and Residence Life. A financial penalty will be assessed for moving from an assigned residence to another without permission.