Expenses and Financial Aid

The Admission and Financial Aid Offices work together to alert students to the federal and state grants, part-time employment and low-interest loan programs available. Each year Chapman invests more than $157 million in scholarships and grants for academically promising and needy students. In addition, the Business Office works closely with students and parents to assure that billing is accurate and timely.

All costs listed in this section are subject to change without notice. The Office of Financial Aid is unable to guarantee that 100 percent of a student’s financial need will be met.

Financial Information

Chapman eBill is Chapman University’s official method for sending student account statements. Chapman ePay is the official online payment site and can be accessed through the Chapman website for authorized parties and within the student center. For information on making a payment please visit the Student Business Services Making a Payment webpage. Students may also register parents, guardians or any other person to have access to their billing account, by setting them up as Panther Partner Authorized Users. 

Tuition

Tuition at Chapman is $67,490 per year. Room and board are approximately $21,170.00 per year. Books, supplies and student fees average $1,600 per year.

Undergraduate Students

Room and Board

First year students have a three-year housing requirement. Students residing in residence halls are required to have a board meal plan, which is included in the total cost below.

The three-year requirement applies to students who enter Chapman University within one year of their high school graduation.

Housing rates listed are per semester.

This cost includes the required board meal plan. Students select their board meal plan with their housing application.

Board only (per academic year) $6,082

Apartments

Students, other than first-year students, may opt for residence in Chapman apartments (board plan is not required.)

The apartment rates listed below are per term and do not include the cost of a board meal plan.

Other Fees and Charges

General Policies

Deposits and Tuition Information

A $400 non-refundable enrollment deposit is required of all newly admitted undergraduate students. The deposit is due by May 1 for students matriculating in the fall semester and December 1 for those matriculating in the spring term.

Newly admitted undergraduate transfer students are required to submit a $400 non-refundable enrollment deposit by June 1 for those matriculating in the fall semester and December 1 for those matriculating in the spring term.

All on-campus residents are required to submit a $500 Housing Reservation Payment.

Tuition and Fee Master Payment Contract

Chapman University requires that all students who enroll in classes complete a Tuition and Fee Master Payment Contract. The contract informs students of their rights and responsibilities regarding payment of tuition and fees. This contract is required every academic year.

Interterm

Undergraduate students who are registered and billed full time in both the fall and spring term (12 credits taken in each term is considered full-time for undergraduate students) may take up to four credits during interterm at no charge. This does not include fees for travel courses or lab fees. The provisions of the Tuition and Fee Master Payment Contract and these General Policies apply with equal force for any courses in which a student enrolls during interterm.

Tuition Billing

Monthly billing statements are available online only through ePay or student center. 

Billing, payment and general information is also available on the Student Business Services webpage.

Tuition Payment Options

Option 1: Tuition payment in full by term due dates (July 20 for fall, December 20 for interterm/spring and May 20 for summer).

Option 2: Payment plan enrollment per term with a $50 set up fee.

Interterm is not eligible for payment plan. For further information regarding payment options, visit the Student Business Services webpage.

Late Payment Fee

Late payment may result in a $100.00 late fee. Please visit the Student Business Services webpage for important dates and deadlines.

Payment plan payments that are late or submitted for less than the installment amount billed will be assessed a $25.00 late fee for each installment.

Proof of Health Insurance Required

Chapman University requires proof of health insurance that covers students for the entire period of enrollment at Chapman University. This is to ensure that each student has medical insurance in the event of a major medical need. The Student Health Insurance is not the same as the Health Center Fee. Visit the Student Health Insurance and/or the Health Center webpage for more information about deadlines and cost.  

If no outside proof of coverage is submitted by the deadline the student will be enrolled in the plan selected by the university and charged the cost of coverage to their student account.

To purchase, waive or provide proof of insurance, access the appropriate electronic form in your Student Center under eForms Student Business Services, and review related deadlines, visit the Student Health Insurance | Student Business Services webpage.

International Students

International students at the Orange campus are automatically charged for Health Insurance and Health Services Center Fee. A Health Record Examination Form is required prior to the first term of enrollment. Submit the form to the Health Services Center on campus.

To waive the automatic charge of health insurance please provide proof of insurance, access the appropriate electronic form in your Student Center under eForms Student Business Services, and review related deadlines, visit the Student Health Insurance | Student Business Services webpage.

Parking Registration Required 

Parking is free at Chapman University. Upon registration with Public Safety, you will be provided with virtual parking permit linked to your license plate.  Further information is available at www.chapman.edu/publicsafety or you may call the Public Safety Office at 714-997-6763.

VA Pending Payment Compliance Policy

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), this school adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. This school will not:

• Prevent the student’s enrollment
• Assess a late penalty fee to the student
• Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding (if covered 100% by VA funding)
• Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students are required to:

• Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or 1905/Purchase Order (Tungsten Network) by the first day of class.
• Complete the electronic VA Benefits Certification Form or submit a written request.
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.

Tuition Protection Plan (optional)

The plan can guarantee a refund of monies paid to the University in the event that the student suffers a serious illness / accident or job loss and must withdraw from the University before the term is completed, but after the established withdrawal dates for tuition credit referenced in this section. This elective plan provides coverage for tuition, fees and room and board charges*. No exceptions will be made to the tuition credit (withdrawal) policy for students/parents who elect not to purchase this coverage. For further information, please review the Student Business Services Tuition Protection Plan webpage.

*This plan must be purchased prior to the first day of the term.

Add/Drop/ Withdrawal-Financial Aid

Dropping below full-time or part-time status may affect any financial aid that has been awarded and may result in a balance due to the University. Please refer to the Office of Financial Aid.

Specific procedures for adding or dropping a class must be followed as specified in academic policies and procedures .

A petition to withdraw from the University or drop classes after the tuition credit deadlines does not reduce a student’s financial obligation to the University.

Please note that the dates to withdraw or drop classes for tuition credit differ from those to withdraw or drop classes for academic purposes.

Whether any refund will result from the tuition credit received will depend on the payments that have been made.

Failure to attend class or merely giving notice to an instructor will not be regarded as official notice of drop/add or withdrawal.

*Students choosing to remain enrolled past the last day to drop with refund are obligated to cover all tuition, fees, room and board charges incurred in accordance with the refund policy for tuition, room and board charges.

Tuition Withdrawal Policy:

Undergraduate and Graduate
Fall and Spring

Interterm

Summer

There are no exceptions to this policy.

Financial Aid Policies

Chapman is committed to providing financial assistance to qualified students. More than 84 percent of our students receive some form of financial assistance. Additional information can be obtained from the Chapman University’s Undergraduate Financial Aid website. The Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid is responsible for the administration of undergraduate student financial aid and it provides counseling and information to students and parents about the financial aid application process, financial aid opportunities and responsible borrowing of student loans. All students who need financial assistance are encouraged to apply.

Procedures for Applying for Financial Aid

All new students are automatically considered for academic scholarships at the time of admission. There are no special or additional application forms to complete.

In addition to academic awards, Chapman provides scholarships to new students with special talents in music, theatre, science, art, film, creative writing and dance. An audition or submission of a portfolio may be required to determine eligibility. If so, the Office of Admission will notify the student.

In addition to scholarships, Chapman provides assistance from an array of grant, loan and employment programs. These programs are funded by Chapman, the federal government, the state government and various private organizations. To apply, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available online at www.studentaid.gov. Residents of California should also complete the Cal Grant GPA Verification form. More information about the Cal Grant process can be found online at csac.ca.gov.

When completing the FAFSA, please be sure to list “Chapman University, Orange, California” when prompted online. The Title IV school code for Chapman is 001164.

The FAFSA may be completed as early as October 1. The priority filing date for completing the FAFSA is March 2. Grants, loans and federal workstudy may be awarded to students who apply after these dates; however, funds may be exhausted in some programs. Students should pay attention to dates indicated on both the FAFSA website and Cal Grant website as dates may change slightly each year.

Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid with questions at (714) 997-6741. A toll-free telephone number also is available at (888) CU-APPLY. In addition to calling the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid, the federal government can be contacted for information about completing the FAFSA at (800) 4-FED-AID.

Financial Aid Programs

Federal Student Aid

Federal programs administered by the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid include the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and the Federal Work Study program (FWS), which provides opportunities for part-time employment. Chapman University participates in the Federal Direct Loan program including the Direct Parent Plus Loan and Graduate Plus Loan programs, all of which must be repaid. Federal grant programs are typically reserved for undergraduate students. Detailed information is available from the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid.

State of California Financial Aid

The State of California provides Cal Grants to financially and academically eligible students. Eligibility criteria change each year based on appropriations from the state legislature and the number of applicants. The Cal Grant A and Cal Grant B programs are available to undergraduates who are residents of California.

Chapman University Scholarships

Each year, Chapman University provides over $92 million to undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance and over $1.8 million to those who demonstrate special talents. For first-year students, academic scholarships are awarded on the basis of high school grades and other criteria. Transfer students are awarded academic scholarships based on grades received at other colleges and universities. Scholarships for special talents are awarded by the faculty. Application information is available from the Office of Admission.

Panther Alumni Awards

Undergraduate students attending Chapman receive a $2,000 grant each year if one or both their parents or if a sibling graduated from a Chapman University degree program. These grants may be renewed for up to four years of full-time undergraduate study provided the student is maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress. Eligibility for this award is not retroactive and begins the first term the student becomes eligible or submits the Panther Alumni Award Application, whichever is later. The application is available on the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid website.

Chapman Grants

These grants are designed to offset direct educational costs for undergraduate applicants with demonstrated financial need. Recipients must maintain a minimum of a 2.000 (a C average) GPA and a minimum of 24 credits per academic year for renewal. Eligibility is determined by the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid after considering other financial aid available to the student. In the 2019-2020 academic year, Chapman University awarded over $59 million in Chapman Grant assistance.

Endowed, Annual, and Named Scholarships

All or a portion of a student’s Chapman Grant may be re-named in honor of a friend of the University. These scholarships have been generously established by friends of the University as an endowed, renewable scholarship or as a one-time gift to directly support our students. Students must meet and maintain the minimum requirements of the Chapman Grant and meet any other qualifications established by the donor. There are no separate applications for these need-based awards. The Financial Aid Office works closely with individual Departments and Colleges to ensure that qualified students are matched with scholarships. These scholarships replace all or a portion of a student’s Chapman Grant and are not awarded in addition to their current grant and scholarship package.

In some instances, a representative from the University may reach out directly to students receiving an endowed, annual or named scholarship to better understand their academic journey and goals and to directly connect them to the donor of their scholarship. Providing additional information or meeting with the donor is not a requirement of receiving the scholarship.

Additional information for all institutional awards is available on the Financial Aid website.