Expenses

The Board of Governors of the university reserves the right to change the charges for tuition, fees and the room and board rate at any time without prior notice.

Tuition and Fees (in effect at time of publication)

All charges for tuition and regular fees are due and payable on or before the last day of registration to avoid class cancellation. Online payments can be made via E-bill (www.uncw.edu/e-bill). Checks and money orders should be made payable to the University of North Carolina Wilmington and include the student‘s identification number.

Full-Time Charges per Semester (12 or more semester hours):
 

*See information on residency at the end of this section.Other Fees:

Orientation

All new students (freshmen, transfers and unclassified) are required to attend an orientation program prior to the beginning of their first term. The purpose of orientation is to acquaint students with academic requirements, campus services, and involvement opportunities. During orientation, students will work with an academic advisor, take placement tests as needed, and register for classes.  Registration for orientation is required in advance. Refer to your Teal Ticket in MySeaport for registration deadlines and instructions.

All international students are required to attend the international student orientation sessions in addition to the appropriate UNCW freshman, transfer or graduate orientations. Please contact the Office of International Programs for additional information and upcoming orientation schedules.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is required for all UNCW students who meet the following three criteria:

• Enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester for undergraduates or 1 credit hour for graduate students
• Enrolled in a degree-seeking program and
• Eligible to pay the UNCW student health fee

Students who have their own insurance and do not want to purchase the insurance through the school must complete an on-line waiver each term, providing details about their current insurance plan. Any student who does not waive out of the insurance plan will be charged the premium and automatically enrolled in the program.

Charge for Late Payment of Tuition and Fees/Late Registration

A late charge will be assessed to students that fail to register and pay tuition and fees by published deadlines. Students who have not paid tuition and fees by the deadline are subject to cancellation of their registration. Students who have been canceled for non-payment must re-register the exact classes canceled with a $75 late charge. Appeals may be made to the Late Charge Appeals Committee c/o Student Accounts. Appeals must be submitted in writing no later than the last day of the semester in which the charge is incurred. Non-attendance or non-payment does not relieve a student of tuition liability. Students who do not plan to attend classes for a term must officially withdraw from the semester. 

Tuition Surcharge

All new undergraduates seeking a baccalaureate degree at the University of North Carolina Wilmington will be subject to a 50% tuition surcharge if they take more than 140 credit hours to complete a four-year degree program or more than 110% of the required credit hours to complete an officially designated five-year program.

Note: The State Scholarship Program for Children of War Veterans administered by the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs will not cover the 50% tuition surcharge. Responsibility for the surcharge would be placed on the student.

Counted Credit Hours

The undergraduate credit hours to be counted for this requirement include: (1) all regular session degree-creditable courses taken at UNCW, including repeated courses, failed courses, withdrawals, and those dropped after the last date to add a course; and (2) all transfer credit hours accepted by UNCW. However, this calculation excludes the following credit hours: (1) those earned through the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or similar programs; (2) those earned through institutional advanced placement, course validation, or any similar procedure for awarding course credit; and (3) those earned through the summer session or degree-credit extension division at UNCW or at another UNC institution.

Students Subject to the Surcharge

The surcharge shall be imposed on all counted credit hours in excess of the threshold defined below for each of the following three categories of undergraduates:

1. For students earning a first baccalaureate degree in a program that requires no more than 128 credit hours, the surcharge shall be applied to all counted credit hours in excess of 140.
2. For students earning a first baccalaureate degree in a Board-approved program that requires more than 128 counted credit hours, the surcharge shall be applied to all credit hours that exceed 110% of the credit hours required for the degree. Such programs include those that have been officially designated by the Board of Governors as five-year programs, as well as those involving double majors or combined bachelor’s/master’s degrees.
3. For students earning a baccalaureate degree other than the first, the surcharge shall be applied to all counted credit hours that exceed 110% of the minimum additional credit hours needed to earn the additional baccalaureate degree.

Students Exempt from the Surcharge

The surcharge shall not be imposed on undergraduates who:

1. Complete a first baccalaureate degree program that has not been officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program and whose counted credit hours were earned in eight or fewer regular term semesters or the equivalent; or
2. Complete a first baccalaureate degree program that has been officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program and take their counted credit hours in 10 or fewer regular term semesters or the equivalent.

Calculation of the Surcharge

The surcharge shall be imposed on tuition charged in the current semester and in subsequent semesters where a student’s cumulative credit hour total–including that semester’s course load–exceeds the threshold. The surcharge does not apply to required fees.

Off-Campus Living – Voluntary Meal Plans

UNCW offers voluntary meal plans for students living off campus or in Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, or Seahawk Crossing. The plans are designed to give students the convenience of using their One Card instead of carrying cash; plus purchases are tax-free.

On-Campus Living

The university currently has residence facilities for over 4,143 students in eight modern, conveniently located residence halls, 26 apartment buildings, and eleven suite-style buildings.

All buildings are equipped with air-conditioning, telephone service, and basic cable television service. Ethernet computer networking, which allows student computers to access university software, has been installed in all residential facilities. Laundry facilities are available. Residence hall, apartment (A-M) and suite (O-U) students are required to participate in one of the four meal plans. Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, and Seahawk Crossing residents will not be required to have a university meal plan. Wagoner Hall, the university’s main dining hall, offers a variety of cutting-edge American entrees, ethnically inspired foods, vegetarian selections and lots more. Students may also use their meal plans or purchase meals at Dub‘s Café in the Warwick Center, Hawk‘s Nest in the Fisher Student Union, and Wagoner Hall. Dining locations throughout campus offer a wide selection of food and beverages. During winter and spring break, all residential facilities are closed with the exception of Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, Seahawk Crossing, A-M apartments, International House, and the University suites (O-U).

Meal Plan Options: A meal plan is required for all students who plan to live in on-campus housing with the exception of Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, and Seahawk Crossing residents. There are optional meal plans created for students living off campus or on campus in Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, or Seahawk Crossing. These students may also take advantage of the great savings with resident meal plans. The UNCW One Card, the student‘s UNCW identification card, also serves as a meal card and must be presented at every meal. Student ID cards are not transferable. Meal swipes can be used at four dining locations, while food dollars can be used at all dining locations on campus. All plans, except the Unlimited plan, allow students to treat a friend to a meal swipe. All plans allow students to treat a friend with food dollars. Meals do NOT carry over from one week to the next on the 10 Plus $270 and 14 Plus $220 plans. All other plans allot meals on a semester basis and will carry over from one week to the next.

Meal plans and meal plan rates are set by the university‘s Board of Trustees and are subject to change. The most recent approved rates are available through the One Card office at (910) 962-3560 or email: mealplans@uncw.edu.

2012-2013 Resident Meal Plans

Room and Board Rates

Room and board rates are set annually by the university’s Board of Trustees during their December meeting. The most recent set of approved rates is available from the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

Annual contracts are for the full academic year consisting of both the fall and spring semesters. Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, and two of the four suite buildings in Seahawk Crossing require that a yearlong lease be signed. Room rates include utilities, local telephone service, high speed Ethernet service, basic cable television service, security and housekeeping (with the exception of the A-M apartments, Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, and Seahawk Crossing).

The university reserves the right to change on-campus housing rates at anytime without prior notice. A non-refundable housing fee must be remitted with each completed contract. Timely submission of the housing contract and $105 contract fee is highly recommended. Assignments will be made on a first come, first serve basis. Once all beds are assigned, Housing and Residence Life will start a waiting list. The waiting list will remain in effect through the opening of the residential facilities on August 18, 2012.

2012-2013 Semester Room and Board Rates

Seahawk Village and Seahawk Landing (Yearlong Lease Required)

First year students (freshmen) are not eligible to reside in Seahawk Village and Seahawk Landing. Meal plans are optional in Seahawk Village and Seahawk Landing.

Seahawk Crossing (yearlong lease required in Buildings 2 and 4 and an academic year contract required in Buildings 1 and 3)

First year students (freshmen) are not eligible to reside in the Seahawk Crossing. Meal plans are optional in Seahawk Crossing.

If you are interested in obtaining information regarding campus housing, please contact:

Housing and Residence Life Office
University of North Carolina Wilmington
601 South College Road
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-5959
Telephone: (910) 962-3241 Fax: (910) 962-7032
E-Mail: housing@uncw.edu 

Summer School

Summer school tuition, fees, refund policy, and room and board rates will be listed on the summer school Web page www.uncw.edu/summer.

UNCW Refund Policy – Fall and Spring Semesters

The university’s refund policy complies with the requirements of the university’s accrediting agency and the U.S. Department of Education. This refund policy only applies to complete withdrawals from UNCW. Students who simply withdraw from an individual class after the drop/add period receive NO refund or reduction of fees.

Students must follow the official withdrawal process to receive a refund under the university’s policy. To officially withdraw from the university, students must complete an Official Withdrawal Form in the Office of the Registrar. Any outstanding financial obligations to the university will be deducted from the amount refunded.

A student who officially withdraws from the university on or before the last day of registration (drop/add) period will receive a refund of the amount paid. Refunds are based on the date contained on the Official Withdrawal Form.

Students completely withdrawing after the drop/add period will receive refunds as follows:

This refund policy applies to complete withdrawals from UNCW. Note: Before officially withdrawing, students should check with their financial aid counselor to understand any financial aid implications.

UNCW Refund Policy - Summer School

Because of the short duration of summer school sessions, summer school charges are not refundable after the drop/add period.

Residence Status for Tuition Purposes

Residency classification for new, incoming students is determined by the Office of Admission. Residency classification for current, continuing students is determined by the Office of the Registrar.

The basis for determining the appropriate tuition charge rests upon whether a student is a resident or a nonresident for tuition purposes. Each student must make a statement as to the length of his or her residence in North Carolina, with assessment by the institution of that statement to be conditioned by the following:

Residence. To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must become a legal resident and remain a legal resident for at least twelve months immediately prior to classification. Thus, there is a distinction between legal residence and residence for tuition purposes. Furthermore, twelve-months legal residence means more than simple abode in North Carolina. In particular it means maintaining a domicile (permanent home of indefinite duration) as opposed to “maintaining a mere temporary residence or abode incident to enrollment in an institution of higher education.” The burden of establishing facts which justify classification of a student as a resident entitled to in-state tuition rates is on the applicant for such classification, who must show his or her entitlement by the preponderance (the greater part) of the residentiary information.

Initiative. Being classified a resident for tuition purposes is contingent on the student’s seeking such status and providing all information that the institution may require in making the determination.

Parents’ Domicile. If an individual, irrespective of age, has living parent(s) or court-appointed guardian of the person, the domicile of such parent(s) or guardian is, prima facie, the domicile of the individual; but this prima facie evidence of the individual’s domicile may or may not be sustained by other information. Further, nondomiciliary status of parents is not deemed prima facie evidence of the applicant child’s status if the applicant has lived (though not necessarily legally resided) in North Carolina for the five years preceding enrollment or re-registration.

Effect of Marriage. Marriage alone does not prevent a person from becoming or continuing to be a resident for tuition purposes, nor does marriage in any circumstances insure that a person will become or continue to be a resident for tuition purposes. Marriage and the legal residence of one’s spouse are, however, relevant information in determining residentiary intent.

Furthermore, if both a husband and his wife are legal residents of North Carolina and if one of them has been a legal resident longer than the other, then the longer duration may be claimed by either spouse in meeting the twelve-month requirement for in-state tuition status.

Military Personnel. A North Carolinian who serves outside the state in the armed forces does not lose North Carolina domicile simply by reason of such service. Students from the military may prove retention or establishment of residence by reference, as in other cases, to residentiary acts accompanied by residentiary intent.

In addition, a separate North Carolina statute affords tuition rate benefits to certain military personnel and their dependents even though not qualifying for the in-state tuition rate by reason of twelve-month legal residence in North Carolina. Members of the armed services, while stationed in and concurrently living in North Carolina, may be charged the in-state tuition rate. A dependent relative of a service member stationed in North Carolina is eligible to be charged the in-state tuition rate while the dependent relative is living in North Carolina with the service member and if the dependent relative has met any requirement of the Selective Service System applicable to the dependent relative. These tuition benefits may be enjoyed only if the applicable requirements for admission have been met; these benefits alone do not provide the basis for receiving those derivative benefits under the provisions of the residence classification statute reviewed elsewhere in this summary.

Grace Period. If a person (1) has been a bona fide legal resident of the required duration, (2) has consequently been classified a resident for tuition purposes, and (3) has subsequently lost North Carolina legal residence while enrolled at a public institution of higher education, that person may continue to enjoy the in-state tuition rate for a grace period of twelve months measured from the date on which North Carolina legal residence was lost. If the twelve months ends during an academic term for which the person is enrolled at a state institution of higher education, the grace period extends, in addition, to the end of that term. The fact of marriage to one who continues domicile outside North Carolina does not by itself cause loss of legal residence, marking the beginning of the grace period.

Minors. Minors (persons under 18 years of age) usually have the domicile of their parents, but certain special cases are recognized by the residence classification statute in determining residence for tuition purposes.

1. If a minor’s parents live apart, the minor’s domicile is deemed to be North Carolina for the time period(s) that either parent, as a North Carolina legal resident, may claim and does claim the minor as a tax dependent, even if other law or judicial act assigns the minor’s domicile outside North Carolina. A minor thus deemed to be a legal resident will not, upon achieving majority before enrolling at an institution of higher education, lose North Carolina legal residence if that person (1) upon becoming an adult “acts, to the extent that the person’s degree of actual emancipation permits, in a manner consistent with bona fide legal residence in North Carolina” and (2) “begins enrollment at an institution of higher education not later than the fall academic term following completion of education prerequisite to admission at such institution.”
2. If a minor has lived for five or more consecutive years with relatives (other than parents) who are domiciled in North Carolina and if the relatives have functioned during this time as if they were personal guardians, the minor will be deemed a resident for tuition purposes for an enrolled term commencing immediately after at least five years in which these circumstances have existed. If under this consideration a minor is deemed to be a resident for tuition purposes immediately prior to his or her eighteenth birthday, that person on achieving majority will be deemed a legal resident of North Carolina of at least twelve-months duration. This provision acts to confer in-state tuition status even in the face of other provisions of law to the contrary; however, a person deemed a resident of twelve-months duration pursuant to this provision continues to be a legal resident of the state only so long as he or she does not abandon North Carolina domicile.

Lost but Regained Domicile. If a student ceases enrollment at or graduates from an institution of higher education while classified a resident for tuition purposes and then both abandons and reacquires North Carolina domicile within a twelve-month period, that person, if he or she continues to maintain the reacquired domicile into re-enrollment at an institution of higher education, may re-enroll at the in-state tuition rate without having to meet the usual twelve-month durational requirement. However, any one person may receive the benefit of this provision only once.

Change of Status. A student admitted to initial enrollment in an institution (or permitted to re-enroll following an absence from the institutional program which involved a formal withdrawal from enrollment) must be classified by the admitting institution either as a resident or as a nonresident for tuition purposes prior to actual enrollment. A residence status classification once assigned (and finalized pursuant to any appeal properly taken) may be changed thereafter (with corresponding change in billing rates) only at intervals corresponding with the established primary divisions of the academic year.

Transfer Students. When a student transfers from one North Carolina public institution of higher education to another, he or she is treated as a new student by the institution to which he or she is transferring and must be assigned an initial residence status classification for tuition purposes.

Appeal. The initial classification of undergraduate students as in-state or out-of-state residents for tuition purposes is made by the Admitting Office. Undergraduates who establish in-state residency during or after their first semester at UNCW may apply for a residency status change through the Office of the Registrar. If the Office of the Registrar denies the application for in-state residency, an appeal for in-state status may be made to the campus appeals body, Residence Appeals Board. University regulations governing residential classification of students are set forth in detail in A Manual to Assist the Public Higher Education Institutions of North Carolina in the Matter of Student Residence Classification for “Tuition Purposes.” Each enrolled student is responsible for knowing the contents of this manual. Copies of the manual are available for inspection upon request in Randall Library, and posted on the UNC General Administration‘s Web site http://www.northcarolina.edu/legal/residence/committee/manual/Residence_Manual_Aug_2010.pdf.