Tuition and Fees

Because of the contributions of so many who value Christian higher education, the cost of an education at Wayland is among the lowest of accredited, private, senior universities in the South and compares favorably with the total expenses of other accredited colleges and universities. The substantial allocation to the University’s operating fund by the Baptist General Convention of Texas, gifts from alumni, friends, and individual churches, as well as a growing endowment, contribute to the university’s ability to reduce the cost of attending Wayland. Therefore, the actual cost of educating a student at Wayland is considerably greater than the amount charged, and all students attending the university share in the saving. Because of the fluctuations occurring in the general economy, the university reserves the right to make any necessary changes in the financial charges and account collection procedures at the beginning of any semester of an academic year.

Typical Estimated Costs for One Semester

The costs for any semester are affected by the number of semester hours taken, any laboratory fees which might be incurred, on-campus and off-campus housing and meals. For situations of student living off campus, costs are based on federal financial aid allotments.

Plainview Campus Estimated Cost of Attendance

• Undergraduate Student Living On Campus or with parents during 16-week term may experience the following costs for attendance:

•  Undergraduate Plainview Student Living Off Campus (not with parents) during 16-week term may experience the following costs for attendance:

• Graduate Plainview Student Living On Campus or with parents during 16-week term may experience the following costs for attendance:

• Graduate Plainview Student Living Off Campus (not with parents) during 16-week term may experience the following costs for attendance:

External Campus Estimated Cost of Attendance (Excluding Virtual Campus Students)

• Undergraduate External Campus Student during 10- or 11-week terms may experience the following costs for attendance:

• Graduate External Campus Student during 10- or 11-week terms may experience the following costs for attendance:

Virtual Campus Estimated Cost of Attendance

• Undergraduate Virtual Campus student during 11-week term may experience the following costs for attendance:

• Graduate Virtual Campus Student during 11-week term may experience the following costs for attendance:

Tuition and Fees

Plainview Campus Tuition

External Campus Tuition

Virtual Campus/ITV Tution

All Campuses

Plainview Campus Fees:

General Fee

This fee is designed to fund specified student services. Some activities may not be funded by this fee and will require separate payment. The amount of the general fee is determined by the number of semester hours in which the student is enrolled. Students enrolled in seven or more hours receive a student ID and the provision of some services requires displaying this ID. Services provided to students who fall under these three categories include:

Athletic event admissions (excluding tournaments and special contests)
Band and choir concerts
Drama productions (unless otherwise announced)
Health services
Intramurals
Laney Student Activity Center access
Library privileges
Musical performances
Parking permit
Registration services
Student Government Association membership
Student Publications - Trail Blazer (newspaper) and Traveler (yearbook)
Student Union Board services
Technology fees
University Center facility use - racquetball, table games
YMCA membership

(Students receive the benefits listed in the previous category with the exception of the YMCA membership.)

Audited hours do not count toward the “seven or more hours” considered in setting the general use fee amount due.

Course Fees 

Graduation Fees

Certificate or degree cost includes diploma, cap and gown, and commencement activities

Room and Board

Unless exempted by the Dean of Students, an unmarried student enrolled for seven or more semester hours is required to live in a residence hall and to take meals in the University Dining Hall. A residence hall fee of $100 will be required of all dormitory residents. This entire amount will be refunded if the room is in good condition and if the student account is clear. If the student account is not clear and the room is in good condition, the deposit will be refunded to the student account. If the room is damaged, all or part of the deposit will be forfeited and any damages not covered by the deposit will be due from the student and will be posted to the student account until payment is collected. All unpaid dorm fines will be charged to the student’s accounts at the end of each semester.

Students wishing to occupy a dormitory room prior to or after the official date for dorm occupancy will be charged $10 per day. Dormitory rates are established for the full semester and vary depending on the dormitory selected and whether the student desires a private room. With the exception of single rooms, most dormitory rooms are designed for two occupants. Private rooms are limited and based on availability.

Dormitory Room Rates for a Sixteen-Week Semester:

Dormitory Room Rate for Three-Week Microterms:

Student Family Housing

Apartment housing for married students, single parent students and single senior students can be provided on availability. Students must submit an application and qualify for this type housing. A list of rental units and rates is available in the Housing Office. Proof of marriage license, senior status, $100 deposit and meningitis vaccination is required by students. Student accounts are changed at the beginning of each semester for six (6) month’s rent and can be paid on a monthly basis or through financial aid. Deposits are refundable but will NOT be refunded if the student leaves without checking out properly and returning keys, the property is damaged beyond normal usage or the student has an unpaid account with the Business Office.

Meal Plan Rates for Sixteen-Week Semesters

Residence hall occupants must purchase, at minimum, a 10 meal plan. The following meal plans are available during sixteen-week semesters:

Weekly meal plans can only be used in the main dining hall in the University Center. Unused meals on the weekly plans do not carry over from week to week. The Flex plan may be used for meal equivalents in the main dining hall, Pete’s Place in the University Center, and at the grill in Laney Center. Unused Flex Plan meals do not carry over from semester to semester.

Meal Plan Rates for Three-Week Microterms

Residence halls and the dining hall are closed during those university holidays designated in the university calendar.

Pioneer Bucks

Pioneer Bucks will be included in the meal plans. The Pioneer Bucks may be used to purchase food at the Laney Center, Pete’s Place, and at Hutcherson Gymnasium Concession stands. Pioneer Bucks will be allocated for each meal plan as follows:

19-meal plan - $100 Pioneer bucks
Flex 190 plan - $100 Pioneer bucks
14-meal plan - $150 Pioneer bucks
Flex 150 plan - $150 Pioneer bucks
10-meal plan - $200 Pioneer bucks
5-meal plan - $100 Pioneer bucks

The Pioneer bucks originally issued with the plan shall not carry over from semester to semester. Additional Pioneer bucks purchased as an add-on to the meal plan shall be carried over from Fall to Spring Semester, but shall be forfeited, if not used, at the end of Spring Semester.

Payment of Account

The payment of a student’s account for each semester is due by the first day of class. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that their financial obligations have been met. Also, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that their account has the correct address and cell phone where they can be reached. Payments may be made by cash, check, or bank credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express). In the event a student has financial aid that exceeds the amount due for tuition, fees, housing, and meals, a charge slip may be issued permitting the student to charge books and supplies. Payments can also be made online at www.wbu.edu. Payment of expenses by any other means than these constitutes an extension of credit through an approved university payment plan and will require partial payment and the completion of a promissory note. Regardless of the terms or sources, the account is the fiscal responsibility of the student until paid in full. All proceeds from all financial aid are first applied to the student’s account. Students receiving excess funds from financial aid grants, loans, or other student work will receive prompt disbursement of any remaining funds after all financial obligations to Wayland are paid.

The university offers an installment option for semester expenses. The university payment plan requires a minimum of 1/3 payment of expenses (after guaranteed financial aid) by the first day of class. The second payment is due thirty (30) days after the first day of the term and the final payment is due sixty (60) days after the first day of the term or prior to registration for the next term. Payment due dates are published in the university calendar at the front of the catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that payment is received by the Business Office by the established dates. Additional information concerning this option is available from the Business Office. If financial aid is not guaranteed at registration funds cannot be calculated at that time. Adjustments can be made once aid is guaranteed. The student must still make a payment regardless if all aid is not guaranteed. Student should not wait for all aid to post before paying on the student account. Students who fail to follow the payment plan as outlined above will incur a fee of $50 for each late payment.

Business Office Account Balances

If a student has a balance on his/her business office account, the student is responsible for payment regardless of whether he/she has received a credit check prior to charges being posted. Students should be aware of issues of enrollment in more than one current term (i.e., enrollment on the Plainview campus and an enrollment on an external campus or the virtual campus), causes different enrollment periods and census dates which may affect financial aid and student account balances. Students are asked to be aware of his/her Business Office account at all times.

A student’s account must be paid in full before the student may register for a new term. Academic transcripts and diplomas are issued only for the student whose account is paid in full. In addition, academic transcripts are not released if a student is delinquent or classified as in default on a government student loan. Financial obligations must be met in the Business Office two weeks prior to graduation. If paying after the deadline, payment must be made with guaranteed funds such as cash, money order, credit card, debit card, or cashier’s check in order to receive a transcript and diploma at time of graduation.

Payment Default

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that payment is received by the Business Office by the established dates. Default on payment requirements will subject the student to exclusion from class, exams, grades, cafeteria, dorm and other university services until payments are brought current (University Policy 3.5.1 - Student Financial Accounts) In addition, no official transcript will be released if a balance is owed to the University. If payment is not received by the third payment installment date, pre-collect proceedings may begin within 30 days.

If a student has a prior term outstanding balance on their student account, a hold will be placed on the account until their balance has been paid in full. Students are not allowed to register for the next term with an outstanding balance.

If a student had an outstanding balance and was sent to a collection agency, their account must be paid in full prior to enrollment. If the student decides to return to WBU after their past due debt has been paid the total amount of current term charges must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the term by cash, cashier’s check, money order, credit card, or guaranteed aid. No checks will be allowed on a student whose account has been managed by a collection agency.

If an account is sent to a collection agency the student will be liable for all attorney fees, collection costs, and all charges necessary for collection of a past due balance. Once the account is paid at the collection agency it takes approximately 30 days before the balance is cleared and the hold is removed to register or receive a transcript. No transcript will be released based on phone confirmation from the agency. The funds have to be received at WBU from the agency.

Transcript Requests

Academic transcripts and diplomas are issued only for the student whose account is paid in full. As a result of debtor’s default in the Title IV Student Loan Programs, the U.S. Department of Education encourages the withholding of academic transcripts. The withholding of academic transcripts is solely an institutional decision, whether it is default at Wayland Baptist University or another school or university.

Refund Policy

A $10 per class administrative fee is assessed for all withdrawals. A student who officially withdraws from the university may be eligible for reduced charges for tuition, room, and board. After the first meeting of a class, special course fees are not subject to reductions, and are due in full upon withdrawal. A refund is the amount credited back to the student account to offset all or a portion of an amount previously charged. A refund does NOT necessarily denote an amount disbursed to the student. Refunds are based upon the number of weeks a course has been in session.

A week is defined as the number of contact class hours in a term divided by the number of weeks in a regular length term. The Plainview campus schedules 45 contact class hours in a term and has a regular length term of 15 weeks, defining 3 class hours per week. The Hawaii campus schedules 45 contact class hours in a term and has a regular length term of 10 weeks, defining 4.5 class hours per week. All other centers schedule 45 contact class hours in a term and have regular length terms of 11 weeks, defining 4.10 class hours per week. A class has been in session a full week as soon as it has met the number of times necessary to substantially equal the defined class hours per week.

Weekend classes are generally scheduled to meet more class hours than would be equivalent to a week. It is common for these classes to meet the number of class hours equivalent to two or three weeks in one weekend. Students enrolled in a weekend course who drop the course or withdraw from the university will receive the refund applicable for the number of weeks attended, according to the defined class hours per week, if they drop the course or withdraw from the university the first business day after the weekend the class first meets. Audit courses, those courses enrolled in on a not-for-credit basis, are not eligible for reduced charges when the course is dropped, and tuition will be due in full.

Applicable refunds as of the date of submission of an official withdrawal form are as follows:

Tuition

100% of tuition previously charged to the student account for a course will be refunded when a student drops the course:

*Prior to 1st class meeting, including any classes taken online

75% of tuition previously charged to the student account for a course will be refunded when a student drops the course:

*1-10 days after 1st class meeting for terms 16 weeks in length
*1-4 days after 1st class meeting for terms 10 weeks or longer in length
*Before the second week of online classes

25% of tuition previously charged to the student account for a course will be refunded when a student drops the course:

*11-20 days after 1st class meeting for terms 16 weeks in length
*5-12 days after 1st class meeting for terms 10 weeks or longer in length
*Before the third week of online classes

0% of tuition previously charged to the student account for a course will be refunded when a student drops the course:

*21 days or more after 1st class meeting for terms 16 weeks in length
*13 days or more after 1st class meeting for terms 10 weeks or longer in length
*From the third week and beyond for online classes

A $10 administrative fee will be charged for processing each course dropped.

Medical Exigency Withdrawal

A student who, during an academic term, has a serious illness or suffers an injury that requires the student to miss 25% or more of the term may elect to apply for a medical exigency withdrawal from the university. Medical exigency withdrawals are intended for illness and treatment beyond a student’s control and are not applicable when a student chooses to have elective or optional medical treatment. A medical exigency withdrawal may be extended to a student who is acting as the primary care givers for an immediate family member (spouse, parent, or children).

The application must be supported by a doctor’s statement which verifies the student’s inability to attend class for a specific period of time due to the illness or injury being treated. For those claiming immediate family under the exigency, the statement concerning the individual being cared for will be requested. If the application is approved, all tuition previously charged to the student account will be refunded. Likewise, all financial aid previously disbursed to the student account and any subsequent disbursals of credit to the student must be refunded. The student is advised to discuss the financial ramifications of a medical exigency withdrawal with the coordinator of student accounts or executive vice president/provost for Plainview campus students, for external campus students the external campus executive director/dean or designated staff, before electing to make application. A $10 per class fee will be charged for processing the withdrawal and the date of last attendance must be recorded at the time of official withdrawal.

Military TDY (Temporary Duty Assignments Necessitating Withdrawal)

A student who, during an academic term, receives an unrequested military TDY, temporary duty assignment, that requires the student to miss 25% or more of the term may elect to apply for a military TDY withdrawal from the university. Generally, the withdrawal must be for all classes in which the student is enrolled and the student may not elect to drop some classes and maintain enrollment in others and qualify for the Military TDY withdrawal refund. However, pursuant to the external campus executive director/dean discretion, enrollment in classes adaptable to later completion or in classes not dependent upon location (i.e. Internet classes) may be maintained. Additionally, the student may not request the TDY assignment and qualify for the Military TDY withdrawal refund. The application must be supported by a military document (copy of orders) which verifies the student’s inability to attend class for a specific period of time due to the unrequested temporary duty assignment. If the application is approved, tuition due from the military tuition assistance program is still payable. However, the percentage of tuition due from the student will be refunded to the student account. Federal financial aid previously disbursed to the student account and any subsequent disbursals of credit to the student may need to be refunded as required by the federal program. The student is advised to discuss the financial ramifications of a military TDY withdrawal with the coordinator of student accounts or with the external campus executive director/dean or designated staff, before electing to make application. No fee is charged for processing an approved military TDY withdrawal, however, the date of last attendance must be recorded at the time of official withdrawal.

Tuition for classes enrolled in as an “audit” will not be reduced for withdrawal and will be due in full.

Certain federal, state, and private educational benefits programs require proceeds to be assessed according to a pro rata policy which is based on the last day of attendance or on other policy. Students participating in these programs will be subject to policy as prescribed by the program.

Scholarship or financial assistance in not disbursed if a student withdraws before the end of the registration period.

Room and Board and Family Housing Rent

Amounts due for room and board will be calculated on the basis of elapsed time as of the date of official withdrawal. There is no refund or adjustment in the amounts due for meals not eaten in the dining hall by the student’s choice. The amount due for rent is calculated based upon the date of move in and the date of move out. Pre-charged rent will be refunded on this basis.