Tuition, Fees, Payments, and Refund Policies - Graduate

Tuition and Fees

Specific tuition and fees vary according to program. See specific graduate programs for detailed information.

* Program Fees and Liability Fees are non-refundable on or after the first date of the academic term you withdraw or change a program.

**The Completion Fee is charged by universities to graduate and undergraduate students to help cover graduation and degree completion costs. Students are assessed this fee whether they decide to participate or choose not to participate in the formal commencement ceremony. The fee is added to the student’s account when a student applies to meet the degree completion requirements.

For official cost of attendance budget information, please click here. 

Monthly Payment Plan Fees

Past due accounts occur when the payment terms on your account have not been met. The University may take these steps to collect the past due amounts, including, but not limited to, the following: prohibiting the student from scheduling classes for a future term; withholding course credits, academic transcripts, and your diploma until the balance is paid; turning over the student’s account to a collection agency; and taking legal action. By enrolling in a payment plan, the student authorizes the University to release financial information about his/her account to those concerned with collecting the balance owing.  A collection agency acting on behalf of the University may contact students regarding any outstanding balance by means of an automated calling system or a pre-recorded message at any telephone number associated with the student’s account including wireless telephone numbers.

Student Account Late Fees and Other Payment Penalties

*Late Fees in the amount of $40.00 will be assessed on the 4th of every month on any student account with an overdue balance (overdue balance: unpaid balance that is over 30 days old and $100.00 or greater).

BookCHARGE Purchases

Charge Textbooks and Supplies to your Student Account

BookCHARGE is a completely optional payment method that allows students to charge up to $750 to their student account for books each semester (instead of using a credit/debit card). This allows students who may not have a credit card and/or the funds to purchase all their books up-front the ability to have access to their course materials by the first day of classes (if ordered before each semester’s guaranteed delivery date).

1. Students must be currently enrolled
2. Students must have signed a BookCHARGE Agreement
3. Students must have a current Pioneer Card
4. Students must not have any holds on their student account

Please check your Carroll email for the frequent communications announcing BookCHARGE opening and closing dates, as well as the detailed instructions on how to access your BookCHARGE funds. 
 
BookCHARGE is not an award of financial aid.
 
Any fees incurred for not returning rental textbooks will be charged to the credit card on file with the Carroll University Virtual Bookstore when placing your order and not your student account.

Please visit this link for more information regarding BookCHARGE and to complete the BookCHARGE Agreement form.

Graduate Financial Aid and Loans

About Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to graduate students who are enrolled at least on a half-time basis per semester, are degree seeking, and meet all other guidelines established by the University and the U.S. Department of Education. For financial aid purposes, half-time status is a minimum of three credit hours per semester and full-time status is a minimum of six credit hours per semester. Graduate students are only eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of loans, unless a scholarship or grant is received from an outside organization. Below is a brief description of the various loan programs for which a graduate student may be eligible and the application procedure.

Application for Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed and sent to the federal processor. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA by February 1st for summer and Fall enrollment and October 1st for January enrollment. Carroll University’s name and Title IV code (003838) must be listed on the FAFSA in order for the university to receive a copy of the results from the federal processor.

Loans

Loans for which students enrolled at least half-time may qualify are:

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of financial need. Students who receive an unsubsidized loan are charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. Students do have the option to allow the interest to accumulate. In doing so, the interest will be added to the principal amount of the loan and additional interest will be based upon the higher amount. The annual maximum a student may borrow is $20,500 and the aggregate maximum is $138,500. The aggregate maximum includes all undergraduate and graduate loans. Funds are provided directly from the Federal Government. Applicants must complete a promissory note and complete entrance counseling in order to receive the funds.

Note: Information regarding interest rate, repayment and deferment options for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is available through the Financial Aid Office. This information is forwarded to eligible students with financial aid award notifications.

Federal Graduate PLUS Loan: A degree seeking graduate student who files the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can apply for a Graduate PLUS loan. A Graduate PLUS loan is not awarded based on financial need. Applicants must complete a promissory note and complete entrance counseling to apply for the loan. Funds are provided directly from the Federal Government. Students will be approved/denied based on credit history (there is also the option of having a co-signer on this loan). Students who borrow a graduate PLUS loan are charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. The annual amount available is based on the following formula: Cost of attendance minus other financial aid. Repayment on this loan begins 60 days following the second date of disbursement. There is a 10-year repayment period. Information regarding interest rate, repayment and deferment options for the Federal Graduate Plus Loan is available through the Financial Aid Office or at studentaid.gov. This information will also be forwarded to eligible students with financial aid award notifications.

Private Loans: If a student is in need of additional assistance after receiving the maximum Federal Unsubsidized Loan, he or she may be eligible to receive a private loan. In order to be eligible for a private loan, a student’s cost of attendance (as determined by the Carroll University Financial Aid Office) must be greater than the combined amount of other financial assistance. If interested, you may contact the Financial Aid Office to find out more about the various private loans available.

Note: Students attending less than half-time may be eligible to borrow a private loan. Please contact the Carroll University Financial Aid Office at finaid@carrollu.edu or 262-524-7296 for additional information.

Options for Attending Carroll

Students who wish to attend Carroll University as a graduate student may choose from several options per individual graduate program policy:

• Full-time - six credits or more per semester*
• 1/2-time - three to five credits per semester+
• Less than 1/2-time - students who carry one or two credits per semester

*Some graduate programs require that students take 12 or more credits per semester.
+Some graduate programs do not permit part-time enrollment.

Payment of Student Accounts

The payment of tuition and fees becomes the student’s obligation upon registration at Carroll University. It must be paid before the first day of the term. 

For official cost of attendance budget information, please click here.  

Payments can be made online through your Carroll University Self-Service portal by clicking on “Student Finance” and then clicking the blue button that says “Continue to Payment Center”.

• Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover debit and credit cards, and electronic checks (Checking/Savings) are accepted.
• Convenience fees will be assessed when using a debit or credit card. No convenience fee is assessed on electronic check payments.
• Full or partial payments can be made any time before the due dates.
• For security reasons, credit or debit card payments cannot be accepted via telephone.
• International Students - can pay by foreign currency online through TransferMate or by wire transfer.
• Debit and/or credit card payments on student account balances will not be accepted.

Cash or check payments can also be accepted through the mail and in person at the Carroll University Business Office located at Voorhees Hall - Ground Level 19, 100 N. East Ave., Waukesha, WI 53186.

Late Fees in the amount of $40.00 will be assessed monthly on the 4th of every month on any overdue balance (overdue balance: unpaid balance over 30 days old and $100.00 or greater).

Payment Due Dates for Full-time and Part-time Graduate Students

How Payments Are Applied to Student Accounts

Credits to student’s accounts are applied in the following manner:

Financial aid, in the form of grants and scholarships, is credited to a student’s account first and will be applied in the following order: tuition, program fees, other eligible tuition fees, meal plans, housing, and BookCHARGEs.

Cash payments (other than student loans) are first applied to fines and incidental charges.

All remaining cash and loan proceeds are applied to any remaining charges in the following order:
Tuition, program fees, other eligible tuition fees, meal plans, housing, and BookCHARGEs.

Information regarding payment plan options may be obtained from the University’s Business Office. Students are invited to contact the Business Office at 262 524-7337 if they have any questions concerning payments due to the University.

For official cost of attendance budget information, please click here.  

Payment Options

For official cost of attendance budget information, please click here.  

Please review the payment options available for graduate students.

• Payment Option One:  Pay in full on or before the first day of the academic term -  See payment due dates above
• Payment Option Two:  Monthly Payment Plan
  • Choose from a four-month plan each semester to cover the balance due on your student account after tuition, fees, and other expenses have been offset with your financial aid and any down payment you may have made.  Your monthly payment will be based on the total outstanding balance on your student account for the current semester.  Consult this link for helpful guides on enrolling in a payment plan.
• Payment Option Three: Provide a letter from the company and/or the third-party sponsorship or reimbursement for your student bill to the Carroll University Business Office on or before the first day of the academic term. This letter must confirm payment in full regardless of the student’s performance in the course; any balance that is not covered by the sponsorship or the reimbursement should be paid or entered into a payment plan before the first day of the academic term. Please contact the Business Office directly at busoff@carrollu.edu or 262.524.7337 for more information.

Payment Plans Available

Summer 2025: Enrollment will open in May 2025

• 4 Month Plan: June-September 2025, with the first payment due June 25th, 2025

Fall 2025: Enrollment will open in July 2025

• 4 Month Plan: October 2025 - January 2026, with the first payment due October 25th, 2025

Spring 2026: Enrollment will open in December 2025

• 4 Month Plan: February - May 2026, with the first payment due February 25th, 2026

Payment plan for International Students: 

• 50% down payment on or before January 18, 2026
• 4 Month Plan for remaining 50% (February through May 2026)

Important Information:

• Students can enroll in a payment plan by visiting my.carrollu.edu, logging into the Carroll University Self-Service portal, and clicking on “Student Finance” to the “Make a Payment” link to access the Payment Center.
• Billing date is the 10th of each month. Due date is the 25th of each month.
• A $50.00 enrollment fee is associated with this option each semester. The enrollment fee is a “non-refundable” fee.
• Monthly payment plan arrangements are subject to late fees. A late fee of $40.00 per month will be charged if the scheduled monthly payment is not received by the due date.
• If you enroll in the “AutoPay” option associated with the online payment plan arrangement, you will need to set up the “AutoPay” information each semester.
• Any plan that ends with a balance still owed, those students will be placed on hold and may be unenrolled in future registered courses if not paid.

VA Education and Training Benefit Payments

Those students eligible for education benefits through the US Department of Veterans Affairs, state or other military agencies should apply with the appropriate agency prior to registering for classes. After applying for benefits, students should contact Carroll’s Veteran Certifying Official in the Registrar’s Office, reg@carrollu.edu or 262.524.7208, to notify them of their intent to collect benefits. Federal benefits paid under Chapter 30, 35, 1606, or 1607 will be paid directly to the student. Recipients of such payments are advised to anticipate a delay of about two months before receiving the first payment. Students receiving benefits under these chapters should be prepared to pay all expenses since payments are made directly to the veteran. Benefits under Chapter 31, 33 (Post 9-11 GI Bill®) and the Yellow Ribbon Benefits, as well as the Wisconsin Veteran Student Assistance Grant will be paid directly to the higher education institution.

Carroll University Refund Policy:

Students who withdraw and have Carroll financial aid and/or aid other than Federal Title IV aid or State aid will have their financial aid adjusted according to the Tuition, Housing, and Meal Plan Refund Schedules:  https://www.carrollu.edu/business-office/pdf/carrollu-refund-schedules. 

Examples of aid that follow the Carroll Refund Policy include, but are not limited to, Carroll scholarships and grants, outside scholarships, other outside resources, or private loan.  For example, if a student receives an 80% tuition refund, then 80% of their Carroll financial aid (and other non-Title IV or non-State aid) will be returned.  Therefore, the student has earned 20% of this aid.

Federal Title IV aid or State aid will follow the Federal Refund Policy explained below.