SMS: Financial Information

Domicile

Domicile Eligibility for In-State Tuition for Research and Teaching Assistants

Regardless of domicile, students with stipends administered by VIMS that pay at least $4000 per annum may qualify for in-state tuition. Eligibility will be determined by the Associate Dean of Academic Studies and submitted to the Provost for final approval.

Eligibility for In-State Tuition for Students with Permanent Domicile

To be eligible for the lower tuition rate available to in-state students, a student must meet the statutory test for domicile set forth in Section 23-7.4 of the Code of Virginia. Detailed information may be obtained from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia at http://www.schev.edu/students/vadomicile.asp?from=students and also from the Office of the University Registrar’s web site at: http://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/domicile/index.php.

Domicile is a technical legal concept, and a student’s status is determined objectively through the impartial application of established rules. A student who claims Virginia residency must support that claim by clear and convincing evidence. In general, to establish domicile students must be able to show (1) that for at least one year immediately proceeding the first official day of classes their permanent home was in Virginia and (2) that they intend to stay in Virginia indefinitely after graduation. Residence in Virginia primarily to attend college does not establish eligibility for the in-state tuition rate. On admission to the College an entering student who claims domiciliary status is sent an application form. The Office of the University Registrar evaluates the application and notifies the student of adverse decisions only. A student re-enrolling in the College after an absence of one or more semesters must re-apply for domiciliary status and is subject to the same requirements as an entering student.

A matriculating student whose domicile has changed may request reclassification from out-of-state to in-state; however, the application must be submitted before the beginning of the academic semester. Any student may ask for written review of an adverse decision, but a change in classification will be made only when justified by clear and convincing evidence. All questions about eligibility for domiciliary status should be addressed to the Office of the University Registrar, (757) 221-2808.

Tuition and Fees

The College reserves the right to make changes in its charges for any and all programs at any time, after approval by the Board of Visitors.

Starting Fall 2012, the tuition and mandatory general fee for full-time students in the School of Marine Science is $5,702 per semester for residents of Virginia and $12,895 per semester for non-residents.

Tuition for part-time graduate students is $385 per semester hour for Virginia residents and $1000 per semester hour for out-of-state students.

In addition to tuition, there is a $25 registration fee and a $50 comprehensive fee during the summer sessions.

All incoming students registered for nine hours or more are considered full-time students and charged the full-time rates unless qualified for Research Graduate Student status. For students who have been awarded a graduate support package (including a research or teaching assistantship) by SMS, are generally charged tuition at in-state rates generally apply (pending approval of the Provost).

For part-time coursework, regularly enrolled degree-seeking students of the College will be charged tuition during the regular sessions based on their established domiciliary status.

Part-time students who are not regularly enrolled at the College of William and Mary, and for whom no domiciliary status previously has been determined, will be charged on the basis of their satisfactorily established domiciliary status. (See statement regarding Eligibility for In-state Tuition Rate).

Auditing fees are the same as those specified for part-time students, unless the auditor is a full-time student. Permission to audit must be obtained from the instructor.

Senior citizens of Virginia who wish to attend School of Marine Sciences courses are invited to contact the Associate Dean of Academic Studies for full details.

Research Graduate Student Status

Upon the recommendation of a student’s major professor, a student who has achieved Candidacy may apply to the Associate Dean of Academic Studies for either a single semester (M.S. students) or two semesters (Ph.D.) of Research Graduate status. During this period the student will be charged reduced tuition (3 credits). Awarding of Research Graduate status is contingent on the availability of funds. The following conditions must be met:

1. The student has completed all SMS and departmental required coursework.
2. The student has passed the Qualifying Examination and the prospectus has been approved.
3. A Ph.D. student has passed the Comprehensive Examination
4. The student is not employed significantly in any activity other than research and writing in fulfillment of degree requirements.

5. The student is present on campus or is engaged in approved fieldwork related to his/her thesis or dissertation.

Research Graduate status enables a student to register for a maximum of 12 credit hours of thesis or dissertation credit for fall or spring semester upon payment of the part-time rate (3 credit hours). The student may elect to utilize up to two (2) of the three paid credit hours for formal coursework. Students who are approved for Research Graduate Status should check with the SMS Registrar about proper registration procedures.

A student with Research Graduate Status may register for additional course credit only upon payment of the generally applicable additional part-time tuition.

A student with Research Graduate status is eligible for services (e.g., student health and athletic events) only if required fees are paid.

Graduate Funding

It is the general policy of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science to ensure that all full-time graduate students receive a Graduate Support Package (GSP; tuition, stipend and health insurance benefit), which at a minimum is equivalent to the rate published annually by the SMS Office of Academic Studies. Continuity of student funding is accomplished through a combination of grants and contracts to individual faculty, teaching assistantships, external fellowships, institutional general and endowment funds, as available. Financial aid in the form of graduate research assistantships, teaching assistantships, workships and fellowships is available to students in degree programs of the School of Marine Science. An important aspect of the SMS financial aid program is to provide opportunities for professional training of marine scientists while at the same time ensuring that such experience does not substantially compromise a student’s educational progress toward completion of the degree.

To receive available funding a student must remain in good academic standing, demonstrate satisfactory progress as defined by College degree requirements and regulations of the School of Marine Science, which includes meeting the milestones for normative progress in the degree program, and may not hold any other employment or appointment of a remunerative nature without approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Studies.

VIMS/SMS places strong emphasis on student involvement in research activities and all students who receive financial aid through SMS are expected to participate (equivalent to twenty hours a week) in their advisor’s group activities and in a research project or program as determined jointly with their faculty advisor. For graduate research assistants, every effort will be made to ensure that assistantship duties are relevant to the student’s course of study and research program.

Fellowships

The School of Marine Science, with funding from the VIMS Foundation and the Office of Academic Studies, awards fellowships to students with outstanding qualifications. Approximately 25% of SMS students receive a fellowship each year. Fellowship awards are typically in the range of $1,000 to $7,000, with durations of 1-2 years and are awarded on a competitive basis. Some fellowships are used to supplement student stipends, while others may be used to support research, professional travel and computing expenses.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships, which are generally available only to continuing students, provide part-time student assistance to the classroom or laboratory activities of SMS faculty. The time commitment for all assistantships is approximately the same (i.e., twenty hours per week). All students on assistantships are eligible for consideration for resident or in-state tuition. Students holding a full-time graduate assistantship may not hold any other employment of a remunerative nature without approval from the advisor and the Associate Dean of Academic Studies.

Graduate Workships

Graduate workships allow SMS students to be hired on an hourly basis to satisfy the operational needs of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. A particular workship assignment may be recurring, but is generally considered to be shortterm in duration.

In order to ensure that fulfillment of workship duties will not slow progress on accomplishment of program milestones and progress towards the degree and so that faculty advisors are fully aware of a student’s workship commitment, limitations on workship hours apply. With the approval of his or her advisor, a student will be allowed to work up to 100 workship hours per fiscal year. This limit is intended to apply to all students who hold a full research assistantship or its equivalent. Students will be allowed to petition for additional workship hours with the provisos that (1) such a variance is approved by the student’s advisor, and (2) workship hours never exceed 200 per fiscal year. Accounting of workship hours will be maintained by the Associate Dean of Academic Studies’ Office.

In the case of students not holding a full research assistantship or its equivalent in a given fiscal year, or for those with no financial support from SMS/VIMS, the 100- and 200-hour limitations do not apply. In such cases, the workship limits will be waived and workship hours will be adjusted to allow a given student to receive, in a given fiscal year, compensation from the Institute totaling the equivalent of a twelve-month full research assistantship. Students who might qualify for such a waiver must petition the Associate Dean of Academic Studies for approval.

Student Insurance Requirement

The College requires all full-time undergraduate and graduate students admitted Fall 2006 or after and all F-1 and J-1 international students to have health insurance coverage throughout the school year as a condition of enrollment. These students will be enrolled in the college-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan (see below), and the cost will be billed to their student account in two installments (fall and spring semester) UNLESS proof of other adequate health insurance coverage is furnished. Students who already have health insurance for the entire academic year must submit a waiver request by the posted deadline each academic year and the waiver request must be approved to avoid being enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan. Students wishing to be enrolled by the College in the Student Health Insurance should verify the charge on your student account.

More information about the insurance requirement, the plan, and the waiver or enrollment process, please visit the Student Insurance page of the Student Health Center web site – www.wm.edu/health/insurance. If you have any questions please contact Trista Sikes, the Student Insurance Coordinator, by phone at (757) 221-2978 or email at student.insurance@wm.edu.

Student Insurance Plan

United Healthcare Insurance Company underwrites a student sickness and injury insurance plan, designed especially for the students of the College. This plan is intended to provide health care coverage at a reasonable price for professional services obtained both from the Student Health Center and off-campus medical providers. For specific information about the benefits, exclusions or other plan information, view the entire plan brochure at www.uhcsr.com/wm. If you have questions, contact Trista Sikes, the Student Insurance Coordinator by phone at (757) 221-2978 or by email at student.insurance@wm.edu.

The Student Health Center does not have the resources to accept or process claims for any insurance except the College-endorsed plan. The Health Center will provide you with a receipt to submit to your own insurance company for reimbursement. The medical providers at the Student Health Center do not participate in any other insurance provider networks (e.g., HMO’s, PPO’s, Major Medical or Military Insurance Plans).

Payment of Accounts

Charges for tuition and general fees are payable by each semester’s due date as established by the Office of the Bursar on the W&M main campus in Williamsburg. Any unpaid balance remaining on an individual’s account after the end of the add/drop period may result in cancellation of registration. Tuition and fees for SMS students who are supported by a graduate support package may be paid by the Office of Academic Studies or by the student’s advisor through the business managers of each department. It remains each student’s responsibility to ensure that tuition and fees have been paid by the date they are due.

Students whose payments are received after the due date will be assessed a late payment fee of up to 10% of the outstanding balance (not to exceed $100) as prescribed in 2.2-4805 of the Code of Virginia. Failure to receive a bill does not waive the requirement for payment when due and will not prevent the application of the late fee.

Payment may be made in U.S. dollars by cash, check, money order or cashiers check made payable to the College of William and Mary. Checks returned by the bank for any reason will constitute nonpayment of fees and may result in cancellation of registration. The option of paying in full by credit card or electronic check is offered through the College’s payment plan provider, TMS (Tuition Management Systems); however, TMS does charge a convenience fee for paying by credit card. Additional information may be obtained from the Bursar’s Office website at www.wm.edu/offices/financialoperations/sa/index.php Any past due debt owed the College (telecommunications, emergency loans, parking, health services, library fines, etc.) may result in cancellation of registration and/or transcripts being withheld. In the event a past-due account is referred for collection, the student is required to pay all costs associated with the collection and/or litigation, as well as the College’s late payment fee.

Students Who Withdraw from the College

Subject to the following regulations and exceptions, all charges made by the College are considered to be fully earned upon completion of registration by the student.

Full-time Graduate Students Who Withdraw From College: Full-time students who withdraw from the College are charged a percentage of the tuition and fees based on the school week within which the withdrawal occurs. A school week is defined as the period beginning on Monday and ending on the succeeding Sunday. The first school week of a semester is defined as that week within which classes begin.

Full-time students who withdraw from the College within the first school week of the semester are eligible for a refund of all payments for tuition and fees less the required enrollment deposit for entering students or a $50.00 administrative fee for continuing students. After week 1 of the semester, the amount of the tuition and fees charged/refunded will be determined based on the following schedule:

Students will not be eligible for any refund of tuition and general fees if required to withdraw by the College.

It is College policy to hold the enrolled student liable for charges incurred; therefore, in the case of refunding any overpayment, refund checks will be issued in the name of the student.

Part-time Graduate Students Who Withdraw From College: Part-time students who withdraw from the College within the first school week of the semester are eligible for a full refund of tuition and fees less a $50.00 administrative fee. After the first week, the amount of the tuition and fees to be charged will follow the full-time withdrawal schedule.

Students will not be eligible for any refund of tuition if required to withdraw from the College.

Graduate Students Who Withdraw From a Course: A part-time student who withdraws from a course(s) after the add/drop period and remains registered for other academic work will not be eligible for a refund.

Withdrawal Schedule-Summer Sessions: Please contact Student Accounts at bursar@wm.edu or 757-221-1220 for withdrawal refund information for your summer session(s).

Withholding of Transcripts and Diplomas in Cases of Unpaid Accounts

Transcripts or any other information concerning scholastic records will not be released until College accounts are paid in full. Diplomas will not be awarded to persons whose College accounts are not paid in full.