Military Students

As part of the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 we are required to provide you important information regarding your education at Roger Williams University. This information is provided for you below:

Financial Information: 

• Estimated Cost of Attendance base on full-time status: $17,746/yr 
• Tuition and fees: $5,610 
• Housing and meals: $9,270 
• Books & supplies $676 
• Other educational costs $2,190 

Amount of Cost cover by VA: 

Military Online & Day Courses (3 semester credit hours): $750 

Other Types of Federal financial aid you may be eligible for: 

Federal Pell Grants: 

This program also uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to determine a student's eligibility. 

There are several ways to file: 

Online is faster and easier than using paper. If you need a paper FAFSA, you can download a PDF FAFSA or order a print-out of the PDF FAFSA by calling 1-877-4-ED-PUBS (1-877-433-7827). You can check the status of your FAFSA immediately after submitting it online. 

You can check the status of a paper FAFSA after it has been processed (roughly 7–10 days from the date mailed). 

Here’s how: 

• Option 1: Go to the FAFSA website and log in. 
• Option 2: Contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center. If your FAFSA is still being processed, we recommend that you wait a few days before checking the status again. 

Federal Loan Options: 

Students who meet specific criteria or have demonstrated financial need may be eligible for loans provided by the federal government. These loans have different qualifications, interest rates and requirements. 

The following programs are available to students enrolled in full-time degree programs at Roger Williams University: 

Any student applying for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be offered federal student loans through the Department of Education's Federal Direct Loan Program as part of your RWU financial aid award. This loan program is borrowed money that must be repaid. Lenders charge origination and interest fees on the borrowed amount for its use. Once you receive your award letter, you will have the opportunity to accept or decline the direct loan(s) in full or request a reduced borrowing amount. 

Federal Student Aid Simulator

Subsidized Federal Direct Loans 

These are low interest loans that are awarded based on financial need. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest that accrues on the loan during the in-school, grace and authorized deferment periods. The interest rate for the 2021/2022 year loan is 3.73% with a loan origination fee of 1.057% for undergraduate students. The maximum borrowing amount is $3,500 for freshmen, $4,500 for sophomores, and $5,500 for juniors and seniors with a maximum cumulative total of $23,000. Repayment of principal begins six months after the student stops attending school on at least a half-time basis. Interest on the loan starts once the student stops attending school on at least a half-time basis. 

Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans 

These are low interest student loans that are not awarded based on financial need. The U.S. Department of Education does not subsidize the interest; the student borrower is responsible for all interest that accrues on the loan from the date of the first disbursement. The interest rate for this loan for the 2021/2022 year is 3.73% with a loan origination fee of 1.057% for undergraduate students. Repayment begins six months after the student stops attending school on a half-time basis. Note: Based on student FAFSA results, students may be awarded a combination of subsidized and unsubsidized loan amounts. Regardless of the type of loan awarded, every student must complete an Entrance Interview and Master Promissory Note before receiving this loan. 

Estimated Student Loan Debt: 

$19,792 

How to compare aid packages: 

Your starting point is the college's cost of attendance (COA). The standard components of a college's COA are:

• Tuition and fees 
• Room and board 
• Books and supplies 
• Local transportation 
• Personal expenses 

If the college does not show the components of its COA or does not show all components, ask the financial aid office for a full breakdown. Add up the components to get the complete COA. 

For each award letter, identify every item as either gift aid (grants and scholarships) or self-help aid (loans and work-study). Then calculate the total amount of gift aid and the total amount of self-help aid. If it's not clear whether an award is gift aid or self-help aid, ask the college right away. For example, loans may not be clearly labeled. 

Once you know each school's entire COA and the total amount of gift and self-help aid, you can compare the net price of each college. Simply subtract the total gift aid from each college's cost of attendance. Ignore what the award letter says you will pay and rely on your own calculations. 

To understand how much debt, you might be signing up for, add up the loan self-help aid offered by each college, plus any other loans you might get in order to cover your cost. 

Academic Information: 

Transfer of Credits: 

• 90 credits towards Bachelor’s Degree 
• 45 credits towards an Associate’s Degree 

Transfer of Military Credits: 

Three years if college credit (90 credits) may be granted for military training and/or experience. 

Additional requirements, training, experience or examinations for which the course prepares the individual:

Not Applicable

Graduation requirements & timeline: 

All university coursework requirements must be completed by the time of graduation and your student account are in good standing with the university before diploma’s are issued. Undergraduate and graduate students must submit a degree application two semesters prior to expected graduation Information regarding completing a course at RWU: All university coursework requirements must be completed by the time of graduation and your student account are in good standing with the university before diploma’s are issued. Undergraduate and graduate students must submit a degree application two semesters prior to expected graduation. 

Graduation Rate: 

88% 

RWU Contacts: 

Academic Counseling: UC Admission Office 401-254-3838 

Financial Counseling: Gina Rigby 401-254-3100 

Disability Counseling: Student Accessibility Services 401-254-3841

RWU is able to offer a discounted tuition rate for members of the Armed Forces through the Extension School. Most military students are eligible for government funding under the Post 9/11 GI Bill ®, Montgomery GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve, or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program and VRE. The discounted tuition rate and government funding may be applicable to your spouse and family members as well.

Roger Williams University offers you flexible scheduling based on your deployment and allows you to return to the program. In addition, your tuition gives you access to all of the services, course and program information regularly available to all on-campus students, including academic advisement, use of facilities, student services, access to course schedules, catalogs and more.

The RWU Military Educational Benefits team supports active duty and veteran's benefits. 

IMPORTANT: All military students must seek approval for Tuition Assistance from their Educational Service Officer (ESO) or Military Service Counselor prior to registering for classes with RWU.

Per the RWU DoD MOU, paragraph 4.d.(1) Approved Courses. If an eligible Service member decides to use TA, educational institutions will enroll him or her only after the TA is approved by the individual’s Service.  Service members will be solely responsible for all tuition costs without this prior approval.  This requirement does not prohibit an educational institution from pre-registering a Service member in a course in order to secure a slot in the course.  If a school enrolls the Service member before the appropriate Service approves Military TA, then the Service member could be responsible for the tuition. All Military TA must be requested and approved prior to the start date of the course.  The Military TA is approved on a course-by-course basis and only for the specific course(s) and class dates that a Service member requests. If a military student “self-identifies” their eligibility and the Service has not approved the funding, then the Service member will be solely responsible for all tuition costs, not the Service.

VA Student Certification

All military students new or returning should first obtain approval from their respective Military Educational Benefits Educational Service Officer (ESO), Military Counselor, or the Student VA Hotline prior to meeting with the RWU Military Benefits Assistants. The RWU enrollment process cannot be started until the Military Benefits Assistant collects an updated VA Educational Eligibility Letter (COE) and the student submits a completed RWU Student VA Worksheet (required prior to the start of each semester that VA benefits will be used). 

Note: VA Military Benefit amounts should be determined prior to applying for Financial Aid.

Click here to view the RWU financial aid allocation of military benefits policy. This policy ensures that GI Bill & VRE benefits, when combined with university funding, does not exceed direct tuition and fees.

Army Tuition Assistance

All TA for Active Duty, USAR, and ARNG Soldiers must be requested through the AI Portal.

Extension School

Tuition Rates - Part-time

• Evening Classroom Course (3 credits)  $750
• Directed Seminar (3 credits)  $750
• Online Course (3 credits)   $750

General Fees

Extension School applicants may waive their application fee upon discussing their intent to apply with an admissions representative.  Applicants & current students will pay only a one (1) time semester fee of $70 for each semester of attendance. This price is not per course you take.

Extension School students can take up to fourteen (14) college credits and pay the evening/online course rates. If you enroll for fifteen (15) or more credits, you must pay our day course rate. 

Extension School tuition rates and fees. 

Withdrawal policy, and refund schedule

Information regarding tuition rates and costs for programs offered at other RWU schools

Readmission for Military Servicemembers

Scope and Purpose

RWU acknowledges that students may be temporarily unable to attend classes or be required to suspend their studies in order to perform military service. RWU encourages such students to resume their education once a military service obligation has ended and adopts this policy to ensure the timely readmission of such students. The university will promptly readmit servicemembers who seek readmission to a program that was interrupted due to a uniformed service obligation.

Eligibility

A student is eligible for readmission under this policy if, during an absence, the student performs uniformed service, voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, active duty, active duty for training or full-time National Guard (under federal authority).

Notification

A student must provide oral or written notice of a uniformed service obligation to their respective advisor as far in advance as possible, unless precluded by military necessity. Such notice does not need to indicate when the student will return to the university. Immediately upon the student's return to school, the student must provide notice that he/she may be entitled to the tuition and enrollment benefits. The returning student may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Tuition and Fees

A returning student must be charged the same tuition and fees in effect during the last academic year the student attended, unless veterans' education benefits or other servicemember education benefits will pay the amount in excess. For subsequent academic years, the returning student may not be charged tuition and fees in excess of what other students in the program are charged.

Readmission Requirements

A returning student will be permitted to reenroll in the next class(es) scheduled in the same academic program, unless the student requests a later date of reenrollment or agrees to a different program. A returning student will be readmitted into the same academic program the student was enrolled in prior to the military service obligation. If the exact program no longer exists, the student must be admitted to the program that is most similar, unless the student requests or agrees to admission to a different program. Returning students will be reenrolled with the same enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, and academic standing as the last academic year of attendance.

This policy applies only to students receiving Military Tuition Assistance (TA).  TA is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with Department of Defense (DOD) policy, RWU will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period. Any unearned TA funds – based upon when a student stops attending - will be returned directly to the military service from which the funds were provided, not to the service member.

Withdrawal & Refunds Military Tuition Assistance (TA) Refund Policy and Schedule

In instances when a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, RWU will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned TA funds in compliance with the DOD policy.

To comply with the Department of Defense’s policy, RWU will return any unearned TA funds up to 60% of the semester on a prorated basis. The amount of unearned TA funds returned is based on the date of withdrawal.  After 60% of the semester has passed, TA will not be evaluated for a return to the DOD.

• RWU currently offers 2 week, 3 week, 5 week, 6 week, 8 week, 10 week, 15 week and 16 week schedules.

 Withdrawal Liability Charts:

16 Week

15 Week

10 Week

8 & 6 Week

5 Week                                     

3 Week

 Note: The educational institution’s week of instruction is counted as 7 days

2 Week

These schedules will be implemented via the RWU Academic Standards Petition Process:

Students are responsible for knowing and complying with the academic regulations of the University. Each College and School has an Academic Standards Committee that serves as the appeal committee for students requesting exceptions to academic policy. A petition obtained from the appropriate dean’s office must be completed and submitted to the dean of the college or school in which the student is enrolled. The dean of the college or school, if necessary, forwards the petition to the appropriate Academic Standards Committee.