Fees

Comprehensive Fee

Students attending Carleton pay an all-inclusive fee, called a comprehensive fee, which is regarded as an annual charge rather than the sum of charges for each term covering tuition, housing, food service plan and student activities. There are no special fees charged for laboratory work or field trips, or for diplomas upon graduation. All students are entitled to admission without charge to most athletic contests, concerts, plays, movies, lectures and other campus events. These activities as well as subscriptions to the student publications are covered by the Carleton Student Association (CSA) activity fee.

For 2024-25 the comprehensive fee totals $86,478 and it is allocated as follows:

• Tuition: $68,457
• Housing: $9,282
• Food: $8,304
• CSA Activity Fee: $435

Special Fees

The department of music offers private lessons in applied music. The fees for 2024-25 per term for individual instruction in all instruments, and use of practice facilities are:

• After the drop/add deadline, a term fee of $396 is billed to each student for weekly (normally 9) half-hour lessons (1 credit) per term, or $792 for weekly (normally 9) hour lessons (2 credits).
• Class Guitar and Class African Drum are $109 each.
• Junior and senior music majors receive up to 4 credits per term of lessons free of charge and music minors up to 2 credits per term free of charge.
• Students on financial aid who experience difficulty in meeting the cost of private lessons may apply for financial assistance for such expenses directly to the Student Financial Aid office.

Student health insurance is available at additional cost for those not covered by another plan. Note: proof of health insurance is required. For possible financial assistance to cover the cost of health insurance, contact the Student Financial Aid office for eligibility requirements.

For off-campus independent study, including summer reading not required for a fall term course, the fee for each two credits or fraction thereof is the tuition for one credit during the academic year in which the credit is granted.

Students participating in non-Carleton off-campus programs will be assessed a $500 administrative fee. The fee will be charged to the student’s Carleton student account after the Off-Campus Studies Petition has been approved.

Enrollment Deposit

In addition to the comprehensive fee, all enrolling students are required to pay and maintain an enrollment deposit of $300, which functions as a confirming admissions deposit. $250 of this total becomes a continuing enrollment deposit for subsequent years and the remaining $50 of the deposit is used as a lifetime transcript fee, where students may request college transcripts from the Registrar without cost. The deposit ($250) will be returned upon graduation. Any unpaid student account obligation will be applied against this deposit at the time of graduation.

Calendar of Payments

Students are held responsible for payment of their college fees. Students receive email notifications, using the student’s Carleton email address, when the term bills are available on-line.

Penalties

A student will not be permitted to register for the following term until his or her account has been cleared by the Business Office. The student will be withdrawn from the College if the Business Office has a financial block on the student’s account for a prior term’s past due balance. The student will not be permitted to return to campus when classes start for the upcoming term. If otherwise eligible, the student may apply for readmission for the subsequent term.

College policies on deposits and refunds apply to off-campus studies. For Carleton Off-Campus Programs, a $500.00 penalty is assessed for late withdrawals before the start of the program plus any costs incurred on their behalf. See the Carleton Program Withdrawal Policy, which is part of the Carleton College Off-Campus Study Agreement Form.

Tuition Refunds

Refunds before a term starts

Students are eligible for a 100% refund of tuition, housing, food service plan and student activity fees if they have paid for the upcoming term and subsequently withdraw or take a leave of absence with notification to the Dean of Students before the term starts.

Refunds after a term starts

If a student withdraws during the first ten days of classes and notifies the Dean of Students Office by 5:00 p.m. on the tenth day of class a 25% tuition refund is available.

If a student leaves due to illness starting with the first day of class until the Monday of mid-term break, as defined by the academic calendar, and notifies the Dean of Students Office by 5:00 p.m. on the Monday of mid-term break, a 50% tuition refund is available.

Tuition Refund Conditions

Housing charges will not be refunded if a student leaves after the term starts.

Food Service Plan charges will be refunded for the remaining weeks of the term.

Financial aid will be reduced according to the Return of Title IV Federal Student Aid Policy.

Applied music fees will not be charged to students who drop by the end of the drop/add period. After the drop/add period music fees will be refunded pro-rata when a late drop is made for medical reasons or in similar emergency situations.

Special provisions for military service are addressed by the Registrar.

If a student wishes to transfer to another institution he or she must settle their student account in the Business Office by making necessary payments or arrangements.

No refunds will be made to students suspended, dismissed or expelled from the College.

A more restrictive refund policy governs withdrawal from Carleton off-campus programs. The terms are explained in the Carleton Program Withdrawal Policy.

Credit Balance

If a credit balance is created by federal Title IV funds, it will be sent to the student within 10 business days.