Golden Gate University

2011-2012 Academic Year Tuition and Fees

Tuition is based on the total course cost for a 3-unit course (4-unit EMPA and doctoral courses), including standard fees. Courses that have fewer than three units are prorated accordingly. Tuition varies by program. The following rates for tuition and fees become effective for all terms beginning on or after July 18, 2011.

The rates published on this page usually remain in effect for at least one academic year. The university reserves the right, however, to adjust the rates for tuition and fees prior to the beginning of each term.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

• All Courses: $1,740 (per 3-unit course)
  Undergraduate students may utilize GGU's Net Price Calculator to estimate your net price of attendance after grants and scholarships are factored in.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS BY SCHOOL

• Ageno School of Business: $2,430 (per 3-unit course)*
  • Executive MPA (EMPA): $2,280 (per 4-unit course)
  • Executive MBA (EMBA): $55,000
  • Professional MBA (PMBA): $42,500
• School of Accounting: $2,430 (per 3-unit course)
• School of Law: See Law School Cost of Attendance
• School of Taxation: $2,685 (per 3-unit course)
  
  * All programs except Executive MBA, Executive MPA and Professional MBA.

DOCTORAL PROGRAM

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): $3,780 (per 4-unit course)

ADMISSIONS APPLICATION FEES (including transcript evaluation):

• Undergraduate (domestic applicant or re-applicant): $55
• Graduate (domestic applicant or re-applicant): $70
• Doctoral (domestic applicant or re-applicant): $85
• All International Applicants or Re-Applicant: $110
• International (F-1) Student Tuition Deposit: $500
• Certificate (domestic applicant or re-applicant): $40

MISCELLANEOUS FEES

• Credit for work experience (CWE) exam (per exam): $500
• Deferred tuition -- Employer reimbursement plan (per term): $100
• Deferred tuition -- Installment payment plan (per term): $55
• Doctoral business core exam: $150
• Doctoral dissertation binding (four copies and copyright/microfilm service): $300.00
• Doctoral qualifying exam: $150
• Duplicate diploma: $50
• International Student Services (per term; applies to all students except US permanent residents and US citizens): $175
• Late registration: $100
• Other Fees: Fee varies by program, course, or section; consult the course schedule for details
• Returned check service charge fee: $25
• Student ID replacement fee: $10
• Transcript request
  • Online (per copy + $2.25 per address): $6
  • Offline (per copy): $12
• Transcript rush processing/express delivery
  • US Address (per address): $20
  • International Address (per address): $30
  • Rush -- Hold for pickup: $20
    
    * Fee increase effective July 1, 2011.

   

Health Insurance

Domestic Students

• More info available through GGU Wellness Resources

International Students (F-1 & J-1 visa holders)

• More info available through International Admissions and Advising Services

Obligation for Payment

Enrollment constitutes a financial contract between you and the University. Your rights to university services and benefits are contingent upon your making all payments as agreed upon. If payments of amounts owed to the university are not made when they become due, the university has the right to cancel your registration and/or administratively withdraw you from the current term, withhold your grades, transcripts, diplomas, scholastic certificates and degrees, and impound your final exams. Failure to maintain good financial standing with the university will result in denied participation in any deferred payment plans and/or some forms of financial aid. In addition, balances due the university are reported to the credit agencies, which may impact your credit ratings.

Prior to registering for a new term, you must pay any outstanding balances from any preceding terms. If you do not pay your outstanding balances or make payment arrangements satisfactory to the university, you will not be permitted to register. This policy applies to any outstanding balances with Golden Gate University, including those with the Golden Gate University Bookstore, or any other company that operates a concession or service contracted by the university.

Payment Due Date

To complete the enrollment process, you must choose a payment option (see Financing Options below) for the term and complete any additional steps required for that option. You must complete these steps by the payment due date for the term as published in the academic calendar. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of your registration.

The university accepts payment in cash, personal check in US dollars only, travelers cheques in US dollars only, debit card, credit card (MasterCard/Visa/American Express/Discover), wire transfers, and electronic check. In addition, the university offers payment options, some of which require verification of eligibility prior to registration.

Late Fees

• Late payment fee for installment payment plan: $40 per occurrence plus a 1.5 percent finance charge per month beginning 30 days after the final installment was due.
• Late registration fee: $100.00

If you wish to register for a course after the Add Period, you must submit the written approval (e-mail is acceptable) of the course instructor and a senior school administrator of the school in which the course is offered and pay a $100 late fee. The fee is assessed only once per term regardless of the number of courses you are registered for after the Add Period. The fee is assessed even if you are adding a different section of a course you dropped that term.

Auditor Discount

Golden Gate University offers a discount of one-third off the cost of a course for students who choose to audit a course. You must select audit status when you register. Should you register for a course in non-audit status, and later change to audit, no refund will be given. Audited courses are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Withdrawal & Refund Policies/Adjustment of Tuition

Registration constitutes a financial contract between you and the university, and you will be responsible for paying all charges associated with your registration. You may wish to add/drop courses during the drop period. You may drop a trimester course up through the tenth week of instruction; an eight-week term course up through the fifth week on instruction. Exact drop deadlines can be found on the Academic Calendar page. Should you choose to drop a course(s), the following policies will apply.

Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawal from a course (commonly known as "dropping") is official once the university registrar has been notified. Notification must be in writing and may be submitted online, delivered in-person, by standard mail, by fax or by electronic mail. The electronic mail must originate from your personal or business account. The date the written notice is received will be the official date of withdrawal. Oral (spoken) notification is insufficient. Written notice to an instructor is also insufficient.

Tuition will be credited as follows. Fees are not refundable except in the case of a course being canceled by the university. Tuition credits remain in your account. Refunds are issued upon written request. If you are a financial aid recipient who withdraws from all courses or drops below half time, you are subject to the Return of Title IV calculations, which determine what financial aid ramifications will occur based on the official date of withdrawal. You also may be required to return funds for which you are no longer eligible based on these calculations. Furthermore, the return of funds may result in a balance due on your account. For further information on Return of Title IV funds refer to the Student Financial Planning section of the GGU catalog.

One week of instruction is defined as the seven day period that commences midnight Sunday at the start of the week when the course begins to 11:59 pm Saturday of the week when the course begins.

*The School of Law refund policy allows students to receive 100 percent reversal of tuition charges during the first two weeks of instruction only.

You are asked to complete a short questionnaire to identify reasons for withdrawal as part of the "drop" process. This questionnaire is available online at GGU4YOU or on the Add/Drop Form at all GGU locations. This data will be kept confidential and will be used to improve customer service and quality.

Refund Policy

Refund of a credit balance resulting from tuition adjustment in accordance with the above-stated Withdrawal Policy will be made if requested in writing by the student. Refunds are processed either as a direct deposit to the student's checking or savings account or as a paper check mailed to the student's address on record in GGU's student information system. It is recommended that you request direct deposit of the refund as it is the most efficient and expeditious way to receive a refund. To sign up for direct deposit you must provide your bank account information via our secure website, login to GGU4YOU.

If you are a financial aid recipient, credit balances resulting from tuition adjustments (Example: from 9 units to 6 units) may be reviewed for adjustments in the financial aid award per federal regulations. Credit balances resulting from complete withdrawal from all classes must be calculated under the Withdrawal Policy and are typically refunded to the appropriate financial aid program or lender. For additional information on financial aid refunds refer to the chapter "Student Financial Planning," Return of Title IV Funds section of the GGU catalog.

No refunds will be made by virtue of curtailment of services brought about as a result of strikes, natural disasters, civil insurrection, riots or the threats thereof, or other causes beyond the control of the university.

Financial Aid Recipients Who Withdraw Completely From All Courses

Federal regulations specify the method that GGU must use to determine the amount of Title IV program assistance you have earned if you withdraw from all courses. The amount of assistance earned is determined on a prorata basis. For example, if you complete 30% of the payment period, you earn 30% of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. Once you have completed 60% or more of the payment period, you have earned all the assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period.

You must contact a Financial Aid advisor BEFORE dropping if:

• You intend to withdraw completely by dropping all courses; OR
• Less than 60% of the term has passed.

60% of a trimester is approximately ten weeks; 60% of an eight-week term is approximately five weeks. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for approximate dates.If you withdraw completely from the term, some or all of your loan funds will be returned to the Department of Education. This may leave you owing a balance to GGU. Call the Financial Aid Office at 415-442-7270 or e-mail finaid@ggu.edu before proceeding.

Financial Petition

If you are confronted with an unexpected and serious circumstance that requires you to withdraw from your courses, you may petition the Financial Petition Committee to reverse a portion of your tuition charges. Your petition should explain, in detail, the circumstances, the correlation between these circumstances and the need for you to withdraw from the course(s), and what actions you have taken to resolve or prevent such an event from occurring in subsequent terms. In addition, you must provide any relevant third-party documentation. The university will not consider petitions that are undocumented or that are based upon pre-existing conditions. All petitions must be submitted to the Office of Student Accounting Services no later than 90 days after the last day of the term in which the course(s) was dropped. The university will respond to all petitions in writing. You should allow a minimum of 30 working days to hear from us as we are required to verify all facts from university sources prior to review by the Financial Petition Committee. If your petition is approved and any adjustments to your tuition result in a credit balance on your account, the university will apply this credit balance toward future tuition charges within the next twelvemonth period. If you are a financial aid recipient and you have a financial petition approved, credit balances typically are refunded to the appropriate financial aid program or lender.

Disputes Concerning Student Accounts

All disputes concerning student accounts should be submitted in writing to: Student Accounting Services, Golden Gate University, 536 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-2968 or sas@ggu.edu. The university will respond within 30 working days of receipt of the student's letter or e-mail.

How much does it cost to attend Golden Gate University?

The total cost depends on your particular circumstance. The cost of your GGU education is calculated by multiplying the tuition rate by the number of courses you need to complete your degree. You will also need to add an estimated cost for books and a few one-time fees.

We have done away with most of the add-on fees that other colleges charge, so our tuition rate covers the total cost of each course. For the 2011-2012 school year, undergraduate tuition is $1,740 per course. The cost of books varies, so we suggest that you plug in an average of about $240 per course.

To calculate your own total cost, you first have to know how many courses you need to complete your degree. (As an example, the average student transferring with 60 credits from other colleges needs to take 21 courses at GGU, which is equal to 63 credits). Then, figure out your yearly cost based on whether you will be attending full-time or part-time. Just to be on the safe side, you should factor in a tuition increase of around 4 percent for each year. As with other private colleges, tuition usually goes up each year so that GGU can fund technology investments and other instructional improvements as well as cover inflation. Finally, add in a one-time fee totaling about $55 to cover your application for admission.

Make sure you calculate any additional personal expenses you will incur to attend GGU. These expenses may include housing, transportation and living expenses. If you are new to the area, our financial aid counselors can help you estimate these costs.

Please refer to the Tuition and Fees section above for current tuition rates for the various programs. Undergraduate students may also utilize GGU's Net Price Calculator to estimate your net price of attendance after grants and scholarships are factored in.

We've outlined the basic options to fund your education. To discover them all, we urge you to discuss your specific situation by contacting a financial aid counselor at GGU. Even if you think you might not qualify for financial assistance, you should still explore your options -- you may be surprised.

Employer Tuition Assistance

Many companies offer tuition benefits that pay for part or all of their employees' degree program or continuing education. Frequently these programs are administered through the company's human resource or employee benefits department. Many GGU students have some part of their education paid for by their employer. We can bill your employer directly or you can defer payment of tuition until you receive reimbursement from your employer. The deferment plan is available through our payment plan manager, Tuition Management Systems, and requires a $100 enrollment fee. GGU is happy to work with you or your employer to set up a payment plan.

Payment Plans

The university offers an installment payment plan through Tuition Management Systems (a third-party payment plan manager) to students in good financial standing.

Employer Assistance Program

Corporate Reimbursement Plan

1. Sign up at www.afford.com or call 1-800-722-4867
2. Download and complete the Corporate Reimbursement Form
3. Have the form signed by your employer
4. Return it to Student Financial Services as indicated on the form

Corporate/Agency Direct Billing

1. Download and complete the Corporate/Agency Direct Bill Authorization Form
2. Have it signed by your employer
3. Return it to Student Financial Services as indicated on the form.

Installment Payment Plan

• Sign up at www.afford.com or call 1-800-722-4867

Questions?

• 415-442-7270
• finaid@ggu.edu

Federal Financial Aid

The federal government provides aid to citizens of the US to pursue higher education. Federal aid typically includes federal Direct and Perkins Loans, grants and work-study funds. Subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans are federal, low-interest loans. "Subsidized" means that interest is paid for by the federal government while you are enrolled at least half-time. In most cases you can defer making any payments of principle and interest until after you leave school. Once you go into repayment (6-9 months after you leave school), you typically have from 10 to 20 years (or more) to repay the loan. And, in many cases, your loan servicer may allow you to temporarily stop making payments if you return to school, have trouble finding a job or are temporarily unemployed, have a medical disability, or if you simply are having difficulties making your payments. Federal Perkins Loan amounts vary (generally a maximum of $4,000 per year) and are repayable at 5 percent annual interest beginning nine months (for new students) after you cease to be enrolled at least half-time. You may have up to ten years to repay the loan. Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need or a combination of need and merit and do not need to be repaid. Federal Work-Study provides work opportunities, typically on campus. Pay rates vary depending upon the position.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The basic federal application for consideration for all forms of financial aid. Be sure to list Golden Gate University as a recipient of the data in Step 6; our federal Title IV School Code is 001205. To file the FAFSA 2011-12 online, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov

Golden Gate University Financial Aid Application

You must also complete this short form to help assist you with your financial planning by gathering basic personal, academic and program information. Please pay careful attention to the section requesting number of units you will take.

GGU processes completed aid applications on a rolling basis in the order by which they become complete. Please understand that we cannot process your file until it is complete and you are admitted to a program.

State Grants

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) administers grant programs for California residents. Cal Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need or a combination of need and merit. You do not need to repay grants, however, you may be required to maintain a certain GPA or other requirements in order to continue receiving the award.

GGU Scholarships & Grants

Scholarships may be funded by a variety of sources, including private groups and agencies and the university itself. Typically, scholarships are generally awarded on the basis of financial or academic merit. You do not need to repay scholarships, however, you may be required to maintain a certain GPA or meet other requirements to continue receiving the award.

Private / ALTERNATIVE Loans

Student loans are typically financed by the federal government, but many are also available from private lenders. These loans are awarded based on credit and require completing a separate loan application, available from the financial aid office.

Private/Alternative loans are based on credit. A co-signer may be required. Many students find that Private/Alternative Loans are beneficial in assisting them in budgeting their expenses out over an extended period of time. These loans require completing a separate loan application available from the lender. All lenders reserve the right to make changes to interest rates and other criteria without notification to Golden Gate University. Students should exhaust all federal student loan options before investigating private student loans, which can be more costly to you over time. Private/Alternative student loans are designed to supplement federal loan programs and other aid you receive. If you are a GGU student, the Financial Aid Office will be able to check on your federal student loan eligibility for you. If you are a graduate student, we recommend that you compare interest rates, deferments options, repayment time frame as well as cosigner criteria with the Private/Alternative Loan and the DIRECT Graduate PLUS loan program with the U.S. Department of Education.

*Students who elect to apply for a private/alternative educational loan will also have to fill out the Self-Certification Form.
(This is an example only and is submitted to the lender not Golden Gate University.)

View detailed information on lenders that Golden Gate University students have used historically. You may chose any lender for a private/alternative loan even if the lender in not on the Golden Gate University lender list if they have private/alternative educational loan products.

Code Of Conduct

University Office of Financial Aid Employees:

• Do not receive anything of value from any lending institution, servicer or guarantee agency in exchange for an advantage sought by the lending institution, servicer or guarantee agency.
• Do not accept anything, of more than nominal value, from any lending institution, servicer or guarantee agency.
• Do not receive anything of value for serving on advisory boards of any lending institution, servicer or guarantee agency.

The Golden Gate University Office of Financial Aid hires its own employees and not employees of lenders, servicers or guarantee agencies in staffing the office.

Yellow Ribbon Program

Golden Gate University is in the top 15% nationwide of colleges and universities who have committed to a large dollar grant to the Yellow Ribbon Program for our country's Veterans to start or complete their educational goals.

How it Works

• The Veteran must submit their DD 214 and all pages of their COE (Certificate of Eligibility) to the University Financial Aid Office.
• The Veteran must be fullly admitted to GGU (either full admission or conditional admission) and enrolled in classes.
• The Veteran's Administration provides each eligible Veteran, who has 100% of Chapter 33 benefits, $17,500 for an academic year (fall, spring and summer).
• Once the $17,500 is used up, GGU provides a grant of up to 50% of tuition costs (not to exceed $7,200 per trimester).
• The Veterans Administration matches the other 50%.
• An eligible Veteran may incur no tuition costs out of pocket.

GGU tuition discounts and/or scholarships/grants are applied towards a portion of tuition costs only and may not be on top of the Post 9/11 and Yellow Ribbon. Students may not receive GGU tuition discounts and/or GGU scholarships/grants on top of the 100% tuition coverage by the Post 9/11 and Yellow Ribbon benefits.

The Veterans Administration determines the Veterans eligibility and issues a Certificate of Eligibility which must be submitted to GGU by the Veteran.

To Determine Your Eligibility

• Visit the GI Bill Web site: www.gibill.va.gov or call 1-888-442-4551

For More Information on GGU's Participation

• Contact GGU's VA Certifying Officer at 415-442-7283 or va@ggu.edu

Other Veterans Benefits Programs

Qualifying Veterans may use these benefits toward GGU tuition:

• Chapter 33 Post 9/11 Tuition/Fees & Yellow Ribbon Program
• Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill: Selected Reserve
• Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill: Active Duty
• Chapter 31 Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation
• Chapter 32 Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
• Chapter 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance

To initiate the certification of your GGU enrollment to the VA

• Contact GGU's VA Certifying Officer in the Financial Aid Office at 415-442-7283 or va@ggu.edu

GGU's academic programs of study are approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Board's State Approving Agency (HECB/SAA) for enrollment of persons eligible to receive educational benefits under Title 38 and Title 10, US Code.