Billing Policy on Overcredit Tuition Charges for Undergraduates

For Academic Year 2024-2025

(1) A Per-Semester maximum Credit Allotment allows up to 17 credits of attempted credit hours for fall and spring, included in regular, full-time tuition, (or *18 credits allotted for specific majors/enrolled terms; see chart below). With this across-the-board 17-credit allotment for undergraduates, all courses are billable and there are no overcredit waivers.

(2) Credit allotments for each major, by semester, are listed in the university catalog. Fall and spring listings are categorized by individual year to demonstrate a traditional, 8-semester/4-year progression to degree completion. There is an update in the definition of 'year of study' to a sequenced count of enrolled semesters at MU, starting with the Admit Term; this replaces the former definition of class standing by earned credits (FR, SO, JR, SR).

(3) Overcredit tuition is now billed per-semester; the system is automated to charge Overcredits each fall and spring term based on current Self Service enrollment. The system will assess eligible charges at the start of the billing cycle in July (fall) and December (spring) and the system will add or reverse charges in real-time according to add/drop activity through the close of the Add/Drop period. Per-semester billing replaces the previous policy of billing Overcredits annually in the spring term.

  • Where can I find the per-semester Credit Allotment associated with my major?

    The formal disclosure of your Credit Allotment is in the undergraduate university catalog for your admit term/ academic year. Example, if you were admitted in Fall 2021, your catalog year is 2021-2022.

    Navigate to your School and current major in the catalog to view the Credit Allotment which lists the credits per-semester and by a sequenced count of terms you enrolled in since your Admit Term (designated as ‘first year’, ‘second year’, etc.) The per-semester listing includes fall and spring credit loads for a traditional progression through four academic years. Beyond the scope of this progression, the allotment of credits will be 17.

  • What credits count toward my Credit Limit and how does the system determine the Overcredit charge?

    The attempted credit hours on Self Service is identified by the system, and then compared to the catalog Credit Allotment listing for your major and year.

    If your registration is 17 credits or less, the system will assess the regular, full-time tuition with no extra charges.

    Students enrolled in 18 credits or more, and not in an eligible major/term allotting 18 credits, (see 2024-2025 Catalog Allowance for 18 credits below), will be charged additional tuition, ‘Tuition- Overcredits’, at the 2024-2025 per-credit rate of $1,430 for the number of credits that exceed the allowable maximum.

  • Examples of enrollment loads and tuition rate charges

    Per-term enrollment for 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 credits is charged the base, full-time tuition rate.

    • Enrollment in 18 credits* will yield an Overcredit charge of $1,430: 18 credit load minus 17 credit across the board allotment = 1 overload credit billed at per-credit rate of $1,430.
    • Enrollment in 19 credits will yield an Overcredit charge of $2,860: 19 credit load minus 17 credit across the board allotment = 2 overload credits billed at per-credit rate of $2,860.

    *Students in a major/term(s) listed in the 2024-2025 Catalog Allowance for 18 credits (below) are charged the regular, full-time tuition rate for 12 through 18 credits. Overload charges for this group will begin at 19 credits or more.

    Students enrolling in less than 12 credits are charged a Part-Time tuition rate.

Other Notes and Tips

  • Enrollment hours for the semester are locked at the close of the published Add/Drop period.
  • Each fall and spring semester is independent, and allotments cannot carryforward or carryback. Enrolling in fewer credits during one of your semesters does not result in an “underload”; earning fewer credits than anticipated through course withdrawal or failure to meet requirements, has no impact on a semester’s Overcredit billing which is locked in with attempted credits at the close of the Add/Drop period.
  • For the regular, full-time tuition charge, associated fees also apply. Tuition and fee rates for the current academic year can be found on the Student Accounts website
  • The university sets the full-time tuition rate each year based on the anticipated course load of all students by major. Reasons for overload (i.e., pursuing a second major, minor, upwards or downwards certification, repeating a course) are unable to considered as overrides to the financial policy.
  • Students on full or partial scholarships, institutional or private, are not exempt from overcredit charges if they take credits in excess of those allotted by the catalog. Consult with the source of the aid for guidance.
  • Summer and winter intersession terms are independent from Overcredit billing process, with tuition and fees for intersession terms charged on a per-credit basis.
  • Students whose admit term was a spring term will count that Admit Term as semester 1
  • Specific courses are listed in the catalog by semester; flexibility with exact course selection/placement may vary and must be discussed with the advisor(s), specifically if the major includes sequenced courses. Undergraduate students should discuss their semester workload and course overload plans with their Academic Advisor.
  • While advisors assist students with course selection and degree planning overall, the student is accountable for their ultimate selections and pursuing completion of their degree requirements. Advisors are not accountable to forewarn students about billing charges.
  • Starting Fall 2023, all courses on the university inventory are billable. The following courses are no longer eligible for bypassing the attempted credit hours part of the semester schedule: BIOL 310, 410, 413; CHEM 460, 461; COMM 102, 103, 104; ENGL 209; MUSC 130, 131, 132, 133; SCI 105, THEA 134.
  • In addition to the catalog policy, information, and reminders about Overcredits are provided in the tuition billing messages each semester and via online, annual consent reminder on the student account suite.
  • This financial policy became effective July 1, 2023 and supersedes all previous Overcredit guidance whether discussed, or in writing.

2024-2025 Catalog Allowance for 18 credits

The following categories of majors/terms are eligible for a maximum of 18 credits per term under the base tuition rate.

MAJOR
Semester(s) allowing 18 credits

ACCT

Semester 6

ADED/Engl-SoSt

Semester 6

ASDG

Semesters 6, 8

BIOC (BA)

Semester 8 (19 crs)

BIOC (BS)

Semesters 3, 8

BIOL (BS)

Semester 7

CHEM (BA)

Semesters 3, 7

CHEM (BS)

Semesters 3, 5, 6

CHML

Semesters 3, 7, 8

CHSP

Semester 8

CIVL

Semester 3, 7

CMPE/ELEC

Semesters 3, 7, 8

ENSC (BS)

Semester 3

MECH

Semester 3, 5

SPCE

Semesters 5, 6

SPSE (Adol/Dual – Biol)

Semester 4

SPSE (Adol/Dual – Chem or Engl)

Semester 6

SPSE (Adol/Dual – Math)

Semesters 5, 6, 8

Questions about Overcredits can be emailed to: jaspercentral@manhattan.edu