Fees & Expenses

Tuition and Fee Information

Students enrolling at Arkansas Tech University are assessed tuition and fees to cover the costs of instruction and other student services common to a university setting. The Cost of Attendance page can be found at https://www.atu.edu/finaid/Est_COA.php. Additionally, certain courses requiring individual instruction or special facilities carry fees which are listed with the course description.

Students enrolling for twelve or more semester hours of undergraduate courses for the fall or spring semester are considered full-time. Tuition is assessed for each course at the appropriate credit-hour rate according to residency for full-time and part-time students. Consult Student Accounts for Tuition and Fee information. Additionally, certain courses requiring individual instruction or special facilities carry fees which are listed with the course description.

Students in a qualified online program, meeting certain criteria will not pay the Public Safety Fee, Student Recreation/Student Union Fee and Student Activity Fee. This criterion is defined as students who are enrolled in a qualified online program that can be completed entirely online, are enrolled in a semester of entirely online coursework, and have no physical presence on campus (cannot be living in campus housing).

All fees and charges to students are set by the University’s Board of Trustees. Every attempt is made to establish charges in time to appear in the catalog; however, when this is not possible, estimated charges are shown. The University reserves the right to change fees and charges at any time if conditions necessitate or permit the change.

Food and Housing (subject to change as necessary)

All students living in residence halls are required to purchase a meal plan (exceptions - Vista Place and University Apartments); Declining Cash Balance Dollars (DCB) may be used in Chambers Cafeteria, Baswell Techionery, and Convenience Store.

Payment for room and board is due and payable prior to the start of the semester. For information about setting up a payment plan online, go to: https://www.atu.edu/stuaccts/ or https://onetech.atu.edu. Room and board charges are subject to change.

Residence halls are closed between fall and spring semesters, with the exception of Jones, Stadium Suites, University Commons Apartments, Vista Apartments and Wilson. However, residents may remain in the residence halls during this period provided they submit proper paperwork to the Department of Residential Life to gain approval. There will be an additional cost for residents approved to remain in the residence halls over this break period. Residents may remain in the residence halls during all other breaks, provided they notify the residence hall staff of their intentions prior to the break period.

University Commons apartments are available to upper-class students. No board plan is required, and students are able to sign a nine-month academic year contract. Two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments are available.

Parking and Public Safety

All vehicles on ATU campus are required to register and display a current parking permit. Permits are valid from August 15th one year through August 15th of the next year. Permits must be displayed by hanging on the rear-view mirror so the number can be read through the front windshield from the outside; they may not be taped on the vehicle or laid on the dash or seat. These permits can be moved from vehicle to vehicle. Permits are the responsibility of the purchaser and must be removed prior to sale or transfer of the vehicle, upon termination of employment, or withdrawal from the University. Only one permit per individual can be purchased unless the prior permit was lost or stolen. There is no refund for permit cost. Vehicles can be registered by following these steps: Log in to OneTech (http://oneATU.atu.edu). The registration fee, penalties, and fines are published in the ATU parking map. https://www.atu.edu/psafe/docs/ParkingMap2014.pdf.

Temporary parking permits are available at the Department of Public Safety for faculty, staff, and students who have misplaced their parking permit.

Payment of Accounts

Tuition and all other fees and charges are due and payable prior to the start of each term. Financial settlement may be made by personal payment or authorized financial aid (loans, scholarships, grants, third parties, etc.). Credit card and eCheck payments are only accepted through OneTech under Student Accounts Quick Links. A 2.75% convenience fee will apply toward full payment of student's accounts made via a merchant card and a 2.85% convenience fee will apply toward the payment plan option made via a merchant card. Payments made by eCheck or savings accounts are free. Cash and check payments may be made at the Student Accounts cashier window in RCB Room 241. Registration is not complete until all financial obligations have been met satisfactorily. Failure to make financial settlement may result in cancellation of the class schedule.

Monthly billing statements are electronic. Near the first of each month, notification and information for access will be provided to students via the individual student e-mail address and online via OneTech. Students are responsible for accessing billing statements and printing a paper copy, if desired. Students registering between billing cycles are responsible for accessing their charges online or contacting Student Accounts to insure correct payment by the required due date. Payment is due even if billing statement is not received.

Students with delinquent accounts are not eligible for transcripts, recommendations, advance registration, or readmission to any term. Collection fees for outstanding debts owed to the University will be assessed to the student.

Arkansas Tech University requires students to acknowledge the Financial Responsibility Statement. The purpose of the Financial Responsibility Statement is to increase awareness of student financial obligations. Holds will be placed on accounts that have not acknowledged the Financial Responsibility Statement. This hold will prevent registration and transcripts. Any questions regarding the Financial Responsibility Statement should be directed to the Student Accounts Office.

The University reserves the right to amend or add to the regulations of the institution, including those concerning charges and methods of payment, and to make such changes applicable to students enrolled in the University, as well as to new students.

Important Information for Reduction of Tuition and Fees for Official Withdrawal

The following reduction information specifically addresses courses that begin and end with the main term dates for Spring, Summer and Fall, as listed in the Academic Calendar. Courses with beginning and/or ending dates that are different than the main terms listed above may have different reduction periods. It is the students' responsibility to consult the Student Accounts or Registrar's Office for these reduction dates prior to withdrawing. Withdrawal dates for courses with beginning and/or ending dates outside the traditional term can be found at: https://www.atu.edu/registrar.

In the event a student is receiving financial aid, any refund amount attributable to a loan, grant, or scholarship may be returned to the appropriate account and not to the student. Students receiving Federal financial aid funds will have those funds adjusted according to the Federal regulations governing these programs. Aid will be returned in the following order up to the amount of the original disbursement: Federal Direct Loan Programs, Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program, Federal Pell Grant Program, Federal SEOG Program, Arkansas Department of Higher Education Programs, Tech scholarships and private aid. Additionally, students who have received Federal aid money will be sent a letter after their withdrawal informing them of any amount to be repaid. These repayments will be made through the Student Accounts Office. The student will be ineligible to register for additional courses until the required payments are made.

Reduction of Tuition and Fees for Official Withdrawal - Summer Semester

Students registering for a summer session, but officially withdrawing from the courses by the end of the second day of the summer session, as listed in the Academic Calendar will receive a 100 percent reduction of tuition and fees. Students registering for a summer session, but officially withdrawing from the University by the end of the fifth day, as listed in the Academic Calendar will receive an 80 percent reduction of tuition for courses which they are enrolled in at time of withdrawal. No reduction in tuition will be made after the fifth day of the summer session. No reduction of fees will be made after the second day.

Courses with unusual beginning and ending dates may have different reduction dates. It is the students' responsibility to verify dates with Student Accounts or the Registrars' Office prior to withdrawing. Find your specific course reduction dates at https://www.atu.edu/registrar/ and click on "Dates for Adding and Dropping Condensed Courses."

Reduction of Tuition and Fees for Official Withdrawal - Spring and Fall Semesters

Students registering for the fall or spring semester but officially withdrawing from the University by the end of the fifth day of the semester, as listed in the Academic Calendar will receive a 100 percent reduction of tuition and fees. Room and Board will be reduced on a pro rata basis. Thereafter, students officially withdrawing by the end of the eleventh day of the semester will receive an 80 percent reduction of tuition only for courses in which they are enrolled at time of withdrawal. No reduction in tuition will be made after the eleventh day of the semester. No reduction in fees will be made after the fifth day of the semester.

Reduction of Tuition/Fees for Dropping to Fewer Hours

Students dropping to fewer hours before the end of the second day of the semester in a summer session, as listed in the Academic Calendar will receive 100 percent reduction for the courses which are dropped. Students dropping to fewer hours before the end of the fifth day of the semester in a summer session as listed in the Academic Calendar will receive an 80 percent reduction for the courses which are dropped. No reduction in tuition will be made after the fifth day of the semester. No reduction in fees will be made after the second day.

Students enrolled for the fall or spring semester who drop courses by the end of the fifth day of the semester, as listed in the Academic Calendar will receive a 100 percent reduction of tuition for the courses dropped. Thereafter, students enrolled who drop courses before the end of the eleventh day of the semester will receive an 80 percent reduction of the courses dropped. No reduction will be made after the eleventh day of the semester. No reduction in fees will be made after the fifth day of the semester.

Reduction of Room and Board

A student withdrawing from school will be charged pro rata room and board to the date of official check-out from the residence hall. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements to do a complete check-out with their hall staff upon withdrawal from the university. Students moving from the residence hall at their request during an academic year will be charged a cancellation fee accordingly as outlined in the Terms and Conditions of Occupancy (contract). Students moving into residence halls during a semester will pay a pro rata charge on room and board.

Out-of-State Residence Status for Tuition and Fee Purposes

Students classified as “out-of-state” must pay out-of-state tuition as shown in the section entitled “Fees and Charges.”

No student under the age of 21 shall be admitted to Arkansas Tech University and classified as instate for fee purposes unless the parent or legal guardian is a bona fide domiciliary of Arkansas and has resided in this state in that status for at least six consecutive months prior to the beginning of the term or semester for which the fees are to be paid.

Any student age 21 or older must be a legal resident of Arkansas and must have lived in the state for at least six consecutive months prior to the beginning of the term or semester for which fees are to be paid to be classified as an instate student.

All undergraduate students who are legal residents of states which are contiguous to Arkansas (specifically, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas) shall receive a waiver of out-of-state tuition charges.

A student from outside of Arkansas entitled to be treated as an instate student for fee purposes should complete an “Application for Residency Classification as Instate Domiciliary” and supply evidence to that effect.

In-State Tuition for Military Personnel, Veterans and Dependents

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

Regardless of residence, Arkansas Tech University shall classify a student as in-state or resident for the purpose of tuition and fees applicable for all programs of study, including distance learning programs, if the student is a:

Veteran who was discharged or released from a period of not less than ninety (90) days of active duty in the military, naval, or air service within three (3) years before the date of enrollment in a program of study;
Dependent of a veteran under subdivision (1) above;
Member of the armed forces;
Spouse of a member of the armed forces;
Veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill^®) - Active Duty Program) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill^®), of Title 38 of the United States Code, who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more;
Spouse or child using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill^® benefits (33 U.S.C. §3319) who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor's discharge from a period of active-duty service of 90 days or more;
Spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S. §§3311(b)(9)) who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Servicemember's death in the line of duty following a period of active-duty service of 90 days or more;
Person who initially met the requirements set out in sections 5, 6, or 7 will maintain "covered individual" status as long as he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly schedules breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school even if he or she is outside the 3-year window or enrolls in multiple programs. For purposes of a student who is eligible for in-state tuition solely under sections 5, 6, or 7 above, that person must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three-year period following discharge or death described above in sections 5, 6 or 7 and must be using educational benefits under either Chapter 30 or Chapter 33 of Title 38 of the United States Code; or
Member of the armed forces or "covered individual" as identified in Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.

Academic Catalog