Costs and Financial Aid
Tuition, Fees, and Other Costs
Costs for tuition, food, and housing for matriculated students are included in one single fee, which is adjusted annually in accordance with the changing costs of operation. The single fee does not include costs for textbooks, supplies, travel, student health insurance, or other miscellaneous expenses.
2025-2026 Single Fee (includes tuition, food, and housing): $89,930
Comprehensive information about fees and other costs is available through the Student Financial Services website.
Some courses may charge a separate fee to cover the cost of providing studio materials, laboratory supplies, or music instruction. Course-specific fees are indicated in individual course descriptions in the Catalog; the specific amount of the fee, when available, is typically indicated in the Schedule of Courses.
Course Charges for Community Members
Community Scholar Fee (non-degree candidates): $2,340 per course
Auditing (non-matriculating students): $880 per course
Extra-Cost/Off-Campus Short Term Courses
Extra-cost Short Term fees are based on the actual operating cost of the program, and an estimate of these fees is included in the Short Term schedule of courses. Financial aid is available to eligible students to help offset the cost of faculty-approved extra-cost Short Term courses but may not be applied to Short Term independent study courses (numbered S50). Students who register for an extra-cost course and then withdraw before its completion are reimbursed only for those portions of the remaining cost not yet incurred on the students' behalf. Students with outstanding account balances are ineligible to register and/or receive financial aid for off-campus Short Term courses.
Students who do not enroll in or withdraw from a Short Term course are not entitled to a reduction in the single fee.
Off-Campus Housing Rebate
Seniors who have received prior permission from the Office of Residence Life and Health Education to live off campus for the semester or academic year are eligible to receive an off-campus housing rebate (applied as a credit to the student account) of housing and/or meal costs, as follows:
Rebate for housing – $2,770 per semester ($5,540 per year)
Rebate for meals – $2,770 per semester ($5,540 per year)
Financial Responsibility and Payment
A student who enrolls at Bates incurs financial obligation to the College. Student account and billing statements are presented to students and other payers through the Bates College payment portal. Bates students use their Bates credentials to log in to the Bates Payment Portal; parents and other payers can be granted access to the portal by their student.
Payment from a US checking or savings account, as well as international payments, may be made through the Bates Payment Portal. Flexible monthly payment plans are also available in the Bates Payment Portal. There is a $55 nonrefundable fee per semester to enroll in a payment plan. For families who prefer to pay by paper check, a check made payable to Bates College may be mailed to Student Financial Services, 44 Mountain Avenue, Lewiston, ME 04240. Credit cards are not accepted for payment of the student account.
All student charges must be paid by the published due date each semester, and a late payment fee of 1% of the outstanding balance is assessed each month for accounts with balances greater than $500. Students whose accounts are past due may be ineligible to register for classes or return to Bates for a subsequent semester. Past-due accounts may also be referred to an outside agency for collection. In such cases, all costs of collection become the student's responsibility.
Financial aid that has been awarded and anticipated proceeds from student and parent loans that have been certified by Bates are deducted from the balance due before any late fees are assessed. Students are encouraged to check their financial aid status on the Garnet Gateway to make certain that all financial aid requirements have been received.
Students who have not submitted required financial aid documentation by applicable deadlines and have therefore not received a financial aid award are not exempt from late fee charges, nor are they permitted to delay payment.
Outside scholarships are applied to student accounts when they are received; anticipated payments are not deducted from the balance due before late fees are applied.
Refund Policy
Students who take a leave of absence or withdraw from Bates before the 50th day of the semester may be eligible for a partial refund of the single fee.
Refunds are calculated in accordance with the schedule outlined below and are issued as a credit to the student’s account by Student Financial Services after the leave of absence or withdrawal has been granted. The first day of the leave or withdrawal is defined as the last day the student attended any class.
Some off-campus study programs have an earlier start date than the courses offered on the Bates campus. When this occurs, the refund schedule begins on the first day of the off-campus study program.
Refund Schedule
| If Enrollment Ceases | Percent of Fee Refunded |
|---|---|
| On or before the 1st day of class | 100% |
| 2nd through the 10th calendar day | 90% |
| 11th through the 20th calendar day | 75% |
| 21st through the 30th calendar day | 50% |
| 31st through the 50th calendar day | 25% |
| After the 50th calendar day | 0% |
Refunds of Title IV Federal Financial Aid
When a recipient of Title IV (federal) grant or loan assistance withdraws or takes a leave of absence, the College, in accordance with federal regulation, must determine the percentage of federal aid that the student has earned through the withdrawal date. Any federal aid the student has not earned according to the federal refund formula must be returned to the Title IV aid programs.
The amount of federal aid a student has earned and can retain is based on the number of days the student was enrolled, and the percentage of the period of enrollment completed. A student who has completed 60% or more of the enrollment period is eligible to keep all of their federal aid for that semester.
Refunds of Title IV federal financial aid are made in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Student Loan
- Subsidized Federal Direct Student Loan
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Parents
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal SEOG grant
Financial Aid
Bates students receive help in many ways to meet their college costs. Assistance may come from need-based grant aid, opportunities for part-time employment, or student loans. Conditions of Aid:
- Financial aid is granted on the basis of calculated need as determined by the Office of Student Financial Services through an examination of aid applications submitted by students and their parents. Students must apply for financial aid when they apply for admission to Bates. To receive aid after the first year, students must demonstrate a continuance of financial need and meet established standards of satisfactory progress toward the degree as set forth in the College's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.
- To be considered for financial aid, students must annually submit the following application materials by the appropriate deadline: the CSS Profile, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), parent and student federal income tax returns, and any other materials deemed necessary to analyze a student's family financial circumstances.
- Dismissal or suspension for a semester or longer automatically revokes the assignment of financial aid.
- Grants and loans are credited in equal amounts to the student's account at the beginning of each semester.
- The College reserves the right to adjust its financial aid award to a student who receives additional scholarship assistance from an outside source.
- Aid is available for the programs listed in the section of the Catalog covering global education opportunities according to policies that apply to students on campus, up to the amount the student would receive if studying on campus. The calculation of need is based on an estimate of the costs associated with the student's off-campus program of study, including but not limited to, tuition, food, housing, domestic and international airfare (if applicable), and the Bates off-campus registration fee. Estimated personal and book expenses also are included. Other expenses, such as passports, visas, immunizations, and extra travel, are the student's responsibility.
- Students who qualify for Bates grant aid during an academic year may apply for additional financial assistance for Short Term if the published cost of the course exceeds $500.
- Financial aid is provided to eligible students for up to 8 semesters.
Veterans Education Programs
The College's degree programs are approved by the Maine State Approving Agency for Veterans Education Programs for persons eligible for educational benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Students who have questions about their eligibility may contact the Veterans Administration (1-888-442-4551). Students who request veteran's educational assistance are required to have all previous post-secondary experience evaluated for possible transfer credit in order to be eligible for benefits. Bates participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program for Veterans or Dependents of Veterans. More information is available from the Office of Student Financial Services.