Tuition and Fees | 2024-2025 Graduate Catalog | SIU

Tuition and fees are established by the Board of Trustees and are subject to change whenever conditions necessitate. All assessments are on a per hour basis. Current tuition and fees can be found at http://tuition.siuc.edu/.

The fees, which have been established by the Board of Trustees, are payable by all students unless they are specifically exempted by the Board of Trustees. All fees are considered to be institutional in nature and require payment regardless of whether or not the student receives direct benefits or is in a location which permits access to such benefits.

New High Achiever Tuition Rate for new graduate students
Starting with Fall 2016 semester, non-resident new first-time graduate students who demonstrate high academic achievement on the GRE, GMAT, or MAT graduate school entrance exams will pay an alternative tuition rate of 1.0 times the current in-state tuition rate. More information is available here.

Student fees include: 

• Student to Student (STS) Grant Program Fee. Funds a student grant program. The fee is payable by undergraduate students only; those who do not wish to participate in the program may seek a refund of the fee by submitting a request, in writing, to the Registrar’s Office within ten days of the date of payment of fees.
• Student Attorney Fee. Supports the budget of the Students’ Attorney Program.
• Student Center Fee. Provides funds for the operation of the Student Center.
• Student Activity Fee. Provides funding for student organizations and activities on campus.
• Student Recreation Fee. Provides funds for operation of the Student Recreation Center and associated programs.
• Athletic Fund. Provides partial funding for the University intercollegiate athletic program.
• Campus Recreation Fee. Funds recreational facilities and programs external to the Student Recreation Center
• Student Medical Benefit Primary Care and Extended Care (insurance) Fees. Provides funding for comprehensive student health programs including emergency service; hospitalization; specialty, primary, emergency dental; counseling services; and prevention program. A student who pays these fees is entitled to full medical benefits at the Student Health Programs. Students who have comparable insurance coverage may be eligible for a refund of the Student Medical Benefit Extended Care (insurance) fee. A refund must be applied for within the first two weeks of each fall and spring semester and within the first week of the summer session by contacting the Student Health Center Insurance Department.
• Revenue Bond Fee. Replaces funds which were previously obtained from tuition payments and used to underwrite the funded debt operations of the Student Center and University Housing.
• Mass Transit Fee. Provides funding for bus transportation to on-campus and certain Carbondale locations.
• Information Technology Fee. Provides funding for maintenance and improvements to the Information Technology network as well as funding for a new student information system.
• Student Media Fee. Provides funding for the operation of The Daily Egyptian newspaper.
• Student Services Building Fee. Provides funding for the Student Services Building.
• Facilities Maintenance Fee. Provides funding to partially cover the costs of utilities and the maintenance and improvement costs to the University facilities.
• Green Fee. Provides funding for on-campus renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability projects and research.

Additional Fee Information 

1. Students should refer to the Registrar’s website for specific fee information.
2. Graduate, medical, and law students are not required to pay the Student-to-Student Grant Program Fee.
3. Students taking courses off-campus, at approved residence centers, or online pay tuition and different fees as noted here.
4. Graduate students registering for Continuing Enrollment, course 601, pay only tuition for credit associated with that course registration. Refer to the section titled Continuing Enrollment Requirement for the regulations governing this fee.
5. In addition to the above fees, there is a graduation fee of $50 ($75 for late graduation applications) and a Library. If copyright is desired, an additional fee is required.
6. Other charges which students may incur are those for departmental field trips, library fines, and excess breakage. Also, students taking a course involving use of materials, as distinct from equipment, will ordinarily pay for such materials.
7. Students registering for courses on an audit basis pay the same tuition and fees as though they were registering for the courses for credit.
8. Out-of-state students will find the official University regulations governing determination of residency status for assessment of tuition later on this page.
9. Incoming students whose permanent home address is in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, or Wisconsin will pay an alternate tuition rate equivalent to the instate rate.
10. An identification card fee of $10 will be charged to all first time SIU students who register for on-campus credit. This is a one-time charge. Replacement ID cards will incur a $20 fee. For additional information contact the Student Center ID Card Office.
11. A $150 nonrefundable Matriculation Fee will be assessed to all new, international graduate students taking on-campus classes to cover the costs associated with their orientation to campus.
12. New High Achiever Tuition Rate for new graduate students: Starting with the Fall 2016 semester, non resident new first-time graduate students who demonstrate high academic achievement on the GRE, GMAT, or MAT graduate school entrance exams will pay an alternate tuition rate of 1.0 times the current in-state graduate tuition rate. More information is available here.

Payment and Refunding of Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are payable each semester during the academic year. Students who register in advance receive a Statement of Account in the mail and may pay either by mail or in person at the Bursar’s office, by the deadline date, in accordance with instructions accompanying the statement. Students who register at the start of a semester must pay tuition and fees according to the schedule which is in effect at that time. More detailed information is available on the Registrar’s website.

Students who process a program change which places them in a different tuition and fee category than the one for which they originally registered will be billed additional tuition and fees when appropriate. If the change places them in a smaller tuition and fee category and if they have processed the program change within the first two weeks of the semester, they will receive an automatic credit to their account.

A credit for tuition and fees will be made to student accounts for students who officially withdraw from school by the withdrawal deadlines. They will receive a refund check in approximately four weeks after the withdrawal has been received by the Registrar’s Office. No credit for tuition and fees is made for withdrawal occurring after the deadlines, except as described in the next paragraph.

Special consideration is extended to individuals who leave school for extended military service (six months or longer). Students will be refunded full tuition and fees paid if they enter military service during the first five weeks of school. If students withdraw during the sixth through tenth weeks of school, they will be refunded half of the paid tuition and fees, and they will receive one-half credit without letter grades for the courses in which they were receiving a passing grade at the time of withdrawal. When the withdrawal occurs after the tenth week, students will receive no refund, but will receive both grades and credit hours for the courses in which they are passing. In all instances, a copy of the military orders or a letter from the commanding officer is required for verification of impending military service. To be eligible for these benefits students must remain in school to within ten days of their military reporting date.

Determination of Residency Status

For the purpose of these regulations an adult is considered to be a student eighteen years of age or over; a minor student is a student under eighteen years of age. In all cases where records establish that the person does not meet the requirements for resident status as defined in these regulations the nonresident status shall be assigned.

Determination of residence status of each applicant for admission to the University is made at the time of admission. A student may petition for change to Illinois residency by contacting the Graduate Registration office to obtain the necessary forms and information. A student may be reclassified at any time by the University upon the basis of additional or changed information. However, if the University has erroneously classified the student as a Resident, the change in tuition shall be applicable beginning with the term following the reclassification; if the University has erroneously classified the student as a nonresident, the change in tuition shall be applicable to the term in which the reclassification occurs, provided the student has filed a written request for review in accordance with these regulations. If the University has classified a student as a Resident based on false or falsified documents, the reclassification to nonresident status shall be retroactive to the first term during which residency status was based on the false or falsified documents.

Adult Student. An adult, to be considered a resident, must have been a bona fide resident of the state for a period of at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the beginning of any term for which the individual registers at the University, and must continue to maintain a bona fide residency in the state, except that an adult student whose parents (or one of them if only one parent is living or the parents are separated or divorced) have established and are maintaining a bona fide residence in the state and who resides with them (or the one residing in the state) or elsewhere in the state will be regarded as a resident student.

Minor Student. The residence of a minor shall be considered to be, and to change with and follow:

1. That of the parents, if they are living together, or the living parent, if one is deceased; or
2. If the parents are separated or divorced, that of the parent to whom the custody of the person has been awarded by court decree or order, or in the absence of court decree or order, that of the parent with which the person has continuously resided for a period of at least six consecutive months immediately preceding registration at the University; or
3. That of the adoptive parents, if the person has been legally adopted and, in the event the adoptive parents become divorced or separated, that of the adoptive parent whose residence would govern under the foregoing rules if that parent had been a natural parent; or
4. That of the legally appointed guardian of the person; or
5. That of the natural guardian, such as a grandparent, adult brother or adult sister, adult uncle or aunt, or other adult relative with whom the person has resided and by whom the student has been supported for a period of at least six consecutive months immediately preceding registration at the University for any term, if the person’s parents are dead or have abandoned said person and if no legal guardian of the person has been appointed and qualified.

Parent or Guardian. No parent or legal or natural guardian will be considered a resident of the State unless said person (a) maintains a bona fide and permanent place of abode within the state, and (b) lives, except when temporarily absent from the state with no intention of changing the legal residence to some other state or country, within the state.

Emancipated Minor. If a minor has been emancipated, is completely self-supporting, and actually resides in the state, the minor shall be considered to be a resident even though the parents or guardian may reside outside the state. An emancipated minor who is completely self-supporting shall be considered to actually reside in the State of Illinois if a dwelling place has been maintained within the state uninterruptedly for a period of at least six consecutive months immediately preceding term registration at the University. Marriage or active military service shall be regarded as effecting the emancipation of minors, whether male or female, for the purposes of this regulation. An emancipated minor whose parents (or one of them if only one parent is living or the parents are separated or divorced) have established and are maintaining a bona fide residence in the state and who resides with them (or the one residing in the state) or elsewhere in the state will be regarded as a resident student.

Married Student. A nonresident student, whether male or female, or a minor or adult, or a citizen or noncitizen of the United States, who is married to a resident of the state, may be classified as a resident so long as the individual continues to reside in the state; however, a spouse through which a student claims residency must demonstrate residency in compliance with the requirements applicable to students seeking resident status. For example, a noncitizen student who holds a visa which on its face precludes an intent to reside in the United States is not entitled to instate residency through his/her marital status.

Persons without United States Citizenship. A person who is not a citizen of the United States of America who meets and complies with all of the other applicable requirements of these regulations may establish residence status unless the person holds a visa which on its face precludes an intent to reside in the United States.

Armed Forces Personnel. If a person is on active military duty in one of the Armed Forces of the United States and is stationed in Illinois, then the Board shall deem that person and any of his or her dependents Illinois residents for tuition purposes.

If a person is on active military duty in one of the Armed Forces of the United States and is stationed out-of state, but he or she was stationed in this state for at least three years immediately prior to being reassigned out-of-state, then the Board shall deem that person and any of his or her dependents Illinois residents for tuition purposes, as long as that person or his or her dependent: (i) applies for admission to the University within 18 months of the person on active military duty being reassigned or (ii) remains continuously enrolled at the University.

A person who is separated from active military service will be considered a resident of Illinois immediately upon separation providing the person: (a) was a resident of the state at the time of enlistment in the military service, (b) became treated as a resident while in the military by attending school at Southern Illinois University while stationed within the state, or (c) has resided within the state for a period of six months after separation.

State and Federal Penitentiary. A person who is incarcerated in a state or federal place of detention within the State of Illinois will be treated as a resident for tuition assessment purposes as long as said person remains in that place of detention. If bona fide residence is established in Illinois upon release from detention, the duration of residence shall be deemed to include the prior period of detention.

Minor Children of Parents Transferred Outside the United States. The minor children of persons who have resided in the State for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to a transfer by their employers to some location outside the United States shall be considered residents. However, this shall apply only when the minor children of such parents enroll in the University within five years from the time their parents are transferred by their employer to some location outside the United States.

Dependents of University Employees. For the purposes of tuition assessment, all faculty and staff (including civil service employees), as well as their spouses and dependent children, shall be considered as resident students.

Dependents of Graduate Assistants and Fellows. The nonresident portion of tuition is waived for the spouses and dependent children of fellows, assistants, and trainees who are appointed as fellows, assistants, and trainees to the fullest extent permitted by their appointment.

Definition of Terminology. To the extent that the terms bona fide residence, independent, dependent, and emancipation are not defined in these regulations, definitions shall be determined by according due consideration to all of the facts pertinent and material to the question and to the applicable laws and court decisions of the State of Illinois.

A bona fide residence is a domicile of an individual which is the true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation. It is the place to which, whenever absent, the individual has the intention of returning. Criteria to determine this intention include, but are not limited to, year around residence, voter registration, place of filing tax returns (home state indicated on federal tax return for purposes of revenue sharing), property ownership, driver’s license, car registration, vacations, and employment.

Procedure for Review of Residency Status or Tuition Assessment. A student who takes exception to the residency status assigned or tuition assessed shall pay the tuition assessed but may file a claim in writing to the appropriate official for a reconsideration of residency status and an adjustment of the tuition assessed. The written claim must be filed within 30 school days from the date of assessment of tuition or the date designated in the official University calendar as that upon which instruction begins for the academic period for which the tuition is payable, whichever is later, or the student loses all rights to a change of status and adjustment of the tuition assessed for the term in question. If dissatisfied with the ruling in response to the written claim made within said period, the student may appeal the ruling to the chancellor or his/her designee by filing with the appropriate official within twenty days of the notice of the ruling a written request.

Applying for Illinois Residency. In order to qualify for in-state tuition at SIU a student must be a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and must be a bona fide resident of the state of Illinois for the six month period immediately preceding the start of the semester they wish to be classified as an Illinois resident. In order to qualify for in-state tuition you would need to be at least 18 years old at the time classes begin and move into Illinois and remain living in Illinois for six months prior to applying. You must also change your driver’s license to an Illinois driver’s license; register to vote in Illinois and, if, you are the sole owner of a vehicle you will be driving in Illinois, you must have it registered in Illinois. You will need to complete an application for Illinois residency and include with the completed application any appropriate documentation as requested. Have the application notarized before you submit OR have your application notarized in our office (requires two picture IDs) and submit copies of the documents listed below in order to be considered for in-state residency for tuition purposes.

The documents below are required and must be changed six months prior to the semester residency is being requested. 

1. A copy of your Illinois driver’s license or, if you do not drive, a copy of an Illinois ID Card.
2. A copy of proof you have registered to vote in Illinois. Permanent residents do not need this.
3. If you drive a vehicle in the state of Illinois you must submit a copy of your vehicle registration, which is the card that your license plate sticker comes on. If you are the sole owner of the vehicle, it must be registered in Illinois.
4. Proof you have lived in Illinois for the six consecutive months immediately preceding the start of the
   semester.

This may consist of one item per month of any of the following documents.

• Bank statement with your name and Illinois address and date showing.
• Pay check if you are employed in Illinois with your name and Illinois address and date showing.
• Rent receipts with your name and Illinois address and date showing.
• Utility bills in your name with your Illinois address and date showing.
• A copy of your Lease with your name and the effective dates listed.
• If none of the above then: Three notarized letters from Illinois residents attesting to your residency in Illinois for the six months before the semester begins.

The deadline to submit the Illinois Residency application and all documentation is the end of the first month of the semester. Submit all documentation to Graduate School Registration, Student Services Building Room 324, 1263 Lincoln Drive, Mail Code 4716, Carbondale, Illinois 62901; FAX: 618/453-4562.

University Employees

All full-time University employees who wish to use the employee tuition and fee waiver (faculty and staff) who are classified as graduate students must seek approval of the Graduate School to enroll in more than six semester hours of courses.

Faculty and Staff

Employees who are seeking a waiver of tuition must apply for the waiver each term by completing an Application for Tuition Waiver form. A form may be obtained from Human Resources, Woody Hall, or from the Graduate Registration Office, Student Services Building 324. The form must be completed each term and returned to Human Resources, Woody Hall. The waiver benefit does not limit the number of credit hours that may be taken. The amount of the waiver will be credited to the student’s account after the employment status has been verified and the application form has been processed.

Employees can phone the Graduate Registration Office at 618/453-2969 for any questions regarding the registration process. Questions regarding the tuition waiver should be directed to Human Resources at 618/453-6696.