Tuition and Fees

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are set by the board of trustees on an annual basis. Washington College of Law (WCL) students who register for 12 to 17 credit hours are charged for tuition at a flat full-time rate. WCL students who register for fewer than 12 credit hours are charged tuition per credit hour based on the number of credit hours taken. WCL students who register for more than 17 credit hours are charged the flat full-time tuition rate with an additional charge for each credit hour over 17. 

Full-time registration is defined as enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours during the fall or spring semester, or a minimum of 6 semester credit hours during the summer semester. Part-time registration is defined as enrollment in a minimum of 6 credit hours during the fall or spring semester, or a minimum of 3 credit hours during the summer semester.  

Given the probable continuation of current economic conditions, as well as the need to continue to accelerate the academic development of the university, it is reasonable to expect that tuition and fee increases will be required each year in the near future. 

Payment of Charges

Online Payment

Payments can be made online by eChecks (using a checking or savings account) and by credit and debit cards (using Visa, MasterCard or Discover). Credit Card Convenience Fee Disclosure Statement: A non-refundable convenience fee (2.55% of the charge amount) will be charged to your credit/debit card account when making credit card payments applied to your student account bill. Convenience Fees are not charged for enrollment deposits (tuition deposits and housing deposits).

Online Payments are made through your student portal (myau.american.edu). Under “Personalized Links” select “Finances,” then select “Eagle Service Financial Information.” Proceed to the “Make A Payment Page” to make your payment.

Payment by Mail

Payments by check may be sent to the address below. Please write your student AU ID number and name on your check.

American University
Student Accounts
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016-8073

Payment in Person

Payments by check or money order may also be made in person at AU Central, Asbury 201, Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Correspondence/Inquiries

All other correspondence/inquiries (not payments) should be sent to:

aucentral@american.edu
or
American University
AU Central
Asbury 201
4400 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20016-8077

Priority Registration/Direct Registration

Students registering during priority registration must pay the balance due on or before the due date. For payment due dates please visit https://www.american.edu/finance/studentaccounts/Tuition-and-Fees-Information.cfm.

Students registering after the priority registration period (direct registration) must pay the balance due, less expected financial aid, on the day they register.

American Payment Plan

The American Payment Plan (APP) is available to all students. For more information, please go to www.american.edu/finance/studentaccounts/Payment-Plan-Overview.cfm.

The American Guaranteed Tuition Single Payment Plan (AmeriPlan)

Available to incoming freshmen who do not receive any financial aid, this plan allows students to stabilize tuition expenses by prepaying four years’ tuition at the entering academic year rate. For more information contact the Director of Student Billing at 202-885-3554 or via email at sa@american.edu.

Late Payment and Financial Restrictions

A finance charge will be assessed against a student’s account for failure to meet the initial payment due date. The university will use a rate of 0.5 percent per month to compute the finance charge.

Late payments will result in a financial restriction being placed on the student’s account. The financial restriction places a “hold” on the student’s academic records, including transcripts and diplomas, and results in denial of priority registration and use of the payment plan or other credit privileges. Students who incur financial obligations in the parking and traffic office, library, health center, or athletic department may be subject to late payment fees and financial restriction procedures. Students who fail to pay tuition or fees will be responsible for all costs of collection.

Employer or Agency Tuition Assistance

A student requesting employer or agency billing arrangements must furnish Student Accounts with a valid contract or purchase order before the first day of classes.

A contract or purchase order must contain the following information: (1) student name and ID number, (2) term of attendance, (3) specific costs (and dollar amounts) to be paid by the sponsor (tuition, books, supplies, fees), (4) sponsor’s billing address, and (5) contract or purchase order number or accounting appropriation, if applicable. Documentation submitted in lieu of a valid purchase order will not relieve a student of financial responsibility.

In case of partial assistance, the student is required to pay the balance of his or her tuition costs at the time of registration in order to be considered registered. A student portion which qualifies for one of the university payment plans is to be paid according to that plan. Failure to comply will result in the assessment of a 0.5 percent per month finance charge. (See Late Payment and Financial Restrictions section.)

A student entitled to Campus Store credit may obtain a book voucher from Student Accounts. Purchases are permitted through the end of the Add/Drop period.

Failure to submit vouchers in a timely manner may result in the assessment of late fees. A student is responsible for payment of any billed amounts which have been disallowed by his or her sponsor.

Employee Remitted Tuition Benefits

Only full-time permanent faculty or staff employees of American University are eligible for tuition benefits. There is a nonrefundable $50 registration fee each semester, in addition to any special program fees, and mandatory sport, technology, and activity fees. Late registration fees are not applicable to faculty and staff using employee tuition benefits.

The Tuition Remission Application is available online at the student portal (myau.american.edu). For more information, contact Human Resources at 202-885-2591.

Refunds and Cancellation of Charges

Course Drops

A “course drop” is the complete removal of a course or credits from a student’s schedule without a transcript notation. Students who reduce their course load by dropping courses during the refund period of the semester will have the course tuition cancellation calculated as of the date of the course drop. The student’s account must show a credit balance before a refund will be processed.

Unless a course requires special permission to drop, a student may drop a course without instructor permission before the end of the Add/Drop period through the University’s online registration portal. Courses that require instructor permission to drop may be dropped only through submitting a Request for Registration Action form to the Office of the Registrar showing permission from the instructor, or, in extenuating circumstances, the Dean of Students.

Transcript notations will not be added to courses that are dropped before the Deadline to Drop a Class without Transcript Notation. Students are advised to seek academic and/or financial aid advising before dropping courses, as doing so may affect a student’s ability to complete academic requirements and/or receive financial aid.

Discontinuing attendance in class or notifying an instructor does not constitute an official course drop.

Withdrawal

Students seeking to withdraw from a course after the Add/Drop period may do so by submitting a Request for Registration Action form to the Office of the Registrar.

For all course withdrawals after the end of the Add/Drop period, students will receive a notation of Withdraw (“W”) on their transcript and will be subject to the financial policies delineated in the law school’s Tuition Cancellation Schedule. The date that the Request for Registration Action form is received by the Office of the Registrar will be the effective date of the withdrawal.

Students who have been charged with or are under investigation for a violation of the Honor Code may not withdraw from a course that is implicated in the charge. Additional restrictions on course withdrawals may apply to particular academic programs and students in the United States on a visa.

Subject to the provisions of Section VI below, in no situation may a student withdraw from any class after the applicable Deadline to Withdraw from a Course with a Transcript Notation. The student will receive no reimbursement and will receive a failing grade for any course that is not successfully completed. Discontinuation of attendance at a class or notification to the instructor does not constitute an official drop or withdrawal from a course.

Students are advised to seek academic and/or financial aid advising before withdrawing from courses, as doing so may affect a student’s ability to complete academic requirements and/or receive financial aid.

The ability to add, drop, or withdraw from courses with or without transcript notations is based on the time at which a student seeks to do so, as follows:

Withdrawal from All Courses

Students who seek to withdraw from all courses simultaneously must work with the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of the Registrar to file a Withdraw from All Classes form. The date that the Withdraw from All Classes form is received by the Office of the Registrar will be the effective date of the withdrawal.

For all course withdrawals after the end of the Add/Drop period, students will receive a notation of Withdraw (“W”) on their transcript and will be subject to the financial policies delineated in the law school’s Tuition Cancellation Schedule.

Students who have been charged with or are under investigation for a violation of the Honor Code may not withdraw from a course that is implicated in the charge. Additional restrictions on course withdrawals may apply to particular academic programs and students in the United States on a visa.

Subject to the provisions of Section VI below, in no situation may a student withdraw from any class after the applicable Deadline to Withdraw from a Course with a Transcript Notation. The student will receive no reimbursement and will receive a failing grade for any course that is not successfully completed. Discontinuation of attendance at a class or notification to the instructor does not constitute an official drop or withdrawal from a course.

Late Withdrawal or Reduction of Course Load due to Extenuating Circumstances

In the event of an emergency after the applicable Deadline to Withdraw from a Course with a Transcript Notation, if a student wishes to seek special permission to withdraw from all courses or secure a reduced course load, the student must meet with the Office of Student Affairs to provide any required documentation.

After meeting with the Dean of Students, the student must meet with the Office of the Registrar to file a petition requesting withdrawal from all courses or reduction of course load and all affected instructors must be consulted during the routing of the petition. The Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs will make the final decision for such late withdrawals. The student should provide medical documentation only to the Office of Student Affairs.

Tuition Cancellation Schedule

When students withdraw from courses with a standard face-to-face schedule during a regular semester (fall/spring), refunds are based on the published dates in the Academic Calendar. The cancellation percentage is based on the date of the course drop or withdrawal:

• 100 percent tuition refund for course drop/withdrawal through the second calendar week of classes
• 50 percent tuition refund for course drop/withdrawal through the third calendar week of classes
• 25 percent tuition refund for course drop/withdrawal through the fourth calendar week of classes
• No refund for course drop/withdrawal after the fourth calendar week of classes

Refunds for face-to-face courses for summer sessions and courses with non-standard meeting times are calculated proportionately, based on the percentage of the course meeting times completed.

Online course refunds are calculated proportionately using percentage of days elapsed from the first day of class until the last day of class.

• If an online course falls within the regular term, the published dates and refund percentages in the Academic Calendar (100 percent through the second week, 50 percent through the third week, and 25 percent through the fourth week) for the regular term are used.
• If an online course has non-standard beginning and end dates, the 100 percent, 50 percent, and 25 percent refunds are based on the percentage of days elapsed from the first day of the course until the last day of the course.

Note: The calendar week for cancellation of tuition ends on Friday. Students should check the Academic Calendar for specific dates for each semester.

Based on University policy and federal financial aid regulations, the tuition cancellation policy is strictly enforced based on the date a student drops a course or withdraws from the law school (“change in registration”). The effective date of the change in registration is the date on which the student provides all necessary information to the Office of the Registrar. The Office of Student Accounts will use this information to assess a student’s financial obligation to the University.  If a student’s situation provides exigent circumstances, the student may appeal to WCL’s Tuition Refund Assessment Committee. To initiate an appeal, the student must email Dean David Jaffe at djaffe@wcl.american.edu with a statement explaining the circumstances, which must be compelling and out of the control of the student, and the specific relief sought. The statement should not exceed 1000 words and may include supporting documents. All requests must be made in writing within thirty days of the change in registration or the assessment on the student account, whichever comes later. The Committee will assess all appeals within thirty days of receipt. Decisions made by the Committee are final and may not be further appealed.

Federal (Title IV) Financial Aid Recipients Return of Title IV Funds Policy

As federally mandated, federal (Title IV) aid recipients who withdraw from classes are subject to the following refund policy.

• Complete withdrawal from all classes: University charges are prorated per the university tuition cancellation schedule, based on the date of the course drop. Students who withdraw from all of their classes before completing the first 60 percent of the semester will have a portion of their financial aid prorated, based on their length of attendance during the semester. Based on this proration, all or a portion of the student’s financial aid will be returned to the appropriate Title IV financial aid program.
• Partial withdrawal from classes:
  Students who withdraw from some but not all of their classes, at any point during the semester, will have their financial aid recalculated based on the final number of credit hours enrolled. Students withdrawing before the end of the semester may also need to repay funds received for non-institutional costs (off-campus room, board, books, and personal expenses) under a Title IV program. In this case, the university determines whether or not the student received an overpayment. If the monies disbursed for non-institutional costs are more than the amount determined to be the actual non-institutional costs for the period of enrollment, the student received an overpayment and may be responsible for returning funds to American University.

Questions about how the refund and repayment regulations may affect a student’s financial aid should be referred to the student’s Financial Aid counselor prior to withdrawing from the university.

Medical Withdrawal Policy

No special waiver or refund of tuition and fees is made when a student discontinues attending classes due to medical reasons. However, when a student is hospitalized on an emergency basis and is therefore unable to formally withdraw from classes, the Associate Dean may contact the Registrar and request a retroactive withdrawal based on the last date that the student attended class. The student must file with the Dean of Students evidence of his or her hospitalization and the date of last attendance in class as documented by the instructor. Provided that the retroactive withdrawal date falls within the tuition cancellation period, and the evidence is received within the same semester, the student’s account will be adjusted accordingly.

Tuition Refund Insurance (Optional)

American University has partnered with GradGuard(tm) by Allianz Global Assistance to provide Tuition Insurance for students. Allianz Global Assistance is a private insurance program offering tuition insurance that acts as an extension to American University’s published refund policy.

Tuition Insurance helps minimize financial losses should a student suffer serious illness or an accident that results in withdrawal from the university before the end of the semester.

To enroll please contact:

GradGuard(tm) by Allianz Global Assistance
Web: www.gradguard.com/tuition//american
Phone: (866) 724-4384