Tuition, Fees, and Expenses

Payment of Tuition and Fees 

Tuition rates and fees are posted on the University's website.

Tuition, fees, and other University charges may be paid by mail, online or in person at 1135 Lee Building, 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The University accepts checks (no fee) and Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards for payment. Checks should be made payable to "The University of Maryland." Students can also obtain their account balances through Student Financial Services and Cashiering.

It is the policy of the University not to allow deferment of payment pending the result of an application for financial assistance to an outside agency, including Veterans Administration benefits, bank loans, or guaranteed student loan programs.

Each student is individually responsible for his or her bill and for meeting payment deadlines. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in late charges or cancellation of registration. The University will suspend services to students for delinquent indebtedness and failure to pay bills. The University will also transfer delinquent accounts to the State Central Collections Unit, which will levy further late fees and take necessary steps to obtain payment.

Forms of Financial Aid 

The Office of Student Financial Aid administers a number of programs to assist graduate students (e.g. loans and federal work study). Please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid for more information.

Emergency Loans 

Students may receive up to $500 as an interest-free loan that must be repaid in 60 days. If the loan is not repaid within 60 days, the amount will be charged against the student's account and late fees may be incurred. These loans are available from the Office of Student Financial Aid, 1135 Lee Building . Applicants should bring documentation of their need. They will then be asked to complete a short loan application form. They will subsequently meet briefly with a loan counselor who will review their need. The loan counselor will either approve or deny funds.

University Refund Statement 

Tuition, fees, and refundable deposits are authorized for refund only if the student completes the prescribed withdrawal procedures or is dismissed from the University. Residence Hall and Dining Services charges are authorized for refund only if the student completes the prescribed residence hall and dining services contract release procedures. Please refer to the current Academic Deadlines for complete refund information and procedures.

Refunds for Withdrawal from All Classes 

A Cancellation of Registration submitted to the Office of the Registrar before the first day of classes entitles the student to a full credit or refund of term (semester or 12-week) tuition and fees.

After classes begin, students who wish to terminate their registration and withdraw from all classes must follow the withdrawal procedures specified in the Registration Guide. Students will find the necessary forms for withdrawal by visiting the Office of the Registrar, online or in person at 1113 Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Building. The effective date used in computing refunds is the date the withdrawal form is filed with the Office of the Registrar. Stopping payment on a check, failure to pay the term (semester or 12-week) bill, or failure to attend classes does not constitute withdrawal.

Students withdrawing from the University will be credited for tuition in accordance with the following schedule:

¹

Fees are non-refundable after the first day of classes. 

Withdrawal from all classes may be a violation of the Graduate School’s Continuous Registration policy. Students withdrawing from classes who intend to continue in their graduate degree or certificate program should secure a Waiver of Continuous Registration or Leave of Absence from the Graduate School before withdrawing.

Refunds for Dropping Individual Courses 

Graduate students may obtain refunds for courses that are dropped during the Schedule Adjustment Period. Graduate students can adjust their schedule (add, drop, etc.) without penalty until the close of business on the fifth business day of classes. (Monday through Friday when the university is open for business). Any schedule adjustment made after the fifth business day is subject to a financial penalty. The refund schedule for courses dropped is published on the Registrar’s website.

Fellowships, Assistantships, and Financial Assistance 

The University of Maryland recognizes the high cost of education today and makes every effort to offer financial assistance to qualified students through a variety of programs. Approximately seventy percent (70%) of all full-time graduate students receive financial support, which may include assistance of tuition, teaching and research assistantships, work-study support, and University and other fellowships. Referrals for University or area employment opportunities for students and students' spouses are also available in various graduate programs and in specific student service centers at the University.

Admission to a graduate degree program is a prerequisite for the award of a teaching or research assistantship, a fellowship, a traineeship, a loan, or a work-study award.

Graduate Fellowships 

Graduate Fellowships are funded by the Graduate School through grants allocated to the academic colleges specifically for this purpose. Applicants and current students must apply directly to their Graduate Programs for fellowship funding. The Graduate School offers a limited number of dissertation fellowships. Applications are solicited annually. More information may be obtained from the Graduate School's fellowship website as well as the Fellowships chapter of this Catalog.

Graduate Assistantships 

A graduate assistantship is an academic appointment not involving academic tenure. Such assistantships take the form of teachings assistantships, research assistantships or, in a few cases, administrative assistantships. Offers of these positions are made to graduate students directly by the programs and departments.  

The assigned duties of a graduate assistant are consistent with the aims and objectives of the teaching and research missions of the University. An appointment of 20 hours per week is considered a full-time assistantship. An appointment of 10 hours per week is considered a half-time assistantship. The responsibilities assigned to a graduate assistant should take into account what may be reasonably expected given the graduate assistant's education and experience.

For more information, please see the Assistantships chapter of this Catalog.

Overload Payments for Graduate Students 

Under certain circumstances, fellows and graduate assistants may be offered employment in addition to their normal appointments. As outlined in the Graduate Assistants and Graduate Fellows chapters, approval for such overload payments must be obtained from the Graduate School in advance of the appointment. The required request form can be found at gradschool.umd.edu/forms.

Travel Grants 

The Graduate School administers the Jacob K. Goldhaber travel grants for graduate students. Goldhaber grants are available to support part of the cost of attending conferences at which graduate students will present the results of their research. Because funding is limited, students are urged to apply as soon as their presentations have been accepted. More information is available at gradschool.umd.edu/funding.