Overview

An exact outline of University fees and assessments can be found in Business Operations. These costs are determined by the Lake Superior State University Board of Trustees.

Residency Policy for Tuition Purposes

Effective the Fall Semester 2018, Lake Superior State University offers a one rate tuition for all students worldwide.

Policy: Tuition/Fees

All tuition and fees are payable according to established due dates. Students are required to agree to a financial responsibility statement before registering for any classes at LSSU. Students delinquent in payment of a financial obligation are subject to enrollment cancellation and/or late fees until all amounts due the University are paid or satisfactory arrangements are made with Business Operations.

Anyone who is delinquent in any obligation to the University will not be allowed to register for classes. Additionally, University services will not be provided until financial obligations are met. Registration is not complete until fees are paid. A check or draft returned to the University and not honored by the bank constitutes nonpayment and may result in cancellation of registration.

Students auditing a class are assessed the Audit Class Tuition Rate and applicable fees for the course. A grade of AU is recorded on the student’s official transcript upon completion of the course. Michigan residents who are 60 years of age or older may audit undergraduate courses compliments of LSSU. The student will be responsible for any associated fees.

In addition to tuition, there are various fees assessed to students in specific situations.

Activity Course Fee

The activity course fee is an additional charge applied to one-credit courses in music and recreation. This activity fee is assessed on all students enrolling in one-credit music (one-credit activity and performance courses with an MUSC prefix, except MUSC 210 Applied Music I) or one-credit recreation (one-credit activity courses with an RECA prefix) classes.

Administrative Fee

Administrative fees will be charged for departmental exams.

Online/Virtual Course Fees

These fees are charged to offset the costs of non-traditional modes of instruction, including any course listed as online, interactive t.v., or courses recorded for future distribution and viewing. Distance Education Fees are not charged on any course in which Regional Center Fees are also assessed.

New Student Administrative Fee

The new student administrative fee is a one-time fee used to offset administrative and programmatic costs associated with transitioning new students into the University. The new student administrative fee is assessed on all new and transfer undergraduate students when they are admitted to a degree program.

Late Fee

Students who do not make payment or enroll in a payment plan by the due date will be charged a 1.5% late fee. For each month thereafter, the University will charge an additional 1.5% late fee for any outstanding balance on the 16th of each month and a hold will be placed on the student’s account until full payment is made. The hold prevents registration into classes for subsequent semesters and inability to receive a copy of a University transcript. Balances still outstanding after 90 days will be turned over to collections.

Students who are receiving VA Education Benefits are expected to pay tuition and fees by the payment deadline date established by the University each semester, with exception to the following:

• Students receiving Post 9/11 Benefits and have a current semester course certification on file in the Registrar’s Office will automatically receive a deferment on tuition and fee charges eligible for payment until payment arrives from the VA.
• Students participating in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Chapter 31 will not receive late fees for any changes eligible for payment in accordance with Veteran Readiness and Employment Program.
• Students must arrange payment for all other charges by the payment deadline each semester to avoid delinquent account status.

Late Registration Fee

The Late registration period is defined as the period after the first payment due date for each semester until the close of the six day add/drop period. For the fall semester, the first due date is mid-August. For the spring semester the first due date is mid-December. No late registration fees are charged for the winter or summer semester. Students who register in person or online during the late registration period are assessed a late registration fee. 

Liability Insurance Fee

The liability insurance fee is a one-time per semester charge for students enrolled in select biology, emergency medical services, kinesiology, and nursing courses that involve direct student/patient contact.

Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Fee

A NSF fee will be assessed for any check or bank draft returned due to insufficient funds.

Program Fees

In cases where specialized equipment, facilities, personnel, operational, and maintenance costs have primary use by a single program or group of programs, program fees are applied to defray the higher costs of instruction and support.

Regional Center Fee

The regional center fee is an additional charge per credit, charged for courses delivered by instructors at the regional centers. The regional center fee is assessed on all students registering for a course at an LSSU Regional Center.

Special Course Fee

Special course fees are charged to cover costs of supplies, equipment, maintenance, and student transportation over and above the normal costs for all courses. These fees become part of the department supply and equipment budget. Special course fees are assessed on students taking the course for which the fee is charged.

Student Activity and Media Fee

This fee was requested by the Student Government and approved by the Board of Trustees on June 30, 2003, to support Student Government and student activities.

The student activity and media fee is a flat fee assessed on all enrolled students except those registered for internship classes, for classes at a regional center, or dually enrolled at LSSU and a high school.

Vehicle Registration Fee

This fee entitles a student to register one student vehicle to be parked in a campus parking lot.

The fee is refunded only under certain conditions. Vehicle registration information is available at https://www.lssu.edu/public-safety/parking/.

Withdrawal/Refunds

Students dropping all courses within the appropriate time frame for the semester will be considered as withdrawn from Lake Superior State University. Students withdrawing may be eligible to receive a partial tuition refund following the refund schedule, and those with financial aid will be subject to Federal Title IV refund regulations. The last date of attendance in an academically-related activity is required for all courses and may impact a student’s financial aid and refund status.

You must complete the following steps to officially withdraw from the University:

1. Pick up a Withdrawal Form at the Registrar’s Office, located in the Fletcher Center for Student Services.
2. Gather the required signatures (shown on the form). Note: if you have received federal loans as financial aid, you will be required to complete an exit interview at the Financial Aid Office. You may also be required to speak with a financial aid officer. You will need to provide the complete addresses and phone numbers of two people (living at different addresses) as references for the exit interview process.
3. Deliver the completed form to the Registrar’s Office and clear any outstanding charges or holds that may prevent your return at a later date or prevent the release of your academic records. Your withdrawal date will be determined by the date the completed form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Any refunds will be calculated as of that date.  Federal Title IV financial aid refunds will be calculated based on the last day of attendance.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy for Fall and Spring Semesters

Withdrawal and Refund Policy for Fall and Spring Semesters

Courses Dropped	Time of Withdrawal	% of Refund
Any or all classes	Prior to class-6th school day 1	100%
Dropping all classes	7th-8th school day	90%
Dropping all classes	9th-19th school day	50%
Dropping all classes	20th-38th school day	25%

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There are no refunds for partial drops after the 6th school day of the fall or spring semester or the 4th day of the summer semester.

All withdrawals should be done in person. If you are unable to complete the process in person, the Registrar's Office is the only University authority that can authorize the process by phone (906-635-2682).

After your completed Withdrawal Form is accepted, your University charges will be reduced according to the withdrawal and refund policy. If you have not received any form of financial aid and there is a credit balance on your account, you will be issued a refund. If you have received aid, your aid may have to be returned to the appropriate source. You may owe money to Lake Superior State University.

Financial Aid Return Policy: Applies to students receiving federal and state financial aid including loans and scholarships, and institutional and private aid.

• First, your account will be credited according to Lake Superior State University’s Refund Policy (on or prior to the 38-day withdrawal period). The summer semester refund policy is shortened.
• Then, your federal financial aid will be reduced in direct proportion to the length of time you remained enrolled, up to 60 percent of the semester, following the Federal R2T4 policy. Federal student loans, parent loans and federal grants will be returned to the federal government on your behalf for the portion of time you are not attending classes in the semester.
• If you have any Michigan or institutional financial aid, your aid will be reduced according to the university refund policy. Private and other state scholarships and grants will follow the refund rules or restrictions on the funds.
• Please Note: If you have received a payment for excess financial aid and you withdraw, you could owe the University and/or the federal government money.
• Any remaining refund, after all funding sources have received the appropriate credit, will be refunded directly to you.

For example: If there are 101 days in the semester and you withdraw on the 45th day, your federal aid would be reduced to 45% (45/101). If your total cost to attend was $4,000 and it was paid with federal aid of $2,400 and a personal payment of $1,600, your federal aid would be reduced to $1,080. You could owe the University $1,320.

Attendance Policy for federal financial aid recipients: Regular class attendance is required for students receiving federal financial aid. If you are reported for non-attendance in any or all of your courses, your financial aid may be withdrawn.

If you fail to demonstrate attendance by earning credits for a semester while receiving federal aid, your aid may be returned and you may owe unearned funds back to the University.

Leaving school: For information about leaving the University see the Withdrawal Policy. Non-attendance of classes or checking out of campus housing does not constitute withdrawal, nor does academic dismissal. Students who leave but do not withdraw are responsible for full tuition and fees and will receive failing grades on their transcript unless an official Withdrawal Form is filed with the Registrar’s Office.

Students who fail to earn credits for the semester while receiving financial aid are subject to Title IV refund requirements and may lose all or part of their financial aid.

Delinquent accounts: Students with delinquent accounts may be removed from class, have their diploma withheld, and/or have transcript requests denied.

Housing and Food Applications

Housing applications: Unmarried students enrolled for 12 or more credit hours and who are within 27 calendar months of their graduation from high school at the beginning of the academic year (for this purpose, high school graduation dates are assumed to be June 1st) must reside in a University residence hall.

The exceptions are:

1. if you live with parents within a 60-mile radius, or the three-county (Luce, Chippewa, and Mackinac) service area of the University campus. An exemption application, available in the Housing Office, must be approved by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Executive Director of Campus Life & Engagement.
2. if you are exempted in writing by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Executive Director of Campus Life & Engagement when residence hall space is filled.
3. if you face unusual financial or health problems and are exempted by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Executive Director of Campus Life & Engagement.

Applications for housing must be made to the Housing Office. Students indicating interest in on-campus accommodations on the University admissions application are sent housing information. Room assignments are made upon receipt of the first room and board payment. Applications are voided if the first room and board payment is not received by June 1st (May 1st for returning students). If application is canceled by notification to the Housing Office by June 1st (May 1st for returning students), all monies paid will be refunded. If cancellation is between June 1st (May 1st for returning students) and the opening of the residence halls, LSSU retains $100. Cancellation after the halls open is subject to a $500-$750 penalty. You must be accepted for admission and be enrolled in and attending classes to live on campus.

Housing and Food: Students are billed for housing and food and tuition each semester. A payment plan may be set up with Business Operations located in the Fletcher Center.

Housing deposit: If you are living on campus, there is a $150 damage deposit prior to checking into the hall. This deposit is refunded, less monies owed to the University, when you leave campus housing.

Regulations: Regulations and expectations of your conduct as a member of the LSSU community will be provided when you take residence.