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Fees, Room, and Meal Plans

Comprehensive Services Fee

The Comprehensive Services Fee covers some of the costs associated with the Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center, Campus Center, placement services, technology fees, and other support activities at the University. The fee is $1,360 per semester for full-time undergraduate students.

Health Insurance Fee

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all students enrolled at or above a three-quarter full-time load to have health insurance, and coverage must meet minimum standards defined by the state. Students enrolled for nine or more credits (five credits for graduate students in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business or Engineering), must have coverage unless they are enrolled in fully-online programs.

To ensure students meet the state's health insurance coverage requirements, the University makes available a general health insurance program provided by an outside carrier. Coverage begins at the start of the school year and continues for twelve months. The fee appears on the student's charges in Self-Service. Students with comparable coverage may request a waiver by completing the online waiver form accessible in Self-Service; only approved waiver requests will have the annual fee removed. Students who do not complete the waiver and receive an official approval of such by the required deadline will be responsible for the fee on their account. See Immunization and Health Record Requirements in the Legal Matters section of this catalog for insurance requirements necessary for registration.

Health Services Fee

The Health Services Fee enables all matriculated undergraduate and graduate students (full-time and part-time) at WNE to access the services provided by the Center for Health and Well-Being (Health Services, Counseling Services, and Health Promotion, Prevention, and Education Services) with no additional charges. The fee is $105 per semester for full-time students and $55 per semester for part-time students.

Laboratory Fees

Laboratory fees are required for some courses and are indicated in the course descriptions. The charge covers the use of laboratory equipment, machinery, chemicals, supplies, computers, and business machines. The laboratory fees are payable at the time of registration and are not refundable.

Student Activities Fee

Each full-time undergraduate student, by vote of the Student Association and endorsement of the Student Senate, is assessed $150 per semester as a Student Activities Fee. Payable at the beginning of each semester, the fee is not refundable. Funds are allocated through the Student Senate and provide the principal source of funding for social and cultural programming, traditional events; student clubs and organizations; student publications such as the newspaper and yearbook; and the radio station. The Student Activities Fee also supports publication of the Student Handbook and allows for cooperative funding of such programs as new student orientation, minority and international student groups, and Family and Friends Weekend.

2025-2026 Residential Fees

The housing rates for the 2025-2026 academic year are as follows:

  • Quad (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Windham Halls): $8,000

  • Commonwealth Hall: $10,100

  • Southwood Hall: $13,700 (double occupancy)  

  • LaRiviere Center: $10,100

  • Gateway Village: $11,100

  • Evergreen Village: $13,700

General Housing Policy

Students are required to live in University housing their first two years unless granted an exception to live off campus. Students must be actively enrolled at the University as a full-time, undergraduate degree candidate. The Resident Student Housing Agreement is binding for the full academic year unless the student starts mid-year, graduates, or withdraws from the University. Students who are not required, but request, to live on campus must complete a housing application and pay a nonrefundable, nontransferable housing verification payment to participate in the housing selection process.

Housing Deposit

The procedure differs for incoming and currently matriculating students, as follows:

For incoming students, the housing verification payment (to the amount of $200) is due immediately upon notification of acceptance from the Admissions Office or as otherwise defined by the University. Receipt of this payment also authorizes student-initiated participation in the online housing selection process. 

Currently matriculated students are expected to provide the housing verification payment (to the amount of $200) by the application deadline. This is a non-refundable, non-transferable payment. Receipt of this payment authorizes student-initiated participation in the online housing selection process as a returning student. To confirm campus residency, the student is responsible for completing all components of the online process. Otherwise, the University rightfully presumes the student, if not required to live on campus, has made other arrangements for accommodations as a commuter. Any student who submits this payment late will be placed on a waiting list and will choose their housing on a space-available basis after students who submitted their housing verification payment on time. Proper submission of the housing verification payment and completion of the online process will result in the appropriate residency fee (room and board charge, if applicable) billed to the student’s account with the University.

Students who are required to live on campus but do not select housing for themselves will be assigned and financially responsible for housing as long as they are enrolled and required to live on campus.

Change to Commuter Status

Students may not change to commuter status while they are required to live on campus. If a student who is not required to live on campus notifies the Office of Residence Life, in writing, of their decision to commute for the fall or spring semester by the first Monday in August, then all room and board charges for the respective fall or spring semester, except the housing verification payment, will be credited to the student's account. After the deadline, the student is obligated to the Housing Agreement for both the fall and spring semester.

Complete Withdrawal from the University

All room and board charges except the housing verification payment will be credited to the student’s account if they have officially withdrawn from the University prior to the first day of classes for the semester.

All rates are for occupancy on a semester-basis and are refunded according to the Tuition, Room and Meal Plan Refund Schedule. Status as a full-time student must be maintained through mid-semester to qualify for university housing. Failure to meet the established payment deadlines releases the University from any obligation to maintain the housing reservation.

Normally, University residence units must be vacated during regularly scheduled vacation periods. At the close of the academic year for which residency has been authorized, all of the student’s personal property is to be removed from the premises and the appropriate checkout procedure is to have been completed. Items left behind shall be considered abandoned and disposed of by the University.

University insurance does not cover students' personal property. Students should obtain their own renter's insurance or make sure their belongings are covered by their family/parents' homeowner's or renter's insurance.

Residence Hall/Area Damage Deposit

Students are required to leave their living space in good order when departing from the University. A damage deposit of $100 per student is required of all resident students. Damages are charged against occupants when necessary. This deposit is refundable at the end of the senior year or on withdrawal from the University. The refund will be based upon the condition of the living space at the time of departure.

Meal Plans

For students living in:

  • Franklin, Hampden, Berkshire (The Quad), Windham, Commonwealth, or LaRiviere

    • You will automatically be enrolled in the 7-Day All Access Meal Plan.

    • If you prefer, you can switch to the 12 Weekly Meal Plan using the THD self-service portal.

For students living in:

  • Evergreen, Southwood, or Gateway

    • You will automatically be enrolled in the 125 Block Plan.

    • Note: If you entered WNE before Fall 2023, you're not required to have a meal plan.

    • You may purchase a meal plan through THD if desired.

Meal plan changes may be made in THD through Friday, September 5, 2025.

7 Day All Access ($4,030 per semester) – Unlimited access to the dining hall 7 days a week during operating hours. Also includes Bear Swipe access to retail locations, up to 19 times per week. Includes 10 Spirit Meals and $150 Bear Bucks.

Weekly 12 Meal Plan ($3,500 per semester) – 12 Bear Swipes per week in the dining hall or retail locations during operating hours. Includes 10 Spirit Meals and $50 Bear Bucks.

125 Meal Plan ($2,460 per semester) – 125 Bear Swipes in the dining hall or retail locations which can be used at any time during the semester. Includes 10 Spirit Meals and $500 Bear Bucks

100 Meal Plan ($1,905 per semester) – 100 Bear Swipes in the dining hall or retail locations which can be used at any time during the semester. Includes 10 Spirit Meals and $350 Bear Bucks.

85 Meal Plan ($1,755 per semester) – 85 Bear Swipes in the dining hall or retail locations which can be used at any time during the semester. Includes 5 Spirit Meals and $300 Bear Bucks.

55 Meal Plan ($1,125 per semester) – 55 Bear Swipes in the dining hall or retail locations which can be used at any time during the semester. Includes 5 Spirit Meals and $150 Bear Bucks.

 Note: Bear Swipes can be used at all retail locations for an equivalent meal (typically, entrée, bag of chips, and fountain beverage).