Tuition, Fees and Expenses
The following costs apply to undergraduates in the 2023-2024 school year:
Tuition & Fees
| Tuition | Hour1 | Semester | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Tuition (Entering and Continuing) | $2,384 | $28,605 | $57,210 |
| 1 | Individual pricing may apply based on the following: Part-Time Enrollment refers to enrollment of less than 12 credit hours during a semester. Students seeking part-time enrollment must obtain approval from the Office of Academic Advising and adjust their schedule accordingly within the first two weeks of the semester. Part-time enrollment tuition is calculated on the per-credit rate. Students are also assessed a one-time $175 per semester part-time enrollment fee. Students not approved for part-time enrollment or students with approval who fail to adjust their schedule before the end of the second week of classes will be assessed the full-time enrollment tuition charge. |
| Required Fees | Fall | Spring | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Activity Fee2 | $59 | $59 | $118 |
| Student Recreation Center Fee | $61.50 | $61.50 | $123 |
| Health and Wellness Support Services Fee | $338.50 | $338.50 | $677 |
| Health Insurance - Student Premium only3 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| 2 | Fifth-year students in professional degree programs and students working toward a second bachelor’s degree pay a reduced student activities fee of $6.85 per semester, which covers the Student Association, Student Organizations Activity, University Court, and Honor Council portions of the Student Activity Fee. |
| 3 | All students must also have health insurance. For more information, see Health Insurance on this page or visit https://studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu/current-rates. |
| Orientation Week Fees | Fall |
|---|---|
| O-Week Activity Fee | $340 |
| O-Week Room & Board – Freshmen/Transfers | $470 |
| O-Week Room & Board – Coordinators | $300 |
| Undergraduate International Orientation Fee (Incoming International Students) | $395 |
Course Fees
Courses having additional charges are provided on the Course Schedule. In some cases the associated charges may be in lieu of Rice tuition and/or required fees.
Other Optional Fees
The following charges are separate from the regular fees. Charges due to late registration or course changes made after the deadline are described in the Registration section.
| Application Fee | $75 |
| Audit Fee - Rice Alumni (per course) | $500 |
| Audit Fee - Visitors (per course) | $1,000 |
| College Withdrawal (breach of housing agreement) | $1,000 |
| Degree Verification Fee | $15 |
| Diploma Fee: Facsimile (8x10, mini-diploma) | $25 |
| Diploma Fee: Parchment (17x23, official diploma) | $50 |
| Diploma Mailing Fee: Domestic | $30 |
| Diploma Mailing Fee: International | $50 |
| Document Copy Fee | $10 |
| Enrollment Verification Fee | $10 |
| Late Application for Graduation Fee | $100 |
| Late Course Change Fee (Add/Drop) | $100 |
| Late Payment Fee (calculated on amount past due) | 1.5% |
| Late Registration Fee | $75 |
| Late Registration Fee (after classes begin) | $125 |
| Part-time Enrollment Fee* | $175 |
| Payment Plan Fee | $75 |
| Preceptorship per semester | $350 |
| Readmission Fee | $375 |
| Reinstatement Fee | $150 |
| Replacement Diploma Fee | $50 |
| Replacement Rice ID | $15 |
| Returned Payment Fee | $30 |
| Summer Health and Wellness Support Services Fee (Early Fall Matriculants) | $190 |
| Transcript Fee | $10 |
| Transcript Express Delivery Fee | $30 |
| * | Students seeking part-time enrollment must obtain approval from the Office of Academic Advising and adjust their schedule accordingly within the first two weeks of the semester. |
Rates for Students Studying Abroad
| Tuition and Fees | Semester |
|---|---|
| Sponsoring Institution Agreement - Tuition Paid at Rice | |
Rice University Tuition |
$28,605 |
Required Fees |
|
Student Activity Fee2 |
$59 |
| Sponsoring Institution Agreement - Tuition Paid at Sponsoring Institution | |
Rice University Tuition |
- |
Required Fees |
|
Enrollment Continuance Fee |
$456 |
Enrollment Continuance Fee (Summer) |
$228 |
Student Activity Fee2 |
$59 |
Billing Information
Rice University uses an electronic billing system, commonly referred to as eBill. Each month, current term enrolled students will receive an email notification from Rice_Cashier@rice.edu, informing them of a newly published statement, along with instructions on how to view the statement within ESTHER.
Term payments are due in full based on the following schedule. Students may enroll in a deferred payment plan where the first installment is due on the following schedule:
| Fall Semester | September 10 |
| Spring Semester | February 10 |
| Summer Sessions | June 10 |
Late Payments
Student accounts not paid in full (or whose payment plan is not current) by the billing due date will be subject to a 1.5% late fee. Late fees are calculated based on the amount past due. Students experiencing difficulty with paying their balance should contact the Cashier's Office promptly to discuss payment options.
Delinquent Accounts
Rice University reserves the right to block or cancel the registration of any student who fails to pay, when due, any indebtedness to the institution.
Academic credits, transcripts, and diplomas will be withheld until all financial obligations are paid in full.
Student Financial Responsibility Agreement
Before enrollment for a new semester can occur, students must consent to a Student Financial Responsibility Agreement.
Tuition Adjustments and Credit Balances
Tuition and Fee Reversals for Withdrawals and Drops
University Withdrawals
Students officially withdrawing from all courses are eligible for a 100% refund of tuition and fees through the deadlines listed on the Academic Calendar by semester.
Students officially withdrawing from all courses after the 100% reversal of tuition and fee deadline are eligible for a partial reversal of tuition. Fees are not reversed. Consult the Academic Calendar for specific tuition refund prorations based on the date of withdrawal.
Dropped Courses
Students dropping individual course(s) after the 100% tuition reversal period will not be eligible for a refund and will remain liable for payment of full tuition and fee charges though certain exceptions may apply, outlined in the Registration Drop/Add section. Non-attendance does not constitute an official course drop or withdrawal. All charges due to Rice University must be paid before refunds or adjustments will be permitted.
In cases of academic or disciplinary suspension, eligibility for tuition refunds and adjustments will depend on the conditions of the suspension and will be entirely at the option of the institution. Should circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Rice University result in curtailing classes, moving classes online, closing residence facilities, or otherwise withdrawing services that are a normal function of the institution, refunds of any nature will be at the discretion of university administration.
Financial Aid
In addition to the university's reversal schedule and in accordance with the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, if a student completely withdraws from the university and has utilized Federal Title IV funds (e.g. Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant [SEOG], Academic Competitiveness Grant, National SMART Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Student Loan, Federal Direct PLUS, Federal Direct Graduate PLUS), during the semester in which they withdraw, the university will observe the federally mandated process in determining what, if any amount of money must be returned to the federal program(s).
The calculation of the return of funds may result in the student owing a balance to the university and/or the Department of Education.
Credit Balance Refunds
Student account credits resulting from excess Federal Financial Aid payments, scholarship payments, and loan payments are automatically refunded by the Cashier’s Office; however, there may be certain circumstances where credits on student accounts occur that may not be automatically refunded. Reversed charges, over payments, tuition waivers, and other varying factors may lead to a credit balance on a student account.
For those credits not automatically refunded, students may request disbursement of the credit balance through email to cashier@rice.edu.
Credit Balance Refund Delivery
Direct Deposit Funds are issued to students that are enrolled in Electronic Refunds. For students not enrolled in Electronic Refunds, refund checks are issued and mailed directly from JP Morgan Chase to the student mailing address on record.
Health Insurance
All students, full-time or part-time—including those on away status—must have appropriate health insurance. For information about health insurance, visit Health, Counseling, Wellbeing, and Safety. For current premium rates for university-provided student health insurance, see the Student Health Insurance website.
Living Expenses
Residence fees cover dining hall costs and residence maintenance. They are established each year as needs dictate. For 2023-24, the annual room and board charge for residence in a residential college is $15,900.
| Room and Board | Semester | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Room | $5,200 | $10,400 |
| On Campus Meal Plan - Option A | $2,750 | $5,500 |
| Off Campus Meal Plan - Option B | $800 | $1,600 |
| Off Campus Meal Plan - Option C | $1,450 | $2,900 |
| Off Campus Meal Plan - Option F | $650 | $1,300 |
Housing
An electronic housing agreement must be signed in ESTHER no later than April 30 for students to receive residential room assignments. New students are required to submit a $100, non-refundable housing deposit no later than April 30, which will be applied to that semester’s room and board charges. For more information about housing, see Undergraduate Student Life.
Meal Plans
College Dining provides 375 meals with the purchase of the meal plan per semester. All students living on campus must purchase meal plan option A. It is recommended that students living off campus also purchase a meal plan. More information is available at the Dining page.
Refunds for Housing and Meal Plans
Students who move out of their college may receive a prorated credit to their student account, equal to the difference between the payments received and the reduced room and board charges. A termination fee will be applied. Exceptions for academic suspension, Rice-sponsored study abroad, family emergencies, and other isolated incidents will be considered on a case-by-case basis.