Tuition
Per semester tuition is $26,950 in 2017–18.
Student Body Fee
The $150 per semester student body fee is collected from each full-time student by the business office, acting as agent for the student senate. The fee underwrites publication of the student newspaper and extracurricular activities, and partially supports the student union and ski cabin.
Room and Board
Room and board in all cases is contracted on an academic-year basis. Rooms in residence halls on campus and rooms in college-operated apartment buildings are available at the following costs:
| Dormitory room | $3,580 per semester | $7,160 per year |
| One-bedroom apartment | $4,615 per semester | $9,230 per year |
| Two-bedroom apartment | $3,990 per semester | $7,980 per year |
All students who live in a residence hall on campus must take board. Students residing in the apartments may choose whether they contract for a board plan. The college offers three declining-balance board plans. The balance is reduced as meals are taken. Plan A is for heavier eaters while Plan C is for lighter eaters. The following plans are available:
| Plan A | $3,455 per semester | $6,910 per year |
| Plan B (base plan) | $3,255 per semester | $6,510 per year |
| Plan C | $3,020 per semester | $6,040 per year |
Students will be charged for Plan B unless they indicate otherwise. Students not living on campus may also contract for board or may purchase commuter commons points that include a 10 percent bonus. Plans can also be supplemented by the purchase of additional food points. Students with special dietary problems are not granted exceptions to the board requirement. They should, however, consult the food service dietitian before making arrangements for room and board on campus to determine whether their particular needs can be accommodated.
With the acceptance of an assignment of on-campus housing at any time during the academic year, the student is fully liable for room and board (if applicable) for the remainder of that academic year. The student may not exchange a room assignment without prior written consent from the residence life office.
Students who withdraw or take a regular or medical leave of absence from school are eligible for room and board refunds according to the schedule in this section. No refunds will be given except in the case of withdrawal or leave from school or for special cases approved by the residence life office. In the case of subsequent reentry to student standing within the same academic year, the student will once again be liable for room and board for the remainder of that year.
Summary of Annual Direct Costs
| Charges in 2017–18 for full-time students: | Per Year |
| Tuition | $53,900 |
| Student body fee | $300 |
| Room and board, on campus (Plan B) | $13,670 |
| Total | $67,870 |
Indirect Costs
In addition to the direct costs listed above, a student should budget approximately $1,950 for books and incidentals such as laundry, clothing, and recreation. Students should also budget approximately $250–$1,800 for travel expenses (average cost for two round trips between home and school). Those who intend to remain on campus during vacation periods must remember that extra funds will be needed for meals.
Billing of Accounts for Fall and Spring
The business office will mail or provide billing statements to registered students for tuition, fees, and other charges six to eight weeks before the beginning of classes each semester. A billing information and release form must be completed if billing statements are to be sent to a party or address other than the student. If this form is not completed, billing statements will be sent to the student’s permanent address when school is not in session, and to the student’s campus mail stop when school is in session. The total amount due on the billing statement is payable by the semester due date, which is normally the Friday before the first day of classes. Students who do not meet these deadlines will be subject to cancellation of registration.
Online access to student accounts is available. By logging in to their Reed account, students can check their account balance and make payments online, view and manage financial aid, and view Reed College employment information and manage timesheets. Online access for families is available through Student Account Center (provided by Tuition Management Systems). Students must first create a user account in Student Account Center in order to grant access to other users such as parents.
Payment Plan
Reed has contracted with Tuition Management Systems (TMS) to offer students and families an interest-free monthly payment option. This allows participants to spread all or part of their semester direct costs over equal monthly payments without interest. TMS provides an expense planner worksheet to help determine the annual amount to be set up. When calculating deductions from the costs on the expense planner, be sure to exclude the federal work-study award amounts, and reduce the amount of any loan by its processing fees. The only cost to participate is a small enrollment fee. Families can also use TMS to make payments using a credit card or direct deduction from a savings or checking account. A 2.99 percent convenience fee is charged for using a credit card. There is no charge for a direct deduction from a checking or savings account. Please call TMS at 800-722-4867 or visit www.reed.afford.com for more information about this program.
Health Insurance
Every degree-seeking undergraduate student must be covered by health insurance and will be charged for one of the college’s plans. If students have comparable insurance coverage and do not want to join the Reed plan, they must provide proof of comparable health insurance coverage by submitting a completed health insurance waiver form via paper or online annually. Once the business office receives this waiver, the insurance charge will be offset by a waiver credit. This includes students who have been approved for part-time student status. Students who do not submit a waiver will be billed each semester for the health insurance provided by the college.
Late Payment Fee
Students paying tuition and fees after the scheduled payment date will be charged a late fee, unless a written petition to waive the late fee has been presented to and approved by the controller. (The fee is not normally waived for reasons such as employment, late arrival, or unresolved financial problems.) Payments must be received on the due date. Payments that are postmarked on the due date will be considered delinquent.
The late fee will be $50 during the first week of the semester. No registration or payment of tuition and fees will be accepted after the end of the first week of the semester.
Missed Deadline Fines
Missed deadline transactions approved by the Administration Committee may result in fines assessed to the student. The fines, which are determined by the Administration Committee, will not be greater than one percent of the cost of one semester’s tuition.
Monthly Billings and Delinquent Accounts
Reed conveys billing information through an emailed billing statement to the student and their responsible billing party. The business office will email billing statements around the 10th of each month during the academic year reflecting miscellaneous charges such as library fines, printing, health center charges, and fines for lost keys. Payment of the total amount is due within 30 days. Students and alumni with a delinquent account will not have access to their transcripts and may have their library, printing, and other privileges suspended. Unpaid balances may be turned over to a collection agency. If this occurs, the student is responsible for all costs and attorney fees incurred in the collection process. All enrolled students must accept the Statement of Financial Responsibility annually, via their IRIS account. This statement outlines the student’s personal responsibility for college charges assessed to the student account.
Private Music Instruction
Fees for private music instruction are $500 each semester for twelve 45-minute lessons.
Release of Financial Information
A billing information and release form must be completed online each year in order for the business office staff to release any detailed information about a student’s financial account with the college to parents, other family members, trustees, or banks. We will not be able to release specific information over the phone or in writing to anyone who is not authorized in writing or online by the student.
Withdrawals, Leaves, and Refunds
The college makes commitments to the faculty and staff in advance of the school year based on anticipated student enrollment. These commitments are not subject to change, even though the number of students may vary. For this reason, no deviations from the refund schedule will be made except in cases of extreme hardship, of which the college shall be the sole judge. The Administration Committee may, upon recommendation of the dean of student services, approve petitions for such exceptions.
Students who take a leave of absence or officially withdraw through the Dean of Students’ Office (or through the MALS office for graduate students) may receive a refund of tuition and certain fees. Failure to initiate and/or complete the institutional leave or withdrawal process will result in zero tuition refund.
The refund of tuition, room, and board is based on the effective date of the leave/withdrawal as determined by the college (see refund schedule below). The refund policy applies to all undergraduate and graduate students who withdraw, take a regular leave of absence, or take a medical leave of absence, whether or not they have federal Title IV financial aid.
• The student body fee and health insurance coverage, if applicable, are nonrefundable.
• Credit balances under $10 will not be refunded.
• Financial aid recipients earn their aid as the semester progresses. When a federal aid recipient takes a leave of absence or withdraws, a pro rata schedule is used to determine the federal aid funds the student has earned at the time of withdrawal.
• Nonfederal financial aid, including but not limited to Reed grants, outside scholarships, state grants, private loans, etc., will be refunded according to the refund schedule below.
• Students who do not earn any credits and do not take a leave of absence or withdraw will have their Title IV aid recalculated from the midpoint of the semester, or from the last date of an academically related activity verified by Reed, even though they would not qualify for a tuition refund.
| Refund Schedule for Leaves of Absence and Withdrawals | ||
| The leave/withdrawal effective date determines the refund percentage. | ||
| Week | Refund % | % Title IV Aid Earned |
| 1 | 93–99 | 1–7 |
| 2 | 86–92 | 8–14 |
| 3 | 79–85 | 15–21 |
| 4 | 72–78 | 22–28 |
| 5 | 65–71 | 29–35 |
| 6 | 58–64 | 36–42 |
| 7* | 53–57 | 43–47 |
| 8 | 46–52 | 48–54 |
| 9 | 39–45 | 55–100 |
| 10 | 32–38 | 100 |
| 11 | 25–31 | 100 |
| 12 | 18–24 | 100 |
| 13 | 11–17 | 100 |
| 14 | 4–10 | 100 |
| 15 | 0–3 | 100 |
| *Week 7 contains fall/spring break. | ||
Tuition Refund Insurance
Reed College students are eligible to participate in the tuition refund plan offered by A.W.G. Dewar, Inc., at a cost of 0.75% of the total direct costs. Students who wish to participate must enroll and send payment directly to Dewar prior to the first day of classes.
This plan extends and enhances the college’s published refund policy. Participants will be assured a 70% refund for withdrawals due to accident, illness, or mental health conditions as defined by the plan.
This plan is recommended by the college for families with concerns about medical or mental health issues that may result in a student's taking a medical leave during a semester.
A brochure is mailed to all matriculating and continuing students in June, or students may contact the business office (after July 1) to have one sent to them. For more information, contact Dewar at 617/774-1555.
Tuition and Fees for Part-time Undergraduate Students
In special cases where the Administration Committee has approved an undergraduate student petition to enroll in less than a full academic program for reduced tuition, tuition rates per semester are charged as follows for the number of units approved in the underload:
| 1/2 unit | $4,590 | 2 units | $18,060 |
| 1 unit | $9,080 | 2 1/2 units | $22,550 |
| 1 1/2 units | $13,570 | 3 units or more (full-time) | $26,950 |
Students enrolled in fewer than three units while enrolled in thesis will be charged full-time tuition. After the first two weeks of any semester, a reduction in the undergraduate program will have no effect on the amount of tuition.
A fee of $100 each semester is required for auditing a course. No auditing fee is charged to regularly enrolled students carrying a normal program. The college reserves the right to refuse auditing privileges to anyone on the basis of overcrowding or because the nature of the material does not permit such treatment.
Tuition and Fees for Pacific Northwest College of Art Program
Students taking the combined five-year program offered by Reed and the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) are charged tuition by Reed College proportional to the number of academic units carried in any semester, with a normal full tuition program defined as three units. PNCA will assess tuition for the work taken at the art school. Students who are applying for financial aid should apply either to Reed College or to PNCA, depending on where they are taking the majority of their classes. This majority may change from semester to semester, so students should take this into consideration when determining which school to apply to for financial aid. Students who have been formally accepted by Reed to this program and who are doing all of their work at PNCA may, upon the payment of a fee covering both the student body fee and a charge for health insurance, become eligible for residence hall space, student health and counseling services, and the use of campus facilities.