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.

Graduate students tuition and fees per semester (nine or more semester hours is considered full-time)
See chart below for tuition and fees for MBA and MSA students.

MBA and MSA graduate students will be charged as shown below. 

The following student activities fees are included in the full-time tuition and the fee amount per year.

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

Other fees:
Application Fee (to accompany application, nonrefundable). – $60.00
Diploma Fee – $6.00
Late registration charge or late payment of tuition/fees. – $75.00
Health Insurance Fee – $395.50 per semester (fall and spring)
UNCW OneCard – Student ID  – $20.00

Parking:
All students operating motor vehicles on campus are required to purchase a UNCW Parking permit.
Commuter Deck Parking Permit (Per Year) $ 360.00
Commuter On-Campus Parking Permit (Per Year) – Zone 1 $ 300.00
Commuter On-Campus Parking Permit (Per Year) – Zone 2 $ 277.00
Commuter Off-Campus Parking Permit (Per Year) – Zones 3, 4 and 5 $ 235.00
Parking Deck Seahawk Crossing Residents (per year) $ 360.00
On-Campus Student Resident Parking Permit (per year) $ 300.00
Part-Time Student Parking (6 credit hours or less) $ 165.00
Nighttime Parking (one mile radius students) $ 75.00
Student Resident Parking $ 300.00

Rental Rates for Student Campus Boxes:
Rental per semester $ 11.00
Rental per each summer session $ 5.50
12-month rental (Seahawk Landing and Seahawk Village residents) $ 33.00

No degree, diploma, transcript of credit, or grades will be furnished to a student until all financial obligations to the University, other than student loans, have been paid. All previously incurred expenses and accounts at the University must be paid in full prior to preregistration or registration for a new term.

Charge for Late Registration or Late Payment of Tuition and Fees

 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 cancelled for non-payment must re-register the exact classes cancelled 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.

On-Campus Living

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

All rooms are air conditioned and furnished, and laundry facilities are available. Residence hall, apartment (A-M) and suite (O-U) students are required to participate in the university dining hall program under one of the four meal plans. Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing, and Seahawk Crossing residents will not be required to have a university meal plan. The University operates a modern, air conditioned cafeteria building. Short order food service is available in the Hawk‘s Nest located in the University Union, in the Center Stage Cafe located in the University Center, specializing in pizza and subs, a convenience store located in apartment building M and a convenience store in Building #4 in the Seahawk Landing Apartment Complex. Service is on a cash basis for non-boarding students. During the winter break, all residential facilities are closed with the exception of the Seahawk Village Apartments, the Seahawk Landing Apartments, the Seahawk Crossing Suites, A-M Apartments, the University Suites (O-U), and International House. During spring break, all residential facilities are closed with the exception of the Seahawk Village Apartments, the Seahawk Landing Apartments, the Seahawk Crossing Suites, 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 campus housing with the exception of Seahawk Village, Seahawk Landing apartment, and Seahawk Crossing Suite residents. There are separate optional meal plan offerings for students living off campus and on-campus in the Seahawk Village Apartments, the Seahawk Landing Apartments, and the Seahawk Crossing Suites. The UNCW One Card is the student‘s UNCW identification card, which also serves as a meal card, and must be presented at every meal. Students‘ ID cards are not transferable. 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 Auxiliary Services office at (910) 962-3560.

2011 - 2012 Meal Plans

Please Note That Meal Plan Prices are Subject to Change.

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 by contacting 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 Apartments, Seahawk Landing Apartments, 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 Apartments, Seahawk Landing Apartments, and Seahawk Crossing Suites).

The University reserves the right to change campus housing rates at anytime without prior notice. A non-refundable $105 housing fee must be remitted with each completed contract. Timely submission of the housing contract and $105 housing fee is highly recommended. Assignments will be made on a first come, first served 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 20, 2011.

2011 - 2012 Semester Room and Board Rates

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

Seahawk Crossing Suites (Yearlong Lease Required in Buildings #2 & #4 and Academic Year Contract Lease Required in Buildings #1 & #3)

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

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

The 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

UNCW Refund Policy – Fall and Spring

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 whatsoever. Students must follow the official withdrawal process to receive a refund under the University‘s policy. To officially withdraw from the University, graduate students must complete an Official Withdrawal Form in the Graduate School. 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:

Declining balance portions of board plans will be refunded separately. The refund policy applies to complete withdrawals from UNCW.

Note: Before officially withdrawing, a student should understand financial 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

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.

(a) 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.”

(b) 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 graduate students as in-state or out-of-state residents for tuition purposes is made by the Graduate School. Graduate students who establish in-state residency during or after their first semester at UNCW may apply for a residency status change through the Graduate School. If the Graduate School denies the application for in-state residency, an appeal for in-state status may be made to the campus appeals body, Out-of-State Tuition Appeals Committee. 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 website,
http://intranet.northcarolina.edu/docs/legal/SRC/The_Manual_081408.pdf.