Financial Policies

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These financial policies help us contain costs, establish better business practices and respond to audits. Policies have been developed for use College-wide. PLEASE NOTE : Tuition rates are set irrespective of the modality of course delivery and there are no refunds, partial or otherwise, if there is a change in course delivery modality. As a result of the ongoing uncertainty in the world (such as pandemics, natural disasters, and other uncontrollable events) the mode of course delivery at Saint Mary’s may be subject to change on short notice (e.g., in-person to online, in-person to hybrid, etc.) when circumstances suggest that a modality change in course delivery is in the interest of the College community in the discretion of Saint Mary’s. 

Billing

Saint Mary's College uses the electronic billing system known as eBill. Billing statements will not be mailed. With eBill, an email notification is sent to your Saint Mary's email account each time a new bill is available. You can also authorize other users (parents, spouses, etc.) to receive the email notification. We strongly encourage students to set up Authorize User profiles. When a statement is ready to view, each of you will receive an email notification. On Demand Billing Statements (ODS) are available whenever a student or authorized user would like a refreshed statement.

It is the student's responsibility for viewing and paying his/her bill by the due date. Failure by the student to review the bill is not a valid reason for not paying on time. 

Email is SMC's primary method of communication. All students must maintain and manage their SMC email account. Accounts with undeliverable email or returned email may be assessed a fee.

Payments

All students assume financial responsibility for any charges and/or fees posted to his/her account. All students also assume responsibility for understanding SMC's official policies concerning payment due dates, registration deadlines, unit load requirements, withdrawal or drop deadlines, insurance waiver deadlines, financial policies, and satisfactory academic progress.  

Students understand that when they register for any class at Saint Mary's College of California or receive any services, they accept full responsibility to pay all tuition, fees, and other associated costs assessed as a result of registration and/or receipt of services.  Students further understand and agree that their registration and acceptance of these terms constitutes a promissory note agreement in which Saint Mary's College of California is providing educational services, deferring some or all of the payment obligation for those services, and they promise to pay for all assessed tuition, fees, and associated costs by the assigned due date.

All charges are due and payable upon receipt of a statement from the Business Office.  A student failing to make payment will be denied registration and will be unable to attend class or campus facilities. A financial "hold" will be placed on the account. A late fee will be assessed. Withdrawal due to non-payment may occur.  Participation in commencement exercises will be jeopardized. Diplomas will not be released with owing balances and other campus services may not be honored until all College bills have been paid in full. Transcripts will be released, however, further action may be taken for unpaid balances, such as credit reporting and collection referrals.

Students who register AFTER the semester or 10-week term has begun must be prepared to pay, in full, at the time of registration.  Verification of financial aid proceeds may be accepted if the financial aid is enough to cover the charges. A Financial Aid counselor must verify and confirm your eligibility.  Students will be prevented from registering late without permission from the program coordinators, instructors, Registrar's Office, and Business Office. Proof of payment will be required at the time of registration or an approved financial aid offer that covers the charges for the term.

Refund Policy

For refund Policies visit the Refund Policies page.

Withdrawal (Leave of Absence) from College

Requests for refunds of tuition must be made in writing by the withdrawing student or the student filing a leave of absence. Refunds are made each term to undergraduate students in the fall and spring semester and graduate/professional students, on a semester calendar, according to the following schedule: 100% tuition refund to the end of the first week of class; 80% tuition refund to the end of the second week of class; 75% tuition refund to the end of the fourth week of class. There is NO REFUND after the fourth week of the semester (third week for students on a 10-week term calendar. This includes the Graduate School of Business, BALOS and Graduate Leadership students). Students have the option of purchasing tuition insurance for medical withdrawals. Insurance must be purchased on or before the first day of the semester. Please click on the "Undergraduate Tuition Insurance" link for information about tuition insurance after week four of the semester or go to GradGuard.com/tuition/stmarys-ca or call (877) 794-6603. 

***The GradGuard Tuition Protection Plan GradGuard.com/tuition/stmarys-ca enhances and expands SMC's existing policy if a student needs to withdraw at any time during the semester for health reasons.  To learn more about GradGuard (including rates and terms of each benefit ) please visit GradGuard.com/tuition/stmarys-ca or call (866) 985-7598***  You must purchase insurance no later than the business day prior to the first day of the Fall or Spring semester. The Plan is not available once the semester begins. Graduate students are also eligible to purchase the plan prior to their term start date.

Please note that dropping one or two classes is not a withdrawal from the term. The withdrawal/leave of absence policy is for students who are dropping all classes within a semester or term.  

January Term and Summer Session are subject to a different refund schedule as these are condensed terms. Please check with the Business Office for the current refund/drop policy on these terms. Typically, the withdrawal or drops in the shortened term is 4 days.

Any housing and/or food refund is issued based on the terms and conditions of the Residence Hall and Dining Hall License.  Please contact the Campus Housing Office directly at (925) 631-4241 for details.

Graduate Business students in a 10-week term and Leadership students in a 10-week term are subject to a different refund policy. The 10-week term programs are refunded only up to the third week of the quarter. An 80% tuition refund will be processed in week-1 and week-2.  A 60% refund in week-3.  There is no tuition refund after week 3 of the quarter. Summer 2025 is the final term of the transition from quarter to semester calendar. Please Note: Effective fall semester 2025 all Graduate Business and Leadership students will follow the 4-week withdrawal policy consistent with all other programs: 100% tuition refund to the end of the first week of class; 80% tuition refund to the end of the second week of class; 75% tuition refund to the end of the fourth week of class. There is NO REFUND after the fourth week of the semester.  Please consult with your program director or contact the Business Office for details regarding any refund. 

Students receiving financial aid will have their aid impacted. Students receiving Federal Title IV aid will be subject to an earned aid calculation if their financial aid has posted to their student account prior to their withdrawal from the College. ANY REFUND RESULTING FROM FINANCIAL AID ISSUED TO A STUDENT WHO HAS WITHDRAWN MUST BE RETURNED TO THE COLLEGE IMMEDIATELY.

***Please Note: Dropping one (or two) classes does not translate into withdrawal from the College. The Add/Drop forms are accepted during the first two weeks of each long semester by the Office of the Registrar.  If you are dropping all of your classes, you must file the Withdrawal or Leave of Absence form with the Office of the Registrar.

 

Tuition Insurance

Tuition Insurance is a comprehensive insurance and benefits solution designed with the needs of our students in mind. The insurance is offered through GradGuard Tuition Protection Plan.

With the current level of education costs, we have a concern for the student who suffers a serious illness or accident and has to leave Saint Mary's College before the semester is completed.  In many instances, it means not only the loss of time invested in studies, but also the loss of the semester or term costs. Undergraduate refunds are made each semester on the written application of the withdrawing student based on the following schedule: 100% tuition refund to the end of the first week of class; 80% tuition refund to the end of the second week of class; 75% tuition refund to the end of the third and fourth week of class.

Graduate and professional students follow a similar schedule but should check with their Program Coordinator first and foremost as the dates vary depending on your program.

***No refund will be made for withdrawal after the fourth week of class for undergraduate and graduate students on a semester calendar of enrollment and third week for graduate business and leadership students on a 10-week term calendar***

***Food and housing charges are refunded based on the terms and conditions in the Residence Hall and Dining Services license and may be pro-rated***

Please consider tuition insurance to supplement and strengthen our refund policy.   The GradGuard Tuition Protection Plan GradGuard.com/tuition/stmarys-ca enhances SMC's existing policy if a student needs to withdraw during the semester for a health issue.

To learn more about GradGuard (including rates and terms of each benefit)  please visit GradGuard.com/stmarys-ca or call (866) 985-7598.

You must purchase insurance PRIOR to the first day of the Fall or Spring semester or prior to the first day of the quarter if your are a graduate student in the School of  Business.

Deposits

All deposits (admission deposits, housing deposits, travel deposits, etc.) are NON-REFUNDABLE.   Travel exceptions due to emergencies must be made, in writing, and submitted to the travel program coordinator and the Business Office at business@stmarys-ca.edu. Petitions under these circumstances will be considered after all expenses have been paid related to the travel course. Graduate and professional student deposits are also NON-REFUNDABLE.

Late Payments

Saint Mary's College imposes late fees on any outstanding balances. Failure to pay fees in full, have sufficient accepted financial aid OR have an approved payment plan in place (and current with your payments) will result in late fees.  A $100 late fee will be charged per semester/term. SMC reserves the right to demand payment, in full, for subsequent terms of enrollment prior to the beginning of each term. In addition to late payment fees, late registration fees may also be assessed for students registering outside of the scheduled time periods and/or students who are dropped and re-enrolling with instructor permission. Late registration fees are typically between $100-$200 depending on the program of enrollment (more details below).

Late Registration Fee

Late registration fees are charged to students who register AFTER the registration period determined by the Office of the Registrar in collaboration with the Program Directors. The fee varies depending on the program of enrollment and is charged to any student registering after the deadline. Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a full schedule during the pre-registration period to avoid a late registration fee of $175 (unless they have submitted the Declaration for Part-time Enrollment Status Form). Enrolling only in a partial credit course will result in the late registration fee.

Late registration fees are typically between $100-$200 depending on the program of enrollment.

 A late registration fee will be charged if students are only enrolled in partial credits. Students must be enrolled full-time (12-18 units per semester) or have an approved Declaration for Part-time Enrollment form to remain in good standing.

Students who register AFTER the semester or quarter has begun must be prepared to pay, in full, at the time of registration along with the late registration fee. Verification of financial aid loan proceeds may be accepted. Students will be prevented from registering late without permission from the program coordinators, instructors, Registrar's Office, and Business Office. Proof of payment will be required at the time of registration.

Collection Agency Fees

Students understand and accept that if they fail to pay their bill or any monies due and owing to Saint Mary's College of California by the due date and they fail to make acceptable payment arrangement to bring their account current after multiple efforts have been made, they may be referred to a collection agency for the delinquent amount after a reasonable attempt has been made to collect payment. The student is responsible for paying all reasonable costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees necessary for the collection of their delinquent account.  The student may file a complaint or dispute the debt with the Business Office at business@stmarys-ca.edu. Please provide supporting documentation.

Delinquent accounts that are referred to a collection agency will be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus after 180 days of the institution's first communication to the student requesting payment.

The Saint Mary's College of California is a nonprofit institution of higher learning. Students understand and agree that their registration and acceptance of enrollment to SMC constitutes a promissory note agreement (i.e., a financial obligation in the form of an educational loan as defined by the U.S. Bankruptcy Code at 11 U.S.C. §523(a)(8)) in which SMC is providing educational services, deferring some or all of your payment obligation for those services, and that all students promise to pay for all assessed tuition, fees, and other associated costs by the published or assigned due date.)

 

Returned Check Policy

If a payment is returned unpaid for any reason, a $25 returned check fee will be charged and the face value of the check will be placed back on the student's account and considered NSF (Non-Sufficient Funds). Any eCheck payment returned for non-sufficient funds will also incur an additional $25 returned check fee on the student's account. A restriction will be placed on your eCheck access. An email will be sent to the student and any Authorized User on the account. A financial “hold” will be placed on the account and late fees will accrue until payment, in full, is received. Classes are in danger of being dropped because of invalid or returned payments especially if an invalid payment was made in order to allow for registration. Suspension of future eligibility to register for classes at Saint Mary's College may occur.

Payment in certified funds for the original amount of the returned item and any applicable fees may be required. SMC reserves the right to drop unpaid classes resulting from payments made by non-sufficient funds.

Please note: Personal check privileges may be permanently revoked after three payments are considered NSF. Only payments in certified funds will be accepted after three NSF checks (this includes eChecks).

Past Due Balances

Students who have an unpaid balance with SMC may not register for subsequent terms or, if completed with coursework, may not receive their diplomas (transcripts will be released).  A "hold" will be placed on the student's account until payment, in full, is received or further action is taken. Students with poor payment histories are required to pay, in full, at the time of registration for any charges related to tuition and fees or provide proof of payment, such as an approved financial aid award letter.  Late Registration fees may also be assessed for students registering outside of the scheduled time periods or students who are dropped and re-enrolling with instructor permission. Late registration fees are typically between $100-$200 depending on the program of enrollment.

Accounts assigned to third party collection agencies are required to pay any balance at the agency. Once the student is paid in full at the agency, if they plan to re-enroll at SMC, full payment upfront will be required. 

Saint Mary's College assigns delinquent accounts to collection agencies. Credit reporting will ensue. Please see above information under "Collection Agency Fees". 

***Delinquent accounts will be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus 180 days after SMC's first communication to the student requesting payment***

Loan Refunds and Overpayments

Loan refunds will be made after crediting financial aid funds students have accepted against initial charges to the student's billing account including, but not limited to, tuition, mandatory fees, payment plans, food and housing, course material fees, etc. and the remaining balance (if any) will thereafter be refunded to the student. The credit balance refunded after deduction of the initial charges on a student's billing account may not reflect additional and subsequent charges and fees that may be incurred AFTER receiving a refund of the net balance. The refund of the remaining credit balance is not intended as a final accounting of all charges incurred and any additional charges not deducted from the financial aid funds and not reflected in the balance refunded must be timely paid. 

Refunds will only be issued once all payment plan installments are satisfied.  Student's receiving financial aid to cover allowable charges for the semester must use their aid to pay off their monthly payment plan *prior* to any refund (if any)  issued.

All non-allowable charges such as late fees, health center fees, traffic fines, library fines, health center fees, and other miscellaneous fees will also be covered unless the borrower declines this authorization. If the student or borrower declines or chooses not to authorize the College to apply Title IV funds to non-allowable charges, the student borrower must contact the Business Office and pay for the non-allowable fees with a personal payment.

Refunds will only be issued on credit balances. Refunds of over-payment (non-federal aid) may be requested in person or in writing to the Business Office. Over-payments are not automatically refunded. Refunds from Federal Loan proceeds are automatically refunded and will be issued within 14 days of disbursement. If the disbursement creates a credit, the refund will be issued to the borrower of the loan. Once the academic term begins, refunds will be available on Wednesday or Friday (pending approval). Refunds will NOT be processed prior to the beginning of the term or for any pending aid that has not yet disbursed.

Students have the option to pick up their refund, have it mailed to the address on file, or electronically deposited to the bank account of their choice. Refunds will NOT be mailed to campus housing. During the first two weeks of each semester, refunds are held for pick-up in the Business Office unless the student has signed up for eReimbursement. This can be done by logging into GX 2.0 and clicking Refunds, Reimbursements, AP. Any check not picked up within the first two weeks of each semester will automatically be mailed to the permanent address on file (not campus housing).  If the student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid or student loans, his/her account will be adjusted accordingly. Any refund received from these funds must be reimbursed to Saint Mary’s IMMEDIATELY.

* Credits resulting from Federal Parent PLUS loans will be issued to the parent borrower. Parents are not eligible for eReimbursement.

* Refunds will not be processed until a credit appears on the account and all charges, including payment plan budgets, are paid in full.

Financial Aid Withdrawal & Refund Policy

In the event that a student drops classes or leaves Saint Mary’s College of California, an online formal withdrawal must be processed with the Office of the Registrar. The student should also contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to fully understand any negative ramifications or changes to their student aid and repayments.

Return of Title IV Funds is a federally mandated policy that applies only to students who receive federal financial aid and who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a Leave of Absence prior to completing more than 60% of a term. The Return of Title IV Funds policy does not apply to students who reduce their units and remain enrolled. Return of Title IV Funds will be used to determine how much aid, if any, must be returned to Title IV programs. The Title IV funds considered in the policy are the Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loan (now expired), Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. The policy does not apply to the Federal Work-Study program.

The Return of Title IV funds calculation identifies two types of federal aid, earned and unearned. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships regarding this calculation. The earned aid is based on a percentage calculated by dividing the number of days the student completed by the number of days in the payment period. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point earns all disbursed (received) and disbursable aid. Disbursable aid includes aid received and the aid that could have been (but was not) disbursed as of the withdrawal date. If earned aid exceeds disbursed aid, a post-withdrawal disbursement may be made. Saint Mary’s College of California will first credit post-withdrawal disbursement not credited to school charges. Within 30 days of determination that the student withdrew, the student will be provided with a written notification of any post-withdrawal funds that are available to the student. No post-withdrawal disbursement will be made if the student does not respond within 14 days of the notification date.

Unearned aid is any disbursed aid that exceeds the amount of Title IV aid the student earned. The unearned aid amount is to be returned to the U.S Department of Education, a responsibility shared by Saint Mary’s College of California and the student. This may create a balance owed on a student’s tuition billing account. The student is responsible to pay the amount owing on their billing account.

Saint Mary’s College of California will return its share of unearned funds no later than 45 days after it determines that the student withdrew. Students must repay their share according to the terms and conditions stated in their promissory note(s). Funds returned to U.S Department of Education by Saint Mary’s College of California will be distributed first to the Federal Unsubsidized Loan then to the Federal Subsidized Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, Federal PLUS (Parent) Loan and finally to the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), TEACH Grant, and Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grant.

This policy is based on 34 CFR, Section 668.22 of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1964, as amended. The formula is prescribed in Section 484(b). For more details, please contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships at (925) 631-4370 or finaid@stmarys-ca.edu

Federal Perkins Loan Borrowers

The Federal Perkins Loan Program was available to students up until September 30, 2017. It has since expired per the U.S. Department of Education's negotiated rule-making. No further Perkins Loan disbursements are made to any student. Any defaulted loans (two years or older) are assigned to the U.S. Department of Education. 

For questions for borrowers in repayment, please contact the Business Office at business@stmarys-ca.edu or contact our billing agent, UNISA, Inc., toll free at 1 (800) 875-8910 or customerservice@unisainc.com

Undergraduate Declaration for Part-Time Enrollment

Students matriculate into Saint Mary's College of California as full-time enrolled students.  After matriculating into the College, students may choose to participate on a part-time basis due to extenuating circumstances.  In these instances, the student must complete a Declaration of Part-Time Enrollment Status that is available online. Part-time enrollment is defined as enrollment in LESS than 24 attempted units per year (including Jan term); less than 12 attempted units per long semester  (Fall/Spring). Summer session is not included in the part-time calculation and is billed separately. Summer session is voluntary. Please Note: Attempted units are billable units. This include courses taken and withdrawn/dropped AFTER the add/drop period

Any student at or over 12 units for fall/spring will be billed the full-time flat rate for that term regardless of whether he/she is under 24 units for the year. An example is a student in 12 units for fall, 3 units for Jan term and 8 units for spring.  This student will be billed full-time for fall, part time at 3 units for Jan, and part time at 8 units for spring even though he/she is under 24 units for the year.

***The 2024-2025 Part-time unit rate is $2,048 per unit. Part-time students WILL be charged for all partial credit classes *and* for Jan Term***

The Declaration of Part-Time Enrollment Status must be submitted to the Business Office, with all appropriate signatures, by the end of the fourth week of the semester that the student realizes she/he will be enrolled part-time. Your academic advisor is your first point of contact and your first signature.  Part-time students will be charged for each unit including Jan term and partial credits. The Business Office will adjust the student's tuition in accordance with the current Part-Time unit rate, following the submission of an appropriately signed declaration form, and verification of the number of enrolled course units for the specific academic year. If a student expected to be under 24 attempted units for the year but attempted more than that, a recalculation to the full-time flat rate will occur.

Part-Time enrollment does NOT carry over to subsequent years.

*PLEASE NOTE: For Financial Aid eligibility, students must remain in 12 units or credits (per semester) to be "full-time".  Anything below 12 units per semester may require a reduction in federal, state, and institutional financial aid. Please meet with your financial aid counselor if you are below the federal full-time unit load.

PLEASE NOTE: Students who declare part-time status are *not* permitted to live on campus (except by approval of the Dean of Students in considering extenuating circumstances), receive their full financial aid offer, or enroll in the College sponsored medical insurance plan.  Students who drop to part-time status AFTER THE 4TH WEEK OF THE SEMESTER will be liable for the full medical insurance charge if they have not waived by the waiver deadline.  If you are classified and approved to be a part-time student prior to the deadline, you will be removed from the health/medical insurance coverage. Please plan accordingly to ensure you are not left without health coverage.

***Eligibility for financial aid will likely be affected by change of enrollment status.  ***Time to graduation may also be affected***

Undergraduate Additional Course Fee

Each full-time undergraduate student is entitled to take up to 18 units in each long semester (fall and spring). Overload units will be billed at $2,048 for every ATTEMPTED unit over 18 per semester or over 36 units for the academic year.  Additional units over 18 per term or 36 units per year will result in an additional fee. If you are enrolled in a Jan term, it will be included in the 36 unit maximum. The Jan term unit max is 5 units. For example, if you are in 18 units for fall- 3 units for Jan term-16 units for spring, your attempted units total 37 for the year and you will be billed an additional one unit. The additional charge will not post to your account until February to accommodate for any changes to your spring schedule.  Attempted units are billable units. These include units taken and withdrawn from AFTER the add/drop period.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the additional unit fee is $2,048 per unit.

Expanded Studies students are permitted 20 units for fall/spring or up to 40 units for the full academic year. Please note: Expanded Studies credits do NOT POST until the 4th week of the semester.

Please Note: Billable units include units taken and withdrawn from AFTER the add/drop period

SMC students attending Study Abroad Programs and Non-SMC programs will be charged an additional unit fee if attempted credits exceed 18 units for the fall/spring semesters/36 units for the academic year.  See the below "Study Abroad" section for additional information or contact the Center for International Programs at (925) 631-4352 for full details.

Student Health Insurance

To ensure that all full-time traditional undergraduate students have health insurance coverage, including basic sickness and accident insurance, the College has instituted a mandatory health insurance requirement for all full-time undergraduate students. Full-time undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in and billed for the entire 2024-2025 academic year with coverage starting on August 1, 2024 and ending on July 31, 2025. The College’s student insurance is underwritten by United Healthcare.  Students will be billed in the fall semester for the entire year. The annual premium for traditional undergraduate students is $2,465.  There is no opportunity to waive in the spring semester. Enrollment and billing occurs one time only in the fall semester.

If you have comparable coverage of your own and you would like to waive out of the United Healthcare SMC insurance, you must file a waiver at https://studentcenter.uhcsr.com/stmarys-ca by August 15, 2024.   No waivers will be accepted after the shutdown. Students must meet certain criteria in order to waive the SMC insurance. Submitting the waiver does not guarantee approval.

To enroll or waive please visit https://studentcenter.uhcsr.com/stmarys-ca

The Customer Service telephone number is 1-800-505-4160 and the email is customerservice@uhcsr.com

Please also visit the SMC Health and Wellness Center webpages for detailed information including coverage periods and insurance requirements at https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/student-life/health-wellness-safety/student-…

PLEASE NOTE: The waiver opportunity will shut down on August 15, 2024. If you have NOT completed the waiver by August 15, you will be insured for the FULL academic year with no other chance to waive during the 2024-25 academic year. Once a student is enrolled, there are NO premium refunds. The cost of the annual medical insurance policy for 2024-2025 is $2,465.  The entire amount will be billed to your student account. If you withdraw OR file a leave of absence after the 4th week or if you cease attending classes without having waived the insurance by the deadline, the insurance coverage will continue regardless of whether you are enrolled in classes. You will be liable for the medical insurance fee.

ATTENTION: International students and U.S. citizens whose primary residence is abroad will NOT be able to waive the school insurance. Mandatory enrollment is required if your permanent address is abroad. Graduate and professional students (including Leap and Balos students) are NOT eligible for the insurance plan unless they are international students (Please note: the rate is different for international graduate/professional students).  All international students (graduate and/or undergraduate) and U.S. citizens whose primary residence is abroad are REQUIRED to enroll in the College sponsored plan and should visit the Center for International Programs for additional information at (925) 631-4245.

Traditional undergraduate students who did not waive the insurance and petitioned for part-time status AFTER THE 4TH WEEK OF THE SEMESTER will be liable for the full medical insurance charge.  If you are classified and approved to be a part-time student prior to the deadline, you will be removed from the health insurance coverage. Please plan accordingly to ensure you are not left without health coverage. This does not apply to international students and U.S. citizens whose primary residence is abroad.

Study Abroad

All study abroad students attending SMC programs are subject to the same policies and procedures as on-campus full-time students who are not traveling. You must be a full-time undergraduate student in good academic and financial standings to be eligible for any study abroad program through SMC. For more details regarding eligibility, please visit or call the Center for International Programs at (925) 631-4245.

An additional course fee will be assessed if attempted credits go above 18 units per semester.  For more information regarding tuition billing, please visit or call the Business Office at (925) 631-4209.

All study abroad students attending non-SMC programs will not receive a tuition bill from SMC for the study abroad term. Payment must be sent directly to the host institution. A consortium agreement must be completed with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships for those receiving aid through SMC. Please contact th Office of Financial Aid directly at (925) 631-4370. Please also contact the Center for International Programs at (925) 631-4245 for additional information related to study abroad programs, financial aid, insurance coverage, housing deposits, and related application fees.

New Student Fee

All new undergraduate students are charged a one time, non-refundable $300 New Student Fee, which is applied directly to their student account. The fee covers all costs associated with orientation including materials, staffing, and all new student resources. Refunds are not granted for students who choose not to attend the orientation sessions as the orientation is a fundamental aspect of Saint Mary's College. For more information on the New Student Fee, please contact the New Student & Family Programs Office at (925) 631-4647. No refunds are provided if a student chooses to not attend Saint Mary’s after paying the fee.