Our passion is to make high-quality secondary education affordable for all who love to learn.
At Signum University, we never want the cost of education to be a barrier to learning. Here’s how we keep tuition low:
We using cutting-edge online technologies that scale to accommodate most class sizes.
We avoid the hefty administrative and maintenance costs that burden traditional universities with physical campuses.
We rely on the support of generous donors to pay for the bulk of our infrastructural expenses.
In addition, our Stewardship Team is always looking for ways to create even more efficient and cost-effective processes to deliver a first-rate educational experience.
Course-Related Costs
Students and auditors have two primary costs: tuition and required materials (primarily texts).
Tuition
The tuition paid for each course taken is the largest cost involved. Signum takes pride in the fact that the vast majority of tuition paid by students and auditors goes toward faculty salaries. This allows us to offer students an opportunity to learn from world-class scholars and recognized experts in their fields, at a fraction of the cost for a similar course at a traditional institution.
Tuition for the various levels of enrollment we offer is as follows:
| Enrollment Level | Cost per Course |
|---|---|
| Credit Student (M.A. or Certificate)1 | $650 |
| Discussion Auditor2 | $475 |
| Premiere Auditor | $175 |
| Anytime Auditor | $95 or less3 |
Notes:
- There is a one-time application fee of $25 to apply for our M.A. or certificate program.
- Discussion Auditor enrollment is available only for selected courses.
- Anytime Audit bulk pricing is available for multiple enrollments at the same time. See the Audit a Class page for details.
Books and Required Materials
As with any university course, most Signum classes require students to obtain books and, occasionally, other required materials. The costs for these materials can vary from class to class. Texts that students are required to obtain are listed on the catalog page for the course, so that students know ahead of time what materials they may need to purchase.
In general, there are several ways that we keep down the costs of books and other materials:
- Certain required readings (such as short texts or excerpts) are provided as downloads on the course page in our digital campus.
- The Signum Library offers active students access to selected materials through sources such as Project MUSE for class and research purposes.
- When possible, professors will often provide links to where the text may be legally obtained online freely or for little expense.
To help keep down costs, students are also encouraged to find alternatives to purchasing books for their course, such as borrowing from a library or exchanging texts with friends who have the required book already.
In addition, some courses may have suggested texts or materials, which are not required but may provide additional insight or supplementary information about the course topic. These texts will be clearly marked as optional, and students should exercise discretion with regard to their personal finances before purchasing them.
Withdrawal and Refund Policy
Our Withdrawal and Refund Policy differs depending on whether you are taking a class as a student (M.A. or Certificate) or an auditor.
Students (Degree or Certificate)
A student may withdraw from the course or choose to switch to auditing status in the early part of a semester; however, please note the following schedule:
- In the first 3 weeks of the semester, students may withdraw or change registration status for a complete refund or tuition adjustment.
- In weeks 4 through 6, students will receive a half refund/tuition adjustment.
- After week 6, no refund or tuition adjustment will be offered.
- After week 9, a student may not withdraw or change registration status without written permission of the preceptor, lecturer, and either the Department Chair or the Academic Dean.
- Documentation may be required for a withdrawal after week 9 of the course and will only be granted in extreme circumstances.
Students who desire to complete the course for credit, are unable to finish the work in the final weeks due to extreme circumstances, but who have been able to complete the course’s attendance and participation requirements may apply for an Incomplete grade.
Auditors
Up to the beginning of the third week of the semester, Discussion and Premiere auditors may withdraw and receive a full refund.
Refund requests after week 3 cannot be processed. However, as an auditor you will continue to have continued access to the course page on our digital campus, where you can download recorded lectures and other course materials. Discussion Auditors will also be able to continue attending discussion sections for the class they are auditing.
Financial Assistance
At this time, Signum University does not have any scholarship, grant, or loan programs to make available to students.
However, we do have two ways in which we can aid students who wish to reduce or delay some of the cost of our classes.
Payment Plans
When registering for one or more classes in a given semester, students have the option of paying for their classes in full or in two equal payments.
For students who choose the two-payment plan:
- The first half is due when the invoice is created (within a few days of registering for class).
- The second half is due no later than the beginning of the 3rd week of classes.
To participate in the two-payment plan, simply check the appropriate option on the registration form.
Work-Study Program
Another way that we can offer assistance to students is through our work-study program, which offers tuition remission in exchange for part time work on the Signum administrative team.
If you are interested in participating in the work-study program, send an email to [email protected] or use our contact form. Please note that while we will attempt to accommodate as many students as possible, there are limited work-study opportunities available.
Questions?
Contact Us!
If you want to know more about how to pay for classes at Signum University, contact us today!