Finances - Graduate

Graduate Finances and Billing - 2026-27

Student Accounts Office

Moot Hall 260 716-878-4121

studentaccounts.buffalostate.edu

Electronic bills (e-bills) are the exclusive billing method for all Buffalo State student account balances. Paper bills are not mailed to students. Students should print their QuikPAY statement if needed. All e-billing notifications are emailed to the student’s Buffalo State email address.

Students are required to pay tuition and fees upon receipt of invoice with cash, credit card, or through a deferred payment plan. Deductions will be made under various financial aid programs upon approval of the Financial Aid Office.

Room and board charges must be paid prior to arrival on campus and are typically included in the e-bill covering tuition and fees. Published tuition and fee rates are subject to review and may change without prior notice.

Further information concerning payment, including important billing dates and how to pay by students or by authorized payers (e.g., parents) is provided on the Student Accounts billing page.

Explanation of Terms

Full Time - A graduate student who is registered for 12 or more credit hours a semester is considered a full-time student.

Part Time - A student who is registered for 1 to 11 credit hours a semester is considered a part-time student.

Semester - An academic year at Buffalo State consists of a fall semester and a spring semester. Yearly expenses are twice the semester rate.

Resident (for tuition purposes)

As established by the State University of New York Board of Trustees, an individual university registrant is considered a New York State resident and is charged in-state tuition rates when that individual is determined to have a permanent and principal home in New York State for 12 months prior to registration. Those who do not meet this requirement are presumed to be out-of-state residents and are charged out-of-state tuition rates unless satisfactory proof is presented to show that domicile in New York State has, in fact, been established.

Graduate Tuition

Graduate tuition and fees are listed on the Student Accounts website, as well as billing information and in-state residency requirements. The Financial Aid Office provides estimated cost of attendance information and a net cost calculator.

Please note: Rates listed are subject to review and may change without prior notice.

Tuition for Undergraduate Coursework

Matriculated (degree-seeking) graduate students pay graduate tuition rates for any undergraduate coursework taken, regardless of its applicability to the student’s degree program.

Postbaccalaureate, premajor, undeclared, and nondegree students are charged undergraduate tuition rates for undergraduate coursework and graduate tuition rates for graduate coursework. Full-time registration cannot be less than $3,535 or more than $5,655 (New York State resident tuition rates).

Please note: Rates listed are subject to review and may change without prior notice. Refer to New York State Debt Collection Mandate.

Online Tuition Rates

The non-resident online tuition rate is charged to students taking courses in exclusively online academic programs. This rate is applicable only to programs (not individual courses) that have been previously approved as “exclusively online” by the Provost’s Office and registered as such by the New York State Education Department in distance education format. Students who are considered non-resident (out-of-state) and enrolled in online courses are not eligible for the “online only rate” if they are not matriculated in one the programs designated as “exclusively online” by both the University Provost, and the New York State Education Department. Students studying remotely (enrolled in one or more online course) who are not matriculated in an “exclusively online program” will be assessed the standard tuition amount relevant to their residency (i.e., in-state or out-of-state).

Graduate Fees

Moot Hall 260

716-878-4121

Student Accounts Office

Fees listed are pending approval from the State University of New York Board of Trustees and subject to change.

Mandatory Graduate Fees

College Fee*

A mandatory college fee of $25.00 per semester for full-time graduate students and $1.70 per credit hour for part-time graduate students is collected by all units of the State University of New York system to finance the operating budget. The mandatory college fee is non-refundable.

Graduate Student Association Fee*

A mandatory graduate student fee of $42.00 per semester for full-time students and $3.50 per credit hour for part-time students is collected from matriculated students to fund the Graduate Student Association (GSA). The GSA is the sole administrator if this fee.

Health Fee*

All full-time graduate students are required to pay a $187.50 per semester health fee. Part-time students pay $15.65 per credit hour per semester. A mandatory health fee is collected by all units of the State University of New York system. Buffalo State’s health fee supports services both on campus and remote, including health and counseling services, health promotions, nutrition counseling, and programs that maintain compliance with state regulations. These services are available to every student, whether in person or remote, and telehealth options are available for students outside the WNY area. Thus, the health fee is not waivable.

Technology Fee*

A mandatory technology fee of $194.50 per semester for full-time students and $16.25 per credit hour for part-time students is collected to provide enhancements to campus technology.

*These fees are refunded only when registration is canceled during drop/add period.

Broad-based Fee Waivers - Information regard waivers for certain broad-based fees may be found at the Student Accounts Office.

Graduate Nonmandatory Fees, Late Fees, and Service Charges Parking Costs

Students who wish to park on campus pay $70 per academic year (fall through spring semesters) and $10 for summeronly permits. Payment for parking is refundable within the first two weeks of class upon surrender of the parking permit. Academic Transcript Fee

There is a $9 fee for each transcript request.

Billing Fee

A billing fee of $30 is assessed to each delinquency notice sent by the college. Late filing of financial aid does not waive this fee.

Graduate Admission Application Fee

A nonrefundable $65 processing fee must accompany the application for admission to a graduate program at Buffalo State. Payment of the fee is not contingent on any action or decision the college may render on the application, or on any subsequent decision by the applicant to withdraw the application.

Late Drop/Add Fee

A $20 late drop/add fee is charged for each transaction after the first week of classes. Independent study, special projects, or contracts added after the second week of classes also are charged this fee. Late Payment Fee - A $30 fee is charged when the semester bill is not paid by the due date.

Late Registration Fee

Registrations on "late registration day" (the first day of classes) or later are charged a mandatory $40 late registration fee that cannot be waived or deferred. Exceptions are registrations for graduate workshops, independent study, special projects, contracts, and courses requiring performance auditions. Registrations for independent study, special projects, or contracts turned in after the second week of classes that generate the only registration for a student also are assessed the $40 late fee. Prior Learning Credit Fee

Prior learning credit may be earned for a Buffalo State course when the course objectives and student learning outcomes have been previously met through life experiences and/or employment history. A $170 fee is charged for each evaluation of prior learning for course credit. The department determines the method for awarding experiential learning/course challenge credit, which may include but is not limited to: examination, portfolio evaluation, performance, or presentation.

Returned-Check Fee

A $20 fee is charged for each check returned by the bank or any declined credit card transaction. The fee is nondeferrable and cannot be waived. An additional billing fee is charged on any transaction covering a course and/or room registration. If payment is not received within 10 days from the date of notification, the account is referred to the New York State Attorney General’s Office for collection and handling.

New York State Debt Collection Mandate - Refer to New York State Debt Collection Mandate section of the catalog

Course Fees - Some courses may have additional course fees. Student Accounts provides a complete listing.

Room and Board

residencelife.buffalostate.edu/housing-costs

Graduate students are eligible to live in apartment-style housing in the Moore Complex and Student Apartment Complex (STAC). Moore Complex starts at $5,340 per semester for double occupancy. Moore Complex Family College is $6,115 per semester. The STAC rate is $6,031 per semester. Meal plan rates vary per semester https://dineoncampus.com/bsu. Residence hall room rates and meal plan rates are subject to change.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Miscellaneous expenses will vary depending on the student’s academic program, personal spending habits, and commute distance.

International Student Health Insurance

International Student and Scholar Services

South Wing 410 716-878-5331 isss.buffalostate.edu

United Health Care Insurance

Health insurance is mandatory for all international students at Buffalo State, and all enrolled international students must purchase the health insurance plan the college offers. Requirements and enrollment information are provided at International Student and Scholars Services website.

Summer Session Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for all courses taken during Summer Session are charged at the credit-hour rate. Student Accounts lists current graduate Summer Session costs.

Automatic Payment Plan

Student Accounts Office

Moot Hall 260 716-878-4121

studentaccounts.buffalostate.edu

Buffalo State offers a payment plan to assist students and their families in meeting the costs of tuition, fees, room, and board. Tuition payment plans break down your tuition balance into affordable monthly payments without interest.

Information and online enrollment are available on the Student Accounts website.

Refund Policies

Student Accounts

Moot Hall 260

716-878-4121

Refunds website

All financial refunds are sent to students in the following order:

1.       Refunds are transferred electronically to the student’s bank account if a direct deposit application is on file in the Student Accounts Office.

2.       Refunds are mailed to the permanent address of record on file in the Registrar’s Office. Students are responsible for informing the Registrar’s Office of any address changes.

Graduate Tuition Refunds

Tuition refunds will be processed only when the student officially withdraws through the Registrar’s Office. Students given permission to cancel their registration are responsible for payment of tuition and fees according to the following schedule:

Fall and Spring Semesters

Summer Sessions

Board Charge Refunds

Campus Dining Services Office

Campbell Student Union 223

716-878-5152

https://dineoncampus.com/bsu

Board refunds (meal plans) are calculated according to college and federal regulations and guidelines, less a $20 service charge for processing. No refunds are given after the drop/add session at the start of each semester. Contact the Buffalo State Campus Dining Services Office for additional information.

Room Rental Refunds

During the fall and spring semesters, room rental refunds can be made only when students withdraw due to circumstances beyond their control. Residents may be charged additional housing-related charges if they withdraw after hall opening and according to the college's tuition refund policy and refund and financial liability schedule. Questions covering refunds are addressed in the residence hall license.

Refer to Campus and Residence Life Policies.

New York State Debt Collection Mandate - Unpaid accounts are, in due course, turned over to an external collection agency.

Teacher Waiver Certificates

Supervising (critic) teacher tuition waiver certificates may be redeemed in accordance with the regulations printed on the certificate. A student must be a full-time teacher in the district to use a waiver certificate. A certificate may be redeemed for any term scheduled to begin after the effective date but before the expiration date on the certificate.

Waivers may be transferred between professional employees of the same school district. Transferred certificates must be signed by the district administrator.

If a student withdraws from a course at a time when partial or full tuition liability exists, the waiver certificate is forfeited. Waiver certificates do not cover college fees, which must be paid by the student. Transferred waivers are not accepted after the fourth week of classes. For Summer Session, transferred waivers are not accepted after the first registration date of any session.