Fielding Graduate University

Lifelong Learning Discounts

Currently enrolled degree-seeking students and alumni of Fielding Graduate University's degree-granting programs receive a 20% discount on tuition and fees charged for enrolling in academic credit certificate and continuing education (CE) programs offered by Fielding.

However, effective with the Spring 2009 cohort, degree-seeking students enrolled in the Schools of Human & Organization Development (HOD) and Educational Leadership & Change (ELC) who are concurrently enrolled in the year-long Evidence Based Coaching (EBC) certificate program receive a 30% discount on tuition and fees charged for the EBC program. Travel, accommodations and incidental expenses are not included in tuition and fees charged by Fielding.

Early Registration Discount

Related Policies

• Tuition Information
• Transfer From One Program of Study to Another and Concurrent Enrollment; also, Internal Articulation Agreements
• Student Complaint & Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 08/06/2009

Fielding accepts credit card charges for payment of tuition, National and Research Session fees, and transcript fees. Fielding has negotiated arrangements with Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover Card.

Fielding abides by the rules and policies of the credit card issuers in accepting payment in this manner. Fielding also requires written authorization from the cardholder to apply charges. This authorization will be in the form of a signature of the cardholder on a form supplied by Fielding. Students with authorized e-mail signatures on file with Fielding may also authorize credit card payments through their e-mail account.

Related Policies

• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 12/11/1997

Applicants who receive an official invitation to attend a doctoral student orientation will receive information from their program as to the necessary paperwork required to accept the invitation. For most programs, enrollment includes a mandatory online as well as a face-to-face orientation. Applicants must review and complete in a timely manner the necessary enrollment paperwork, as well as any online orientation components, in order to matriculate to the face-to-face orientation.

Face-to-face orientation, if required by your program, does require a fee and applicants will be required to pay their own costs for lodging, meals, and transportation. These expenses are not covered by financial aid.

The payment of the face-to-face orientation and meal fees, as well as the necessary paperwork (e.g., admissions agreement, disclosure forms), are all due to Fielding Graduate University at the time of reservation for the face-to-face orientation. If after an applicant has submitted the required paperwork and fees, and it is at least eight calendar days prior to the face-to-face orientation, it is learned that the applicant won't be attending the orientation, the institution will refund 60% of the face-to-face orientation and meal fees. No refunds will be given to those who withdraw within seven calendar days of the start of the face-to-face orientation.

Applicants and/or students who voluntarily withdraw or are withdrawn from the enrollment agreement prior to or during the face-to-face orientation will not incur tuition charges and 100% of their tuition payment will be refunded.

Related Policies

• Schedule of Fees
• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/2009

Many corporations underwrite programs to assist employees with their educational expenses. Fielding encourages students to seek educational assistance from their employers, and will gladly assist with documentation to meet the requirements of such programs.

Students may contact the Registrar's Office for assistance and advice on tuition reimbursement matters.

Related Policies

• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 01/01/1998

In the student's final months of enrollment, tuition will be billed and payable as usual. Tuition stops when all requirements have been completed by the student, approved by the faculty, and received at Fielding's administrative offices. If a student in the doctoral programs completes her/his program of study prior to the end of the billing cycle, Fielding will refund the remaining pro-rated portion of the term tuition payment, minus any outstanding balance due for fees and services.

Doctoral students must have completed all required academic, clinical, research and residency requirements, and have submitted the final copy of the dissertation, ready for the proofreader, to the Fielding administrative offices in order for tuition charges to cease. If a doctoral student has not completed and submitted the required bindery-ready copies of the completed dissertation to Fielding within four months from the date tuition stopped, tuition will resume and continue until the dissertation copies have been received.

The Registrar's office verifies the completion of requirements, and establishes the tuition stop date for all students in all programs.

Related Policies

• Student Complaint & Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/2006

The following information is based on Federal Regulations (CFR 668.22 (h)(2)(j)(B)(2) governing the rights and responsibilities of student loan holders who request a leave of absence from school.

• If a student has paid tuition, and subsequently is approved for a leave of absence during that tuition period, the leave credit will be applied to the student account. If tuition during the leave month(s) was paid by student loan funding, the credit for the leave period(s) will be refunded to the student’s lender per the federal Title IV regulation above. A student may request that funds be held until the leave is completed by making a written request to their financial aid advisor at Fielding Graduate University.
• No loan checks will be disbursed to the student while the student is on leave.
• A student who has been granted a leave of absence by Fielding Graduate University in accordance with the following paragraphs is NOT considered withdrawn from school. However, if a student does not return at the expiration of an approved leave of absence, Fielding Graduate University will withdraw the student and notify the lender/guarantor that the student has withdrawn.
• Students who need to be away from school for longer than 6 months (e.g. for medical reasons, etc.) should contact their lender for the appropriate forms (e.g. forbearance). A lender may not grant a student deferment during an approved leave of absence. The student may request a forbearance from their lender to prevent entering repayment if the leave of absence will cause his/her 6 month grace period to expire. A forbearance acts like a deferment with the difference being that Subsidized Stafford loans will accrue interest during any forbearance period.
• The borrower MUST notify the lender when the borrower resumes schooling. Otherwise the borrower will enter repayment. Upon returning to school, the student must request the appropriate deferment form(s) from the lender, complete the student portion, and submit the form(s) in a timely manner to the Registrar’s Office.

For additional information, contact your financial aid advisor at Fielding Graduate University.

Related Policies

• Leaves and Elective Withdrawals
• Schedule of Fees
• Student Complaint & Grievance Procedure

 

Policy Revised 01/01/2009

Fielding will pay the first $300 of the proofreading charges for the dissertation; students will be charged for proofreading costs that exceed $300. Proofreading services are contracted with an independent proofreader for all Fielding doctoral dissertations. The range of proofreading charges normally extends between $300 and $500, although in a few cases the costs have been much higher. Students are urged to prepare their dissertation copy in as careful and clean condition as possible. A major factor in the variation of the charge, in addition to the length of the dissertation, is the degree to which the copy is already in final condition. Expenses can be controlled considerably if APA-style guidelines are followed consistently.

Related Policies

• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/1999

Doctoral students who are nearing the completion of their programs are eligible for Advancement to Candidacy status, which grants a 30% reduction in tuition to eligible students.

Effective 9/1/06: Clinical Psychology doctoral students who are advanced to candidacy prior to or while they are on reduced tuition during internship, will receive the cumulative benefit of both the internship and advancement to candidacy discounts.

Related Policies

• Advancement to Candidacy
• Student Complaint & Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/2006

Satisfactory Academic Progress as it Affects Aid Eligibility

When a student is initially determined by the academic program through the satisfactory academic progress policy/processes to have not met minimum progress requirements, they are placed on financial aid probation. Financial aid probation is a warning period, and with the exception of certain scholarships, aid eligibility and disbursements are not affected during the probationary/warning period. However, if at the subsequent review, students are again determined to have not met minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress, students will be disqualified from receiving further financial aid and current or future loans/disbursements will be cancelled. Students may return to financial aid eligibility if, upon a subsequent review through the office of Student Advising, they are once again determined to have met minimum satisfactory academic progress standards.

In cases where a review of satisfactory academic progress has failed to be conducted, the office of Financial Aid reserves the right to exercise professional judgment as allowed by federal guidelines to determine if satisfactory academic progress is being maintained and whether Title IV aid can be awarded.

Repeated Coursework as it Affects Financial Aid Eligibility 

If a student receives a grade of Incomplete in a course from a prior term and is completing the coursework in a subsequent term, the student is not considered enrolled in the course for the subsequent term. Therefore, the credit hours in the course do not count towards the student's enrollment status for the subsequent term and the student may not receive student loan funding for completing the Incomplete.

Related Policies

• Satisfactory Academic Progress: All Programs 
• Satisfactory Academic Progress: PSY Programs 

Policy Posted 04/01/2010

• General Fees
• Orientation Fees
• Conference, National Sessions & Workshop Attendance Fees
• Finance Fees
• Graduation Fees

General Fees

NC = No Charge

Orientation Fees

Conference, Session & Workshop Attendance Fees

NC = No Charge

Finance Fees

NC = No Charge

Graduation Fees

NC = No Charge

Related Policies

• Academic Calendar
• Student Complaints and Grievances 

Schedule Revised 10/01/2009

Fielding Graduate University engages in the sale of merchandise, software, books, and other materials related to student, staff, and faculty needs and interests. These sales are conducted out of the Fielding Store, and are primarily mail-order transactions. However, there are occasions when sales are made in person at National Sessions and the NSO meetings.

It is the policy of Fielding Graduate University to observe and abide by the sales tax laws and statutes of the states in which such business transactions are conducted. For mail-order transactions, sales tax will be applied and collected on those sales for shipment within the states of California and Massachusetts. All required reporting and filings will be done on a timely basis in accordance with the schedules and requirements of the individual state tax authorities.

There will be no regular, casual, or consistent sales activity outside the state of California; however, in those circumstances where it may better serve the needs of Fielding and its students, and can be reasonably and economically arranged, Fielding will obtain the necessary licenses and approvals to conduct sales activities in locations outside the state of California. Fielding will observe the appropriate laws and statutes for collection and reporting of such taxes for each state in which such arrangements are made.

It is the responsibility of those who plan and arrange events outside California to advise the Business Office and to specify needs relative to the sale of Fielding Store merchandise. It is the responsibility of the Business Office to assure that all necessary legal and regulatory reporting and filings are accomplished in a timely manner.

Policy Revised 01/01/1998

All Programs

Billing statements are mailed approximately one month prior to the due date (start of term or first class day) in order to provide adequate time for payment to reach us on schedule. If payment is to be delayed for any reason, please advise Student Accounts of the circumstances and make appropriate arrangements before the payment is due. Please see related policy links for more specific about tuition due dates.

Please note that disbursement of student loan funds or employer reimbursements may not coincide with billings from Fielding. Since payment of tuition is the student's responsibility, they must plan accordingly and arrange to pay tuition by the due date. If payment is not received on time, students will be notified of the delinquency.

Fielding will assist students who are seeking student loans or other help with tuition payments in any way that we can. For instance, in addition to government loan programs, there are tuition loan programs from private lending sources that we can bring to your attention. We can also provide information to lenders on your current status at Fielding in support of loan applications. Please contact Fielding's Financial Aid Office if you need information.

Non-payment Penalties for Registration-Based Programs

For OMD, EBC, IS, CEL, and MPSC programs, tuition is due by the first day of classes. Payments made after the due date are subject to a late payment charge, see the Schedule of Fees for charge amount.

Payment in full, including late charge and any charges from a previous term, is required to complete registration. Partial payments could result in a late charge.

Course registrations not paid for in full by the add/drop deadline will automatically be cancelled for non-payment. Any payment or partial payment received after the add/drop deadline will be applied to any outstanding balance and any remaining funds will be returned to the payee.

For information about the add/drop policy, please see the policy link below; for specific deadline dates, please see the Academic Calendar.

Non-payment Penalties for Independent Study Programs

For those payments not received in full by the due date, late charges will be assessed on the average daily balance at a rate of .833% per month, or 10% per year. A late payment fee will be assessed on payments received 15 days past the due date.

Students whose payments are not received within 30 days of the due date are subject to withdrawal for nonpayment. Students who are withdrawn may request readmission.

Related Policies

• Academic Calendar
• Schedule of Fees
• Tuition Information
• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/2008

Tuition is billed one month prior to the due date, and is considered delinquent if not received by the due date. Tuition charges, and tuition billing and due dates are listed in this policy bulletin under Tuition Information.

The first tuition payment is due upon receipt of the orientation reservation or other intent to enroll document. Students expecting a student loan, or corporate reimbursement assistance need to have reserve funds available to cover tuition costs between the time of registration for the session and the time of receipt of the first loan payment or reimbursement. Students are responsible for tuition payments upon enrollment, whether or not a loan or reimbursement is pending.

Payments must be issued in U.S. dollars and mailed to the address noted below:

Fielding Graduate University
2112 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105-3538
Attn: Student Accounts

Payment can also be made online via WebAdvisor. WebAdvisor will accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover payments.

Related Policies

• Tuition Information
• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 01/01/2007

Doctoral students in Clinical Psychology who are accepted into, and participate in full-time clinical internship programs as part of their required degree program, may request to have their tuition reduced by 50% during the internship period of one calendar year. If the internship is half-time, the reduction is available for two calendar years, and is 25%. The discounts are only available for the appropriate calendar year length, regardless of the internship's true end date.

Students enrolled in the Respecialization in Clinical Psychology certificate program may request to have their tuition reduced by 95% once they have completed all academic and clinical requirements for the certificate, excluding the internship. Students who have completed all requirements including the Pre-Internship Evaluation, but continue on practicum prior to internship will be entitled to an 85% reduction. Once the respecialization student begins their full-time or half-time internship, the reduction is reduced to or continues at 85%. The 85% reduction remains in effect for the remainder of their student tenure.

Neuropsychology certificate students who do not complete their clinical portion of the program within two years, and remain enrolled a third or fourth year, will receive an 85% reduction on tuition while they complete their clinical work.

Clinical Psychology doctoral and Respecialization students who enroll in an internship program that is accredited by the American Psychological Association or listed by the Association of Psychology Internship Centers automatically qualify for these reductions upon request.

A Clinical Psychology doctoral or Respecialization student may be considered for the internship tuition reduction if the following conditions are present:

1. The fulfillment of the internship is a regular expectation of the profession.
2. The internship is a requirement for the degree/certificate and was mandated by an external certifying body in the profession of that person.
3. The internship involves an organized series of experiences and regular supervision by an experienced professional in the field.

Since internships are not a requirement of all programs, individual applications for other programs will be considered on a case-by case basis.

Effective 9/1/06: Clinical Psychology doctoral students who are advanced to candidacy prior to or while they are on reduced tuition during internship, will receive the cumulative benefit of both the internship and advancement to candidacy discounts.

Policy Revised 07/01/2006

Students receive refunds for overpayments, withdrawal or dismissal from classes and financial aid. When students withdraw, or are dismissed, the university may owe them a refund of payments they made for institutional charges. The refund is the difference between the amount paid towards institutional charges (including financial aid) and the amount the university can retain per federal student loan regulations.

Not attending classes for which you have registered does not necessarily entitle you to a refund. You must drop or withdraw from classes to ensure a refund. For students who have failed to withdraw officially through a written notice to Fielding administration, the last date of academically significant interaction (as determined by the Registrar in consultation with faculty/program staff) will be used to determine refunds.

In cases where the student has received student loan monies, the university will determine the loan proceeds portion received that must be returned to the lender in accordance with federal regulations. When a credit balance is created as a result of a tuition refund, the entire balance is returned to the lender, however, for withdrawn students, the amount to be returned to the lender will be calculated according to Title IV federal regulations. If the amount to be returned to the lender exceeds the student's credit balance, the student will be responsible for the outstanding balance.

Fielding will refund tuition and fees paid by a sponsor, donor, or scholarship to the source rather than directly to the student.

Students on payment plans (e.g., monthly) should consult their payment plan agreement and Student Accounts staff for additional information on refund amounts.

Fielding will make a 'good faith' effort to refund within 30 days. If refund checks are not cashed within 6 months, a notification will be sent certified mail to the student's address on file.

Refund Schedule for Independent Study Programs

The following table presents the descending scale of refund amounts for withdrawing or dismissed students in the doctoral programs, the Clinical Respecialization certificate program, and the Neuropsychology certificate programs:

Refund Schedule for Term-based Programs

Students in the traditionally scheduled, term-based programs (such as OMD, EBC, IS, CEL, MPSC, TVC, Online Professional Development) who withdraw or are dismissed after the first class day has commenced, but before completing 60% of the instruction in the course enrollment period, are entitled to a pro rata refund as follows:

Note: For the Summer 2008 term, a different refund schedule was in place for OMD, EBC and IS students. Withdrawing students from those programs may consult with the Office of the Registrar or the Student Accounts Office for the summer 2008 refund schedule.

Related Policies

• Leaves & Elective Withdrawals
• Student Complaint & Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/2008

All tuition and fees of Fielding Graduate University are subject to change. Tuition, fees and other charges represented are good faith projections for the academic year; they are reviewed annually and are subject to change as deemed necessary by Fielding in order to fulfill its role and mission and to best serve the needs of its students. Tuition is set by the Board of Trustees annually based on input from Fielding's management, and student and faculty committees during the budget process. Tuition changes usually take effect July 1 or September 1 of each year depending on the structure of individual programs. Students are informed of tuition and fee changes in advance.

Fielding students in the doctoral and other individualized, multi-modal programs are considered to be enrolled on a twelve month, continuous basis. Tuition payments apply to specified time periods. In the event of a tuition increase, prepayments will be applied toward future periods at the new rate.

In the OMD masters and certificate programs, students are guaranteed their starting tuition rate for two years (six consecutive terms). When those six terms have elapsed, the OMD student will begin to be charged at the current rate of tuition. This allows an OMD certificate student to complete their program in two to five consecutive terms depending on their credit load choices and whether or not they need to utilize a leave of absence, all under the guaranteed tuition rate. This guarantee further allows a fulltime OMD masters student to complete the program in five terms, plus allowing for one term of leave all under the guaranteed tuition rate. If an OMD masters student chooses to go halftime at any point, they should do so with the full knowledge that this will extend the length of their program potentially beyond six terms and thus they could be subject to a rate increase once their six terms had elapsed. The six term time period begins at the initial term of enrollment in the OMD program, regardless of whether the student starts at one degree level and switches later to another degree level (e.g., switches from certificate to masters). OMD students who withdraw or are withdrawn from the program and re-admit at a later date, can re-enter at their original tuition rate, as long as the re-admission is within the six term from original start date time-frame.

In the CEL masters and CELA certificate program, students are guaranteed their starting tuition rate for the two years (four terms) of the masters program, and for the three terms of the certificate program, and are unaffected by tuition increases. Students in these programs who choose to withdraw or are withdrawn from their program and re-admit at a later date, will re-enter by joining a new learning community and will be charged at the current rate of tuition.

Related Policies

• Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Policy Revised 07/01/2005