Overview

Trinity College recognizes that higher education represents an important and significant investment for students and their families. The College is committed to working with students to meet the financial obligations they incur as they pursue an educational program at Trinity. Students interested in financial assistance should review the Financial Aid section of this catalog and contact the Office of Student Financial Services at Tel.: 202/884-9530 or email: financialaid@trinitydc.edu.

A student's tuition rate is determined by the School in which the student enrolls -- the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, or the School of Professional Studies. Trinity reserves the right to reclassify students who take courses primarily outside of their School, e.g. College of Arts and Sciences students enrolling primarily in School of Professional Studies courses may be reclassified as School of Professional Studies students.

The charges listed below will be in effect for the 2004-2005 academic year beginning in the Fall semester. Trinity College reserves the right to change its tuition rates and other financial charges listed in this catalog at any time. In the past, it has been necessary to increase these fees annually to enable Trinity to improve its programs and to meet rising costs. Students should expect some increase in tuition and fees from year to year.

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College of Arts and Sciences Tuition 2004-2005

Tuition

* The student activity fee is charged on behalf of the Student Association to all undergraduate students. New College of Arts and Sciences students enrolling in the Spring semester are charged one-half of the fee.

Room**

** All students residing on campus must be on one of the College's meal plans. Changes in choice of the meal plan will be accepted until the last day for schedule adjustments each semester (the drop/add deadline). First-year students, however, must be on the 19 Meal Plan during their first year.

Board**

** All students residing on campus must be on one of the College's meal plans. Changes in choice of the meal plan will be accepted until the last day for schedule adjustments each semester (the drop/add deadline). First-year students, however, must be on the 19 Meal Plan during their first year.

Health Insurance (2002-03 rate, subject to change)***

*** Health insurance is required for all students in the College of Arts and Sciences who cannot provide proof of adequate coverage.

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School of Professional Studies Tuition 2004-2005

Tuition

* The student activity fee is charged on behalf of the Student Association to all undergraduate students.

Room

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School of Education Tuition 2004-2005

Tuition

Room

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Other Fees 2004-2005

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Special Tuition Rates

Tuition for Catholic School Teachers and Administrators

Trinity College grants a special tuition remission to students who are fulltime teachers or administrators of Catholic elementary and secondary schools listed in the Official Catholic Directory. Students applying for this special rate are required to submit at registration a letter from the principal of the school verifying current fulltime employment for each semester they are enrolled.

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Billing and Payment Information

Student Financial Services
Manner of Payment
Veterans Benefits
Installment Payment Plan
Employer Tuition Assistance Benefits
Payment Arrangement and Registration Status
Tuition Refund Policy

Student Financial Services

Students are responsible for arranging the payment of tuition and fees prior to the beginning of each semester. Today more than ever before, investing in a college education requires planning. Trinity College recognizes this and is prepared to assist students and their families in making college affordable through financial planning, counseling, and installment payment plans. Please refer to the Financial Aid section of this catalog and contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (202) 884-9530 as early as possible to discuss tuition planning.

Manner of Payment

Checks should be made payable to Trinity College and sent to the Office of Student Financial Services. The College also accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards. No student may enter classes until all fees and any previous balance have been paid in full or satisfactory arrangements for payment have been made.

Trinity College will take necessary steps to collect amounts not paid and may refuse to permit a student to take exams, to receive a diploma or transcript, or to register for subsequent courses until all bills are paid. Any costs of collection, including interest, collection fees, and legal fees, become the responsibility of the student.

Veterans Benefits

Students entitled to educational benefits as veterans of the United States armed forces should contact the Office of the Registrar at (202) 884-9200 for information about certification of eligibility.

Installment Payment Plan

The college allows students to arrange for payment of tuition in monthly installments over the course of the semester using the college-endorsed tuition payment plan. Students may obtain an application from the Office of Financial Services (202) 884-9530. In order to take full advantage of this plan a student should obtain materials and apply one month prior to the start of the semester. There is an annual charge for participation; there are no interest charges. The plan is not available for the summer, May term, winter term, or accelerated sessions.

Employer Tuition Assistance Benefits

Many companies provide assistance to their employees to help with tuition expenses. Some companies will pay for classes at the beginning of the term; others reimburse the student once classes are completed. Students should check with their employer to see if they are eligible for such benefits. Students whose employers will be providing financial assistance must submit a voucher to generate employer billing at the time they seek financial clearance each semester. Students who will be reimbursed by their employers upon satisfactory completion of course work may defer up to 75% of their tuition by providing evidence of their employer's approval and intent to pay. Prior to final registration, students are required to pay all fees (even if reimbursed by employer) as well as costs not covered by the employer.

Payment Arrangement and Registration Status
Upon registration for each semester or term, students receive a registration confirmation and invoice which reflects course selection and charges for these courses. Students also receive a monthly statement indicating all charges accrued, including room and board. Payment arrangements must be made by the first day of classes each semester. A student is obligated to pay for all registered courses unless or until courses are dropped within the full refund period.

Payment arrangements must be made for course changes that result in an additional financial obligation before the course change will be processed by the Registrar.

Students should contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (202) 884-9530 for further information and assistance.

Tuition Refund Policy

Tuition, fees, and room and board charges will be refunded according to the schedule below.

Within the schedule adjustment period 100%
After the schedule adjustment period No refund

Room charges are incurred in full each semester once the room is occupied. For a student who withdraws from all classes, board charges will be refunded on a prorated schedule depending on the number of weeks on the board plan. Changes in the board plan will not be accepted after the last day to reschedule courses. The Academic Calendar lists specific deadlines each semester.

The effective date of withdrawal is the date on which the Office of the Registrar receives written notice. No refunds will be made prior to the end of the add/drop period each semester.

Financial aid recipients (including those receiving Federal Student Loans) who drop all classes are subject to refund requirements set out in federal regulations, which may differ from the schedules set out above.

Students receiving financial aid should contact the Office of Student Financial Services to determine how a withdrawal affects their financial aid eligibility. Trinity College grants and scholarships are not refundable to the parent or student.

If applicable, refunds will be made payable to the party responsible for the student's account. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be made in writing by the responsible party.

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Policy on Student Financial Responsibilities

Overview
Payments for Tuition, Room and Board, and Related Fees
Checks
Sanctions for Financial Dishonesty
Financial Services

All students attending Trinity College are expected to live by the principle of Honor in all aspects of their relationships with each other, with other persons, with entities both inside and outside of Trinity, and in their relationship with Trinity College itself. Accordingly, financial obligations to Trinity College are also governed by the principle of Honor. Fulfilling financial obligations is a matter of justice for the entire community; the failure to meet those obligations has severe consequences for the entire community, not just for the individual. With this philosophy in mind, the following policy statement, effective immediately, gives general norms and procedures regarding student financial responsibilities:

1. Payments for Tuition, Room and Board, and Related Fees

All students and families are expected to pay Trinity College in a timely way for the tuition and fees incurred each semester. Students are expected to know the schedule of fees published in the catalog and published separately each semester; to know the deadlines for drop/add and other actions that impact upon fees; and to follow the directions given for payment arrangements. Even if a parent, family member or third party pays the bills, the student is responsible to know the details of the financial obligations incurred and to ensure full compliance with the expectations those obligations entail.

Students and families who need financial assistance are expected to work directly with the Office of Student Financial Services; to treat all requests for family financial information with the utmost honesty and full disclosure; and to accept loan obligations as a profound duty to repay in a timely way. Students and families who participate in approved payment plans are generally covered in meeting their financial obligations for tuition and fee payments so long as their payments do not lapse. Students who rely on federal or institutional financial aid (including loans or grants) to pay all or part of their charges are expected to complete the financial aid application each year by published deadlines and to know the conditions for renewal of their aid. A guide entitled "Understanding Your Financial Aid Award" is published each year and is available in the Office of Student Financial Services.

All students who have not made financial arrangements to pay their bills must sign a promissory note. Promissory notes are legal documents that indicate a student's willingness to fulfill payment obligations. Signing promissory notes has serious legal and moral obligation, and default on such a note is a violation of Trinity's Honor Code.

Students who do not have an approved payment plan, and whose financial obligations to the College have accumulated beyond the acceptable level noted below, are subject to the following (threshold amounts below are for the 2004-2005 academic year; numbers for subsequent years will be published separately):

1. full-time undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Science whose account balances at Trinity exceed $2,500 at the time of course registration ($250 for part-time students, both undergraduate and graduate, and students in the Schools of Education and Professional Studies), and who have not formalized an approved payment plan with the Office of Student Financial Services, will not be able to register for the next semester until such time as their financial obligations are satisfied;
2. all existing full-time CAS balances must be below $2,500 ($250 for all other students) before any spring semester charges may be incurred;
3. students whose prior balances exceed the limit at the start of the semester will be unable to register, go to class, enter residence hall rooms, or enroll in any College activity until such time as their prior balance is satisfied, and a formal payment plan is approved for any new balance;
4. prior to the point of graduation, grades and transcripts are not released for any students, full-time or part-time, whose balances exceed $50 without an approved payment plan;
5. all students with balances in excess of $50 will not be permitted to participate in any graduation exercises, or receive a final transcript or a diploma; graduating students must pay all outstanding charges, including May term charges, by April 30 in order to have their names appear in the graduation program and to participate in graduation exercises;
6. professional workshop and other non-degree students with overdue balances of any size will have their course selections put on hold until such time as they satisfy their financial obligations.

Trinity College reserves the right to refuse to approve a payment plan if the prior financial conduct of the student or family with regard to Trinity obligations indicates an inability or unwillingness to meet financial obligations at Trinity in a timely way.

2. Checks

Writing a check without sufficient funds to cover the obligation is a serious violation of moral and legal obligations. Similarly, stopping payment on a check after receiving the goods and services the check paid for (e.g., books in the bookstore) is actionable. Whether the check is payable to Trinity College, one of the vendors on campus, or another organization doing business with Trinity, a bad check passed on campus will not be tolerated.

Trinity College participates in the Telecheck authorizing service and will take the following actions regarding bad checks:

1. if a check is approved through Telecheck and then is subsequently returned for insufficient funds, Telecheck will pay Trinity College for the amount of the check and charge the check writer fees accordingly. The bounced check will be noted in Telecheck's system, which is used throughout the country. Trinity College also reserves the right to charge the check writer fees;
2. if a check is not approved through Telecheck, Trinity College will deposit the check and follow the procedures as noted below in item c) if the check is subsequently returned for insufficient funds;
3. if a check is returned from the bank because the check writer stopped payment, Trinity College will contact the person who wrote the check by mail and phone call. The check writer will be expected to make immediate satisfaction of the obligation by cash, money order, or credit card. Trinity College and its vendors may refuse to accept personal checks in the future from the check writer. The associated fees will be charged to the student's account and a hold will be placed on the account until the obligation is satisfied;
4. any student who stops payment on a check to Trinity, the Bookstore or other vendors after purchasing books and other goods or in anticipation or in lieu of dropping classes will have the associated fees and holds reflected on the student's account. The student will also be subject to immediate suspension and possible legal action.

3. Sanctions for Financial Dishonesty

Dishonesty in financial transactions with Trinity or financial institutions working in support of Trinity's financial aid system may result in immediate cancellation of approval for a tuition payment plan and a demand for immediate payment of all remaining financial obligations to the College. Such dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, passing bad checks or stopping payments on checks anywhere on campus (see above); accepting federal loan funds and then withdrawing from all courses, using such funds for personal purposes instead; failure to provide accurate information on financial aid applications; defaulting on federal loan payments; and other forms of financial misconduct that are intended to deceive or to avoid payment of obligations. Trinity reserves the right to send cases of financial dishonesty to the Judicial Association for processing as a violation of the Honor System; to notify appropriate external authorities as necessary, including law enforcement agencies; to refer accounts to collection; and to dismiss students for financial misconduct.

4. Financial Services

Trinity recognizes the large financial burden that many students and families assume to attend college, and Trinity wishes to extend support as well as financial aid to the extent that the College's resources permit. For further information about this policy statement and available financial services, please call 202/884-9530 or visit the Office of Student Financial Services, Main Hall Room 119.

Revised July 2004

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