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Tuition and Fees

Tuition for 2005-2006 academic year will be approximately $14,962 per semester. Students are also required to pay fees for certain specific services at Columbia, such as access to the computer labs. A complete list of applicable fees will be provided on your billing invoice.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

2005-2006 Academic Year

Three semesters of tuition and fees (total tuition for the entire MPA Program): $49,137

Living expenses $11,000

Personal expenses: $4,000

Books: $1,500

Total estimated cost of attendance for the entire degree: $65,637

Withdrawal and Adjustment of Fees

Withdrawal is defined as the dropping of one's entire program in a given term as opposed to dropping a portion of one's program. Any student withdrawing from the program must notify the Student Affairs Office in writing. Additionally, students must complete a Notice of Withdrawal form. Notification of instructors or failure to attend classes does not constitute a formal withdrawal and will result in failing grades in all courses.

A student who withdraws will be charged a withdrawal fee of $75. In addition, the health service fees, the medical insurance premium, and all application fees, late fees, and other special fees are not refundable, and any coverage will remain in effect until the end of the term.

Any adjustment of the tuition that the student has paid is determined from the date on which the Student Affairs Office receives the student's written notification. Students receiving financial aid will not be entitled to any portion of a refund until all Title IV financial aid programs are credited and all outstanding charges have been paid.

All refund calculations will be based on the last day of attendance as indicated by the schedule below.

Week of the TermRefund
1st week: 100%
2nd week: 90%
3rd week: 80%
4th week: 80%
5th week: 70%
6th week: 60%
7th week: 60%
8th week: 50%
9th week: 40%
After 9th week 0%

Note: When a term begins on a Tuesday, the term week goes from Tuesday to Monday.