Students are permitted to register and attend classes only if payment obligations are fulfilled and their financial aid file is complete. It is the students’ responsibility to verify that their accounts are correct, that payments are made by the deadlines established, and that financial aid documentation has been submitted with all appropriate support.
St. John’s remains committed to administering a financial aid program that rewards academic merit and recognizes demonstrated financial need. All applicants for admission are considered for merit scholarships automatically and all students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and/or the CSS Profile are considered for need-based financial aid.
The primary responsibility for financing a college education lies with the students and their parents. Hence, financial aid is offered only to supplement the funds the family can provide.
A family’s ability to meet college expenses is determined by considering the family’s financial strength carefully with respect to income, assets, debts, and additional children to be educated within the academic year.
In keeping with the principle that students should contribute to their educational expenses, self- help is the first component of a financial aid award. At St. John’s College in Santa Fe, self-help consists of an educational loan and employment. Students who require financial aid are expected to borrow to meet a reasonable part of their need, presently $5,500 for freshmen, $6,500 for sophomores, and $7,500 for juniors and seniors. For students who do not meet the priority filing deadline of February 15, these loan amounts may be increased and/or a second loan may be required. The FAFSA is available on October 1 annually on the studentaid.gov website.
Financial need is defined as the difference between the estimated cost of education and the resources available to the student from parents, the student’s assets, and the student’s contribution from earnings. The total amount of financial aid the college offers a student may not exceed the student’s Cost of Attendance.
A student who is a candidate for financial aid, but is repeating an academic year or any portion thereof, is ineligible for institutional financial aid for the portion of the work repeated. However, a student may appeal this policy to the Financial Aid Appeals committee by submitting an appeal letter to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will notify the student of the committee’s decision to approve or deny the appeal.
Financial aid awards are made in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Higher Education Amendment of 1972, which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or other legally-protected classification. Financial aid is not renewed automatically. Students must reapply each academic year that they need financial assistance.
In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), this educational institution adopts the following additional provisions for any students who use the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post- 9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. This educational institution will not:
However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
Applicants must identify themselves as candidates for financial aid by completing an application for assistance. Those who are U.S. Citizens must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which may be accessed online at studentaid.gov beginning October 1. Applicants who are international students must file the CSS Profile, which may be accessed online at cssprofile.collegeboard.org beginning October 1.
The St. John’s College website, sjc.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid/resources, has forms, tips, links, and instructions to help students complete their financial aid forms.
Enrolled students who are reapplying for financial aid should do so by February 15 annually. If possible, students should use exact income figures from their IRS tax form or use the Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA to import IRS data directly from the IRS onto their FASFA. Students whose financial aid documents are received in the Financial Aid Office by the deadline requested will be notified of the decision on their application after April 1. Those whose applications for financial aid are received after the deadline will not be denied consideration for assistance, but the availability of funds cannot be guaranteed.
It is students’ responsibility to meet their financial obligations to the college, and maintaining open and prompt communication with college staff are essential. This can range from requests for information to complete a financial aid award, to collecting on a balance due.
The college adheres to provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and requires all students to complete an “Authorization to Release Student Information” form that lists those individuals with whom the college can share student account and financial aid information. Before registration, the college will share financial information with parents or the financial sponsor of newly-admitted or enrolled students. Students must complete the FERPA upon registration, so the college can continue to communicate financial information with the parent or financial sponsor. Once the FERPA is complete, the college may communicate financial information to individuals named on the FERPA.
The college has set up the MySJC student portal (mysjc.sjc.edu) to allow students to access their accounts. Students are encouraged to share their log-in with parents and other financial supports who may wish to access their account. It is a student’s responsibility to review the online account and notify student account staff should a question arise.
Students’ financial responsibility has implications beyond payment of tuition and fees. Failure to meet financial responsibility can affect participation in, or consideration for, various internship, summer scholarship, or fellowship programs made available to enhance the student experience. All students are required to read and sign the Financial Responsibility Agreement before registration.
The $600 non-refundable advance deposit is required only for the fall semester for ALL continuing students regardless of payment plan or housing status, and is due mid-April in the Treasurer’s Office. Students will be notified of the exact deadline each year. It is applied to the student account as a payment for the fall semester. Provided that other financial obligations to the college are met, the advance deposit:
If the advance deposit is not submitted by the due date, or if there are unpaid fees for the spring semester, the student will be placed on a waiting list. St. John’s College cannot guarantee a place in a class unless the non-refundable advance deposit, as well as any previous fees or charges, are paid. The deposit, less any unpaid fees for the spring semester, is refundable only in the following cases:
Deposits may not be applied to future academic terms and are otherwise not refundable.
A $600 advance deposit is required for all entering freshmen. Incoming freshmen should contact their admissions counselors for details and the payment deadline. January freshmen are also required to pay the $600 advance deposit for their sophomore year by the April deadline, which is refundable until July 1.
All undergraduates are required to live on campus. A place is reserved once an advance deposit and a Housing Agreement have been received. A fall housing lottery is held in April for students who have paid their advance deposits by the April 5 deadline. To participate in the lottery, continuing students must also submit a Housing Plans Form to the Residential Life Office by the deadline published in the academic calendar. Once room assignments are made, each student must complete a Housing Agreement and return the agreement to the Residential Life Office by the deadline published in the academic calendar. Failure to complete and return the Housing Agreement by the deadline will forfeit any room assignment. Students with an assigned room and completed Housing Agreement must notify the Residential Life Office in writing (by July 15 for the fall semester and December 15 for the spring semester) if they have decided that they will not be returning for the upcoming semester. Failure to notify the Residential Life Office that they will not need a room by the notification deadline will result in a $250 fee charged to their student account. Students may petition the Associate Director of Residential Life to live off campus but, unless a petition is approved, the student will be required to live on campus or, if still electing to live off campus, will be responsible for the full cost of a room and board plan. For more information on housing, see the “Residential Life and Housing Policies” section of the Handbook.
All first-year students are required to participate in the 19-Meal Plan for their first academic year. Continuing students’ petitions for changes in meal plans must be made with the Associate Director of Residential Life before the seventh calendar day of each semester. After the seventh day, no changes will be made until the next semester. Students who continue from spring to fall will be enrolled in their then existing meal plan, providing for any change in rate. Once a meal plan is changed, the student will be billed for the adjusted number of meals.
It is the college’s policy not to allow students to register unless their financial obligations to the college from any prior semester have been paid in full. Registration for the current semester may continue if the Financial Aid Office has determined that an application for financial aid is in process that is sufficient to allow the student’s account balances to be estimated. In those instances, the balance computed (tuition and fees less financial aid) is due before registration. Further, registration for the current semester may continue if the Treasurer’s Office has determined that a payment plan is in place that is sufficient to pay all tuition and fees for the current semester.
Students are billed per semester. Fee Statements may be viewed and forwarded accordingly through the MySJC portal. Notice of semester fee statement release dates are sent to the students’ college email account and, in compliance with FERPA, to designated parents/guardians/sponsors.
Semester fee statements are available online no later than:
Pay in full deadlines:
The Santa Fe Campus offers all students a five-month payment option with payments due by the 1st of each month. Students with incomplete Financial Aid awards may not set up payment plans. Students set up their payment plan using the fee statement provided, with all applicable financial aid applied already. The remaining balance will be eligible to be paid in installments.
There is a one-time $60 set-up fee per semester that Transact, the third-party payment plan provider, assesses and collects.*
Note that payment plans do not roll over from one semester to the next. Students desiring to pay via a monthly payment plan must re-enroll each semester.
A late payment fee is assessed during each semester when a fall, spring, or summer student account is not current. Current accounts either have a zero balance, or up-to-date payment plans:
Unless a current payment plan is in place, any student account balance remaining as of the 1st of each month will be assessed a non-refundable late fee equal to $300 or 10% of the outstanding payment amount, whichever is less. As described previously, payment plans may not be established until students have completed and accepted their Financial Aid award. Contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.
After students’ financial aid has been awarded, a balance may still remain. That balance must be paid by the deadline(s) above to avoid the late payment fee. A late payment fee will not be assessed any student who has a current payment plan in place. However, the same policy applies to late payments on payment plans. If students fail to meet the monthly payment deadline of the 1st, a non-refundable late fee equal to $300 or 10% of the outstanding payment amount will be added to the student account. This late fee is in addition to any late fees Transact, the third-party payment provider, assesses directly.
Please note that payment plans that are deemed two months delinquent result in a student’s immediate disenrollment from the payment plan option, and the outstanding balance owed will be due immediately. If the outstanding balance cannot be paid in full, the student may be dismissed from the college for financial reasons.
If a student account becomes past due, either as the result of a withdrawal (voluntary or involuntary), graduation, subsequent fines, etc., the college will make every effort to advise the student in writing. Payment of all outstanding balances is due immediately upon written notice that a balance exists. Should the student fail to make timely payment, the college reserves the right to turn the account over to a third party for collection. By virtue of their enrollment, students authorize the college or its agents and/or contractors to contact them regarding balances owed. Contact may be made by email, written correspondence, and by phone, including cellular or other wireless device, the use of automated telephone dialing equipment or artificial or pre-recorded voice or text messages. Students are responsible for reimbursing the college for the fees of any collection agency, which may be based on a percentage of the delinquent account balance (to a maximum of 25% of the delinquent account balance) and will also be liable for all reasonable attorney’s fees and costs and expenses the college incurred in its collection efforts. The college will supply the collection agency with any and all pertinent information specific to the balance owed, plus any contact information we have on record at the time of, or subsequent to, the collection referral.
*Tuition per credit hour is $1060
The Student Security deposit for undergraduates is billed to every freshman and readmitted student. This deposit is held for the duration of the student’s time on the Santa Fe campus. At the end of the spring semester, if a student has an unpaid balance, the deposit will be used to cover the balance. The following fall semester, the student will be billed for the amount used to replenish the Student Security deposit balance to $200. The Student Security deposit is refunded when a student graduates or leaves the college.
All undergraduate students are assessed $205 per semester for books and class materials. This book fee provides a credit at the Bookstore. The details of this credit are described in the “Getting Started” portion of the pre-registration packet that is sent to all incoming students.
The $279 student activity fee is charged each semester to every undergraduate student. A portion of the fee is allocated to the Student Polity, which determines for which activities the funds are to be used. However, the college’s Chief Financial Officer retains ultimate authority over its disbursement.
All undergraduate and graduate students are assessed $273 per semester for medical services available at the Student Health Center, as well as the psychological or psychotherapy services available in the Mental Health Office. This fee also covers insurance co-pays, office visit fees, and deductibles, which the Health Office does not assess with a student’s visit. The fee is mandatory regardless of whether the student lives on campus or off. The fee can only be waived for St. John’s college employees and spouses upon proof that they carry the college’s insurance.
The health insurance landscape in the United States has drastically changed over the past few years. These changes have had a financial impact on our students and parents, and St. John's College continues to investigate ways to assist you in minimizing that impact. Many students come to school enrolled in an HMO or in other similar health insurance plan that requires the use of network of providers close to home, and when students receive medical care outside of their home network, these types of plans often place added financial burdens on students and their families.
Because of the State of New Mexico’s regulatory restrictions, St. John’s College in Santa Fe is unable to provide a health insurance program for U.S. students. It is the college’s policy that all students have acceptable health insurance. If a student does not have access to health insurance through a parent or other family member, we recommend that they review enrollment options on the New Mexico Insurance Exchange at www.bewellnm.com. Please note that if the Open Enrollment period has ended, they will be able to enroll using the Special Enrollment section of the website. Students can determine if they are eligible for a premium subsidy or even Medicaid by completing the online forms.
If they are an out-of-state student or have coverage under another state's health exchange or Medicaid plan, they will need to check with their insurance company to see if all medical expenses will be covered while living in Santa Fe.
St. John’s College requires proof of active health insurance with coverage in New Mexico to be provided to the Student Health Office via the Student Health Portal at sjcsf.studenthealthportal.com.
If students have questions about health care options, they can contact Tim Cummons, our insurance representative, at (410) 583-5452 or Toll-Free (800) 346-4075 ext. 1452 or TCummons(at)rcmd.com.
For more information, contact the Student Health Office at phone (505) 984-6418, fax (505) 984-6918, or email santafe.studenthealth(at)sjc.edu.
All international students are automatically enrolled in a St. John’s College health insurance plan. The College's insurance representative, Mr. Tim Cummons with RCMD Insurance, can provide information about the insurance plan and the premium costs. He can be reached at (410) 583-5452 or TCummons(at)rcmd.com. This plan cannot be replaced with any other insurance coverage.
The college’s withdrawal policy provides for a partial refund of tuition through the first three weeks of the semester, regardless of the reason for withdrawal. On or after the 22nd day of the fall or spring semester, and on or after the 15th day of the summer semester, no refunds are made.
In addition to the refund schedule referenced in the “Refund Policy” section of the Handbook, the college offers an insurance plan, the Tuition Refund Plan, through A.W.G. Dewar, which covers up to 60% of tuition and activity fees for medical or mental health withdrawals at any time during the semester.
For the academic year 2023-2024, the plan costs $307 per year for undergraduate students and $154 is billed automatically by semester. No additional application is required, but students may waive the coverage. Should they wish to do so, they should go to the MySJC website, log in to their student account, and go to the link to waive tuition insurance coverage. The deadline for waiving the coverage is the first day of class for the fall semester and the first day of class for the spring semester. Tuition insurance must be waived for each semester; a waiver for the Fall semester must be renewed (if desired) for Spring semester. Failure to waive the coverage by the deadline will result in a charge to the student’s account. For more information, contact A.W.G. Dewar directly at tuitionprotection.com/sjcsantafe or call 617-774-1555.
Graduating seniors and final term graduate students are assessed a $105 graduation fee for their cap, gown, hood, diploma, and commencement activities. Diplomas are ordered approximately 45 to 60 days before the commencement date. If a failure to meet final academic requirements in the senior’s last semester leads to a delay in degree conferral, the student must absorb the cost of printing an updated diploma. The graduation fee applies whether or not a student plans to attend commencement.
Undergraduate and graduate students who wish to park their car or motorcycle on campus are required to register their vehicle with Public Safety and are assessed a $80 fee per semester for fall and spring and a $55 fee for summer. The fee is paid in the Treasurer’s Office and the student is issued a parking decal that is displayed on the front windshield. For more information, please see the “Vehicle Registration and Parking Permits” section of the Handbook.
Students’ accounts are billed for parking citations and fines are due within 30 days of receipt. Please see the “Vehicle Registration and Parking Policies & Procedures” section of the Handbook for details.
Student accounts are billed for replacement and processing costs if materials are not returned or renewed as required. Overdue notices are sent to borrowers through campus mail or email. Review the library information listed in the “Library” section for details.
Students’ accounts are billed for housing and residential damage fines. The Residential Life Office assesses these fines. The student is notified of the infraction, and is required to pay the fine within 30 days of assessment.
The college accepts money orders, and checks made payable to St. John’s College. The student’s name and ID number must be included on all correspondence. Checks should be mailed to:
St. John’s College Attn: Student Accounts PO Box 913226 Denver CO 80291-3226
Payment by Credit Card: Credit card payments are processed online through our partner, Transact, at MySJC. Please note: Credit card payments will be subject to a processing fee.
Monthly Payment Plan: Students who wish to make payments in installments may enroll in a monthly payment plan. For detailed information and fees, go to MySJC.
Electronic Check Payments (bank transfers within the U.S) are available with a minimal processing fee on MySJC.
St. John’s College has teamed with Flywire to make it easier for international students to make payments, including tuition, fees, deposits, etc. Flywire serves hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States, and provides a safe, efficient and quick payment method. Visit flywire.com for detailed information.
International wires may also be initiated via the payment portal on MySJC under the regular "Make a payment/enroll in payment plan" link.
In accordance with federal regulations, St. John’s College is required to have a policy and procedure to measure students’ academic progress to maintain eligibility for federal financial aid, and progress is reviewed at the end of each academic year. The three components of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy are explained below.
Students may request an exception when they fail to meet the satisfactory progress standards by submitting a petition/appeal to the Financial Aid Office. These must contain the following:
Petition/Appeal decisions have three possible outcomes: Probation; an academic plan, or denial of the request for exception.
The grade average of “C” or better for Undergraduate students and “B” or better for Graduate students are considered satisfactory to remain eligible for benefits under the GI Bill®. If a student believes they may benefit from the educational monetary benefits the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs offers, the information and direction offered at benefits.va.gov/gibill and benefits.va.gov/gibill/apply.asp are significant; the sites describe which programs are available and provide instructions on the way to apply.
“GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits the VA offers is available at the official U.S. government website, at benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Students who are considering withdrawing from the college should weigh the decision carefully. Friends, tutors, or members of the administrative staff should be consulted before making a final decision. At the time of withdrawal, adjustments are made to tuition, fees and financial aid, which may result in additional amounts due. Once financial aid adjustments, if necessary, are made, the Student Accounts Office will determine adjustments to tuition and fees and an estimate of any refund or amount due can be provided. Note that a student on a monthly payment plan who withdraws may still owe a balance to the college.
Undergraduate students who are considering withdrawal before the end of the semester must initiate the withdrawal process by notifying the Registrar or the Assistant Dean of their intention to withdraw, and they will be given a form entitled “Official Notice of Withdrawal” at that time. The date of withdrawal entered on the form is used to calculate the return of Title IV Funds (federal financial aid), grants, scholarships, etc. Following that calculation, a final account statement is prepared that shows any balances due the college or refunds due the student. Refund payments are processed within two weeks. If a balance is due the college, full payment is due at the time of withdrawal.
After a student notifies the Registrar of the intention to withdraw, the student must obtain signatures from the representatives of certain selected offices on the Official Notice of Withdrawal form. A student may rescind the intention to withdraw by not returning the Official Notice of Withdrawal form to the Registrar and informing the Registrar of their intent not to withdraw. If a student wishes to reverse a decision to withdraw after submitting the Official Notice of Withdrawal form, they must provide written notification. If a student who rescinds an intention to withdraw does not complete the semester, the official date of withdrawal will be the later of the date the withdrawal form was obtained or the last date of class attendance.
If a student does not notify the Registrar of the intention to withdraw, the date of withdrawal used to calculate the return of Title IV Funds, grants, scholarships, and an institutional refund or balance due will be the midpoint of the semester. A date earlier or later than the midpoint may be used if the college has documentation of the last date of class attendance. If a student withdraws because of circumstances beyond their control, the college will determine the date of withdrawal.
The college’s withdrawal policy provides for a partial refund of tuition through the first three (3) weeks of the fall and spring terms, and the first two (2) weeks of the summer term, for withdrawal unrelated to academic or disciplinary reasons.
The student’s withdrawal date is established as outlined in the initial section of the “Refund Policy”. The next step in determining the institutional refund is to count the number of calendar days from the first day of classes to the date of withdrawal (weekends are included, but scheduled breaks of at least five days are excluded). The schedule above is used to determine the percentage of fees (tuition, activity fee, room and board) that will be refunded. Certain fees are nonrefundable. These include Tuition Insurance, and Book, Parking, and Admission Fees.
The same schedule will be used to calculate the cancellation of non-federal financial aid: the “refund amount” percentage provides the percentage of aid to be cancelled and the “amount charged” percentage corresponds to the revised aid the student will receive. For example, a student who withdraws within the first seven days of the fall or spring semester would receive 10% of the non-federal aid that had been awarded. Conversely, 90% of the non-federal aid would be cancelled.
A student who is expelled or asked to withdraw for academic or disciplinary reasons will receive no refund of tuition or room and board. A student who is required to leave housing for academic or disciplinary reasons will receive no refund of tuition and board.
If a student who has received Title IV Funds (federal financial aid) leaves the institution before completing 60% of the semester, a calculation must be performed to determine the amount of unearned aid that must go back to the Title IV programs. No return of Title IV funds is required after 60% (approximately 9 weeks of a 16-week semester). The withdrawal date will be established as described in the Refund Policy.
The percentage of Title IV aid that the student earned (i.e., the amount of federal aid the student is permitted to keep) is the same as the percentage of the semester completed. This percentage is computed by dividing the total number of calendar days in the semester (including weekends, but excluding scheduled breaks of more than five days) by the number of calendar days the student completed. For example, a student enrolled for 14 of 112 days would have earned 12.5% of the Title IV aid for the semester. In this example, 87.5% of the Title IV aid would be unearned. The institution is responsible for returning to the federal aid programs the lesser of the amount of unearned Title IV aid or institutional charges that the student incurred multiplied by the unearned aid percentage.
Federal regulations specify the order in which unearned funds are to be returned to aid programs, as follows:
Federal Work-Study funds are not involved in this determination, and the student may keep this money.
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded.
To comply with the new Department of Defense policy, Saint John’s College will return any unearned TA funds on a prorate basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. These funds are returned to the military Service branch.
Instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, the educational institution will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.
