Tuition and Financial Aid

Cost of Attendance

2020-2021 Cost of Attendance (COA)

Cost of Attendance is a budget determined by Meridian University to estimate the cost of education for the academic year. This estimate includes Direct Costs such as tuition and fees, plus estimates of Indirect Costs, which include living expenses (outside of Meridian), books, travel, personal expenses, and miscellaneous expenses.

Direct Costs

Direct Costs include tuition and other fees necessary to attend the program. These are the cost of items the student pays directly to the school. The chart below is a summarized amount of Direct Costs the student will need to cover attendance at Meridian University for one academic year of study, which consists of four consecutive quarters.

2020–2021 Total Tuition and Fees (Direct Costs)

Department Cost
PhD in Psychology $21,632*
PsyD in Clinical Psychology $21,632*
MA in Counseling Psychology $21,632*
MA in Psychology $21,632*
MEd in Educational Leadership $21,632*
EdD in Organizational Leadership $21,632*
MBA in Creative Enterprise $21,632*

* Tuition estimate based on full-time registration of 32 credits per academic year. Students may take additional or fewer credits which will affect their cost of attendance. Tuition is billed at a rate of $676 per credit. For Financial Aid purposes, students registered for at least 7 credits each quarter are awarded aid based on 32 credits per year. Students who are registered for more than 8 credits each quarter may be eligible to increase their Cost of Attendance for Financial Aid by request to the Financial Aid Office. The Cost of Attendance for Financial Aid for students registered for fewer than 7 credits per quarter is based on an estimate of 24 credits per year. Students must register for at least 4 credits each quarter in order to be eligible for financial aid. A single four credit course is considered half-time registration.

Indirect Costs

The estimated figures of Indirect Costs are provided by a third party based on regional and programmatic statistical information. These figures are only estimates and are not owed to the University.

Individual student costs may vary based on individual standards of living and where the student lives. Students should be prepared to meet the additional costs of their degree program. These additional costs can include travel, accommodations, food, textbooks, learning guides, readers, conference call charges, doctoral project editors, computer software and hardware, courses at other institutions, commercial database searches, professional meetings, trainings, conferences, and/or workshops. Learning consultants or other editors are the sole responsibility of the students using their services.

Total Estimated Cost of Attendance

The following table shows the total estimated cost of attendance for the 2020–21 academic year. Estimated costs are estimated tuition and fee amounts that the students pay directly to Meridian.

  • Estimated indirect costs are likely to vary for each student and are not owed to the University.
  • Total Estimated Cost of Attendance adds together both the estimated direct costs and estimated indirect costs, and is indicated on the last row of the table below.
  • The note (*) under the Direct Costs section above also applies to the table below.
Total Estimated Cost of Attendance
Direct or Estimated Indirect Cost Category PhD in Psychology PsyD in Clinical Psychology MA in Counseling Psychology MA in Psychology MEd in Educational Leadership EdD in Organizational Leadership MBA in Creative Enterprise Continuation Student
Direct Cost Tuition $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 0.00
Direct Cost Required Fees $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $1,550.00
Direct Cost STRF $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Direct Cost Total $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $21,632.00 $1,550.00
Estimated Costs Books & Supplies $1,200.00 $1,200.00 $1,200.00 $1,200.00 $1,200.00 $1,200.00 $1,200.00 $0
Estimated Costs Living Expenses $15,716.00 $15,716.00 $15,716.00 $15,716.00 $15,716.00 $15,716.00 $15,716.00 $0
Estimated Costs Transportation $5,337.00 $5,337.00 $5,337.00 $5,337.00 $5,337.00 $5,337.00 $5,337.00 $0
Estimated Costs Misc Expenses $8,599.00 $8,599.00 $8,599.00 $8,599.00 $8,599.00 $8,599.00 $8,599.00 $0
Estimated Cost Loan Fees (Est) $217 $217 $217 $217 $217 $217 $217 $0
Est. Indirect Cost Total $31,069.00 $31,069.00 $31,069.00 $31,069.00 $31,069.00 $31,069.00 $31,069.00 $0
Total Estimated Cost of Attendance $52,701.00 $52,701.00 $52,701.00 $52,701.00 $52,701.00 $52,701.00 $52,701.00 $1,550.00

Schedule of Charges

Please note that all fees on the following Schedule of Charges are for the current academic year and may change in the future. All fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change and expected to increase each year.

Application Fee $50 Mandatory, non-refundable
Graduate Degree Program Tuition $676 per credit Mandatory, partially refundable
Tuition Deposit $250 Mandatory, non-refundable
Finance Charge: Monthly Payment Plan $90 per quarter Optional, non-refundable
Continuation Fee $1,550 Mandatory, partially refundable
Dissertation Fee: Eight-Quarter Period (Ph.D./Ed.D. Students) $19,500** Mandatory, partially refundable
Clinical Case Study Fee: Four-Quarter Period (Psy.D. Students) $9,750** Mandatory, partially refundable
Dissertation Extension Fee (Four-Quarter Extension) $9,750** Optional, partially refundable
Clinical Case Study Extension Fee (Four-Quarter Extension) $9,750** Optional, partially refundable
Quarterly Dissertation Fee beyond the four-quarter Extension Fee (per quarter fee) $2,437 Optional, non-refundable
Quarterly Clinical Case Study Fee beyond the four-quarter Extension Fee (per quarter fee) $2,437 Optional, non-refundable
Doctoral Project Binding Fee (three copies) $450 (may vary based on vendor) Mandatory, non-refundable
Degree Program Transfer Fee $300 Optional, non-refundable
Readmissions Fee $300 Mandatory, non-refundable
Optional Tutorial Fee $676 Optional, non-refundable
Required Tutorial Fee $676 Mandatory, non-refundable
Certificate Fee Certificate fees vary based on the certificate Optional, partially refundable
Leave of Absence Fee $300 Optional, non-refundable
Official Transcript Fee $15 Optional, non-refundable
ID Card Replacement Fee $15 Optional, non-refundable
Late Enrollement Fee $50 Optional, non-refundable
Late Payment Fee $25 Optional, non-refundable
Returned Check Fee $35 Optional, non-returnable
Late Assignment Fee $75 Optional, non-refundable
Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) $.00 per $1,000**** Mandatory, non-refundable
Books and Supplies $1,200* Optional, non-refundable

Notes:

  1. Tuition and fee rates are expected to increase each year. All fees are reviewed annually and may be subject to increase by Meridian University
  2. An “Optional” fee is required when a student selects an optional service.

* This amount is an annual approximate depending on the choices that students make regarding the purchase of books and supplies.

* * The dissertation fee covers an eight-quarter period. The clinical case study fee covers a four-quarter period. If a student withdraws and then re-admits, their doctoral project fees will be based on the Schedule of Charges in place at the time of their initiating the doctoral project process. PhD and EdD students who find that additional time beyond the eight quarters is necessary for completion of their dissertation (and PsyD students who find that additional time beyond the four quarters is necessary for completion of their clinical case study), must enroll in the extended four-quarter clock.

For Financial Aid Assistance