Tuition and Billing FAQ

Tuition and fees

What is tuition for 2026–27?

Full-time undergraduate tuition is $9,140 a year for Wesconsin residents, $13,710 at the Midwest Student Exchange rate and $17,880 for non-residents. Segregated fees add $1,420 (tuition and costs).

What does a resident living on campus pay Porter in a year?

$20,660: tuition $9,140, segregated fees $1,420 and a standard double room with the standard meal plan $10,100. The full cost of attendance, including books, transportation and personal costs, is $24,330 (cost of attendance).

What are the per-credit rates?

Undergraduate: $381 resident, $571 Midwest Student Exchange, $745 non-resident. Graduate: $625. Fully online undergraduate programs are a flat $395 per credit from any state.

Why does 15 credits cost the same as 12?

Undergraduate tuition is a flat plateau from 12 to 18 credits, so finishing in four years costs no more per term than going slower. Credits above 18 are billed per credit on top (what tuition includes).

What do segregated fees pay for?

The Forge Recreation Center, health and counseling services, the fare-free Porter Loop, student government and organizations, and campus technology. They are set through a student-led process each year.

Are textbooks and a laptop extra?

No. Required textbooks are rented through the Instructional Resources Service and every full-time undergraduate is issued a laptop; both are built into tuition and fees. Consumables — lab manuals, some access codes, art and shop supplies — are still yours to buy (textbook rental).

Do some programs charge extra?

Yes: Nursing $450 a year, B.F.A. programs $180 a year, engineering B.S. programs $95 a year, Automotive & Diesel Technology $310 a year, and one-time shop fees of $220 (Welding certificate) and $260 (CNC Machining certificate). New students pay a one-time $150 new-student fee.

Your bill

Where is my bill?

In MyPorter under Billing & Payment. Porter does not mail paper bills; it emails your Porter address when a statement is ready (understanding your bill).

When is the bill due?

Fall charges are due in mid-September and spring charges in mid-February, roughly two weeks after classes begin. The exact date is on your statement.

What happens if I pay late?

A monthly late fee and a financial hold that blocks registration, transcripts and diploma release. Talk to the Bursar before a due date you cannot meet — a plan is almost always possible.

Why did my balance change?

The account updates continuously: a dropped course, a new parking permit or a posted scholarship can all change it. The “Amount due now” line is the one that matters for holds and late fees.

A charge looks wrong. What do I do?

Start with the office that created it — the Registrar for tuition after a schedule change, Housing for a room charge, Parking for a permit or citation. If it is still wrong, Student Financial Services opens a review; pay the undisputed part by the due date.

Where is my 1098-T?

In MyPorter each January. It reports payments toward qualified charges and the scholarships that offset them; the free VITA tax clinic on campus can help you use it.

Paying

How can I pay?

Online in MyPorter by e-check, with no fee, or by card, with a 2.85 percent service fee, or by check. The $100 enrollment deposit is the exception: it carries no card fee.

Is there a payment plan?

Yes. The term payment plan splits a semester into four or five monthly payments for a $35 enrollment fee and no interest. Enroll before the first due date — once a hold posts, the plan will not clear it retroactively — and re-enroll each semester.

Can my parents see and pay the bill?

Yes, if you add them as an authorized payer in MyPorter. They get their own login to view charges and pay, without seeing academic records (parents & families FAQ).

My employer or an agency is paying. How does that work?

Upload the sponsor’s authorization and Student Accounts invoices the sponsor directly. Until the authorization is on file, the charges are yours on paper.

Does my aid pay the bill automatically?

Accepted aid is applied first and you are billed for the rest. Expected aid is not paid aid — if a requirement such as verification is outstanding, that money will not disburse and the balance is yours.

Refunds

How much tuition comes back if I drop or withdraw?

For a standard 15-week term: 100 percent through week two, 50 percent through week four and nothing after that. Winter Term, summer and seven-week courses compress the schedule (academic calendar, refund schedule).

When do I get my aid refund?

When aid exceeds your charges, the difference is refunded — by direct deposit within a few days if you set it up in MyPorter, otherwise by check. Refunds usually land in the second week of the term; do not count on the exact date for rent.

What if I withdraw completely?

The tuition refund schedule and the federal “return of Title IV funds” calculation are separate, and the second can require paying aid back if you leave before the 60 percent point. See withdrawal and financial aid first.

What if I drop below 12 credits?

Below 12 credits you are billed per credit, and segregated fees are prorated. Dropping below full time can also reduce financial aid faster than it reduces the bill, so check with Financial Aid first.

Do I get my Campus Cash back?

Yes. Campus Cash rolls over term to term while you are enrolled and is refunded, above a small minimum, when you graduate or withdraw.

Residency and special rates

How is residency for tuition decided?

You need 12 consecutive months of Wesconsin domicile before the term starts; dependent students follow a parent’s domicile. Reclassification requests are due by the tenth day of classes — February 5, 2027 for spring (residency for tuition purposes).

I live in Minnesota. What do I pay?

The reciprocity rate, applied automatically with no separate application. It covers tuition only — not fees, housing or dining (tuition reciprocity).

Do veterans pay resident tuition?

Yes. Active-duty military and eligible veterans are charged the resident rate regardless of home state, and the Veteran Resource Center certifies GI Bill benefits in house.

Can older adults take classes for free?

Wesconsin residents 60 and older may audit most undergraduate courses with no tuition charge on a space-available basis; fees still apply.

What do online students pay?

A flat $395 per undergraduate credit from any state, with no segregated activity, recreation or transit fees and an online course fee of about $45 a term (Online @ Porter).