Tuition and Fees

Rockhurst Billing Policy

Timing

Bills are due on a semester basis. Billing information is sent to students’ Rockhurst email a month and a half before the start of school each semester. Students enrolled in the full-term, including students enrolled in both A and B session classes, must pay their bill by the full-term due date. Students enrolled in B session only classes will have a later due date communicated via RU email.  

Fall: School starts in mid-August. Students billed in early July.

Spring:  School starts in mid-January. Students billed in late November. 

Summer: School starts in early June. Students billed in late April. 

Bills are normally due 2 weeks prior to the start of school.

Communication

Per Department of Education FERPA regulations, all billing information must be sent to the student. Billing information is sent to the student via Rockhurst student email. This is the official form of communication from the Student Accounts office to the student. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor their Rockhurst email address, review their e-Bill, and make payment by the due date stated in the billing email. The student can add the parent as an authorized user to view billing information at the Nelnet Enterprise system online.

It is crucial that you review this billing activity. If items such as financial aid, housing, meal plan, tuition charges, payments, or courses do not appear correctly, please contact the appropriate office below.

Book Vouchers

Please check the bookstore website to estimate the cost of your books.

Students who have a CREDIT balance showing on their billing account and wish to buy books in the Rockhurst bookstore can use all or a portion of this credit as a book voucher. A book voucher must be requested by completing the Voucher Request Form in the billing email. 

Fee Policy

1. Health Insurance Fee

A health insurance plan designed for the students of Rockhurst University is currently available to all students. Benefits under this plan are described in detail on the Rockhurst website. The plan is mandatory for all international students. All full-time undergraduate and graduate students must participate unless they provide proof of current health insurance. The Rockhurst plan protects students 24 hours a day whether on or off campus during the coverage term. Catastrophic health insurance may be purchased from the insurance broker for an additional fee.

Enrollment in the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is mandatory for all full-time undergraduate (12 credit hours or more) and graduate (9 credit hours or more) students: 

• Mandatory coverage students with comparable health insurance coverage can waive this plan during the designed waiver period.
• Alternate individual health insurance coverage must be active for the student by August 1st for the waiver request to be approved.
• The semester premium for mandatory students will be applied to your student account unless an online waiver is completed by Friday, September 8, 2023.
• Students must actively attend classes and remain enrolled with Rockhurst for the first 31 days of each term to be eligible for coverage.

The following students will automatically be enrolled in the Rockhurst Student Health Insurance Plan:

• Full time undergraduate students enrolled in 12 hours or more.
• Full time graduate students enrolled in 9 hours or more.

The Rockhurst Student Health Insurance Plan will not be automatically applied to the following students:

• Full-time graduate students in a MBA, MS Data Analytics, MA Organizational Leadership, Executive MBA, DO/MBA, MSN, M.Ed, and Ed.D. degree are exempt from the hard waiver.
• All certificate programs (Journalism, Nonprofit Leadership, Medical Spanish, Computational Statistics, Medical Assisting, DEI, and Paralegal) are exempt from the hard waiver.
• Post-baccalaureate students and students in AA, AS, RN to BSN, and ABSN are exempt from the hard waiver.

Insurance is also available for:

• Part-time students are also eligible to enroll in coverage voluntarily if taking a minimum of 4 credit hours per term.
• Dependents of full-time students may also be eligible for enrollment in the plan.

Students may voluntarily enroll in the health insurance program. For further information, please visit www.rockhurst.edu/healthinsurance or https://rockhurst.mycare26.com.

Rates & Important Dates

2. NEW Parking Fee Process

The parking fee is no longer mandatory. If you are parking a vehicle on campus, you must opt-in and request a parking permit. The parking opt-in process can be found on your RU Portal. Once you opt-in for a parking permit you will be charged a non-refundable fee of $125. You must opt-in for the parking permit each semester.

3. Late Payment Fee*

The student is given a billing statement prior to the start of classes each semester. The student must complete payment arrangements by the billing due date to avoid a late payment fee of $150.00. Delinquent accounts will be assessed a late fee after said due date. This fee cannot be waived simply upon request. A request to waive a late payment fee added in error will be approved if the error was caused in the Student Accounts office. A request to waive a late payment fee due to special circumstances must be presented to an appeals committee. The committee reserves the right to approve or deny the waiver request. A student is only allowed one late payment fee waiver during their entire time at Rockhurst. Appeals for late fees must be submitted in writing to our office within 30 days of getting the late fee charge. All requests made after the 30 days will be denied.  

Payment Policy

All enrolled students must sign a yearly Student Financial Responsibility Agreement and a Consent to Conduct Business Electronically Agreement prior to enrolling in classes. Upon enrollment, a student is pre-registered in their classes. Payment of tuition and fees finalizes registration. Failure to make payment will result in cancellation of enrollment and will require re-enrollment through the appropriate Dean’s office and payment in the Student Accounts Office before attending class. Students who do not satisfy their financial obligations before the first day of class may not attend class.

Tuition, fees, room and board (if applicable) are due by the tuition payment deadline, before classes begin, as shown on-line at the Rockhurst University website, www.rockhurst.edu. All late payments will be assessed a $150 late payment fee. This fee cannot be waived upon request.

Rockhurst requires that each student’s account balance is paid in full each semester. A semester balance should not roll over to the following semester as this hinders the student’s chances for future enrollment, ordering transcripts, and receiving their diploma.

Rockhurst offers several convenient options for payment of tuition:

Student Accounts office:

Cash

Check

Personal money order

Personal checks or money orders may be mailed to our lockbox in St. Louis ($30 returned check fee):                  

Rockhurst University, P.O. Box 953734, St. Louis, MO. 63195-3734. If remitting by mail, please include the student ID# on the enclosed check.

Nelnet Enterprise system

• Electronic check (free)
• Debit/Credit cards (2.85% processing fee)
• Official Payment Plan ($75 enrollment fee)

Tuition payments by credit card will only be accepted online through the Nelnet Enterprise system. The Students Account office is not allowed to take payment over the phone. There is a convenience fee charged by Nelnet for credit card transactions. This fee must be acknowledged and accepted online by the credit card holder. Nelnet can take payment over the phone. For additional help with over the phone payments, please call 1-800-609-8056.

Payment Options

The University currently offers students several tuition and fee payment options. Students must pay the appropriate amount under their payment option by the due date to be fully registered and attend class. Each option is designed to have the balance paid in full at the end of the semester being billed.  Whichever option is chosen must be in place before the due date to avoid the late fee. Tuition, fees, room and board (if applicable) are due in full by the payment due date listed on the billing statement. If not paid by the due date, a late payment fee of $150 will be charged. The following payment options are available:

1. Full Payment:

Tuition, fees, and room and board (if applicable) are due in full by the payment due date listed on the billing statement. If not paid by the due date a late payment fee will be charged. 

2. Nelnet Payment Plan:

Students who are unable to make payment in full by the billing due date may choose the University’s Interest-Free Monthly Payment Plan offered in partnership with Nelnet Campus Commerce. This plan must be set up prior to the payment due date each semester. The amount of the semester cost is split into 6 or 5 monthly payments each semester beginning in July for Fall and December for Spring. There is a $75 enrollment fee each semester for the Interest-Free Monthly Payment Plan. For more information or to enroll, visit mycollegepaymentplan.com/rockhurst or contact the Rockhurst University Student Accounts Office.

The payment plan set up at Nelnet Campus Commerce is the only official payment plan recognized by the university. We do not arrange informal payment plans in the office. 

3. Third Party Payments:

Employer Tuition Assistance and Reimbursement

Students attending the University through University-approved employer-reimbursement must provide proof from the company that they are eligible for the benefit with the estimated amount to be paid to RU. Students who are eligible for outside tuition benefits must self-disclose their eligibility to the Student Accounts office prior to the payment due date to avoid a late payment fee. A student must self-disclose each semester by completing the “Third-Party Payment Notification Form” online at www.rockhurst.edu/payonline.

Those who cannot get proof from the company must pay all costs by the payment due date. The reimbursement of the student is the responsibility of the employer. The student will receive a refund check of the overpayment once the employer has paid the student’s account. Students whose employers pay partial costs are liable for those costs over and above that paid by the employer. Those costs paid by the student must be paid in full by the payment due date to avoid a late payment fee and being dropped from their classes. Lastly, it is the student’s responsibility to confirm that the reimbursement funds are received at the Student Accounts office no later than 30 days after the last day of the term. If a student drops a class which creates a refund the refund will not be given to the student but sent back to the 3rd party payer.

College Tuition Savings Account

Students making payments with a college tuition savings account must request the funds or have the funds paid to Rockhurst prior to the payment deadline. Once the funds are requested, a confirmation page or proof of the amount requested must be sent to the Student Accounts office. This will complete the payment arrangement and allow the student to avoid a late payment fee. If the funds are requested on or before the payment deadline, it is the student’s responsibility to confirm that the funds are received at the Student Accounts office. If a student drops a class which creates a refund the refund will not be given to the student since this a tax violation. The refund will roll over to a future term or sent back to the 3rd party payer.

Veterans, Military Benefits, Voc Rehab or FEC

Students who are eligible for veterans or military benefits must self-disclose their eligibility to the Rockhurst University Student Accounts Office prior to the payment due date to avoid a late payment fee. A late fee will only be assessed if we do not know of the students benefit status. A student can self-disclose by completing the Military Benefits Notification Form and attaching a copy of their current Certificate of Eligibility. The RU Student Accounts Office has a Military Affairs coordinator who will then process the benefit with the correct government agency. Once eligibility is confirmed, it is the school’s responsibility to bill the correct government agency and confirm that the funds pay to the student’s account. Per Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 an individual can attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.

Delinquent Accounts*

Current students with an overdue student account of $500 or more from prior semesters will not be permitted to enroll in future classes until all unpaid balances are cleared, including applicable penalty charges. A hold will be placed on the student’s account, which will hinder enrollment, ordering a transcript and receiving a diploma.

A current student that has failed payment plan payments will receive a hold. The student must become up to date with their payment before the hold will be removed. Once payment is made the office will wait 5 business days for the payment to clear before removing the hold. A current student who is enrolled in a payment plan and is not making payments will be withdrawn from the payment plan after missing 2 monthly payments. Once the plan becomes delinquent it will be cancelled and a hold will be placed on the student’s account.

Transcripts of academic records will not be issued by the Registrar’s Office for any student or former student whose student account is delinquent or for any student or former student whose Perkins Loan repayments are delinquent. Delinquent balances must be paid in full, or repayment plans brought current prior to the issuance of academic transcripts or diploma. The transcript will be released 5 business days after the account is brought current.

Former students with an overdue student account will receive a notification of the amount due on the account with instructions on how to bring the account current. A former student who is enrolled in an internal collections payment plan and is not making payments will be withdrawn from the payment plan after missing 3 monthly payments. Once the plan becomes delinquent it will be cancelled and a hold will be placed on the student’s account. Former students with overdue student accounts will be sent to an external collection agency after 90 days of non-payment. Any collection cost/fees and fees for unpaid balances forwarded to outside agencies for collection will be borne by the student.

Hold Policy*

Rockhurst requires that each student’s account balance is paid in full each semester. A semester balance should not roll over to the following semester as this hinders the student’s chances for future enrollment, ordering transcripts, and receiving their diploma. Delinquent students will have a hold placed in their account. The hold prevents students from enrolling, ordering transcripts and receiving their diploma. If your balance is $500 or below your hold will not prevent you from enrolling but will hinder receipt of a transcript or diploma.  Our goal is to create an environment where the student is successful and can continue their education. The following options are available to assist in this goal:

1. Former or graduating students: Pay the total balance due to remove the hold
2. Current students enrolling in future semesters: Get the balance under $500 to enroll in future classes.
3. Current students: Contact Financial Aid to obtain a Parent Plus loan or private loan to cover the balance. Once the loan approval is received by the SA office, the hold can be removed.
4. Former Students: Sign up for a “Past Due Payment Plan” at https://mycollegepaymentplan.com/rockhurst-past-due/  Students may sign up to a 12 month plan. If after 12 months, the full balance is not paid, it is the student’s responsibility to sign up for another payment plan until the balance is fully paid. If the student misses 3 consecutive payments, the plan will automatically terminate, and the account balance will be sent to a collections.

Student Class Removal Policy

All student accounts are to be paid in full or have payment arrangements in place with the Student Accounts office in advance of each new class semester. Billing information will be emailed to the student’s Rockhurst University email weekly before and after the bills are due. Information about 3rd party payments, Military Benefits, payment plans, and account balances can be found in the billing email.

Any student whose semester account remains unpaid or does not have any payment arrangements set up is subject to be totally removed from all semester classes on the fourth day of classes, due to non-payment. The student will be notified in advance, then notified once this action is taken.  Each student who is removed from all classes will be provided the opportunity to settle their student account in order to be reinstated before the Add/Drop period ends (the 7th day of the semester).

Discount Policies

Alumni Discount Program

This program offers 50% tuition discount for one course per semester; an undergraduate alumnus may receive the discount for an undergraduate course only; a graduate alumnus may receive this discount for either an undergraduate or graduate course. Student is responsible for 100% of all related fees.  All charges must be paid at the time of the Alumni Discount course registration, which may not occur more than 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the term.

Executive MBA Alumni Lifelong Learning Program

This program offers Executive MBA alumni to receive 100% discount for one Helzberg graduate course (non-degree or certificate seeking only) while also allowing student to receive an additional 50% discount for a second course through the regular Alumni Discount program. Student is responsible for 100% of all related fees. All charges must be paid at time of the Executive MBA Alumni Lifelong Learning course registration, which may not occur more than 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.

Rockhurst High School Discount Program

This program offers 50% tuition discount for one undergraduate or graduate course per semester for any student who is employed by Rockhurst High School while the student is attending Rockhurst University. The student is not required to hold a Rockhurst university degree to qualify for this discount. Student is responsible for 100% of all related fees. All charges must be paid at time of the Rockhurst High School Discount course registration, which may not occur more than 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.

Saint Luke’s Health System Employee Program

Saint Luke’s Health System and Rockhurst University will consider discounts on programs that fulfill SLHS’s workforce needs, the continuation of workforce development efforts to address workforce needs for the city and region, and short courses of instruction, certificates, and micro-credentials for employees.

There is a reduced tuition rate of $250 per credit hour provided to any RN-BSN student who is employed by Saint Luke’s Health System while the student is attending Rockhurst. Verification of employment is required at time of admission before student may be placed in this reduced-rate program. Student is responsible for 100% of all related fees.

There is also a percentage discount for various other programs. View this website for more information: https://www.rockhurst.edu/saint-lukes-college.

M.Ed. and Ed.D. Faith Based School Educator Program

This program provides a reduced program tuition rate for any M.Ed. or Ed.D. student who is employed by a Faith based elementary or secondary school while the student is attending Rockhurst. Verification of employment is required at time of admission before student may be placed in this reduced-rate program. Student is responsible for 100% of all related fees.

Rockhurst University Tuition Remission Program

This program is available to Rockhurst employees and their legal dependents and is managed by the Human Resources office. Further information on this program may be found through http://intranet/HR/benefits.asp#tuition.

Refund Policy

Refunds and Reduction in Charges

If a student withdraws or is dismissed from the University during the first week of a semester, the student will be eligible for refund of total tuition and fees paid. Resident students will receive a pro rata refund of the total amount of room and board paid if they withdraw or are dismissed during the first week of scheduled instruction. Students who withdraw or are dismissed after the end of the first week of scheduled instruction are eligible for refunds and/or reduction in charges in accordance with the Tuition Refund Schedule published for that semester on-line at the Rockhurst University website website www.rockhurst.edu.

Students should note that, depending on the amount of money paid to the University before classes begin, withdrawal or dismissal may or may not result in an actual refund of money to the student. Circumstances may occur in which the student still owes money to the University even after appropriate reduction in tuition, fees and/or room charges.

Beginning with the second scheduled week of instruction, resident students who withdraw or are dismissed will receive a pro rata reduction in room charges for each full week not in residence as a result of withdrawal or dismissal. Students who withdraw or are dismissed after the twelfth scheduled week of instruction are not eligible for a reduction.

No refunds, either for withdrawal from single classes or for complete withdrawal from the University, are made unless the student has officially withdrawn from the class or University through written notification to the Registrar’s office. See the Enrollment Policies section of the catalog or on the Rockhurst University website www.rockhurst.edu for more information on change in enrollment status.  All students withdrawing from any class beginning with the second week of instruction are to use the Change of Registration form located under “Quick Links and Other Information” at www.rockhurst.edu/academics/registrar to complete their withdrawal. Refunds will be paid according to the refund schedule.

A student can appeal a charge on their student account due to special circumstance if the appeal is sent within 30 days of withdrawing and/or receiving a billing letter. The appeals committee reserves the right to approve or deny the request.

Return of Federal Funds

The return of federal funds formula provides for a return of Title IV aid if the student received federal financial assistance and withdrew on or before completing 60% of the semester/term. Funds are returned as follows:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
3. Federal PLUS Loan
4. Federal Pell Grant
5. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
6. Other Title IV Funds
7. Other federal, state, private, or institutional sources of aid
8. The student

If funds were released to a student because of a credit balance on the student’s account, then the student may be required to repay some of the federal grants or loans released to the student.

Students receiving federal financial aid who withdraw from anything less than 100 percent of their courses will have tuition refunded using the schedule below. All other students not receiving federal financial aid who withdraw from one or all of their courses (both officially and administratively), will also have tuition refunded according to the schedule below.

Refunds for All Students

Students will receive the following refund if proper written withdrawal is made before the following weeks:

Students enrolled in accelerated sessions who properly withdraw in writing are eligible for refunds only within the first two weeks of each session.

For more information and specific refund deadlines, see Tuition and Fees on the Rockhurst University website www.rockhurst.edu.

Students with financial assistance awards who withdraw will have financial assistance refunded in compliance with federal regulations as stated in the Federal Register. Rockhurst University distributes funds back to federal programs in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
3. Federal PLUS Loan
4. Federal Pell Grants
5. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
6. Other Title IV Funds

Institutional awards are redistributed after the federal programs.

The University will not refund credit balances created by a Missouri Grant award until the actual funds are received from the State.

The University’s refund policies may change from time to time to comply with applicable law. Changes in the University’s refund policies will be posted on the Rockhurst University Web site, www.rockhurst.edu. Questions of payment or refund policy involving unusual circumstances should be addressed to the chairperson of the Withdrawal/Appeals Committee.

Meal Plan Refunds

Refunds are based on the unused portion of the a-la-carte meal plan less a 15% calculation charge. All questions regarding room and meal charges and/or changes must be directed to the Residence Life department.

Student Account Refund Policy

Refunds are issued to the student if there is an overpayment on the student’s account. An overpayment caused by a loan or personal payment is eligible for a refund. Overpayment created by scholarship funds, of any kind (internal or external), will cause an adjustment in aid per the Financial Aid office policy. Overpayments on accounts are reviewed weekly. Credits are not allowed to sit on the account for more than 14 days. Overpayments caused by Parent Plus loans are issued to the parent if the parent requested this option on the Parent Plus loan application.

Refunds are issued every weekly, starting after the second week of classes. Students have the option of the refund being direct deposited into their back account or a paper check mailed to the home address on file. Any student needing a replacement check must wait at least 3 weeks from the date the check was issued before it is re-issued and will be charged a $30 replacement check fee.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their mailing address is current with the Registrar’s office.

If a student drops a class, which creates a refund from a 3rd party, the refund will not be given to the student but sent back to the 3rd party payer. A yearly audit of each student’s account will be completed. Any refunds found to be created in error on the students account will be reversed. Any balance due by the reversal of this refund check is the responsibility of the student.

*The University reserves the right to change tuition and fees at any time. Any administrative, clerical or technical billing errors do not absolve the financial responsibility to pay the corrected billing obligations. Refusal to pay any portion of the bill will result in a hold on the student’s account and/or the account being sent to collections.