Portfolio/Thesis Registration and Tuition
Frequently Asked Questions
Master of Arts in TESOL
Portfolio/Individual Thesis Registration and Tuition
When is the new fee schedule effective?
The changes to the registration and fee structure are being implemented coincident with the start of the new federal aid year (Summer 2012).
What are the changes?
Beginning with the 2012 summer term, MAT students who have received departmental approval to register for their Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester in summer 2012 will be registered and charged $1,500 tuition. Students who began the MAT program in fall 2011 will start the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester in fall 2012. They must have received departmental approval to register and will be charged $1,500 tuition for the fall 2012 Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester.
Any MAT student who began the program prior to fall 2011 and who undertakes the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester as of or after fall 2012 must register for and will be charged $2,000 or the current tuition fee for the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester at the time they register.
MAT students beginning the program as of the fall 2012 semester will be subject to the new Portfolio/Individual Thesis fee of $2,000 in academic year 2012-2013, or the current tuition fee when they register for the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester.
MAT students registered in the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester will:
- Be eligible to apply for financial aid and in-school deferments of federal loans;
- Receive a grade at the end of the term, as appropriate to their performance;
- Be subject to defined consequences for failure to meet established academic standards;
Why the change requiring a new registration and billing process?
Recent regulatory changes aim to prevent excessive student loan borrowing (and successive deferment or defaults) when borrowers are not making satisfactory academic progress. Institutions like SIT that accept federal financial aid have obligations with respect to achieving that aim. In accordance with the new regulations, SIT is structuring its academic calendar and tuition/billing schedule so that students must be enrolled and making progress toward their degrees during off-campus phases. This change eliminates the possibility of students taking out loans or obtaining deferments for periods when they are not actively working toward the degree
Will all students be affected by these changes?
- Students who began the MAT program in fall 2011 and who register the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester in fall 2012 must have received departmental approval, will register, and will be charged $1,500 tuition for the fall 2012 Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester.
- Any MAT student who began the program prior to fall 2011 and who undertakes the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester as of or after fall 2012 must register for and will be charged $2,000 or the current tuition fee for the Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester at the time they register.
- MAT students beginning the program as of the fall 2012 semester will be subject to the new Portfolio/Individual Thesis fee of $2,000 in academic year 2012-2013, or the current tuition fee when they register for the Portfolio semester.
I was a new student in academic year 2011-2012. How much will I pay for my Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester?
You will be billed $1,500 for the three-credit course.
What if I do not submit my Portfolio/Individual Thesis during my Portfolio semester?
If you don’t submit your Portfolio/Individual Thesis by the deadline of your Portfolio semester, you will be charged a Late Submission Fee when you submit your Portfolio/Thesis for a later deadline at the current fee amount.
Do I still have five years to complete my degree?
Yes, students may take up to five years from their date of matriculation to complete the degree requirements.
How does my registration status affect my financial aid eligibility?
Financial aid eligibility is linked to students’ enrollment status. Students must have at least half-time status to be eligible for financial aid. Please contact the Director of Financial Aid for counseling regarding your specific situation.
Do I have to register for Portfolio/Individual Thesis, or can I take a Leave of Absence?
A student may take a personal leave of absence with the permission of the Dean of the Graduate Institute. A plan for completion of the degree program must be submitted to the Program Director and the Registrar at the time the permission is sought. A personal leave of absence may not exceed two semesters.
Note: While on Leave of Absence, “withdrawn” status is reported to the National Student Clearinghouse and loans become due for repayment.
What happens to my student loans if I don’t register in summer and fall, and instead take a Leave of Absence until spring 2013 to register my Portfolio/Individual Thesis semester?
While on Leave of Absence, “withdrawn” status is reported to the National Student Clearinghouse. Federal student loans will become due for repayment six months following a student’s last date of enrollment.
As you make your plan for degree completion with your academic advisor, please talk to the Registrar and/or the Financial Aid office if you have further questions.
Phone:
802.257.7751
Admissions:
800.336.1616 (toll free in US)
802.258.3510 (outside the US)
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3428
Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA