Toledo Tuition Guarantee FAQs
The following frequently asked questions are intended to provide more detail about the Tuition Guarantee. If you have additional questions, please contact Rocket Solution Central at rsc@utoledo.edu or 419.530.8700.
Overview
What is the Toledo Tuition Guarantee Plan?
The Tuition Guarantee provides a fixed tuition rate for a four-year period for new, degree-seeking undergraduate students, starting from their initial enrollment, which can be summer, fall or spring. Summer enrollees are assigned to the subsequent fall cohort. Under the plan, in-state tuition, on-campus housing, meal plans, and general and miscellaneous student services fees (which are applicable to all students regardless of course of study) will remain fixed for four years.
What is the purpose of the Plan?
The University of Toledo is proud to offer one of the lowest tuition rates among public universities in Ohio. The Tuition Guarantee adds another level of certainty for students and their families by providing:
- Price transparency,
- Tuition consistency to help families budget for a four-year time period, and
- A financial incentive for earning a bachelor’s degree within four years.
Which students are affected by the Tuition Guarantee?
A. Participation in the Tuition Guarantee applies to all new, degree-seeking undergraduate or transfer students enrolling at UToledo for the first time in summer or fall semester 2018, or later.
If I started at UToledo Before Fall 2018, Am I Able to Participate in the Tuition Guarantee?
No, with the exception of new students who enrolled in summer 2018, current students who enrolled before fall 2018 are not eligible for this plan.
If you enrolled for the first time as a degree-seeking student in summer 2018, you will pay the continuing student tuition rate for the summer term, but will be assigned to the entering semester cohort that immediately follows fall 2018.
How does the Tuition Guarantee work?
It works by providing you fixed rates for tuition, general and miscellaneous student services fees, on-campus housing and meal plans for four years. The amount you pay for those fees the first year will not change over your next three years at UToledo. Room and board charges are guaranteed for four years for students who live on campus and who maintain the same level meal plan for all four years.
This does not necessarily mean that your per-semester charges will remain the same over the four-year guarantee period because your enrolled hours may vary or you may incur other costs that are not covered by the Tuition Guarantee. Examples of non-covered fees include: college-specific fees, course fees, upper-level fees and the out-of-state surcharge.
Will the Tuition Guarantee Affect My Scholarship(s)?
No. As long as you meet your scholarships’ requirements, as detailed in the terms and conditions located at http://www.utoledo.edu/financialaid/scholarships/termsandconditions/index.html, all of UToledo’s four-year (eight-semester) renewable scholarships hold their value through your Tuition Guarantee eligibility period. Because tuition and fees included in the Tuition Guarantee will not change, the same percentage of those costs are met by your renewable scholarship.
What happens to my four-year scholarship if I have an extended Tuition Guarantee period?
If you are in a program that allows you to extend your Tuition Guarantee period a fifth year, your four-year (eight-semester) scholarship will not be extended for the fifth year.
What costs are included in the Tuition Guarantee?
The Tuition Guarantee includes in-state tuition, the general fee, the miscellaneous student services fee, on-campus housing and meal plans, regardless of course of study. The miscellaneous student services fee includes the library, special service, facilities and undergraduate career services fees.
How does the on-campus housing and meal plan rate guarantee work?
How much you pay for room and board depends on your selected or assigned residence type (e.g., two- vs. four-person room) and its location (e.g., Academic House vs. Ottawa House). If you change from one room type and/or residence hall to another during your Tuition Guarantee period, your housing rate charges may be adjusted. However, you are guaranteed the price schedule for housing that is in effect throughout your cohort period.
Because meal plans include a number of options, your actual meal plan price will be based on the meal plan you select. While the price is guaranteed during the cohort period, food items purchased with your dining dollars at UToledo retail locations are subject to price changes.
Although you are guaranteed the price schedule for meal plans throughout your cohort period, dining plans changed outside of the advertised change period will be assessed an administrative fee.
Am I required to live on campus and buy a meal plan?
UToledo students who reside further than 25 miles from campus are required to live on campus for their first two years. Any student living on campus is required to have a meal plan, with the exception of McComas Village (Greek housing).
In the event that demand for residence hall housing exceeds supply, first- and second-year students are given priority. As a result, while the cost of on-campus housing is fixed for four years, availability cannot be guaranteed beyond a student’s second year.
Note: You do not need to live on campus to purchase a meal plan.
Is Honors Academic Village included in the on-campus housing and meal plan fees covered by the Tuition Guarantee?
Yes, the Honors Academic Village rates are guaranteed for the length of your guarantee.
Eligibility and Enrollment Status
Who Qualifies to Participate in the Tuition Guarantee?
As addressed above, beginning with the 2018-19 academic year, the Toledo Tuition Guarantee Plan applies to all new, degree-seeking undergraduate students who enroll at the University for the first time as first-year students or as transfer students.
The first semester that qualifies for the Tuition Guarantee is summer semester 2018. Those students who enrolled at UToledo before summer semester 2018 are not eligible to participate in the Tuition Guarantee. The Plan also does not apply to graduate students, non degree-seeking students, guest students, exchange students and students participating in College Credit Plus or other pre-enrollment or postsecondary option programs.
If I begin attending UToledo in summer 2018, am I included in the Tuition Guarantee?
Yes, if you enroll for the first time as a degree-seeking student in summer 2018, you will pay the continuing student tuition rate for the summer term, but will be assigned to the cohort associated with your next fall or spring enrollment.
For example, if you register for classes fall 2018, you will be part of the 2018-19 cohort, with your guarantee rate starting that fall and expiring at the end of summer 2022. If you instead defer your next registration until spring 2019, you will still be part of the 2018-19 cohort with your guarantee rate starting in that spring and expiring at the end of fall 2022.
Can non-degree seeking students participate in the Tuition Guarantee?
No, the plan does not apply to non-degree-seeking students. Should you become a new, degree-seeking student at some point, you will be assigned to the appropriate cohort group at that time.
If I am currently enrolled in high school and taking UToledo courses through a program such as College Credit Plus, does the Tuition Guarantee apply to me?
No, the plan is available only to new, degree-seeking undergraduate students. However, once you complete high school and are admitted to a UToledo undergraduate degree program, you will become a new degree-seeking student and, as such, the Tuition Guarantee will apply to you.
If I Participated in College Credit Plus at Another Institution Before Attending UToledo, Am I Considered a New First-Year Student?
Yes, federal and state education policies define someone as a “new first-year student” when he/she first enrolls in a college or university after receiving a high school diploma. Therefore, students who earned credit through College Credit Plus or similar programs while in high school are considered new first-year students only when they enroll as a degree-seeking student at UToledo.
If I am a non-resident undergraduate student, can I benefit from the Tuition Guarantee?
Yes. For all undergraduates in the Tuition Guarantee, tuition charges are covered along with the general fee, miscellaneous student services fee, and room and meal plans. However, the out-of-state surcharge, which is an additional fee paid by students who are not residents of the state of Ohio and do not live in an area covered by a reciprocity agreement, is not part of the Tuition Guarantee and could change annually.
Additionally, international students pay an International Students Services fee each semester, which also could change annually.
Please review the Tuition and Fees brochure to learn more about specific non-Ohio resident charges.
If I began at UToledo as a non-resident for tuition purposes and then became an Ohio resident after my first year, can I benefit from the Tuition Guarantee?
The Tuition Guarantee does not apply to your out-of-state surcharge, but is applicable to in-state tuition, general and miscellaneous student services fees, on-campus housing and meal plans. If you become an Ohio resident for tuition purposes (see criteria), you will remain in the guarantee cohort in which you started, but would no longer pay the out-of-state surcharge.
If I Participate in UToledo’s Study Abroad Program, Will it Affect the Tuition Guarantee Plan?
No. If you are studying abroad and paying tuition to UToledo, the Tuition Guarantee applies. If you are paying fees to an outside study abroad program, it does not.
Note: The semester(s) in which you are enrolled in study abroad will count towards your cohort period.
If I study abroad and then find out that the courses I need to graduate are not available in the four-year Tuition Guarantee Plan period, can I get an extension?
A. No. You are responsible for ensuring that you will be able to meet all program requirements before enrolling in a study abroad program.
Does the Tuition Guarantee Apply to Students Who Are Enrolled in Online Classes or Online Degree Programs?
Yes, the Tuition Guarantee applies to all new, degree-seeking undergraduate students, which includes online courses and online degree programs.
Academic credits and time periods
How long does the Tuition Guarantee last?
The four academic years of the Tuition Guarantee begin with the first fall or spring semester you enroll as a new, degree-seeking undergraduate student and includes 12 consecutive semesters, plus any intersessions within that period.
What if I enroll in the summer for my first semester at UToledo?
If you enroll for the first time in summer semester, your tuition and fees will be based on the rates charged to the prior cohort.*
After that, you will be assigned to the entering cohort that immediately follows and be guaranteed its fixed rates. This provides you with 12 consecutive semesters of the Tuition Guarantee.
*Students who started in summer 2018 will pay the continuing student rate for the initial term, but will be assigned the entering semester cohort that immediately follows.
How many credit hours may I take at the Tuition Guarantee rate?
Although there is no limit to the number of credit hours you can take at the guarantee rate, tuition charges are based on the number of credit hours you register for in a semester. If you register for fewer than 12 credit hours, you are considered part-time and pay tuition based on your cohort’s per credit hour rate. If you register for 12 credit hours or more, you are considered full-time. You will pay a flat rate for 12 to 18 credit hours and an additional cohort per credit hour rate for every additional credit hour over 18 hours. View undergraduate tuition and fees table.
What if I first enroll starting in spring rather than fall semester?
Your cohort is based on the academic year in which you first enroll as a new, degree-seeking undergraduate student. All students of each cohort will have the Tuition Guarantee rate that is fixed for four consecutive academic years from the time of enrollment.
Each cohort’s academic year contains two cohort semester groups — one for fall semester and one for spring semester — which are used to determine the student’s cohort period. For example, for the academic year 2018-19, students who start in fall semester will have a cohort period from fall 2018 through summer 2022. Students who start in the spring will have a cohort period from spring 2019 through fall 2022.
Does the Tuition Guarantee cover classes in intersessions or summer terms?
Yes. The pricing structure is the same as fall and spring semesters. If you are enrolled full time (e.g., taking 12 to 18 hours), you will pay a flat rate for tuition, the general fee and the miscellaneous student services fees. If you are enrolled part time (taking fewer than 12 hours), you will pay your cohort’s per credit hour rate for each credit hour.
What if I do not graduate in four years?
If you take classes beyond the four-year guarantee period and are not part of a program designed to take longer than four years, you will be assessed fees at the undergraduate Non-Guarantee rate.
You may request an extension of your guaranteed cohort price if you do not finish your degree in four years. Such requests will be evaluated by a Tuition Guarantee appeals committee. Exemptions will be granted to students called to active military service or those who cannot complete the degree program due to required courses being unavailable.
An extension of the Guarantee Plan does not equate to an extension of your scholarship.
A link to the Tuition Guarantee Appeal form may be found here.
What is the oldest unexpired cohort.
It is the cohort next in line to expire. For example, if cohort 1 starts fall 2018 and expires summer 2022, and cohort 2 starts fall 2019 and expires summer 2023, then in fall 2022 the oldest unexpired cohort is cohort 2.
What if I enroll in a program that is designed to take longer than four years?
Students in programs that may take longer than four years to complete because they require more than 126 credit hours – for instance, for accreditation or licensing requirements, or for required internships or co-ops – will be granted a one-year extension. View the list of applicable programs.
What if I transfer to UToledo from another college or university?
If you transfer to UToledo for the first time from another college or university on or after fall semester 2018, you are included in the Tuition Guarantee.
What if I need to withdraw from all of my courses for a semester?
Students who officially withdraw from all of their UToledo (fall/spring) semester courses will retain their original cohort rate until the expiration of their cohort period. Depending on the reason for complete withdrawal, you may be eligible for an extension of your cohort period—for instance, if you leave to treat a serious or sudden medical condition.
What if I need to drop a course or withdraw from a course after the term starts?
Students who decide not to attend or stop attending any of their classes for which they have registered must drop (if before the end of the drop period) or withdraw (if after the drop period but before the end of the withdrawal period) from the course(s).
Students who drop or withdraw from a course(s) will retain their original cohort rate until the expiration of their cohort period.
Specific drop and withdrawal dates for a term are listed on the University's academic calendar and Registrar Office important dates, or by contacting Rocket Solution Central (RSC) 419.530.8700.
What happens if I cannot complete my program in four years due to a lack of required classes or space in required classes provided by UToledo?
If the appeals committee finds that you cannot complete your chosen degree program within the four academic years of your Tuition Guarantee cohort due solely to a lack of available classes or space in classes provided by the University, UToledo will provide you with an opportunity to take the necessary course or courses without requiring the payment of tuition for those credit hours.
To be considered for this exception, your appeal must demonstrate the affected coursework was required via the student’s Degree Audit Report (DAR), that you met with an advisor prior to the start of the second week of classes of the term(s) in question to discuss alternatives, and that no resolution was available.
If I leave UToledo and return later, may I still benefit from the Tuition Guarantee?
Yes. The Tuition Guarantee lasts four consecutive academic years. If you leave and re-enroll during your initial four-year time period, you will continue to pay the guaranteed rate up through the end of the original four-year time period. If you do not graduate during that period, you will be placed into the oldest unexpired cohort.
Readmitted students who first enrolled at UToledo as degree-seeking students prior to summer 2018 will not be part of the Tuition Guarantee and will follow the traditional tuition model. This includes transfer readmit students who went to another university and then later returned to UToledo.
Readmitted students who first enrolled at UToledo as degree-seeking students in summer 2018 or later will be part of the Tuition Guarantee when they return to UToledo.
In certain situations, you may be granted an extension, such as for medical or family emergencies. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis by an appeals committee.
How does being called to military service affect the Tuition Guarantee?
If you are called to military service in the U.S. Armed Services, you will be given an automatic extension of your guaranteed cohort price based on the number of academic terms impacted by your military service absence. Supporting documentation of your inability to continue your academic program will be needed.
If I am in a program during which my fourth year of undergraduate study is graduate-level course work, will the Tuition Guarantee still apply?
Students admitted to an established undergraduate-to-graduate pipeline program may enroll in graduate-level coursework as outlined by the program. This enrollment will be at their guaranteed undergraduate tuition rate until their cohort period expires or their undergraduate degree is completed. View list of programs.
If I am enrolled in more than one major, am I eligible for an extension of the four-year Tuition Guarantee?
No, extensions to the four-year Tuition Guarantee period are granted only for students who are in an academic program that exceeds 126 credit hours and generally requires more than four years to complete.
If I changed majors and was not able to complete my program in four years even though my final major required 120 hours, am I eligible for an extension of the four-year Tuition Guarantee?
No, extensions to the four-year Tuition Guarantee period are granted only for students who are in an academic program that exceeds 126 credit hours or has been designed to require more than four years to complete because of required internships or co-ops.
If I am approved to enroll in graduate courses prior to the completion of my bachelor’s degree, how will the four-year Tuition Guarantee be impacted?
Undergraduate students are only entitled to enroll in graduate courses prior to completing their bachelor’s when they are admitted to an established undergraduate-to-graduate pipeline programs at UToledo. View list of programs. Students admitted to an established undergraduate-to-graduate pipeline program may enroll in graduate-level coursework as outlined by the program. This enrollment will be at their guaranteed undergraduate tuition rate until their cohort period expires, or their undergraduate degree is completed.
If I finish my undergraduate degree early, can I take graduate-level coursework at the Tuition Guarantee rate?
A. No, the only students who may take graduate coursework and pay the undergraduate tuition are students who are admitted to an established undergraduate-to-graduate pipeline program. (View list of pipeline programs and additional information in answer immediately above.)
Note: Students who complete their undergraduate degree before or by the end of their Tuition Guarantee period are eligible to receive a scholarship of $500 towards graduate education at UToledo. To be eligible, you must enroll in a UToledo graduate program no more than three semesters (excluding summer) following completion of your bachelor’s degree. This scholarship will be awarded following the completion of your first semester of graduate work.
Other Costs
What fees are not included in the Tuition Guarantee?
All fees not specifically identified as part of the Plan are excluded from the guaranteed cohort price and are subject to price changes. Fees not included in the Tuition Guarantee are those related to:
- Residency status
- College/program and major/concentration
- Course and course level
- Fees not charged to all UToledo students
- Fees charged only once
These include the out-of-state surcharge, technology, service charges and fines, course fees, special purpose fees and costs such as student health insurance.
Why isn’t the technology fee included if all students pay technology fees?
Technology fees are assessed differently by different colleges, depending on requirements. As such, the University does not assess a single technology fee.
Are textbooks included in the Tuition Guarantee?
No, textbooks are not included. However, UToledo launched a new digital content course materials program in fall 2018 that helps to reduce textbook costs for some high-enrollment classes to assist further students with the cost of earning a UToledo degree.
Will the Tuition Guarantee affect my financial aid?
No, it will not impact your financial aid. Your financial aid will be deducted from your total bill, and then you are responsible for paying any remaining balance.
Whom do I contact if I have other questions about the Tuition Guarantee?
Please direct questions to Rocket Solution Central at rsc@utoledo.edu or 419.530.8700.
Ohio Department of Education - Directive 2018-0009