Mandatory fees
VCU charges mandatory fees to students to pay for items not covered by tuition, including technology support, universitywide events, recreational activities and athletics — all of which help create your full VCU experience.
Mandatory fees are required for all full- and part-time students on both campuses. Full-time students pay a flat rate. Part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate. Students are required to pay mandatory fees each semester. Rates vary based on student classification and enrollment.
What is included in the mandatory fees?
- University fee: Supports recreational sports facilities, University Student Commons, campus development, career and counseling centers, student disability and student services center, intercollegiate athletics and other programs; full-time students pay a flat rate and part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate
- Library fee: The library fee is charged to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students in all programs. Full-time students pay a flat rate. Part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate. Fee revenues are used to sustain library spaces, services, personnel and operations that advance student success across both campuses and online.
- Technology fee: Supports universitywide technological initiatives; full-time students pay a flat rate and part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate
- Academic Support Services fee: Supports tutors, supplemental instruction leaders, writing consultants and overall academic support for undergraduate and graduate students. It is a flat fee that is assessed to part-time and full-time undergraduate and graduate students.
- Activity fee: This fee supports educational, social, cultural and other student activities for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. These activities include the Student Government Association, sports clubs, student organizations, and publications; full-time Monroe Park Campus students pay a flat rate and part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate and MCV students pay a flat rate based on part-time or full-time enrollment.
- Health fee: Covers unlimited visits to University Student Health Services, after-hours phone advice for urgent medical problems and most laboratory tests, but does not cover accidental injury, emergency room visits or hospitalization; full-time students pay a flat rate and part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate.
- Capital outlay fee (nonresident, on-campus students): As required by the State Appropriation Act, revenue used to reimburse the Virginia College Building Authority and the State Treasury Board; full-time students pay a flat rate and part-time students pay a per-credit-hour rate.
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Student Transition Fee: this fee covers all Orientation programs, preparation, and materials as well as programs and services that support students during their first year. The fee is assessed to all new and transfer undergraduate students in their first semester of enrollment, regardless of their participation in Orientation.
Mandatory student fees for 2024-25, including increase year over year
| Fees | 2020- 2021 |
2021- 2022 |
2022- 2023 |
2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | Dollar increase |
Percent change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University fee | $2,137 | $2,244 | $2,356 | $2,544 |
$2,681 |
$137 |
+5% |
| Athletics | $919 | $929 | $1,104 | $1,132 |
$1,358 |
$226 |
+20% |
| Contingency | $162 | $132 | $84 |
$76 |
$164 |
$88 |
+216% |
| Parking and Transportation | $94 | $83 | $92 |
$92 |
$32 |
$(60) |
-35% |
| Student union and recreational sports | $646 | $652 | $713 |
$720 |
$746 |
$25 |
+3% |
| Students services | $315 | $448 | $363 |
$402 |
$263 |
$(139) |
-65% |
| Other Enterprise Functions | N/A | N/A | N/A |
$122 |
$118 |
$(4) |
-3% |
| Technology fee | $85 | $285 | $300 |
$315 |
$315 |
$0 |
0% |
| Library fee | $80 | $80 | $84 |
$88 |
$88 |
$0 |
0% |
| Health service fee | $224 | $235 | $240 |
$246 |
$246 |
$0 |
0% |
| Student activity fee | $90 | $90 | $90 |
$90 |
$90 |
$0 |
0% |
| Academic Support Services Fee (formerly UC Campus Learning Center) |
$90 |
$90 |
$100 |
$100 |
$100 |
$0 |
0% |
| Total mandatory fees (resident) |
$2,661 |
$2,979 |
$3,170 |
$3,383 |
$3,520 |
$137 |
+4% |
| Capital outlay fee (nonresident only) |
$690 |
$690 |
$690 |
$690 |
$690 |
$0 |
0% |
| Total mandatory fees (nonresident) |
$3,351 |
$3,669 |
$3,860 |
$4,073 |
$4,210 |
$137 |
+3% |
For a listing of the distribution of Student Activity fees, refer to the Distribution of Student Activity Fees FY 2023
VCU reserves the right to revise or alter all tuition and fees costs, regulations and collection procedures at any time.