Tuition & Financial Aid

$20.00 per semester

SKSM tuition is $960 per credit (starting Fall 2025).

The per-credit tuition is subject to change. This fee applies to all program, certificate, and special students.

If a student withdraws or is dismissed by the faculty from a Starr King degree program during any term of instruction, (Summer, Fall, Intersession, or Spring), they may be eligible for a refund of tuition they have paid that term. The Student Accounts Manager will calculate any tuition refund owed to the student based on the withdrawal date as follows. 

For semester-length courses (ten weeks or longer): 

1. Prior to the end of Late Registration: full refund of tuition due for the semester.
2. During the 3rd week of classes:  80% of tuition paid that term.
3. During 4th and 5th week of classes: 50% of tuition paid that term.
4. During 6th and 7th weeks of classes: 25% of tuition paid that term.
5. After the 8th week: no refund.

*For Oregon residents: During 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th week of classes: 50% of tuition paid that term. After the 8th week: no refund.

**For Washington residents: After the 5th week: no refund

For intensive and intermediate-length courses (1-9 weeks): 

1. By the conclusion of the 1st day of instruction: full refund of tuition.
2. By the conclusion of the 2nd day of instruction: 80% of course tuition.
3. By the conclusion of the 3rd day of instruction: 50% of course tuition.
4. After the 3rd day of instruction: no refund.

Return of Federal and Nonfederal Financial Aid Program Monies

Students who receive federal Title IV financial aid are subject to the return of Title IV funds (R2T4) calculation, in which a pro-rata refund of federal loans is calculated by the number of calendar days up to 60% of the enrollment period. After 60% of the enrollment period is completed by the student, no refund of federal loan monies will be issued. See the SKSM Academic Catalog for the full R2T4 policy.

Additionally, any nonfederal financial aid program monies will be subject to the same pro rata refund calculation.

Complaint Procedure:

An individual may contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education for review of a complaint. The Bureau may be contacted at 2535 Capital Oak Drive Suite 400 – Sacramento, CA 95833 or www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml 
Tel: 916.431.6959 – Fax: 916.263.1897

For Washington State residents seeking information and resources about student loan repayment or seeking to submit a complaint relating to your student loans or student loan servicer, please visit www.wsac.wa.gov/loan-advocacy or contact the Student Loan Advocate at loanadvocate@wsac.wa.gov.

The following estimates are based on the current price per credit of $960. These are estimates only.

Professional Judgment Policy  

A Professional Judgment for federal student aid is a process that allows a student’s estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) to be reviewed and potentially increased. An approved adjustment may increase the amount a student is eligible to borrow through Federal Direct Loans or private loans. The Department of Education permits financial aid administrators to exercise professional judgment for COA adjustments on a case-by-case basis within the bounds of federal regulation.  

A student may request this adjustment to support necessary expenses such as medical costs, dependent care, or housing costs in excess of the estimate. The goal of an adjustment is to ensure that a student’s financial aid package accurately reflects their actual expenses related to pursuing a Starr King education, especially those not covered by the standard COA. 

A student may request professional judgment on the basis of special and/or unusual circumstances. Special circumstances refer to financial situations that justify a financial aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) calculation. Unusual circumstances refer to conditions that justify a financial aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation such as parental abandonment or refugee status. 

Please note that a COA adjustment is not guaranteed and is subject to the exercise of professional judgment by FA Solutions, who serve as SKSM’s financial aid administrator. In many cases, adjustments do not result in significant changes to the Student Aid Index and do not, therefore, alter a student’s financial aid package. 

Eligible Expenses 

COA adjustments may be considered for the following:

• Housing and food costs that exceed the amount budgeted in the standard COA 
• Dependent care expenses
• One-time computer purchase for academic purposes
• Non-elective and uninsured medical expenses
• Disability-related expenses that are reasonably incurred and not provided by other agencies 

 Ineligible Expenses 

 COA adjustments will not be considered for: 

• Vehicle payments 
• Credit card payments 
• Loan repayment 
• Interview-related expenses 
• Expenses that occur outside the enrollment period (September – May for a full academic year or February – May for a spring term) 

Supporting Documentation 

Schools receiving federal student aid must ensure that supporting documentation substantiates a student’s circumstances. Examples of supporting documentation include: 

• Notice of severance/unemployment benefits or termination letter 
• Termination of benefits letter from a state/federal agency 
• A signed lease agreement or mortgage 
• Receipt or order form for a computer 
• A medical billing statement or estimate 
• Invoice(s) or contract for childcare services 
• Documentation of disability diagnosis and related costs 

 Submission and Professional Judgment 

A student who seeks a COA adjustment must email financialaid@sksm.edu to request a Professional Judgment Form. Complete and sign the form and return it to the same email address with: 

• A letter of explanation 
• All required/relevant supporting documentation 

Please allow 1-2 weeks for a determination of outcome. A professional judgment by the financial aid administrator is considered final and is not subject to override by SKSM or the Department of Education.