Tuition, Fees and Refunds

Tuition

Tuition is charged per academic credit at a rate set annually by the Board of Trustees. The published rate is $500 per academic credit, so a standard 3-credit course is $1,500 per session and each 36-credit degree is $18,000.

NSBT applies a 50% tuition discount to all degree-seeking students, so tuition is $250 per academic credit, $750 per 3-credit course, and $9,000 per degree. Students enrolled under this discount keep the discounted rate through completion of their program. An ending date for the discount will be announced when it is available. Affiliated ministry partners are charged a flat rate of $500 per course rather than the published $1,500 for a standard three-credit course, a reduction of $1,000 per three-credit course. These discounts apply to tuition only and not to fees.

Fees

Fees are additional amounts charged for specific purposes, such as processing an initial application (Application Fee), issuing a diploma (Graduation Fee), and securing a transcript (Transcript Fee). A one-time nonrefundable Application Fee of $50 applies. The Graduation Fee is $250.

Payment is made through Populi, using the Stripe online payment processing service. For questions regarding payment plans or any tuition reduction program, contact the NSBT Office of Student Services. All rates and fees are subject to change.

NSBT charges no registration fee, no library fee, no technology access fee, no student authentication fee, and no proctoring fee. NSBT issues official transcripts in electronic form only, and the Transcript Fee is payable at the time the request is submitted. Required readings for NSBT courses are drawn from the Digital Theological Library, of which NSBT is a founding co-owner, and are available to enrolled students at no cost beyond tuition.

Payment

Tuition charges are based on the number of credits that students register for. Payments are made through Populi. Populi offers a payment plan option that students can use if necessary. However, students must pay at least 25% of their total tuition bill for the session before being allowed to begin a class. Under the payment plan, the balance is paid in full by the eighth calendar week of the session.

NSBT does not charge late fees, finance charges, or interest on an unpaid balance. Students are not allowed to continue on and register for, or enroll in, any further sessions if they have an outstanding balance due at the end of a session.

Scholarships

NSBT awards two scholarships, one on merit and one on need. Donor-specific designated scholarships are also available for students.

NSBT awards a merit scholarship to students who earn a 4.0 grade point average in each of the five sessions of the first academic year, beginning with the first leadership course required of every student. Beginning with the sixth session, the scholarship is applied as a $200 tuition credit toward each session in which the student maintains a 4.0 grade point average, up to a maximum of $1,000, and it is stated as a reduction in tuition on the award letter. NSBT requires no separate scholarship application.

The award applies to tuition only and does not reduce fees. Where the student also receives the institutional tuition discount, the tuition that would otherwise be charged is the discounted tuition, not the published rate.

NSBT also awards a need-based scholarship under its Need-Based Scholarship Economic Standard. A student whose documented annual household income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline for the household’s size qualifies. NSBT measures household income against the federal poverty guidelines issued annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The award is set by the band into which the applicant’s documented annual household income falls relative to the federal poverty guideline for the applicant’s household size, and is distributed equally across the academic year’s five sessions.

It is the only need-based award a student receives for the academic year, and it does not combine with the merit scholarship.

There may be other sources of scholarships from your own church or denomination along with professional associations. Federal student loans are not available for The New School of Biblical Theology. The New School of Biblical Theology does not participate in the Federal Student Aid programs.

Cancellation

A student has five calendar days after signing an enrollment agreement to cancel enrollment and receive a full refund of all monies paid to NSBT, including the Application Fee. Notice of cancellation must be provided via email or mail to the Office of Student Services at studentservices@nsbt.org. A student who cancels more than five calendar days after signing an enrollment agreement, but prior to beginning the program, receives a refund of all tuition paid, and the Application Fee is retained by NSBT.

Refunds

100% of tuition collected for any course or session not yet started is refunded. Where a student is registered for more than one course, each course is treated separately for the purpose of calculating the refund owed. A student who withdraws from a program or a course during a session may be entitled to a tuition refund based on the timing of the withdrawal. Notice of withdrawal must be provided via email or mail to the Office of Student Services at studentservices@nsbt.org. Tuition for completed sessions is non-refundable. The refund for the current session is calculated from the date the notice of withdrawal is received, under the following schedule.

Any money due to a student is refunded within 30 days of the student’s notice of cancellation or withdrawal. For administrative withdrawal or dismissal, the refund calculation date is the student’s last date of academic activity, and the refund is calculated under the schedule above as of that date.

A refund is calculated on the tuition actually charged to the student. Where a student is charged at the discounted rate, at the affiliated ministry partner flat rate, or with a scholarship applied, the refund is calculated on that amount rather than on the published rate. Fees are not refundable, except the application fee within the five-calendar-day cancellation window.

Sample refund calculations

Tuition is $500 per academic credit, so a standard 3-credit course carries tuition of $1,500. The following examples illustrate the schedule. NSBT applies a 50% tuition discount to all degree-seeking students, so the discounted rate is $250 per academic credit and the same 3-credit course is a tuition of $750.

Example 1. A student registered for one 3-credit course submits notice of withdrawal to the Office of Student Services during Week 3 of the session. The refund is 60% of $1,500, which is $900, paid within 30 days of the notice. At the discounted rate of $250 per credit, the same 3-credit course is a tuition of $750, and the Week 3 withdrawal in Example 1 refunds 60% of $750, which is $450, paid within 30 days of the notice.

Example 2. A student is administratively withdrawn, and the student’s last date of academic activity falls in Week 2 of the session. The refund is 80% of $1,500, which is $1,200, calculated as of the last date of academic activity and paid within 30 days.

Example 3. A newly admitted student cancels enrollment four calendar days after signing the enrollment agreement, having paid the $50 Application Fee and $1,500 tuition for the first session. The student receives a full refund of $1,550, paid within 30 days of the notice of cancellation.