Tuition and Fees Determination of Tuition Rates Substantive Rules & Definitions Cost Estimates Refund Policy Student Financial Responsibility

Financial Aid Application Procedures Scholarships and Grants Loans Employment Opportunities Other Sources of Assistance Ombudsman

Student Financial Services consists of the Bursar's office (student accounts) and Financial Aid. Students may make payments, complete financial aid requests, and receive information about financial aid and billing statements from the Student Financial Services window. This one-stop design is intended to reduce the number of visits students need to make to financial services and the length of time students must spend completing these important functions.

Fees

All students attending Keene State College are responsible for payment of all charges incurred while they are enrolled. Charges may include, but are not limited to:

Mandatory Fees. Students enrolled for credit will be charged mandatory fees, which include a Registration Fee, Student Center Fee, Activity Fee, Educational and Technical Fee, Athletics and Recreational Sports Fees, Health and Counseling Services Fees, and Class Dues. The income derived from Mandatory Fees is used to offer and enhance support services to students, and to partially cover the cost of supplies and lab equipment required for successful educational experiences. All students are required to pay mandatory fees whether or not classes they participate in are held on the KSC campus.

Application Fees. Charged to all students who are seeking admission to the college and/or special programs offered on-campus, such as the Graduate Program or the Teacher Education Certification Program.

Enrollment Services Fee. A one-time fee charged to first-time, readmitted, graduate, and certificate students. This fee covers administrative and technical costs for new students. No student can be admitted until the fee is paid.

Residence Hall Charge. Charged to students living in on-campus housing only. Rates vary based on the type and location of the room.

Dining. Charged to students who participate in meal plans offered on campus. Currently KSC offers several plans, including 19, 12, and 5 meals per week. All students living in college housing (with the exception of Bushnell, Tisdale, and Pondside apartments) are required to participate in a meal plan.

Room Damage Deposit. Charged to all students living in on-campus housing to cover the cost of damage that may result. The unused portion of the deposit will be refunded only after the student moves out of the residence halls.

Late Payment Fee. Charged monthly to students whose payments are not received by the published due date.

Late Add/Withdrawal. Charged to students who do not complete the add/withdrawal process within the published timelines.

Applied Music Fee. Charged to students enrolled in specific classes that offer one-on-one instruction. This fee is in addition to any tuition paid for credit hours.

Parking Fees. Charged to students who register a car and receive a permit to park in an on-campus lot.

Returned Check Fine. Charged to all persons who issue a check that, for any reason, is returned from the bank unpaid.

Senior Class Dues. Charged to students during the year they will complete their degree requirements. Offsets the cost of Senior Activities. It is possible that students will be asked to pay an additional fee to the Senior Class depending on the type and cost of activities planned.

Graduation Fee. Charged to students for each degree for which an Intent to Graduate form has been filed.

Transcript Charge. Charged to students requesting copies of their official transcript.

Note: Each student is responsible for the timely payment of all outstanding charges on his or her account. Failure to remit payment in full by the stated due date may result in deregistration of courses. Payment of the bill is solely the responsibility of the student, regardless of who (e.g., a parent) remits the actual funds.

Determination of Tuition Rates

Residence Policy. All students attending any division of the University System of New Hampshire in any capacity are charged tuition at a rate determined by domicile. Those domiciled within the State of New Hampshire pay the in-state rate, whereas those domiciled elsewhere pay the out-of-state rate.

In-State. The Board of Trustees fixes the in-state tuition rate annually on the basis of the projected budget, including as part of the budget the applicable funds made available by the Legislature in its biennial budget.

Out-of-State. In accordance with the policy established by the Legislative Budget Act, the out-of-state tuition rate is set annually by the Board of Trustees at a figure that reflects actual per capita operating costs, including instructional expenses, overhead, and bond retirement (excluding self-liquidating bonds), as determined by the costs in the fiscal year just preceding the first January for the fiscal year in which tuition is to be charged, all in accordance with the established accounting practices of the University System Student Status.

For tuition purposes, a student is classified as in-state or out-of-state at the time of his or her admission to a unit of the University System of New Hampshire. This decision is made by the Director of Admissions based upon information furnished by the student's application and other relevant and available information.

Each applicant for in-state status for tuition purposes submits an application on forms prescribed by the Director of Admissions, which shall include a sworn statement certifying that the applicant is legally domiciled within the State of New Hampshire. The application shall also include such additional information as the Director may require in support of the affidavit of domicile. At his or her discretion, the Director may require submission of an application form from any in-state student prior to the commencement of each semester the student plans to attend the College.

Review of Student Status. Any student aggrieved by the decision of the Director of Admissions classifying him/her as an out-of-state student for tuition purposes may appeal to the Appeals Committee on forms and in accordance with procedures made available by the Director of Admissions. The student has the right to present to the Appeals Committee such additional evidence as he or she deems appropriate in processing the appeal, and the right to appear in person and be heard.

The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final unless the Board of Trustees in its discretion elects to review the record before the Committee. No evidence may be adduced or presented before the full Board of Trustees, but reviews shall be of the record only.

Change in Status. Any student who has on first admission to the University System been classified as out-of-state for tuition purposes may apply to the Budget Coordinator for a change of status on or before September 1 of any year for the Fall semester, and on or before January 1 of any year for the Spring semester. Applications are considered in the chronological order in which they are presented.

No changes approved during a semester shall be effective until the beginning of the next semester. However, where a change of status from out-of-state to in-state has been denied by the Budget Coordinator prior to the beginning of a semester, and the decision is reversed by the Appeals Committee, the student's status shall become effective from the beginning of that semester.

In the event the Budget Coordinator possesses facts or information indicating that a student's status should be changed from in-state to out-of-state, the student shall be informed in writing of the change of status. The student may appeal the decision to the Budget Coordinator as herein above set forth. No such change made by the Budget Coordinator after the commencement of any semester is effective until the beginning of the following semester. Change to out-of-state status made by the Budget Coordinator prior to the commencement of any semester, but reversed during the semester by the Board of Appeals, is effective as of the beginning of that semester.

Substantive Rules and Definitions

In all cases of application for in-state status for tuition purposes, the burden of proof is on the applicant. At the applicant's request, the Director of Admissions states in writing the reason or reasons for his or her decision.

The following definitions and rules prevail, as approved by the University System of New Hampshire Trustees on January 20, 1973, and revised on April 28, 1984.

Parent. The term "parent" means a person's father; or, if he or she has no father, his or her mother; or, in the case of separated or divorced parents, "parent" means either a parent with legal custody or a parent providing more than one-half of a student's total financial support; or, if there is a guardian or legal custodian, "parent" means guardian or legal custodian, provided there are no circumstances indicating that such guardianship or custodianship was created primarily for the purpose of conferring the status of an in-state student on an unemancipated person.

Domicile. "Domicile" denotes a person's true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place where the person intends to remain and to which he or she expects to return when he or she leaves without intending to establish a new domicile elsewhere.

No person is eligible for in-state status unless he or she is domiciled within New Hampshire. For University System purposes, a person does not acquire domicile in New Hampshire until he or she has been a resident of the state for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding registration for the term for which in-state tuition status is claimed and meets all other requirements for domicile. No unemancipated person is eligible for in-state status unless his or her parent has established domicile in New Hampshire.

No person is eligible for in-state tuition status unless he or she establishes that his or her residence in New Hampshire is for some purpose other than the temporary or primary one of obtaining an education.

When a person has established eligibility for in-state tuition based on his or her parent's domicile, and the parent subsequently establishes domicile outside of New Hampshire, the person is eligible for in-state tuition for one academic semester following the academic semester during which the parent established out-of-state domicile.

All evidence relevant to determining domicile may be considered, but the following indicia are, in any case, relevant, without limiting in any way other information the applicant wishes to submit or the Director wishes to require:

• Payment or nonpayment of any tax levied by the state or any political subdivision on persons resident or domiciled therein.
• Residence reported on any federal or state tax return.
• Registration of one’s automobile.
• State issuing one’s driver’s license.
• Receipt of support in whole or in part from parents who are resident or domiciled outside the State of New Hampshire.
• Voting residence.
• Claim by any nonresident parent that the applicant is dependent for tax or any other financial purpose.
• Regular departure by the applicant from the State of New Hampshire during recesses or vacations from the College.
• The filing of any claim for benefits under any policy of insurance of any federal, state, or local benefit legislation based on residence or domicile outside the State of New Hampshire.
• Status in some other state that qualifies a person for in-state tuition in that state.

Emancipation. No person is deemed emancipated unless his or her parent has entirely surrendered the right to the care, custody, and earnings of such person and unless his or her parent is no longer under any legal obligation to support or maintain such person or, having supported and maintained such person even though under no legal obligation to do so, has ceased to support or maintain such person. Emancipation shall not be found unless all such tests are met.

The following shall be submitted by an applicant upon request by the director of Admissions:

• Lack of financial support of the person by the parents.
• Lack of contribution to the parents of any earnings or other income received by the person.
• Failure of the parent to claim the person as a dependent on his or her income or other tax returns.
• Establishment by the person of a domicile separate and apart from that of the parent.
• Failure of the person to return to the home of the parent during vacations and other recesses from school.

Presumptions. Unless the contrary appears to the satisfaction of the director of Admissions in individual cases, the following presumptions prevail:

• The domicile of an unemancipated person is that of his or her parents or, if the parents are separated or divorced, that of the parent who has custody of him/her, or that of the parent providing more than one-half of the student’s total financial support.
• The domicile of an unemancipated person who has no parents is that of his or her guardian or other legal custodian, unless it appears that such guardianship or custodianship was created for the purpose of establishing in-state status.
• The domicile of any person who first enters the College from the domicile of his or her parent, as defined above, is that of the parent until he or she abandons such domicile and, for purposes other than that of education, acquires a new domicile.
• The domicile of any person who first enters the College from a domicile other than New Hampshire is such a domicile until he or she abandons such domicile and, for purposes other than that of his or her education, acquires a new domicile.
• Attendance at a unit of the University System or at any other educational institution in this state in itself is not evidence of intention to establish or establishment of a domicile in this state.

Military Personnel. A member of the armed forces of the United States stationed in this state under military orders is entitled to classification for himself/herself, spouse, and dependent children as in-state for tuition purposes so long as he or she remains on active duty in this State pursuant to such orders.

Waiver. Nothing contained in these rules precludes the Director of Admissions from waiving any requirement hereof under special circumstances in individual cases.

Cost Estimates

Tuition and fees are established during each summer by the Board of Trustees of the University System of New Hampshire and may be adjusted at irregular intervals. Such changes are announced as far in advance as possible. Students are encouraged to consult the current tuition and fee schedule located on the KSC web site at www.keene.edu/sfs.

In order to assist with financial planning, total expenses (tuition/room/board/mandatory fees) for full-time students for the 2007-2008 academic year was approximately $15,758 for New Hampshire residents and $23,308 for out-of-state students.

Students enrolled for less than 12 credits pay charges on a per-credit basis, depending on course level and residency.

Refund Policy

A student who withdraws from the College or changes her or his course load is eligible for refunds according to the following schedule:

A student who is suspended or dismissed for disciplinary reasons forfeits his or her right to any refund.

Refund policy for Keene State College students participating in Direct Exchange Programs in International Education is as follows:

Return of Federal Title IV Financial Aid. If a student is receiving federal financial aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Student Loan, and Federal PLUS Loan and LEAPP - State Grants) and withdraws or takes a leave of absence within 60 percent of the enrollment period, a portion of the awarded federal aid must be returned according to the Higher Education Amendments of 1998.

The determination of the return of these funds is calculated by Student Financial Services normally within 10 days of the withdrawal or leave of absence date. The calculation may result in the student's owing a balance to the College and/or the federal Title IV financial aid programs.

Student Financial Responsibility

By enrolling in classes at Keene State College, students agree to pay all charges incurred as a result of being enrolled at Keene State College by the stated due date, including any late penalties assessed due to failure to pay. Students also agree that they are responsible for all collection costs incurred if the services of a collection agency are employed.

A student who has outstanding charges or debts due the College, or who is delinquent in scheduled loan repayments, will not receive grade reports, transcripts, placement papers, diplomas, or other services from the College; nor will that student be eligible to participate in registration or housing privileges.

Billing for Tuition, Mandatory Fees, Room and Board. Payment in full is due the first Friday in August for the fall semester, and the second Friday in December for the spring semester. It is the sole responsibility of the student to remit payment in full prior to the tuition deadine. Any questions concerning a student's account should be directed to Student Financial Services prior to the payment deadline. Other billings may be mailed throughout the year and are normally due within 10 days.

Payment Plans. If financial aid awards will not cover all of a student's charges, information about payment plans that allow for payment of KSC charges during the school year is available at the SFS website (> Paying Your Bill). The College contracts with an outside agent to service and track payment plans for a small fee.

Student Financial Services (SFS) is responsible for the administration of student financial assistance and for helping students develop plans for paying for their education. Financial assistance is available in three basic forms: grants and scholarships, loans, and part-time employment. Grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid. Educational loans must be repaid (unless a student is eligible for special cancellation benefits), but such loans are made on a long-term, low-interest basis. Part-time employment is arranged at on-campus locations.

With the exception of the College's Academic and Talent Scholarship Programs (listed below), the most important factor in determining eligibility for aid is documented financial need. All matriculated students (students admitted into a degree program) are eligible to apply for assistance, if enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester. In addition, to be considered for financial assistance, upperclass applicants must be both in good academic standing (see Academic Policies & Procedures section of this catalog) and making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid (see www.keene.edu/sfs/forms/sapstandards.pdf).

Keene State College complies with all federal regulations concerning disclosure of costs and eligibility criteria. Inquiries should be directed to Student Financial Services.

Application Procedures

In order for Keene State College to accurately determine financial assistance awards and eligibility, each applicant is required to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applications are filed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Visit the SFS website for detailed instructions and information regarding KSC’s financial aid process.

The Financial Aid priority filing date is:

March 1 - FAFSA must be received at the Federal processor by this date.

Students who file prior to this deadline will receive the highest consideration for aid for the following academic year. Students who file after this date will be processed after all on-time filers have been awarded, but cannot expect to receive a substantial amount of scholarship and grant awards. Funds are limited and students who file early are always given first consideration. If you would like early notification of financial awards, it is recommended that you complete the above requirement as soon as possible after January 1. Beginning in early March, letters of notification regarding the award of financial aid are sent from SFS.

It is emphasized that application materials must be filed early each year as no award is renewed automatically. However, provided that the student applies on time and that financial need persists, applicants may expect to continue to be eligible for assistance assuming they have maintained satisfactory progress and remain in good academic standing.

For more information about the KSC financial aid application process, visit www.keene.edu/sfs > Getting Started.

Scholarships and Grants (Partial List)

Keene State has broadened its merit-based scholarship opportunities to provide greater access to higher education for high-quality students. Qualified students from the applicant pool are identified by the Admissions Office for the scholarships listed below. These scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis so students are encouraged to apply for admission early.

The categories are:

Scholarship	Annual Amt.	SAT Score	HS GPA	No. of Awards
President’s Scholarship	$3,500	1,100+	3.5+	20
Dean’s Scholarship	$2,500	1,050+	3.25+	60
KSC Enrichment	$2,000	1,000+	3.0+	100

Annual amount for incoming applicants only (effective Fall 2002).

These awards are renewable for up to four years by maintaining a required grade point average.

The KSC Academic Talent Grants-in-Aid Program provides students with exceptional performing, artistic, or other academic talent with renewable scholarships. Recipients are selected by faculty committees within the Arts and Humanities (for theatre and music students, based on auditions, and art students based on portfolios), Sciences, and Professional Studies Divisions.

The KSC Scholarship Program is a College-funded grant program for high-need students. Eligibility is determined by the College through analysis of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The Federal Pell Grant is designed to assist students in the continuation of their training and education after high school; they provide eligible students with a “foundation of financial aid to help defray the costs of college attendance.” You may apply for the Pell grant by filing a FAFSA after January 1, for the following year. The amount of a Pell grant that you may receive to apply toward educational expenses at Keene State College will be viewed as a monetary resource by SFS.

Further, the amount of a Pell grant is not sufficient to cover your billed costs at Keene State College. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program is a federally funded program that provides grants to students with financial need as defined by federal regulations, as well as with academic and creative promise. Eligibility is determined by the College through analysis of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.

The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) is available to undergraduates demonstrating exceptional financial need. Exceptional financial need is defined as those students with the lowest expected family contribution who will also receive a Pell Grant in that year. While priority for SEOG funds goes to Pell grant recipients, if adequate funds exist, SEOG funds may then be awarded to those eligible students with the lowest expected family contributions who will not receive Pell grants. These grants range from $100 to $4,000 per year. Eligibility is determined by SFS based upon information the student provides on the FAFSA.

The Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG) Program is a need-based grant that was created to encourage students to take more challenging courses in high school. Academic Competitiveness Grants are available to students in their first or second year of college as determined by college credits earned to date. Up to $750 is awarded to eligible first-year students and up to $1,300 for second-year students. Eligible students must be U.S. citizens who are Pell grant recipients, and are enrolled as full-time students. In addition, recipients must have completed a rigorous high school program. Students receiving a second year ACG must also have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00.

The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant is a need-based grant that was created to encourage students to pursue majors in high demand in the global economy. National SMART grants are available to students in their third or fourth years of college as determined by credits earned to date. Up to $4,000 will be awarded each year to eligible students. To qualify, students must be U.S. citizens who are Pell grant recipients and are enrolled as full-time students. In addition, recipients must be pursuing a major in mathematics, science (including computer science), or technology. Students must be enrolled in at least one course that meets the specific requirements of their SMART grant eligible major to receive a National SMART grant for the payment period. In addition to the above, scholarships are awarded annually from current gifts and endowment funds that have been established by friends and alumni of Keene State College. There are at present 42 such funds, which provide more than $225,000 each year in scholarships to needy and worthy Keene State College students. Descriptions of the individual funds, eligibility criteria, and application procedures are found in the Financial Aid Catalog.

Students who have completed at least one year (24 credits) at Keene State College are eligible to apply for merit-based scholarships in March for the following year. Applications for these scholarships are available at Student Financial Services.

Loans

The KSC Loan Program is a College-funded, long-term, low-interest loan for students. Eligibility is established through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The Federal Perkins Loan Program is a federal and College-funded program. Eligibility is established through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Loans of borrowers employed as full-time teachers in designated hardship areas or as full-time teachers of the handicapped are partially forgivable each year and may result in cancellation of the total amount of the outstanding loan within five years. Loans of borrowers on active duty in the armed services, in an area of hostilities only, are forgivable at the rate of 12.5 percent per annum up to 50 percent of the total loan principal.

The Federal Stafford Loan Program allows students to borrow low-interest loans from participating banks and credit unions. Two types of Stafford Loans exist. One is subsidized and is need-based and the other is unsubsidized and is not based on financial need. Eligibility is established through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. School certification is required.

The Federal PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students) Loan Program is available for parents of undergraduate students who need additional funding after other financial aid has been awarded. These loans are not automatically approved, but do have competitive interest rates and other terms. Our office does not award this loan program because bank approval is required. Credit history is considered by lenders approving this program. School certification is required. Student cost of attendance minus other aid is the maximum loan amount possible for this program.

Alternative Loan Programs. Sometimes federal loans are not enough to meet your educational expenses. The lending industry recognizes this fact and offers loan products for students that could fill the gap. However, alternative loans should only be used as a last resort after exploring all other financial aid and other options such as a payment plan or a Parent PLUS Loan. Alternative loans are based on creditworthiness and carry competitive interest rates. All vary on the amount students may borrow, the fees charged, and the terms of repayment.

Please Note: Students are strongly encouraged to complete the financial aid application process before applying for an alternative loan. For more information regarding KSC's Loan Programs, visit us online at www.keene.edu/sfs > Loans.

Employment Opportunities

Funds to support the College's Work-Study Program are provided by the federal government and the College to enable eligible students to work for an average of 6 to 12 hours per week each semester while classes are in session and up to 40 hours per week at other times.

Keene State College also supports its own work program, which provides an additional 400-500 jobs per year. Jobs are offered preferentially to work-study eligible students, although many noneligible students also find employment on the campus. The average job opportunity allows a student to earn approximately $750-$1500 per semester. Students may review employment opportunities online at www.keene.edu/sfs > On Campus Employment.

In addition to on-campus job opportunities, many local employers hire students on a part-time basis. The Academic and Career Advising office in the Elliot Center maintains current listings of such vacancies.

Other Sources of Assistance

To be sure students have explored every possible source of financial assistance, we suggest the following:

• Check with high school guidance counselors about local and national scholarship competitions and citizens scholarship funds in your state of residence.
• Apply to state grant or scholarship programs in your state of residence. Most of these may be applied for by means of the same Free Application for Federal Student Aid used to apply for institutional and federal aid.
• Check with local banks regarding special trusts providing educational assistance to students.
• Check with local Veterans Administration, and/or Vocational Rehabilitation offices if you think you are eligible for these programs.

Ombudsman

Higher Education amendments of 1998 have provided for the creation of a Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman appointed by the U.S. Department of Education to act on behalf of students in the resolution of Title IV federal financial aid program issues. Students with questions or issues regarding federal financial aid programs may contact this person at 877-557-2575 or online.

Updated: May 5, 2008