Student Financial Services Handbook
The mission of the Office of Student Financial Services is to offer services and programs to students and parents/families funded through federal, state, private, and institutional sources.
The primary goal of SFS is to help students and families develop an understanding of the need to be proactive consumers of educational financing options and opportunities at Middlebury.
The Office of Student Financial Services (SFS) consists of three functional areas:
- Financial Aid
- Student Accounts
- Educational Financing
Our responsibilities include financial aid matters, student account management including billing and payments, educational financing, loan repayment, financial literacy and the administration of the Middlebury Student Health Insurance Plan for current students as well as graduates. See Services below for more information.
Financial Aid
All aid at Middlebury is based entirely on financial need as determined by the Office of Student Financial Services. We do not offer aid on the basis of merit.
Middlebury is able to meet 100 percent of your assessed need with a combination of aid that typically consists of grant, loan, and work. Eligibility for financial aid is determined by an assessment of your family’s income and assets to arrive at an Estimated Family Contribution. If your family’s financial situation does not change, you will receive a similar aid package each year you attend Middlebury. You must submit a complete application each year if you wish to be considered for aid. Parents who are divorced or separated are both expected to submit income and asset information and contribute to college expenses to the extent that we determine they are able.
Financial information provided to the College is held in strict confidence, and no information about the amount of aid offered will be released without your approval.
Satisfactory Progress
In compliance with federal financial aid regulations which, as of January 1, 1984, require all colleges to articulate a comprehensive statement of satisfactory progress, Middlebury has drafted a document outlining the criteria a student must meet in order to maintain his or her eligibility for Title IV funds. The complete statement is on file in the Office of Student Financial Services and is available to any student upon request.
Title IV Federal Student Assistance programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study Program, Federal Direct Loan, and Federal Direct PLUS Loan.
Ninth Semester of Aid
Students are expected to complete their bachelor’s degree program requirements within eight academic terms, and institutional and federal financial assistance is provided with this expectation. However, extenuating circumstances may dictate the need for a full ninth semester. Financial aid for a ninth semester may be approved if the circumstances requiring it were both extreme and beyond the student’s control. Students in these circumstances must petition the Administration Committee for approval. It is normally not possible for students to receive financial aid for more than nine semesters. Students who need less than a full ninth semester may apply for special student status; please see below.
Special Students
The comprehensive fee applies to a course load of three, four, or five courses for a fall or spring term. Students who wish to register for only one or two courses for a fall or spring term may do so with permission from the Registrar’s Office. These students are designated as special students and are expected to live off-campus. Special students are billed at the per-course rate of $9,600 for 2024–2025 and will automatically be added to the 50 meal plan with a $625 charge applied to the student’s bill. Special students must contact Dining Services to opt out of the 50 meal plan. Students participating in the ninth semester teacher education program are charged $9,600 for the semester in which they are student teaching; financial aid is available for students in this ninth semester program based on financial need.
In cases with special circumstances, the Administration Committee may grant permission for special students to live and eat on campus. These students are billed the customary comprehensive fee for the term, less the per-course rate for one course, as that is the only distinction between these students and those taking three courses during the term.
Academic Fees and Expenses
An administrative fee of $100 is billed to students for each 0555 course approved by the Administration Committee.
Students taking lessons in practical or applied music are billed the standard fee for private instruction. In budgeting for a year’s expenses at Middlebury, students and their parents or guardians should also consider the additional personal expenses students normally incur, which are not billed directly by the College. SFS estimates that for 2024–2025, the average student’s expenses for books, supplies, and other personal items amount to $2,000. Travel costs during the year between a student’s home and Middlebury must also be taken into consideration beyond this estimate.
Miscellaneous Fines and Fees
Fines
- Room swaps and/or room key exchanges: $400
Room changes must be made through Residential Life and keys issued by Public Safety or Residential Life. Unapproved room and key exchanges are a violation of Middlebury policy and may also result in official College discipline. - Unauthorized early arrival/failure to leave: $400
Unauthorized presence on campus. This is a per-day fine. Student must be approved to arrive early or remain past the predetermined move-out date. - Senior move-out date: $400
Remaining on campus or in the residence hall past the move-out deadline. - Dorm room unlock: $10 (first unlock is free)
- Work order cancellation/lock change: $50
- Failure to return key/lock change: $100
- Dorm room condition including messy room/suite area, missing furniture, damage: $200 plus associated costs for replacement, repairs, and Facilities Services labor
- Loft and personal furniture/failure to remove: $25 per item plus Facilities Services labor
- Pong tables: $50
- Fire safety inspections and violations: $50
This fine is for any of the violations including those discovered including during a fire safety inspection. - Tampering with fire or life safety equipment: Minimum $50 fine and additional charges to repair or replace equipment
These charges will be borne collectively by the residence hall if the responsible individual(s) cannot be identified. - Tampering with fire or life safety equipment: $300
When an individual is identified, the fine is $300 plus the cost to repair or replace equipment. Discharging fire extinguisher included. - Failure to leave during fire alarm: $200
Any student who fails to leave a building during a fire alarm or who re-enters before permitted to do so, will be fined. - Tapping or tampering with cable television: $100
Those who are responsible may also receive up to $100 in additional fines and be held “liable in a civil action for three times the actual amount of damages sustained thereby” in accordance with the Vermont law on tapping cable television. - Satellite dish/cost of removal: $50 plus associated costs for removal, repairs, and Facilities Services labor
- Roof or outer surface/unauthorized access: $100
Climbing on the roof or any outer surface will result in a fine. - College lounge furniture in student’s room: $50
College furniture placed in lounges or other public spaces cannot be moved to student rooms. Fine plus associated costs: removal, repairs, and Facilities Services labor. - Vandalism and physical damage: $100 plus associated costs for removal, repairs, and Facilities Services labor.
- Dining Services theft: $35
Theft of food after hours; theft of dishes, utensils, or any dining service equipment; or failing to pay for the meal. - Pets: $25–$200
There is a fine of $25 plus the cost of impoundment. - Unauthorized keg or common containers: $200
- DUI on campus: $100
- Open containers: $50
First violation is a warning. Any additional violation will result in the fine. - Noise complaint town fines: $1,000
- Bicycles in unauthorized places or locked to unauthorized structures: $25
- Abandoned bicycles: $50
Fees
- Enrollment deposits: $300 for first-year and transfer students
- Late enrollment change fee: $500
- Late add: $50 for adding after deadline, if approved
Process described in Course Registration. - Late drop after fifth week: $50 for dropping after the fifth week with approval
Process explained in Course Registration. - Late add J-term: $50
The add period for J-term is three days. After the third day, there is a fee. See Course Registration and Winter Term. - 0555 Courses: $100
The course must be approved. - Special students: Associated course fees
- Senior programs: $150
- A maximum value of three course units may be assigned for senior work. Students not enrolled in the College will be charged a fee of $150 for resubmission of senior work.
- Not enrolled/thesis submission fee: A fee of $150 is billed to students who repeat the General Examination or resubmit a thesis while not enrolled at the College.
- Transcripts: $5 each
- LIS: Fees to be determined
Overdue library materials and fines will restrict borrowing privileges. All borrowers are responsible for payment of charges assessed for damaged or lost materials. - Summer programs (Language Schools): Applying for financial aid for the summer programs is also a separate process from Middlebury College undergraduates. The financial aid application is available online or after November 1.
- Storage/academic term: $10 student storage per item per term. See Storage Info for details.
- Storage/Language Schools students: $4
- Bike storage: $15 storage with the Bike Shop (summer only)
- Academic Year Student Dorm Phone: $50
Request academic year phone with Telephone Services.
Summer Programs
Middlebury offers three summer programs of study to which undergraduates enrolled during the regular College year may apply by contacting the appropriate summer program offices on campus. Admission to a summer program is separate from admission to Middlebury College as an undergraduate. Please contact the offices of the Language Schools, the Bread Loaf School of English, or the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference for detailed information on their programs’ application procedures.
Applying for financial aid for the summer programs is also a separate process from Middlebury College undergraduates. The financial aid application is available in October.
Financial aid credits are applied toward summer program bills, in a manner similar to that described previously under “Comprehensive Fee.” The College electronically forwards summer session bills on May 1 for the Language Schools and the Bread Loaf School of English, and on June 1 for the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. The net-billed amount owed (after financial aid credits) is due in full before the first day students are scheduled to arrive to begin their particular session.
Refunds
Credit Refunds
Occasionally, a combination of payments, financial aid credits, or room and board credits creates a net credit balance on a comprehensive fee account. The credit balance is normally left on account to be applied toward the next term’s charges for the student. Parents or guardians may also request that a refund check for the credit balance be issued to them as the financially responsible party. If parents or guardians wish to have the refund check issued directly to the student or to have the credit balance applied to the student’s miscellaneous charge account, these instructions need to be received in writing from the financially responsible party.
Leave of Absence Refunds
In cases of dismissal from the College, no refund of the comprehensive fee is made. In other cases of absence from the College for medical reasons or serious emergencies, fees are refunded according to the schedule below. In all cases, the enrollment deposit is forfeited. See more on Leave of Absence Refunds.
The College offers optional tuition refund insurance through the Tuition Refund Plan administered by GradGuard. Second-semester tuition refund insurance is available for students entering or returning in spring term. Premiums are to be paid directly to GradGuard, not to the College. Please contact GradGuard at 877-794-6603 for further information.
The College will remit approved refunds by check to the party financially responsible for the student’s account. To the extent any authorized refund represents in whole or in part the proceeds of any federal financial aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loan), the amount of the refund to be returned to each of these programs, as well as to the financially responsible party, is based on the applicable federal refund formula as required by law. The applicable portions of such refunds are returned directly to the sources from which the funds were originally received: the federal government or the financially responsible party.
Rights and Responsibilities
The College reserves the right to change, if necessary, any charges or fees quoted in this publication.
The College assumes no responsibility for loss of student property through fire, theft, or disappearance.
The College issues an academic transcript of record on request to students wishing to transfer or to receive a statement of their course credits for any other purpose. More information on requesting transcripts and any associated fees is available from the Office of the Registrar. No fee is charged for transcripts submitted to any branch of the military. Students may not receive final grades or diplomas nor expect honorable dismissal from the College upon completion of their studies until all financial accounts are settled.
Students who wish to be eligible to register for courses in November or May for the subsequent semester or to draw a room in April for the subsequent year need to ensure that all of their financial accounts are current. Any past due charges on a student’s account must be settled in full. Students who have dean’s loans also need to ensure that their loan payments are current.
Students assume full ultimate responsibility for payment of their accounts, including any other fees charged to their accounts. Should the College have to refer any delinquent account balance to a collection agency once a student is no longer enrolled at the College, the student will then also become liable for any additional collection agency or legal fees incurred by the College to collect the delinquent account. All students who are readmitted to the College need to be aware that should there be any past due financial accounts at the College, these need to be paid before a student can be readmitted. Inquiries concerning past due financial obligations should be addressed to Student Financial Services (802-443-5158). It is also the student’s responsibility to obtain health insurance.
Services
The Student Financial Services staff can answer questions on financial aid, billing, fees, account balances, refunds, and payment plans. Student Financial Services, located at the front of the first floor of the Service Building, will accept payments on student accounts. Students should cash their own personal checks at the bank where the account is maintained.
Form 1098-T Information
Most funds you receive from the College for financial aid to cover tuition, living, and school expenses are reportable by Middlebury College on an IRS form called Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement. This tax form is provided to students by January 31 for the previous calendar year. To learn more, visit 1098-T in Tools and Resources.
Form 1042-S Information
The Middlebury Tax Office assists students with the required Form 1042-S. More information can be found on the Tax Office’s webpage.