Board Policies
Chapter 5 - Administration
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5.11 Tuition and Fees

Part 1. Authority
Minnesota Statute 136F.06, Powers and Duties, states that the board shall set tuition and fees and adopt suitable policies for the institutions it governs.

Part 2. Tuition
Tuition shall be charged by all colleges and universities. All tuition must be identified separately on a tuition and fee statement.

Subpart A. Board approved tuition
The Board of Trustees shall approve the tuition structure for all colleges and universities. All colleges and universities shall charge tuition consistent with Minnesota statutes, board policies, and system procedures. The chancellor is authorized to make any necessary technical adjustments to the tuition rates.

Subpart B. Market-driven tuition
Colleges and universities may set and charge market-driven tuition for customized training, continuing education, distance learning, non-credit instruction, and contract post-secondary enrollment options programs.

Part 3. Fees
Three categories of fees shall be applied to students by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

a. Mandatory fees are in statute or policy and are required to be charged by all colleges and universities.
b. Optional fees are established by the board and adopted at campus discretion.
c. Personal property and service charges include items that are retained by the student or services that are on the student’s behalf.

No fee shall be charged unless authorized by the board. All fees must be identified separately on a tuition and fee statement.

Subpart A. Mandatory fees
There are five mandatory fees: senior citizen fee in lieu of tuition, parking fee, late fee, payment plan fee and statewide student association fee. All colleges and universities shall charge these fees consistent with Minnesota statutes, board policies, and system procedures (see related documents below). The chancellor is authorized to make any necessary technical adjustments to the fee rates.

Subpart B. Optional fees
The board approves the optional fee maximums. Colleges and universities may establish policies to charge fees not to exceed the maximum amount approved by the board.

The authorized optional fees are:

Application fee
Credit for prior learning assessment fee
Student life/activity fee
Athletics fee
Health services fee
Special events fee
Residential learning community fee
Technology fee

Subpart C. Personal property and service charges
Colleges and universities may charge students the actual cost of property and services. The fee shall be for items that become the personal property of a student and have an educational or personal value beyond the classroom or for services for or on the behalf of the students. The actual cost shall be the allowable maximum charge.

Part 3. Student Consultation
All tuition and fees are subject to student consultation requirements as defined by Board Policy 2.3, Student Involvement in Decision Making