• Tuition Deposit
• Scholarships and Assistantships
• Employer Tuition Assistance
• Other Sources of Financial Assistance
• Class Registration - Payment of Tuition & Fees
• Graduate Fee Schedule 2008-2009
• Personal Finances
• Bank Accounts
• Campus Flex Account

TUITION DEPOSIT

The tuition deposit is required of full-time graduate students. Your tuition deposit reserves your place in the entering class and allows you to apply for RIT operated housing if you want to live on campus. The tuition deposit will be credited to your student account and applied toward your first quarter’s tuition, and it is non-refundable.

Payment options:
1) Pay your tuition deposit online

2) Send a check or money order in U.S. funds made payable to Rochester Institute of Technology. Include your name and University ID number on the check or money order. Send the deposit with your completed “Acceptance of Admission” form to RIT Office of Graduate Enrollment Services, 58 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, New York 14623.

3) Wire transfer funds from your financial institution to the following address: HSBC, 140 Broadway, ATTN: Rochester. ABA 021001088, RIT Central Deposit 590831020

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EMPLOYER TUITION ASSISTANCE

Firms offering 100% tuition reimbursement, or 100% up to $5,250 may qualify for the Employer Sponsored Tuition Plan. RIT extends a full-quarter deferment to students from participating firms. Students must obtain official verification of their eligibility from their Tuition Aid Administrator, and must be in good financial standing from previous quarters. For more information, contact us at opes@rit.edu

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COMPANY DEFERRED PAYMENT PLAN

Students working for firms that do not qualify for ESTP, or for firms that choose not to participate, may qualify for this deferment program, which extends to the mid-quarter billing. As with ESTP, students must be in good financial standing, and have verification of the firm’s tuition reimbursement practice.
Contact us for more information at opes@rit.edu

SCHOLARSHIPS AND ASSISTANTSHIPS

Full-time, accepted graduate students may be awarded scholarships and assistantships by the academic departments. The awarding of scholarships generally occurs during the Admission review process. If you have been awarded a scholarship, notification is included in this packet. The amount of your award is also shown on your I-20. You must indicate that you accept the award by signing the notification and returning it to your academic department, or to the Office of Financial Aid.

Assistantships are awarded through the academic departments and the process varies by department. For more information regarding application procedures, please contact the graduate coordinator in your academic department.

If you have not been awarded a scholarship or assistantship, you can contact your academic advisor concerning opportunities that might be available to you after you enroll at RIT.

A variety of offices on campus hire graduate assistants to work while they are here on campus. Following are opportunities you may want to explore:

Click here for information on Student Affairs Assistantships Available

Click here for information on Study Abroad Assistantships Available

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OTHER SOURCES OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply for need based financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Part-time and online learning students are also eligible to apply for this aid, provided that they meet the citizenship or residency requirement. For more information, contact the contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

OTHER SOURCES OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

1. Alternative educational loans - Alternative educational loans are private loans (non-federal) offered through banks to supplement financial aid awards. RIT is required to certify these loans to ensure that the loan amount does not exceed the cost of attendance less all other financial aid. Most alternative loans are disbursed equally into student accounts according to enrollment plans. If you decide that an alternative loan is right for you, you may borrow from any lender that you choose. When choosing a lender for an alternative loan, you may wish to consider the following factors:

• Loan costs (interest rates and fees)
• Borrower benefits and discounts
• Customer service

Finaid! The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid provides additional information on alternative loans and guidance on selecting a lender. That information can be found at http://www.finaid.org/loans/privateloan.phtml. We encourage students to review information on at least the factors listed above when choosing a lender for an alternative loan. For additional information regarding responsible student loan borrowing and evaluating student loan lenders, visit the responsible student loan borrowing page.

When applying for your loan remember to request the amount of funds for the full academic year. Once your application has been approved with a credit check, we will certify your eligibility and schedule the disbursement of funds directly into your RIT account. Credit checks on alternative loans are only valid for a period of time that is determined by the lender. In many cases, the lenders use 180 days. An application completed too soon before the start of your first term may not be valid.

2. Student Employment – Full-time international students admitted to a degree program (12 or more credits or full-time equivalents) may hold part-time jobs on campus. You can apply for campus jobs after you arrive on campus through the Student Employment Office.  Students may not work more than 20 hours per week. You will need to apply for a Social Security number during International Orientation, and SSN applications may also be obtained from the Social Security Administration at 100 State Street in Rochester. U.S. income taxes may be due on these earnings. Students on F-1 or J-1 visas are not allowed to work off-campus without the permission of the International Student Program Coordinator or the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

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CLASS REGISTRATION – PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES
If you register for classes or apply for campus housing before you arrive, your quarterly tuition bill notifications will be generated approximately 6 weeks prior to the start of classes, and payment is due approximately 2 weeks before the start of classes. View your bill on-line with Student Financial Services at eService.

If you register after you arrive, you will be expected to pay the first quarter’s tuition at the Student Financial Services office by the first day of classes. After the first day of classes, late payment fees on amounts not yet paid or arranged for will be charged. There are several options for payment plans, such as Quarterly Payment Plan, Monthly Payment Plan, and Discover or MasterCard.

ELECTRONIC BILLING PROCEDURES

The university has an electronic billing (eBill) program for students. Each quarter, all RIT students receive an email notification to their official university email account, stating that their eBill is available. Students have the option of selecting three additional email addresses to allow for a parent, guardian, sponsor, or other authorized user to receive eBill notifications.

COSTS AND PAYMENT PROCEDURES

Charges for tuition, fees, room and board are computed on a quarterly basis. University billing statements may be payed by cash, check or electronic check (e-check). The university does not accept credit card payments for tuition, fees, room and board that appear on the student billing statement. However, we have an arrangement for a third-party vendor to accept MasterCard and Discover Card when payment is made online. The vendor does charge a service fee for each credit card transaction. Billing-related payments by check may be mailed to:

Student Financial Services,
P.O. Box 92878-200
Rochester, NY 14692-8978

Payments may also be made in person at the Student Financial Services Office on the first floor of the George Eastman Building. Credit card and e-check payments may be made at http://ipay.rit.edu.

The student billing office at RIT is known as Student Financial Services and is available on-line. Questions regarding your account balance, tuition charges and payment procedures should be directed to Student Financial Services.  View your bill on-line with Student Financial Services at eService.

¹ This is the annual rate for 12 months. For students entering in quarters other than Fall, this amount will be reduced.

Part-time and Online

Tuition (1-11 credit hours)	$848/credit hour
Fees	none
Books/Supplies/Other	varies by course

¹ RIT health insurance required for all full-time graduate students.  

² Estimate based on shared costs for rent, utilities and food in RIT apartments.  Choice of housing will determine (and possibly increase)

 actual cost.  If you live in RIT housing, your living expenses will vary depending on where you live.  Additional information regarding on-campus housing options and costs is included in the Apartment Living brochure enclosed.

³ Photograpy and art students should estimate an additional $2,000 for materials and supplies per 9-month period of study.

*Costs other than tuition and fees are estimates and do not include personal expenses.  Actual living costs  will depend on

 personal choice.

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PERSONAL FINANCES

You should bring enough money with you for your first few weeks at RIT. Many students have found it helpful to bring $1,000 in traveler’s checks. You may also wish to consider using an ATM machine on campus to access cash from an account previously established at a U.S. bank or one in another country. The ATM machines on campus are supplied by HSBC Bank, Bank of America and M&T Bank and use the NYCE, CIRRUS, Global Access, PLUS, Visa, and MasterCard networks. You should not carry more than $100 in cash.

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BANK ACCOUNTS

You may open a checking and/or savings account at a bank in the Rochester area usually between the hours of 9:30 am and 3:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. It will take about 2 weeks for your new account to be activated, and for you to receive personalized checks from the bank. An account opened with a check from an overseas bank may take longer to activate.

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CAMPUS FLEX ACCOUNT

RIT has a convenient “Tiger Bucks” system. You may place an amount of money in an account at RIT, called Tiger Bucks, and then use your Student ID to make purchases on campus, such as in the bookstore, food service areas, library, and vending machines. 
Arrangements for the opening of a Tiger Bucks account can be made with the Student Financial Services Office, (585) 475-6186 or Dining Services Office, (585) 475-2228

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