Tuition, Fees and Expenses

TUITION AND FEES PER SEMESTER (2024-25)

Academic Calendar

DePauw's academic year consists of two semesters, each comprising a 15-week primary term (Fall or Spring) and a 3-week extended term (Winter or May). Semester I includes Fall and Winter terms; Semester II Spring and May terms. 

Tuition

Semester Fees

Additional Fees

Private instruction in Applied Music

Tuition in the Institute of Music includes private instruction in required applied music, in accordance with specifications listed in Tuition for Private Instruction. However, students enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, except those who have declared a Bachelor of Arts music major, are charged an extra fee for private instruction:

Applied music tuition and dance course tuition are refunded, with charges deducted for lessons received, only if the student cancels the course with the approval of the Coordinator of the Institute of Music and adjusts his or her registration within the first six days of the term. There is no refund after the first six days of the term. Students majoring in music are charged only for applied music instruction over the applied music requirements for their degree (see below).

Group instruction in piano, voice or guitar

Group instruction in dance

Off-Campus Study (Per Semester)

Special departmental examinations

There is no refund of the fee for the departmental examination in case of failure to establish credit.

May and Winter Term Only

These fees apply to students not enrolled full-time in Semester I who take a course in Winter Term or to students not enrolled full-time in Semester II who take a May Term course. 

Auditing a Course
Full-time students may audit one course each term without charge. The fee for all others:

There is no refund for auditors who withdraw after the adjustment period (first week of classes). International auditors enrolled in the equivalent of 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 courses pay $2,935.00 per semester plus fees for applied music and dance. 

Course Load

STANDARD TUITION CHARGES

For tuition and course load purposes, Winter Term is considered to be part of Semester I and May Term part of Semester II. Full-time students are eligible to take up to 4.5 credits per semester. For example, a student enrolled in 4.25 credits in Fall Term and .5 credits in Winter Term would have a course load of 4.75 credits for Semester 1 and would be subject to a .25 credit overload charge. 

Students enrolled as full-time students in the Fall or Spring term pay the full tuition for the semester, whether or not they participate in the associated extended term.

CREDIT OVERLOAD EXEMPTIONS

Some courses have been exempted from the credit overload calculation. These include:

• Music ensembles (MUS 181; 271-289)
• Ensemble Tour (MUS 183)
• Opera (MUS 184)
• Science Research Fellows research experiences and seminars (HONR 191, 192, 193, 194, 291, 292, 491)
• Media Fellows (HONR 172, 221, 222, 421, 470)
• Honor Scholar reading course (HONR 200)
• Honor Scholar senior tutorial (HONR 401, 402)
• HONR 185, Business and the Liberal Arts
• Consultant and tutor training courses (UNIV 300, 301, 310, 315, 316, 320; BIO 295)
• ROTC courses (Aerospace Science (AS) and Military Science (ARMY))
• BIO 490, Research Problems (effective Spring 2023)
• CHEM 170, Stoichiometric Calculations
• CHEM 395, Independent Study
• CHEM 405, Thesis
• COMM 101, Theatre Practicum
• ETS 250, Ethics in Action
• ETS 291, Prindle Reading Course
• GEOS 470, Readings in Geology (effective Fall 2024)
• GEOS 480, Problems in Geology (effective Fall 2024)
• GEOS 490, Research Thesis (effective Fall 2024)
• PHYS 390, Topics
• PSY 375, Directed Research (effective Fall 2024)
• UNIV 135, Academic Excellence Seminar
• UNIV 180, Science Research Professional Development I
• UNIV 325, Fellowship Application Writing Workshop
• UNIV 380, Science Research Professional Development II

Payment of tuition covers:

1. Enrollment in any course applicable toward a degree.
2. Enrollment in Winter Term for Semester I and May Term for Semester II.
3. For music majors, enrollment in the amount of private or class applied music instruction required for the individual degree program.  (Students in the BMA degree program are required to complete 2 credits in applied music in their primary instrument and can apply up to 4 credits of applied music to required music electives. Students in the BA in Music degree program are required to take up to 1 credit of applied music, and can apply up to 3 credits of applied music to required music electives. All these applied music credits required by the degree program are fully covered by tuition. Students who enroll in applied music courses beyond the requirement are charged additional fees. These fees are assessed each semester if students exceed their allotment for the semester or exceed the total credit required for the major.)
4. Limited counseling services.
5. Use of science, computer and language laboratories; libraries; and Memorial Student Union Building.
6. University chapels, convocations, lectures and music programs.
7. Admission to most varsity athletic contests held in Greencastle.
8. A diploma upon completion of graduation requirements.

Payment of fees covers:

1. Comprehensive Fee
2. Residence Hall Fee

Payment of Tuition and Fees

Payment of tuition and fees is due no later than August 1 (Semester I) and February 1 (Semester II). A student's registration is not complete until all charges are paid. A payment plan is available for payment of tuition and fees.

Additional Fee Information

Late Registration Fee. Students who do not complete their registration by payment or arrangement for payment of their tuition and fees by August 1 and January 31 may be charged a $45 late registration fee.

Late Processing Fee. A fee of $45.00 may be charged for course adjustments made after the deadline but granted by the Petitions Committee. A fee of $45.00 may be charged if a student fails to complete Winter or May Term registration by the first day of the term.

Loss and Breakage. When University materials and equipment are issued to the student for class work, the student will be charged for loss or breakage. At the discretion of the department chair, payment for loss or breakage is charged to the student's account and is payable in the Cash Receipts Office.

Delinquent Account. Late fees and registration holds may be assessed for a delinquent student account. A delinquent student account is defined as exceeding $25 and over 30 days past due.

Transcript of Credit. Transcripts may be ordered through the DePauw transcript portal. 

Off-Campus Study Programs. A cancellation fee of $100.00 is assessed any student who decides not to participate in an off-campus study program after May 1 for Semester I or full year off-campus programs and September 15 for Semester II programs. In addition, the student is liable for any cancellation fees charged by the host institution or non-cancelable program fees.

Housing and Meals

Housing and meal payments are due on the same dates as tuition and fees payments. A payment plan is available for payment of housing and meal charges.

The cost of housing and meals in all University residence halls is $7,665.00 per semester for 2024-25. Housing contracts are for all of Semester I, including Winter Term, and for the Spring Term. May Term is not included in the housing contract. Students enrolling for only Semester II and Winter Term will be assessed an additional pro-rated charge to cover the Winter Term housing. Once a student moves into a residence hall room, he or she is responsible for payment for that semester.

All students living in DePauw University owned housing must participate in a meal plan. There are three general plan offerings with two options per meal plan:  Residence Hall Meal Plans, Rector Village Meal Plans, and University Owned Apartments and Houses (UOAH) Meal Plans.  In addition, a Winter Term meal plan is required for students living in a DePauw residence hall during this term.  See depauw.cafebonappetit.com for further information on DePauw meal plans.

Students requiring special diets for medical reasons should make arrangements through Student Disability Services.

Furniture and Room Damage. Damage to equipment and furnishings in University residences, over and above that caused by normal usage, will be charged to the student. Any charge for damage incurred during residence is payable on Transact Payments.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Students/parents have two payment options to choose from:

Option 1: Payment in full prior to start of the semester

Payment is due by August 1 for Semester I and February 1 for Semester II. Pending loans or scholarships that will be applied to the account may be deducted before submitting payment.

Option 2: Semester Payment Plan

The DePauw payment plan, referred to as 'My Payment Plan' (MPP for short), is set up online through Transact Payments. The payment plan allows students or third parties to pay for semester charges over four months for Semester I and four months for Semester II. Semester I payments are due on the first of each month, August through November. Semester II payments are due on the first of each month, February through May. A $40 per semester fee is assessed to sign-up for the payment plan.

Basic Costs Summary for 2024-25

The cost each semester per student is shown below. All policies are under continual review. The University reserves the right to change its charges.

Other Expenses

Students can purchase textbooks and supplies at Eli's Bookstore or any other store of their choosing. In addition, each student has variable expenses for clothing, laundry, travel, recreation and incidentals to consider.

Each year, student organizations in the residence halls vote to assess each resident a Housing Programs fee to cover the cost of newspapers, magazines, books for hall libraries, parties and other incidentals. This additional fee will be included with the room and board charges on the tuition statement.

A fee is charged to replace student identification cards and a $110 parking permit fee is required for students who have a motor vehicle on campus. Unpaid parking fines and late payment fees are assessed to the student's tuition account on a monthly basis. A fee is also charged for checks returned due to insufficient funds or stop payment orders.

Students participating in the graduation ceremony purchase their own caps and gowns.

Extended Studies Expenses

Students are not charged extra for their chosen Extended Studies projects on campus, except for costs directly related to the project. However, all off-campus costs are the responsibility of the student participants. Off-campus Extended Studies courses will have additional expenses associated with travel. Students in credit-bearing off-campus study courses may be eligible for additional financial support to help with these expenses (see Financial Aid).

Withdrawal and Refund Policy

Note of Explanation. Federal law specifies how to determine the amount of federal assistance to be retained by a student who withdraws during a semester. DePauw's refund policy treats all students the same regardless of whether they have federal funds as a part of their financial aid package. The law is very precise and complex. Students who withdraw from classes should consult with the Financial Aid or Payment Services Offices for full information about refund policies. Full information is also available upon request or at the Financial Aid website.

Appeals. Special exceptions to the above policies should be directed to: Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration, DePauw University, 313 S. Locust Street, P.O. Box 37, Greencastle, IN 46135-0037.

Student Financial Obligations

The Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration, Student Life Office, Office of the Registrar, Payment Services Office, Financial Aid Office, fraternity and sorority living units, or DePauw University Public Safety may place holds on registration if a student leaves an unsatisfied account of $25.00 or more (any amount due for graduating seniors), has been notified of the amount due and was allowed 10 days to pay the following:

1. University Bills. Any account due the University must be paid. This includes tuition, fees, room and board, miscellaneous charges and emergency loans.
2. Grants, Scholarships, Loans. Students will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office about repayment obligations of current-year awards whenever a student ceases eligible enrollment at the University. This includes withdrawing from the University or reducing the course load to fewer than three course credits.

Note: Due to Federal Regulations, expenses reflected in the Cost of Attendance from the Financial Aid Office may differ from actual charges on this page. Housing and meals are determined based on DePauw's four-year residency requirement. Also, the Financial Aid Office calculates the cost of food for the 2024-2025 academic year at $7,990 which covers 21 meals per week (versus 18 swipes for the standard meal plan). In addition to direct costs, students should also plan on indirect costs estimated at $950 for books, course materials, supplies and equipment; $800 for transportation; $1650 for miscellaneous personal expenses; and $70 on average for federal student loan fees.