Lawrence University Course Catalog

Students who are degree-seeking and are registered for more than 22 units (excluding music ensembles) in an academic term will be charged additional tuition. $1,532 per unit is the fee charged for academic year 2023-24. The per-unit fee is waived for 23-24 units for the first overload only (the fee is still charged for 25 units or more) so that every eligible student may overload once up to 24 units at no additional cost.

Students who are non-degree seeking and are registered for more than 22 units in an academic term will be charged additional tuition. $1,532 per unit is the fee charged for academic year 2023-24. Music ensembles will not be excluded from the unit calculation as they are for degree-seeking students. Non-degree-seeking students are not eligible for a fee waiver for any overload.

Tuition is charged for courses in which the student is officially registered, regardless of attendance or final grade. Overload fees will be charged based on a student’s official registration for the term (attempted units). If a student withdraws from a course after the class change period has ended and then adds a directed study or tutorial to maintain full-time student status, the added course will count as additional units and may result in overload fees. Failure to successfully complete and earn credit for all registered courses will not cancel or modify any overload fees that have been assessed. 

For information on eligibility to overload, see "overloads/underloads" under Academic Procedures and Regulations.

• 13th-term student teaching fee: $2,121 for Lawrence undergraduates who have met all other graduation requirements (see Education)
• Elementary apprenticeship fee (full school year): $4,685 for Lawrence graduates (see Education)
• Textbook cost: Approximately $300 per term

A 12% annual-percentage-rate late charge will be assessed on all accounts 30 days past due. A $20 non-refundable charge will be incurred if charges billed directly to students by a department are not paid to that department by their deadline; such charges are then added to a student’s account along with the non-refundable fee (this includes overdue library items). 

Note: Medical insurance is not provided for students by the university. A student insurance plan offering accident and sickness coverage is available through a local agent. Details may be obtained from the Dean of Students office.

December Term courses have separate tuition and fees for room and board. For December 2023, tuition is $2,040, and room and board for on-campus courses is $670. On-campus courses may charge additional fees for travel or supplies. Travel courses charge a program fee for lodging, meals, museums/tours and insurance, and students are responsible for their own airfare to the course location. Lawrence need-based scholarships are available for December term; eligibility will be determined by the Financial Aid Office. 

Lawrence University is a residential college, and all students are expected to live on campus throughout their entire enrollment. Exemptions are granted to students who have been Lawrence students for four academic years, students beginning their fifth year or later after high school, married students, students in documented domestic partnerships, or students with dependent children. Students meeting any of these criteria should submit a written request for a housing exemption to the dean of students. Housing charges will be canceled only after reasons are verified. Students must keep the registrar’s office informed of any address or telephone number changes.

Room charges are: double occupancy, $6,153 per three-term year; single occupancy, $6,978 per three-term year. Changes of occupancy will be reflected on student accounts as they occur. Residence hall rooms are provided with essential furniture, and students must provide their own linens.

All residential students are required to have a board plan. The board plans vary in price, number of meals per week, and culinary cash values per term.  Students choose the plan that best meets their individual needs and schedules.

Residence halls open for new students on the first day of Welcome Week. Rooms for returning students will be available on the Saturday prior to registration. The first board meal is served on Sunday evening.

The obligation of the university to provide room and board to resident students ceases after breakfast on the day following the last examination at the end of each term. In the third term, a 24-hour period after the individual student’s last examination is allowed for packing.

The room and board charge does not include the winter break or any other period when dining halls or residences are closed. Separate fees are charged for room and board during the optional December Term and for campus housing in the summer. Residence halls will remain available during spring break but the regular board options will not be available. Retail dining options are available in the Warch Campus Center on a reduced operating schedule during breaks.

Student account balances reflect adjustments for merit awards and financial aid awards based upon receipt of signed Lawrence financial aid awards that have been accepted by a student. Additional charges incurred for course-related items, extracurricular activities, or miscellaneous purchases are due as incurred. Students are expected to pay these obligations when due.

Student account statements are generated electronically via Transact the first business day following the 15th of every month. Students can access their account statements through Voyager and can also grant access to others, who will receive login information once they are set up by the student. Transact also offers a “dynamic billing” function, which allows students and authorized users to see live student account balance information and activity. Students are responsible for accessing their billing information in Transact, and email notifications are sent as a courtesy when billing statements are generated. Not receiving an email notification does not excuse late payments.

At the 7th week of each term, students who have not paid their term fees in full, have not paid term fees as agreed under a payment plan with Transact, or have not made other payment arrangements will be put on administrative leave for the next term, and all future registration will be removed. They will not be allowed to return until all outstanding fees are paid in full, along with the payment for the upcoming term. Failure to make payment for subsequent terms by the due dates, after being reinstated as a student, will result in an indefinite leave.

Official transcripts, diplomas, and letters certifying completion of requirements or receipt of a degree will not be released and verbal confirmation of a degree will not be given until all accumulated fees and charges have been paid.

Payment due dates

Fall Term: August 15
Winter Term: December 15
Spring Term: March 15

In 1999 Lawrence adopted a refund policy in accordance with the U.S. Department of Education’s 1998 Reauthorization of The Higher Education Amendments (Section 668.22). Under the law, a Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation must be completed for students who withdraw from the university or who fail to earn a grade during the term.

• "Leave of absence" is a term used to identify a situation in which a student intends to take one or more terms off with the intent of returning to Lawrence after a specified time.  This is a temporary status with a firm and stated intention of returning.
• "Withdrawal" is a term used to identify a situation in which a student is leaving the university with no intention of returning.

Refunds due to a student who has taken a leave or withdrawn will be processed within 30 days of the date the university determined the student withdrew. Refunds will only be issued if all allowable tuition, fees, room, and board due to the university have been paid in full.

Leave of absence or withdrawal before the first day of classes

Full room, board, tuition, activity fee, and environmental fee will be refunded upon proper notification of leave of absence or withdrawal prior to the first day of classes for any term. Written notification of leave of absence or withdrawal must be directed to the dean of academic success. A student who remains on campus after the approved leave of absence or withdrawal date will be charged pro rata for room and board through the date on which they depart as determined by the dean of students.

Leave of absence or withdrawal on or after the first day of classes

A non-refundable $200 fee will be assessed each time a student takes a leave of absence or withdraws from the university on or after the first day of classes for the term; however, students who take a leave of absence or withdraw from the university after classes are in session may qualify for a reduction in certain charges that are due to the university.

A student must request a leave of absence or withdrawal from the dean of academic success. Students who wish to request this change of status or to discuss it as an option should make an appointment with the dean of academic success before completing the required form. If granted permission for a leave or withdrawal, a student may qualify for a reduction in charges that are due the university.

For students who withdraw without notifying the university, the withdrawal date is determined as follows: The Center for Academic Success contacts the student’s instructors in an attempt to identify the student’s last date of attendance or academic activity. If this information is not obtained, the midpoint of the term is used as the withdrawal date.

Leave of absence or withdrawal before the 60-percent point of the term

If a student takes a leave of absence or withdraws prior to or at the 60-percent point of the term, a refund for tuition, room, and board charges will be pro-rated based on the number of calendar days the student was in attendance. A student who remains on campus after the approved leave of absence or withdrawal date will be charged pro rata for room and board through the date on which they depart as determined by the dean of students. If a student takes a leave of absence or withdraws after the 60-percent point of the term, there will be no refund of tuition, room, or board. Students who cease attending their scheduled classes without completing the official process for a leave or withdrawal are subject to the same refund policy as students who follow the policy.

Computation of the 60-percent point will be based on the total number of calendar days in the term beginning with the first day of classes and ending with the last day of final examinations. For the 2023-24 academic year, the 60-percent dates are:

Term I: October 23, 2023
Term II: February 13, 2024
Term III: May 6, 2024

For students who notify the university of their intent to take a leave or withdraw, the student’s official withdrawal date is the earliest of:

• the date of last academic activity;
• the date the student began the withdrawal or leave process; or
• the date the student notified the Center for Academic Success of their intent to withdraw.

Financial aid adjustments

Federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid funds (except for earned federal work study funds) awarded to the student will be reduced based on the number of calendar days the student was in attendance up to the 60-percent point of the term. Students attending beyond the 60-percent point of the term will be considered to have earned 100% of their aid and, as a result, their financial aid will not be adjusted. Further details and examples can be obtained at the Financial Aid Office.

Title IV funds (i.e. federal aid) will be returned within 45 days from the date the university determined that a student withdrew in the order prescribed by federal regulations as outlined below:

1. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
2. Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
3. Federal Direct PLUS Loan
4. Federal Pell Grant
5. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
6. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

If the total Title IV grant and/or loan funds earned by the student is less than the amount disbursed to the student, the difference between the disbursed amount and earned funds will be returned to the appropriate Title IV aid program.

If the aid that has already been disbursed is less than the earned aid that could have been disbursed for the term, Lawrence will calculate a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, the student may elect to decline those funds. Students eligible for post-withdrawal disbursements will be notified of any additional disbursements via email and will have 14 days to respond. If the student does not respond within 14 days, Lawrence will assume the student does not want the loan funds and will cancel the post-withdrawal disbursement.

A credit balance on a student account is created when the student has funds remaining (either financial aid or personal) after all eligible charges to the student account are paid in full. All credit balances remain on a student’s account and will be applied to future terms within the same academic year unless a student specifically requests a refund or unless the credit is a result of a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan. Refund requests should be made by contacting the Student Accounts Office. Students who have requested a refund of credit balances can expect to receive their refund approximately three weeks after the start of the term.

Credit balances due to overpayments made by wire transfer will remain on the student billing account for future charges or returned to the sending institution.  Lawrence University will not act as an intermediary for transfer of funds through the credit balance refund process. 

We encourage students to enroll online in Transact for electronic refunds (eRefund). Refunds will be processed and automatically deposited into a checking or savings account. If a student does not enroll in eRefund and thereby chooses to receive their refund via check, a $20 processing fee will be charged to the student’s account. This $20 fee does not apply to refunds as a result of a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan.

At the end of the academic year, graduating students receive a refund of any credit balance about three weeks after graduation. For continuing students, credit balances of less than $200 are carried forward and applied to the next academic year, while credit balances of more than $200 are refunded approximately three weeks after the last day of final exams. If a student is enrolled in eRefund, the entire credit is refunded. If a student chooses to receive the refund via check, only the amount greater than $200 is refunded, minus a $20 check-processing fee. Continuing students with a credit balance of more than $200 may submit a request in writing to Student Accounts to have the full credit balance carried forward to the next academic year.