Fee Descriptions

Following are the descriptions of several commonly assessed fees for Iowa State University students. The list is not inclusive. All fees are subject to change without notice.

Activity, Services, and Building

The activity, services and building fee is a mandatory fee that supports a variety of activities and services for all students.  It is not based on whether or not a student participates in an individual activity or uses a service.  This fee provides several benefits such as student admission rates to concerts and athletic events, and unlimited use of CyRide, the Ames bus system.  In addition, the fee provides support for campus recreational facilities, the Memorial Union, and campus organizations and services as allocated by the Government of the Student Body.  All students will be charged a maximum of $177 each fall and spring semester, and $88.50 per summer semester.  Exemptions are granted for students exclusively registered for the following: distance education courses (CECS); courses for which no tuition is assessed; continuous registration status courses; and high school students enrolled under the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Act. Students who are exempt from the activity fee may elect to pay the fee.

An adjustment to the activity fee is applied according to the tuition adjustment schedule for students who withdraw or change to an exempt status as defined above.

Application: The application fee for domestic undergraduates and graduate students is $30, the fee for international undergraduate students is $50, while the fee for international graduate students is $70. All applicants for Veterinary Medicine pay an application fee of $60.  This is a nonrefundable fee and must accompany the application for admission. This fee does not apply to special students or workshop applicants, and is subject to change without notice.

Applied Music (Private Instruction):  The music fee is charged to students receiving private music instruction and is in addition to regular tuition. The fee offsets the costs of one-on-one instruction. One credit of instruction is $90; while the fee for 2 credits is $130.

Camp: A special tuition rate is assessed to students participating in camp programs. The undergraduate assessment is $204 per credit and the graduate rate is $318 per credit. Summer camp programs entitled to the special rate are Anthropology and Geology. Students will be charged other fees in addition to tuition for enrolling in these programs. To obtain total fee information, students should contact the director of the individual program.

Computer: Computer: All students will be charged a computer fee each semester.

Full-time graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Engineering (including Systems Engineering) are charged $218.50 per semester.

Full-time graduate and undergraduate students majoring in Computer Science or undergraduate students majoring in Management Information Systems are charged $173.50 per semester.

All other full-time undergraduate students are charged the standard computer fee of $102 per semester. Full-time graduate students are charged an $81 per semester computer fee.

Students enrolled less than full-time are assessed prorated computer fees according to the number of credits for which they are enrolled.

High school students enrolled under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act; or students enrolled exclusively in courses for which no tuition is assessed are not assessed a computer fee.

For students who withdraw, computer fee adjustments will be made according to the tuition adjustment schedule. Adjustments for a reduction in credits below a full time load is 100 percent through the second week, with no refunds after the second week. Students who change their major will be charged the full computer fee for the major into which they transfer if the change occurs before the end of the second week. If the change occurs after the second week, then no change in the computer fee assessment will occur.

Continuing Education and Communication Services (CECS): Undergraduate students enrolled in distance education through CECS pay $204 per credit with a maximum charge of $2,445; graduate students pay $318 per credit, with a maximum of $2,854. Students enrolled in MBA courses pay $413 per credit with a maximum of $3,709. Nonresident students who enroll in a combination of on-campus anddistance education courses are assessed the nonresident rate for all credits. The tuition applies to both credit and audit enrollments.

Developmental Chemistry: Students enrolled in Chemistry 50 will be charged $225.  This is a separate fee which is charged in addition to other fees and tuition. 

Developmental English: Students enrolled in English 99L will be charged $240, while students enrolled in English 99R will be charged $160.  These are separate fees which are charged in addition to other fees and tuition. 

Developmental Mathematics: Students enrolled in Math 10-30 courses will be charged $408. This is a separate fee which is charged in addition to other fees and tuition. Students will be charged the developmental math fee each term they are enrolled in a Math 10-30 course.

Graduation: Undergraduate and graduate students are charged a $35 graduation fee the term they receive their degree.

Health Facility: All students are charged an $8 Health Facility Fee each semester except for students exclusively registered for the following: distance education courses; courses for which no tuition is assessed; continuous registration status courses; and high school students enrolled under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act. These exceptions do not apply to international students (except where noted) or graduate students on graduate assistantships.  For students who withdraw or change to an exempt status as defined above, the refund schedule for tuition will be used for the health facility fee.

Students who carry the ISU sponsored student health insurance must also be assessed the health facility fee. 

Health (Student Health): An $85 student health fee, which partially finances the services of the Thielen Student Health Center , is charged to all students each semester. This fee is not assessed to students enrolled for four or fewer credits or students exclusively registered for the following: distance education courses; courses for which no tuition is assessed; continuous registration status courses; weekend MBA courses; Lakeside Laboratory courses; and high school students enrolled under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act. (These exemptions do not apply to international students or to graduate students on graduate assistantships.) Students who are exempt from the health fee may participate in the Health Plus Plan.

Students who withdraw or change to an exempt status as defined above will receive a credit adjustment of 100 percent during the first two weeks, with no credit adjustment after the second week. Students who add courses at any time during the semester will be assessed the student health fee if applicable according to the guidelines stated above.Students who carry the ISU sponsored insurance must also be assessed the student health fee. If spouse or domestic partner is covered under the insurance plan, the spouse (domestic partner) must also be covered under the Health Plus Plan.

Health Insurance: All international students and their accompanying dependents must enroll in the ISU Student and Scholar Health Insurance Program. ISU requires nonimmigrant international students and their dependents to purchase and maintain coverage through the ISU health insurance plan for the duration of their tenure at the university. Insurance plans purchased outside the university may be used for supplemental coverage, but cannot be substituted for the ISU plan. Students not assessed the mandatory Student Health Fee and spouses of students are eligible to participate in the Health Plus Plan. Contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 515-294-4820 for more information.

Late Fee Payment: If payment of the minimum due is not made by the deadline printed on the billing statement, all fees become due immediately. A one-percent finance charge will be assessed on the total amount due at that time. These students will also have a hold placed on their registration until payment of the total amount due has been made.

Late Registration: Undergraduate students who do not complete their registration before the first day of classes are charged a $20 late registration fee. Graduate students who do not complete their registration before the first day of classes are charged a late registration fee of $20 during the first week of classes, $50 the second week of classes, and $100 the third week of classes or anytime later.

New Student Programs: A nonrefundable fee of $140 is assessed to all new degree-seeking undergraduates (including new direct from high school and new transfer students). The fee covers full costs associated with orientation and Destination Iowa State programming, including publications, mailings, programming, and student assistants who provide services to students and their families during orientation and Destination Iowa State .

Schedule Change: Starting the sixth day of classes a $10 fee is charged for course drops, additions, and section changes. One fee is assessed for multiple changes processed at the same time for the same term.

Senior: A $2 fee covers the cost of special senior activities. This fee is optional and is assessed spring term only.

Special Course: Some courses have expenses above the cost of tuition that enhance the instruction. These fees may cover the cost of field trips, use of equipment, materials or supplies, or professional support. Applicable special course fees are listed with the specific course in the Schedule of Classes available at www.adp.iastate.edu/cgi-bin/class. Special course fees also appear on each student’s schedule detail available on AccessPlus.

Sponsored International Student: This fee is assessed to the sponsor of international students as a way to compensate for the special record keeping, billing requirements, correspondence, and the deferred payment option extended to sponsoring agencies. The current fee will be 5 percent of the total tuition charge billed the sponsor. In succeeding years, the fee may be raised after 90 days advance notice to the sponsoring agency.

Study Abroad: Tuition assessment for study abroad credits, up to a maximum of 12 credits, is above and beyond tuition for other courses taken during the same term.

Transcript: Students may obtain an official transcript of their student academic record for $10. An additional $2 service charge for each transcript is assessed for same day service.

Workshops: The fee for one-credit workshops, with no other course enrollments, is $204 for undergraduate students and $318 for graduate students.

Other Fees

Catalog: $5
Diploma Replacement: $25
Identification Card Replacement: $20
Returned Check Charge/Returned Direct Debit: $30
Masters Thesis: $15
Ph.D. Thesis: $70