Financial Obligations and Refund Policy

Estimated Tuition, Fees and Books (per term):

12-18 Credit Hours Per Term
Estimated Tuition ($221/credit hour)		$3315
Basic Student Fees ($55/credit hour)		$825
Estimated Academic Service Fee		$360
Book Cost Estimate		$600
Academic Term Total		$5,100
Out-of-State Tuition ($373/credit hour)*		$5,595
Guaranteed Tuition Rate (24-25)		$254

*Non-Resident Students pay both in-state and out-of-state tuition for a total of $594 a credit hour.

Estimated On-Campus Living Expenses (per term):

Sparks Housing Rates
Double Occupancy Room	$2,100
Private Room w/ Shared Bath	$3,150

Robertson Housing Rates
Double Occupancy Room	$2,100

Lawson Court Housing Rates
4 Bedroom Furnished Apartment	$3,100
2 Bedroom Furnished Apartment	$3,700

Lawson Court Summer Housing Rates
4 Bedroom Furnished Apartment	$3,100
2 Bedroom Furnished Apartment	$3,700

Food Plans
19 Cafeteria Meals + $250 FLEX	$2,370
14 Cafeteria Meals + $200 FLEX	$2,220
12 Cafeteria Meals + $200 FLEX	$2,000
5 Cafeteria Meals + $500 FLEX (Commuter & Lawson Only)	$1,580

FLEX can be used in the cafeteria, Dusty’s, the coffee shop, and the convenience store. FLEX rolls from the fall term to the spring term and is non-refundable.If students run low on meals or FLEX, Drover Bucks may be purchased with the following discount structure applying:
$100-249 = 5% discount
$250-399 = 10% discount
$400+ = 15% discount

Deposits are required with housing contracts:
Sparks = $200
Lawson Court = $200
Robertson = $200

Special Fees, Charges, and Expenses:

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Local Administration Fee (non-students)	$15
National (CLEP) Fee	$87

Assessment Test Fees
Residual ACT Fee	$50
Proctor Test Administration Fee	$15 per test
Institutionally Prepared Exam for Advanced Standing Credit	$5 per credit hour

Additional Course Fees
Art Laboratory	$10 per course
Auditing a Course	$221 per credit hour
Remedial Course Fee (in addition to regular tuition)	$20 per credit hour
Science Laboratory	$30 per course
Special Music Instruction	$50 per course
Tutorial Fee	$30 per course
Mission Enhancement Fee	$60 per credit hour

Miscellaneous Fees
Books and Classroom Supplies Estimate	$100 per course
Freshman Experience Fee (one time)	$100
International Student Record Fee	$15 per term
Monthly Late Payment Fee	$25
Parking Fee	$30 to $40 annually
Student ID Replacement	$25

John Morris Speech & Language Clinic (for non-USAO Students)
Speech and Language Evaluation	$30
Speech and Language Screening	$15
Therapy (approximately 23 therapy sessions)	$60 per term

John Morris Speech & Language Clinic (for USAO Students)
Speech, one Voice and/or Language Evaluation*	$10
Speech Therapy Prepaid by the Month**	$20

*Speech, one voice and/or language evaluation includes tests, measurements, and interviews required for initial evaluation and diagnosis.

**Therapy sessions for speech, voice, and language disorders may take from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the needs of the client. Most clients will be seen for individual sessions, but some may be treated in small groups, depending on the needs of the individual. Therapy may include one or more sessions per week, depending on the needs of the client.

General Information

A student incurs financial obligation when they enroll in classes. If a student wants to withdraw, they must officially withdraw by contacting the Registrar’s Office or Student Success Center. Not attending classes is not considered a withdrawal for billing purposes and students will remain financially responsible for all billed charges.
Additional information about USAO’s Cost of Attendance (COA) can be found on our website.

Collection of Fees and Tuition

All tuition and fees charged are due on or prior to the first day of class.
Late payment (payment after the first day of classes) will require payment in full of the regular fees and tuition amounts plus a $25 monthly Late Payment Fee.
Delinquent accounts may be subject to additional costs, such as collections, legal fees, interest, and any other approved costs of collection.

Students can select their payment plan on USAO’s Self Service portal.

Schedule Changes/Withdrawals

Students who change their schedules or completely withdraw from the institution during the first two weeks of the fifteen-week classes or during the first week of the seven-week class (see academic calendar) will receive full credit on their bill for courses dropped or full charges for courses added.
No refunds of tuition and fees will be made after the add/drop period for that session.

Credit Balance Refunds

Credit balance refunds typically result from schedule adjustments, excess financial aid, or overpayment. Regardless of who paid the bill (except for parent loan designated for the parent borrower or refunded to a credit card) refunds are issued in the student’s name.

How to Set your Refund Preference

All students should log into their USAO Self-Service portal and indicate how they want their refund to be electronically sent to them.

Complete Withdrawal of Students Who Are Title IV Recipients

Recipients of Federal Title IV student financial assistance funds (Pell Grants, SEOG, Stafford and Plus Loans) who completely withdraw from USAO during a semester may be required to repay a portion of the funds that are determined to be unearned. The calculation of earned vs. unearned funds is based directly on the portion of the semester the student attended before totally withdrawing. This calculation is not related to the College's tuition refund policy. It is in addition to the College's Refund policy and is required by Federal Title IV regulations.
The full Return to Title IV policy can be found under the Financial Assistance section of the catalog or on the Financial Aid Policy and Procedures page.

Proration of Housing and Food Plan

In accordance with a signed food plan and housing contract students canceling a contract during weeks two through twelve will receive a refund according to the schedule below:

75 percent refund by week four
50 percent refund by week eight
25 percent refund by week twelve
After the 12th week of the semester, no refund is given.

Disbursement of Books and Supplies Policy

USAO does not allow students to charge books or supplies to their bill unless they have enough financial aid to cover their bill and receive a refund. Students will only be allowed to charge up to the amount of refund they would have received from their financial aid.
Students must physically go to the Business Office, Troutt Hall 220, to receive a book and supplies voucher.

Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program

The Oklahoma Legislature passed a law (House Bill 3397) requiring that new students be given the opportunity to choose to participate in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program. This guaranteed tuition rate is based on the projected average for the next four (4) year’s annual rate.

By law, the guaranteed rate cannot exceed 115% of the non-guaranteed undergraduate tuition rate charged to resident students enrolling for the first time for the same academic year.

The tuition block rate for 2024-25 is $254 an hour.

The guaranteed annual rate is available only to students meeting the following criteria:

Must be a first-time entering student (freshman or a transfer student who elected for tuition lock previously)
Must be an Oklahoma Resident
Must be a full-time student continuously completing 12 hours each semester
Graduate within 4 years (8 regular semesters).
Must enroll in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program by the last day to add classes for their first semester as a new freshman at USAO.

It is a student’s responsibility to register for the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program by the deadline. All incoming students are automatically placed on the regular tuition rate schedule when they are admitted.

Important Considerations

The guaranteed tuition rate lock does not cover fees, which are subject to change each year.
The Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program may not be elected by a student concurrently enrolled in high school and college courses.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSHRE) policy states that students who receive tuition waivers do not have the option of choosing the locked tuition rate.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSHRE) policy states that students who receive Oklahoma’s Promise do not have the option of choosing the locked tuition rate.
A student electing to participate in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program will not be eligible for any refunds associated with rate differences between the guaranteed tuition rate and the annual tuition rate even if eligibility is forfeited or if the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program costs the participants more than the annual rate charges would have cost.
If a student withdraws for military or national defense emergencies, they can re-enter and pay the original guaranteed tuition rate if they originally chose this lock option as a first-time student.
It is not guaranteed that students choosing the guaranteed rate will pay less over the course of four years. Cost savings depend on yearly tuition increases (if any), the number of hours in which the student enrolls each year, and the successful completion of the degree within 8 regular semesters.
A student who chooses to participate in the Guaranteed Tuition Rate Program and decides to cancel, the cancellation must be made before 5:00 p.m. on the last day to drop classes.

Automatic Removal from Tuition Lock Program

If a student drops below full-time status in a given semester (excluding summer), s/he will automatically revert to the block or hourly rate for subsequent semesters.

Once a student has cancelled their lock rate, they cannot re-enter the program.

Historical Tuition Rates

Academic Year	Tuition Rate Per Hour	% Increase from Prior Year	Guaranteed Tuition Rate Per Hour
2020-21	$213	0%	$244
2021-22	$213	0%	$244
2022-23	$221	4%	$254
2023-24	$221	0%	$254
2024-25	$221	0%	$254