Tuition, Fees and Payment Instructions
- Carmen Escobedo
The Master of Science and PhD degrees offered by A&A are tuition-based programs. Tuition rates are set by UW and vary depending on residency, graduate program, credit hours, etc. It is important to understand the various charges associated with late registration, registration changes, or late drops, as well as knowing when and how to pay your balance.
Instructional and quarterly fees
For current rates for course credits and other quarterly fees, please use this tool. Please select "Aeronautics & Astronautics" in the Graduate Program drop down. It is important to note that while 7-18 credits has the same cost, full time enrollment for graduate students is 10 or more credits.
Registration change fees
Students may incur additional fees for late changes to their registration - scenarios such as registering too late or making schedule changes after the first week of the quarter. These fees, especially forfeiture charges, can add up quickly. The best ways to avoid registration change fees are to register early and have your schedule finalized by the end of the first week of class.
Late registration
A $25 late registration fee is charged if you register for the first time between the first day of class and the 13th calendar day of the quarter. To avoid this fee, register before the quarter begins.
A $75 late registration fee is charged if you register for the first time on the 14th calendar day of the quarter or later. To avoid this fee, register during the first two weeks of class (or before the quarter begins... always a good idea in any case).
Schedule changes
No registration change fees are charged for schedule changes you make between Period 1 registration and the 7th calendar day of the quarter. Of course, the cost of any credits you add during this time will be counted into your total amount due for the quarter.
A $20 registration change fee is charged for all schedule changes beginning on the 8th calendar day of the quarter. In addition, the cost of any credits you add will be counted into your total amount due. The 8th calendar day is also when forfeiture charges for dropped credits begin.
Tuition/fee forfeiture charges (important!)
Forfeiture charges begin on the 8th calendar day of the quarter.
A 50% forfeiture fee is charged for any schedule changes that result in a net loss of credits. This means that, after the first week of the quarter, you are charged 50% of the cost of any credits you drop without replacing with an equivalent or greater number of credits.
It's common for students to register for more classes than they plan to take, and spend the early days of the quarter deciding on their final schedule. This is a fine practice, but you should plan to be done dropping classes by the end of the first week.
Schedule change fee example scenarios
Here are some example scenarios and what they mean for fees and forfeiture charges:
Scenario | Result | Charges |
You have registered for 4 classes. Before the quarter begins, you decide to drop one. | Loss of credits before the first day of the quarter | No charges; cost of the dropped credits are removed from your account balance due. |
You register for four classes and plan to spend the first week deciding which three to keep. On Friday of the first week of class, you drop one class. | Loss of credits before 8th calendar day of the quarter | No charges; cost of the dropped credits are removed from your account balance due. |
You begin the quarter with 6 credits. During week 2, you add another course. | Gain of credits after 7th calendar day | $20 change fee and cost of added credits. |
You are registered for 11 credits at the beginning of week 2. You drop a 3-credit class and add another 3-credit class on the same day, keeping your total at 11 credits. | Schedule change after 7th calendar day, but no net change in credits | $20 change fee. No forfeiture charges because your total credits stayed the same. |
At the beginning of week 2, you are registered for 10 credits. You decide to drop a class and stay at 6 credits for the quarter. | Loss of 4 credits after 7th calendar day | $20 change fee and 50% of the cost difference. |
View your account balance
Your current account balance will be available a few days before the start of the quarter.
All fees may be paid through the MyUW portal, where you will see your tuition statement.
When payment is due
The payment deadline is always the third Friday of the quarter. Past-due balances can result in late fees and holds on your registration and official transcripts.
Pay your account balance
Fees are most conveniently paid online with a web check or credit card through the MyUW payment portal.
A variety of other payment methods are available too, including third-party payments, veterans education benefits, and financial aid. Student Fiscal Services provides detailed instructions here.
Financial aid
Students receiving financial aid (as awarded through the FAFSA or WAFSA) will have their aid disbursed as early as one week before the start of the quarter. Aid will disburse first to your University student account to pay your instructional fees, U-PASS, late change and other university fees. If the amount of your aid is greater than the charges on your student account, the difference will be sent to your bank account via direct deposit.
Funding
Students with appointments or fellowships that pay their fees will initially see their full account balance in MyUW. Payroll works directly with the Graduate School to charge employers' budgets for the students' costs, after which time the student will see an adjusted balance for any remaining charges not covered by their funding. It is the student's responsibility to make sure all remaining fees are paid by the third Friday of each quarter. These fees are typically a few hundred dollars each quarter. If you have such an appointment, it is important you are established on payroll well before the payment deadline.