Understanding NCCU Tuition Fees for International Students

For international students aspiring to study at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), understanding the tuition fees and associated costs is crucial for financial planning. This article provides a detailed breakdown of NCCU's tuition structure, additional expenses, payment options, and specific requirements for international applicants.

Tuition and Fees: A Comparison

North Carolina Central University distinguishes between in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.

In-state Tuition: \$6,699
Out-of-state Tuition: \$19,735

Compared to the national average, NCCU's tuition is notably more affordable. The national average for in-state tuition is \$12,422, while out-of-state tuition averages \$29,767. These figures, often referred to as the "sticker price," encompass both tuition and mandatory fees. These fees support various campus services such as:

Library services
Student gym facilities
Student centers
Technology resources
Campus health centers

Total Cost of Attendance

When evaluating the affordability of a university, it's essential to consider the total cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, and living expenses. At NCCU, the estimated total cost is:

In-state Students: \$29,207
Out-of-state Students: \$42,243

This total cost encompasses:

Read also: Affording NCCU: A Guide

Tuition and fees (the "sticker price")
Cost of food and housing
Books and supplies
Transportation
Personal expenses

Specifics for International Applicants

NCCU considers anyone who has completed their education outside the United States as an international applicant, regardless of their citizenship or residency status. International applicants have specific requirements to fulfill:

Application Fee

All international applicants must submit a complete application and pay a non-refundable application fee of \$50.

Police Clearance or Background Security Check

International applicants are required to provide a PDF copy of an in-country police clearance or background security check, which must be a certified stamped letter. This letter is particularly important for students transferring from a college or university outside the United States.

The submitted letter must be written in English.
If the original letter isn't in English, an official English translation is required.
The translated version must be in PDF format and notarized to confirm accuracy and authenticity.
Students should be able to request a police security check from their local police department.

Financial Statement and Proof of Funding

International applicants must complete a Financial Statement Certificate of Eligibility and provide evidence of funding to cover their tuition, fees, and living expenses.

Students financially supported by a sponsor (parents, relatives, or friends) must provide evidence of funding for their first year of study at NCCU, evidenced by a bank statement.
Students supporting themselves must provide evidence of funding for all years of study.
Bank statements must be on official bank letterhead and be signed, stamped, or notarized by a bank official. Failure to comply may delay the admissions process.

Academic Transcripts

Official transcripts must be provided from all colleges and universities previously attended. No other documentation will be accepted.

Read also: GPA Guidelines for NCCU Admission

Transferring from Another U.S. Institution

International students transferring to NCCU from another U.S. college or university must submit additional documents:

An F-1 Student Visa Transfer Clearance Form, signed by their current international student advisor.
Signed and dated copies of all Certificates of Eligibility (I-20) from their current and any previous schools (all pages of the form I-20 are required).
An I-94 Arrival/Departure Record.
A valid passport copy.
A copy of their F-1 visa page.

Health Requirements

Immunizations: Students must complete the required immunizations within 30 days of enrollment. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of registration and affect visa status. Immunization appointments can be made at Student Health Services (919-530-6317). A medical history form must also be completed.
Health Insurance: All international students are required to enroll in the North Carolina Central University Student Medical Insurance Plan through Student Health Services.

Paying Tuition

NCCU offers a tuition payment installment plan operated by Higher One, allowing students to pay tuition and fees in installments without interest charges. This plan can supplement scholarships, grants, or loans.

Under the Higher One Tuition Payment Plan, fall semester tuition can be divided into five equal monthly installments for students who enroll by June 1.
The enrollment fee for the tuition plan is \$35 per semester and is non-refundable.

The University Payment Plan is also available, with automatic enrollment when at least half of the current semester charges are paid before the end of the regular registration and payment period. Financial aid deferments, verifiable third-party promises, or other methods of payment can be used to cover the initial one-half payment. The additional payment dates are Sept. 1 and Oct. 1 for the fall semester and Feb. 1 and March 1 for the spring semester.

Students who cannot pay the full amount for a semester or summer session should secure assistance in advance to avoid delays in registering or payment of bills when due.

Important Payment Policies:

Continuing students must register for classes and complete payment of all tuition, fees, and charges for the upcoming academic semester by the last day of the designated payment period.
Students who do not meet the payment deadline will have their classes cancelled and must re-register during the late-registration period and pay a \$50 late-registration charge.
Students are expected to pay their bills in full before the first day of classes or by the designated payment period.
Payments may be made by money orders, cashier’s checks, or personal checks payable to "North Carolina Central University." The student’s Banner Identification Number should be indicated on money orders and checks to ensure credit is given to the correct account. MasterCard and VISA are also accepted.
Payments should be received by the Cashier’s Office no later than the last day of the designated payment period in order for a student to retain their current classes.
North Carolina State law requires that all previously incurred expenses and accounts at North Carolina Central University must be paid in full prior to pre-registration or registration for a new term.
A student is not officially registered in any classes until all tuition and fees are paid for the semester.
Enrollment may be dropped for the semester if all tuition and fees have not been paid by the payment deadline for the semester.

Additional Fees

Graduation Fees: Charged every term in which a student applies for graduation. If a student fails to graduate during that term, no adjustment is made to the student’s account. The student must apply again for graduation during the term he/she expects to complete all work, and another Graduation fee will be charged. Diplomas are ordered any time a student applies for graduation.
Student Health Services Fees: Fees are charged by Student Health Services for medical treatments/procedures available to students on an as-needed basis.

Tuition and Fees Based on Credit Hours

All undergraduates who carry 12 or more hours, and graduate and law students who carry nine or more hours, must pay full tuition and fees.

Housing and Meal Plans

The university has the capacity to house approximately 2,800 students.
The rate for residence halls ranges from \$2,600.00 to \$4,400.00 per semester.
A limited number of apartments with cooking facilities also are available.
Undergraduate students who live in residence halls are required to purchase meal plans for dining services on campus.
Students classified as freshmen who are living on campus are required to sign up for a plan providing 19 meals per week.
Commuter Plans are offered to students living off-campus.
New students who plan to live in a residence hall must submit an application for room and board, along with a \$150 non-refundable housing administrative fee, by May 1 to be considered for a one-year residency beginning in the fall semester. For spring semester residence, the \$150 non-refundable administrative fee must be submitted by December 1.
Residence hall reservations should be made as early as possible.
Returning students may submit their \$150 administrative fee as early as on Nov. 1 of the fall semester, which will allow them to participate in the online housing process for the following year.
The university’s Board of Trustees can change the room and board rates or the housing administrative fee at any time without prior notice.

Health and Accident Insurance

Health and accident insurance is mandatory for all students taking six or more credit hours of classes on campus.
Insurance is offered by the university system for a 12-month period that begins August 1. The cost is subject to change each year.
Students who have their own insurance can waive the university-sponsored insurance plan by visiting www.studentbluenc.com and following the instructions.
The deadline for submitting an on-line student insurance waiver for fall 2017 is Sept.

Parking

Parking on campus is by permit only.
All students who park on campus are required by North Carolina Central University to register their vehicle with the University Police Department.
After paying the registration fee, the decal holder should permanently display the valid permit on their vehicle.
Parking on campus is zoned parking. An NCCU parking permit authorizes the vehicle to be parked in a specific area according to the permit designation.
Open parking on campus is for visitors only.
The parking permit for vehicles will be paid at the beginning of the period for which the permit is issued or when any person first becomes associated with the university and wishes a permit. Leroy T.
No parking decal refunds will be granted.

Maroon and Gray Shuttle Service

NCCU faculty, staff, students and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the free Maroon and Gray shuttle service offered through NCCU Student Services. Monday through Friday from the Latham Parking Deck. The lines transport passengers to major points on campus.

Refunds

A full-time student whose enrollment drops below the course load required for full-time status, or a part-time student who drops courses, will have charges for tuition and fees reduced accordingly, provided the courses are dropped prior to the end of the official drop/add period.
A student must carry 12 credit hours each semester of the academic year and at least six credit hours during summer sessions to qualify for financial aid.
Buyout exception for category E: A student may find another student (not a current resident) to buy out the remainder of the agreement. The student must meet all eligibility requirements to live on campus.
Financial aid deferments are not considered as payments but are used as temporary credits for registration processing.
Undergraduate students who are enrolled in less than six credit hours and who have an overpayment on their account will receive refunds at the end of the semester in which the credit occurred.
Individuals who not enrolled and have credit balances with the university will receive refunds at the end of the semester in which the credit occurred.
Students should verify that charges for room and board have been deducted from their accounts before spending a refund check.
A student shall be financially responsible for damage he or she does to any building, equipment or other property of the institution. If it cannot be determined which student is responsible for the damage, the cost of the damage will be distributed equally among the group of students using the facilities at the time of the damage.

Residency for Tuition Purposes

The basis for determining the appropriate tuition charge rests upon whether a student qualifies as a resident of North Carolina for tuition purposes. To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must establish legal residency and remain a legal resident for at least 12 months immediately prior to classification. Furthermore, 12 months legal residence means more than maintaining a home in North Carolina. The burden is on the applicant to establish those facts that justify classification of a student as a resident entitled to in-state tuition rates. Being classified a resident for tuition purposes is contingent on the student seeking such status and providing all information that the institution may require in making the determination. As such, students must apply for North Carolina In-state Residency for Tuition Purposes by completing the required application and providing all documentation requested. Applications to qualify for North Carolina Residence Status for Tuition Purposes must be received 30 days before the first day of classes of the proposed term of enrollment.

If an applicant, irrespective of age, has living parents or a court-appointed guardian, the residence of the parents or guardian is considered to be the domicile of the individual.
Marriage alone does not prevent a person from becoming or continuing to be a resident for tuition purposes, nor does marriage in any circumstance ensure that a person will become or continue to be a resident for tuition purposes. Marriage and the legal residence of one’s spouse are, however, relevant information in determining eligibility.
A North Carolinian who serves outside the state in the armed forces does not lose North Carolina residency simply by reason of such service. In addition, a separate North Carolina statute affords tuition-rate benefits to certain military personnel and their dependents in some cases where the individual does not qualify for the in-state tuition rate by residing for 12 months in North Carolina.
If a person (1) has been a bona fide legal resident of the required duration, (2) has consequently been classified a resident for tuition purposes, and (3) has subsequently lost North Carolina legal residence while enrolled at a public institution of higher education, that person may continue to enjoy the in-state tuition rate for a grace period of 12 months, measured from the date on which North Carolina legal residence was lost. If the 12-month period ends during an academic term for which the person is enrolled at a state institution of higher education, the grace period extends to the end of that term.
If a minor’s parents live apart, the minor’s domicile is deemed to be North Carolina for the time period(s) that either parent, as a North Carolina legal resident, may claim and does claim the minor as a tax dependent, even if other law or judicial act assigns the minor’s domicile outside of North Carolina.
If a minor has lived for five or more consecutive years with relatives (other than parents) who are domiciled in North Carolina, and if the relatives have functioned during this time as if they were personal guardians, the minor will be deemed a resident for tuition purposes for an enrolled term commencing immediately after at least five years in which these circumstances have existed.
If under this consideration a minor is deemed to be a resident for tuition purposes immediately prior to his or her 18th birthday, that person upon achieving maturity will be deemed a legal resident of North Carolina of at least 12 months duration. This provision acts to confer in-state tuition status even in the face of other provisions of law to the contrary.

Initial Residency Classification

A student admitted to initial enrollment in an institution (or permitted to re-enroll following an absence from the institutional program which involved a formal withdrawal from enrollment) must be classified by the admitting institution either as a resident or as a nonresident for tuition purposes prior to the actual enrollment. The initial classification of students as in-state or out-of-state students for tuition purposes is made at the time the student’s application for admission is processed. Appeals for in-state status must be made to the university registrar before the first day of classes for the term for which in-state status is sought. The appeals form can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. A student who does not appeal before the first day of classes for the term must pay the out-of-state tuition; however, a refund for the difference between out-of-state tuition and in-state tuition will be given if the appeal is approved. University regulations governing residential classification of students are set forth in detail in “A Manual to Assist the Public Higher Education Institutions of North Carolina in the Matter of Student Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes.” Each enrolled student is responsible for knowing the contents of this manual. A copy of this manual is available for inspection upon request in the Reserve Department of the James E.

Summer School

Since the summer school program is self-supporting, tuition and fees are adjusted annually. Students should consult the Summer School Bulletin for the exact tuition and fees for the summer session they plan to attend. For information, students may visit the Summer School Office on the third floor of the School of Education Building, or they may write to: Summer School Office, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707.

Refunds will be processed as scheduled by the Summer Refund Schedule. Refunds will be made only to students who officially withdraw by the deadline date listed in the summer school calendar. Refunds will not be made to students who unofficially withdraw by not attending classes or who are dismissed for disciplinary reasons.

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