Tuition, Fees, Financial Aid

Several payment options are available at NSU including cash, check, money order, cashier’s check, and online options such as credit card and electronic check. The Bursar Services website contains more information on how to pay on an account. Please note: Credit card payments are accepted online only and will be assessed a 2.95% convenience fee.

The tuition and fees listed below apply to the 2023-24 academic year.  Tuition and fees are updated annually after July 15th.

All fees and charges are subject to change without notice.  Totals below are per credit hour unless otherwise stated. For descriptions of charges, visit Bursar Services’ About Tuition and Fees.

All except bona fide residents of Oklahoma must pay a non-resident fee. The residence of a dependent student is that of his/her parents or guardian unless he/she can show reason why their residency should not be so defined. It is assumed that students know their correct resident status and that on their application and registration blanks they state truthfully the facts concerning it. Students in doubt should request clarification by writing to the Admissions Office in advance of registration.

Northeastern State University is compliant with 38 USC 3679(c) which requires that all public institutions charge in-state tuition to any covered individual (those using VA education benefits under CH 30, 31, 33 or 35) living in Oklahoma regardless of their home of record.

General Enrollment Charges

The general enrollment charges include tuition and mandatory fees assessed per credit hour enrolled.

*Audit fee without credit is the same as scheduled above.

Program Specific Tuition & Fees

Medical Laboratory Science 2+2, BSMLS

Nursing, BSN

Nursing, MSN

Occupational Therapy, M.S.

Physician Assistant Studies, M.S.

Optometry, O.D.

**Mandatory fees are added to the block based on the number of credits enrolled times the amount to the right. (*Special fees also apply.  See below)

Reach Higher - Organizational Leadership, B.S.

Individual Fees

Other Charges

¹Mandatory Fees include: Student activity fee, technology services fee, cultural/scholastic lecturer fee, infrastructure fee, and student facility fee.

Quad State Waiver: A portion of out-of-state tuition is waived for students from Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and Kansas who are admitted as regular students (not on probation nor having any academic deficiencies) and are not applying for the Optometry program.

Fitness Center Charges

Currently enrolled students and full-time faculty and staff are not charged a fee.  Family members and community members may purchase a membership to the Center.  More details are available at the Fitness Center website: https://offices.nsuok.edu/fitnesscenter/MembershipRates.aspx

Educational Tours

Fees as announced.

Northeastern State University sponsors educational tours which are conducted under university direction. The costs and schedules for each tour are announced in advance. Credit may be established on either the undergraduate or graduate level with academic fees being determined by the amount and type of credit established.

Assistance from Other Sources

Other state and federal financial assistance are available to qualified students including Vocational Rehabilitation, Veterans benefits, and assistance from the Department of Human Services. Students are encouraged to contact the appropriate government office in their community for more information about these programs.

Tuition and Fee Payment

All tuition and fees are due by the first day of the regular semester. Financial aid will be applied to accounts within the first 30 days of the regular semester.

Monthly late charges will apply towards unpaid balances beginning the first month after the start of the regular semester.  Students receiving Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 VA benefits are not penalized on the amount paid by the VA as a result of delayed VA payments.

Unpaid Student Accounts

Unpaid accounts receivable are considered to be in violation of university regulations as set forth by the Board of Regents and therefore become disciplinary matters. A hold will be placed on university records and future enrollment until such violations are corrected. Access to meal plans and charge accounts may be denied.

In addition, unpaid accounts may be assigned for collection.  Outstanding debt is subject to collections by the Oklahoma Tax Warrant Intercept program.  If an account is assigned, any collection costs, court costs, and/or attorney’s fees necessary to collect the amount owed will be added to the balance due. The balance due may be reported to national credit bureaus, which may adversely affect credit ratings.

A student who drops individual classes or completely withdraws before the census date for the part of term is eligible for a refund of tuition and fees.

Refunds are calculated based on the day the online Semester Withdrawal is filed in the Registrar’s Office, not when the student stopped attending classes. A credit will be issued to the student’s Bursar account for the full amount if the class is dropped within the time listed below. (Note: Login to NSU GREENMAIL account to be identified as a member of the NSU organization before clicking the link to the online Semester Withdrawal.)

• 16 week class - First day of class through the tenth class day
• 14 week class - First day of class through the seventh class day
• 8 week class - First day of class through the fifth class day
• 7 week class - First day of class through the fourth class day
• 4 week class - First day of class through the third class day
• 3 week class - First day of class through the second class day
• 2 week class - First day of class
• Weekend course - First day of class

If a credit balance occurs on the student’s Bursar account due to a refund of fees and/or other charges, the student may be issued a refund of that credit balance. Refunds from NSU are processed via direct deposit. Prior to the refund, the student can select a refund preference online through goNSU and the My Account link. Please note: Students who drop classes or withdraw from the university after financial aid has applied to their Bursar account may be obligated to return financial aid funds.

The Bursar Services website contains more information on Refunds.

A student’s withdrawal for federal financial aid purposes is:

• The date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process (as described in the Academic Calendar and online Course Schedule) or officially notified the institution of the intent to withdraw; or
• The midpoint of the payment period for a student who leaves without notifying the institution; or
• The student’s last date of attendance at a documented academically related activity.

Students receiving federal financial assistance who completely withdraw from all classes, drop out, are expelled, or fail to receive a passing grade in all courses during a period of enrollment, will be subject to the Return of Title IV Funds refund policy required by federal regulations.  The Return of Title IV Funds is calculated during each period or term of enrollment. 

The term Title IV Funds refers to the Federal financial aid programs authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended) and includes the following programs:

• Federal PLUS Loan
• Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grant
• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
• Federal Pell Grant

Students who are enrolled in courses that do not span the entire semester are considered to be enrolled modules. Students who fail to complete all enrolled modules in which they receive federal aid may owe a return of funds. The student is not considered withdrawn if they meet any of the following exceptions:

• The institution obtains written confirmation that the student will attend a later module in the same payment period of enrollment;
• The student completed the requirements for graduation;
• The student completed one or more modules that, together, comprise at least 49% of the days in the payment period; or
• The student completes coursework equal to or greater than the coursework required for half-time enrollment.

This policy assumes students “earn” their financial aid based on the period of time in which they are enrolled throughout the semester. This policy refers to two types of withdrawals: official and unofficial. When a student officially withdraws from all courses, Student Financial Services processes a Return of Title IV form. The form specifies the student’s date of withdrawal, institutional charges, aid disbursed, and aid that could have been disbursed. 

An unofficial withdrawal occurs when a student does not receive a passing grade in any of their courses at the end of each semester.  The withdrawal date for these students will be midpoint, last day of attendance, or attendance in an academic event for the semester. The withdrawal date for students who fail to return from an approved leave of absence will be designated as the date the leave of absence began.

After determining students’ withdrawal dates, official or unofficial, the Office of Student Financial Services must determine if the amount of federal aid disbursed to the student is greater than the amount earned. Any unearned funds must be returned to the federal student aid programs. If, at the time of withdrawal, the amount disbursed to the student is less than the amount they earned, they may be eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement of earned aid not yet disbursed. If students or parents are eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement, they will be notified by mail and will have 14 days to respond and approve or deny the post-withdrawal disbursement. The return of unearned aid may be the responsibility of the University, the student, or both. The amount of earned aid is calculated using the following formula: 

Number of days enrolled ÷ *Total number of days in the semester = Percent of aid earned.  (*The total number of calendar days in a term of enrollment shall exclude any scheduled breaks of more than five days.)

Students who remain enrolled beyond 60 percent of the semester are considered to have earned 100 percent of Title IV aid received. Students who are enrolled for less than 60 percent of the semester will likely be responsible for repaying a portion of the financial aid received. The percentage of Title IV aid unearned (to be returned to the appropriate program) shall be 100 percent minus the percent earned.

When performing a Return of Title IV calculation, all student’s institutional charges, i.e., tuition, fees, room and board are included in the calculation as well as disbursed federal aid. Unearned aid to be returned is calculated as follows: Total institutional charges x Percent of unearned aid = Amount returned to program(s).  Any refund amount calculated from this formula that the University must return will be returned to the appropriate federal aid programs in the following order: 

1. Federal PLUS Loan
2. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
3. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
4. Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grant
5. Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
7. Federal Pell Grant

Students must be aware that when the institution is required to return unearned funds due to their withdrawal, the student may have a balance due to the school.  The balance is separate from any over payment the student must repay due to withdrawal.

The University must complete the Return of Title IV process within 45 days of the date of a student’s withdrawal and notify the student.

Tuition Assistance Program Withdrawals

State and federal tuition assistance (TA) programs are benefits available to qualified students depending on particular criteria. They include vocational rehabilitation, veterans’ benefits, and assistance from the Department of Human Services. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. Students are encouraged to contact the appropriate government office for more information about these programs. Each has guidelines for program eligibility, participation, and withdrawal.

Withdrawal before Census Date

Students who withdraw before the semester census date receive a 100% cancellation of all charges for that semester, and NSU will return 100% of any TA funds to the appropriate entity.

Withdrawal after Census Date (Tuition Assistance Return Calculation)

If a student withdraws after the semester’s census date, NSU will return funds in accordance with the specific terms of the program. The Bursar’s office will calculate the amount of tuition assistance earned prior to the date of withdrawal. Any unearned TA funds must be returned to the appropriate program - Department of Defense (DOD) Military Departments, Vocational Rehabilitation, or Department of Human Services. The proportional calculation for return of TA funds is based on the tuition assistance received for the term and the withdrawal date.  For example, for Department of Defense programs, the following calculations apply.

Earned Tuition Assistance: The amount of earned Tuition Assistance is calculated on a daily basis from the first day of classes through the date of withdrawal.

• An earned aid percentage is calculated by: (Number of days attended before enrollment ended ÷ Total of days in term) × 100 = Earned Aid %
• Number of days in the term is counted between the first day of instruction and the last day of finals, excluding spring break. In addition to the 16-week semester, NSU uses short-term courses including 8-week courses, 4-week courses, and other combinations.

Unearned Tuition Assistance: Any TA funds received in excess of the earned amount are considered unearned.

• An unearned aid percentage is calculated as: 100% - Earned Aid%= Unearned Aid%
• The return amount is calculated by: Unearned  Aid% × Amount of TA received during withdrawal term

Fully Earned Tuition Assistance: Return policies apply to students that withdraw on or before the 60% point of the term. Discontinuing enrollment after the 60% point will not result in adjustment to the student’s Tuition Assistance for that term.

Return Table Examples:

Procedures: NSU will track drops, withdrawals, and administrative withdrawals for students receiving Tuition Assistance. The procedure below is drawn from Veteran’s Services. Other TA return procedures are similar.

1. Veteran’s Services provides the Bursar’s office with documentation of students enrolled in tuition assistance programs. This information includes ID, name, CRN, course prefix & number, course title, part-of-term, class start date, drop/withdraw date. & refund percent.
2. At the first of every month, Veteran’s Services reviews the student’s enrollment to determine if the student remains in the class or has been withdrawn.

1. If a withdrawal occurred, the withdrawal date is used as the last date of attendance.
2. If an administrative withdrawal occurs, the last date of attendance is used as the withdrawal date.

3. Using the return table, the Bursar’s office calculates the percent of return and returns funds to the appropriate agency for each student.

Dropping Courses  

If you do not begin attendance in all of the courses for which you have received financial aid, you may be obligated to repay all or a portion of your financial aid.  (Note: Dropping a course(s) will also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress; please read the SAP policy below.)

NSU’s financial aid program is designed to recognize outstanding achievement and leadership potential and to assist those who otherwise would be unable to attend the University. NSU has its own scholarship and work programs and also participates in all traditional types of financial assistance available through the state and the federal government.

Students at NSU receive funds from a variety of sources to pay for their education, including scholarships, grants, part-time jobs and educational loans. This money comes from federal and state agencies as well as private donors.

We believe that the student and the family should make an investment in the students’ education. We are committed to working with families to make an NSU education affordable.

Most federal and state educational assistance is based on financial need as determined by the information you provide on the FAFSA. Financial need is the difference between the cost of attending NSU and the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) calculated using formulas prescribed by federal regulation.

1. Apply for admission to NSU.
2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1st each year. The most efficient method for students to apply for financial aid is to complete the FAFSA using myStudentAid app or online at https://studentaid.ed.gov.
3. Respond promptly to any correspondence requesting additional information.  All correspondence will be sent via NSU email, so it’s important that students check their NSU email account regularly as well as their goNSU student account.
4. Financial aid applicants will be notified of their financial aid eligibility through their NSU email account and via their goNSU student account.

All aid awarded to students through Student Financial Services is awarded based on several factors:

• Students expected family contribution (EFC) which is calculated from the students’ FAFSA.
• Students enrollment status, i.e. full time, part time, etc…
• Students living arrangements, i.e. on-campus, off-campus, etc…
• Outside resources that students may be receiving, i.e. scholarships, tribal grants etc…

Grants: money available for education that does not require repayment

PELL - Federal Pell Grant. Based on financial need. Available only to undergraduates. Pell grants have a lifetime limit of 12 full time semesters (or its equivalent).

SEOG - Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Available only to undergraduates with exceptional financial need, limited funding available.

OTAG - Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant. Available to needy Oklahoma residents who enroll at least half-time in an undergraduate program. Apply early as funds are limited.

Tribal Assistance - Available for Native American students; please apply early to appropriate tribal higher education agency.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH Grant) - Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teach Grant program that provides grants of up to $4,000 per year with a required reduction amount for students who intend to teach in a high-need field within a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. Students can find the requirements for this grant on NSU’s Financial Aid website under the grant section. TEACH Grant awards are prorated based on enrollment.

Employment: part-time employment allowing students to earn money to pay for educational expenses and gain valuable work experience.

FWS - Federal Work-Study Program. On-campus employment. Normally thirteen hours per week at minimum wage. Financial aid eligibility is required, limited funding available.

Institutional Employment- On-campus employment. Normally twenty hours per week at minimum wage. Financial aid eligibility is not required.

Job Location and Development - Provides assistance in locating off-campus employment. Financial aid eligibility is not required.

Loans: money available for education requiring repayment with interest.

DIRECT Subsidized Stafford LOAN - Money borrowed from the US Department of Education at a fixed interest rate which is currently 3.73%. Repayment begins six months after graduation or six months after leaving school.

• All first time undergraduate subsidized loan borrowers are only eligible for subsidized loans up to 150% of their first bachelor’s degree program length, which is 186 attempted hours for programs that are 124 hours in length.

DIRECT Unsubsidized Stafford LOAN - Money borrowed from the US Department of Education at a fixed interest rate which is currently 3.73% for undergraduate students. Repayment begins six months after graduation or six months after leaving school; the borrower is responsible for interest payments while in school.

Loans listed above have maximum yearly, as well as lifetime limits.  A chart acknowledging these limits may be found on our website under the loan section.

Federal regulations require that all recipients of student financial assistance make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. Students applying for assistance through the Federal Pell Grant, TEACH Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Work Study, Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG), Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Parent PLUS Loan and Graduate PLUS loan programs are required to meet THREE separate requirements to maintain their financial aid eligibility at NSU.

First, students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average for all courses attempted or completed.
Second, students are required to complete (pass) a certain percentage of all hours they attempt.
Third, students must complete their degree within a timely manner.       

These three requirements are summarized in the following charts. Failure to meet ALL of these minimum academic standards will result in the loss of financial aid eligibility. Students are expected to know, based on this Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, when they may be placed on financial aid suspension.  Satisfactory Academic Progress is reviewed at the end of each academic semester once grades have been posted.

I. Grade Point Average Requirement

Each student must meet a minimum cumulative grade point average (for all courses attempted) to remain eligible for federal student aid.

NOTE:  The following degree programs are required to have a higher GPA to graduate and therefore their academic progress must be evaluated by their program-specific GPA requirements.  See the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy on the Student Financial Services Home page for details.

Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) requires a 2.50 minimum GPA

Baccalaureate education degrees (B.A.Ed, B.S.Ed, and BME) require a 2.50 minimum GPA

Bachelor of Nutritional Sciences: Dietetics (B.S.) requires a 3.0 minimum GPA

Remedial Coursework

Remedial coursework for grades of P or S is calculated as a 2.0 GPA for the course. Grades of F are calculated with 0.0 GPA.

Pass or Fail

Pass or fail coursework GPA is included in the cumulative GPA calculation. Courses that receive a grade of P will be measured with a GPA of 2.0 for Undergraduate students and a 3.0 for Graduate students. Grades of F are calculated with 0.0 GPA.

Incomplete/ X Grades

Incomplete or grade of I are considered to be GPA neutral until the coursework is complete and the student receives a letter grade for the course. Grades of I are counted in hours attempted, but not hours passed in the completion rate.

Students working on their thesis may receive a grade of X until all coursework is completed, the X will be considered as GPA neutral. Once a grade is earned the X will be changed to P or F and will, at that time, count toward the cumulative GPA. Grades of X count toward hours attempted.

Withdrawals

Students who withdraw after census date and receive grades of AW or W count as hours attempted, but are considered to be GPA neutral.

III.  Maximum Time Frame for Degree Completion

Students must complete their degree program within an allotted time frame to remain eligible for financial aid. All students enrolled in a degree or certification program may attempt 150% of the hours required in pursuit of the degree or certification. The limitation scale is as follows:

Attempted Hours Allowed for Earning a Degree:      

Repeated Coursework

Title IV funds may only pay for one repeat of a previously passed course.  More than one repeated course will not be calculated in the student’s enrollment status pertaining to Title IV funds.

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated at the conclusion of each academic semester after grades have been posted.  All attempted and transfer hours are counted during this evaluation. (Transfer hours are only applicable to undergraduate degrees)

Rules are applied uniformly to all students whether or not aid has been received previously.

• A WARNING is given to students for one semester who do not meet either or both requirements I and II above.  This is a warning status and students can receive financial aid during their next semester of attendance.  NOTE:  A warning is not given to students regarding maximum time frame; it is the student’s responsibility to know how many hours they have attempted and where they stand.

• SUSPENSION will be required for any student who fails to meet either one or both requirements I and II at the conclusion of their warning semester.  Students cannot receive funds from the aid programs listed above while suspended.  (SEE APPEAL OF SUSPENSION)

A student with extenuating circumstances may appeal the financial aid suspension by submitting an appeal to the Office of Student Financial Services. Appeals must explain in detail why the student failed to meet the minimum academic standards, what extenuating circumstances caused the failure, and how the situation has since improved. Examples of extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to: illness, medical issues with immediate family members, a death in the family, natural disaster, or COVID-19 disruption. Personal or financial issues with family, friends, or roommates are not considered extenuating circumstances. The appeal should include supporting documentation to substantiate the request for reinstatement. A student’s appeal should include:

1. The reason(s) why the student failed to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.
2. Supporting documentation that may be pertinent to the student’s appeal.
3. An academic plan for success. (Details will be outlined in the student’s suspension letter.)

The Office of Student Financial Services appeal committee will evaluate all documentation submitted and the student’s appeal will be approved or denied. The results of the appeal will be emailed/mailed and posted to the student’s NSU Greenmail account within approximately ten working days. All decisions are final unless the student can provide additional details not previously disclosed. The student will then have the opportunity to submit a revised appeal for the next appeal committee meeting. 

If denied, the student is responsible for paying for his/her own educational costs until the student improves his/her scholastic record to meet the minimum standards.  Students who were denied due to the maximum time frame are responsible for paying for their own educational costs for the remainder of their degree program.

If approved, the student will either be:

1. Placed on probation for one semester only, or
2. Placed on continued probation based on the academic plan for success they submitted with their appeal.

The student’s approval email/letter will explain all requirements that must be met during his/her probationary period to continue to receive financial aid.

A student who fails to complete a single course or has a complete withdrawal from the university after receiving financial aid may be automatically placed on suspension.

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for reading and understanding the Satisfactory Academic Progress eligibility requirements and knowing their status at the end of each semester.  If questions arise, contact the Office of Student Financial Services at 918-444-3456.

**PLEASE NOTE: Financial aid warning, probation, and suspension are separate from academic probation and suspension.

NSU’s goal is to seek the best and brightest students in the area. Each year NSU awards many scholarships based on merit, talent, and financial need. The NSU scholarship programs are extensive and offer many competitive awards.  For more information about scholarships, access the NSU website: http://scholarships.nsuok.edu/.