University of Texas at El Paso Academic Catalog

Academic Catalog

Tuition and Fees

Student Business Services (SBS) is responsible for managing institutional charges such as student billing and payments and to help students navigate the payment processes.

Tuition and Fees

Pursuant to Texas State law, The University of Texas System Board of Regents (the Board) is authorized to set tuition.  The student fees assessed are authorized by the State; however, the specific fee amounts are set by UTEP administration and The University of Texas System Board of Regents.  Policies governing payment or refund of tuition, fees and other charges are also approved by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System.

Once a student registers for classes each semester/term, tuition and fees must be paid by the payment deadline.  

All new incoming students will have the opportunity to choose from two rate plans: a traditional rate plan or a guaranteed rate plan.

The traditional rate plan is based on a plan that locks in tuition rates for one academic year at a time. The rates on the variable tuition plan are subject to change each academic year.

The guaranteed rate plan locks in tuition rates for four consecutive years and protects the student against increases during those four years. This plan is designed to assist students and families in the budget and planning of college expenses.

New incoming students will be defaulted into the variable tuition rate plan but will have the option to enroll in the guaranteed rate plan.

For current tuition and fees, please visit the Student Business Services website and select Tuition and Mandatory Fees for the appropriate semester.

Supplemental Fees

There are supplemental or additional fees/charges students are required to pay in addition to tuition and fees.  These fees are subject to changeFor the most current fee rates, please visit the Student Business Services website

For New Students:

  • Student ID Card - The Miner Gold card is the official identification (ID) card of The University of Texas at El Paso. The Miner Gold card is the property of the University and is non-transferable. All students must carry their Miner Gold cards at all times while on University property in order to obtain services. More information can be found at the website.
    • Student ID Card Fee (Miner Gold Card) - one-time issuance fee
    • Student ID Replacement Fee – in case a student’s ID is lost
  • Student General Property Deposit - one-time deposit/fee assessed at the time of the student's initial registration at the University.
    • This fee is refundable to the student at the end of his or her University enrollment less any loss, damage, or breakage caused by the student. A property deposit which remains without call for refund for a period of four (4) years from the date of last attendance at the University will be forfeited and will become the property of the Student General Property Deposit Endowment Fund. Such funds will be invested and the income will be used for scholarship purposes.

New Undergraduate Students:

  • New Entering Undergraduate Resident Student
  • New Entering Undergraduate International Student
  • New Entering Undergraduate Transfer Student

Declared Major Fees (Undergraduate and Graduate)

All fees assessed are per semester unless otherwise noted. All fees are subject to change, for current fee rates, please visit the Student Business Services website.  For additional information, please contact the Student Business Services Office at 915.747.5116.

Course and Major Fees

See below for course and major fees. 

Major Fee Listing

Course Fee Listing

Search for individual course fees using the UTEP course schedule.

Incidental Fees

Tuition for Undergraduate Hours in Excess of 170 or More Credit Hours

A Texas resident undergraduate student who has attempted 170 or more semester credit hours will be charged a higher tuition rate than is charged to other Texas resident students. The higher tuition rate will be the non-resident rate for any credit hours above 169. The higher tuition rate will not be charged to a student enrolled in:

  1. Two or more baccalaureate degree programs at the same time.
  2. A double-major degree program that requires 130 or more semester credits for completion.
  3. A health-professional baccalaureate degree program.

In determining whether the student has previously attempted 170 or more semester credit hours, the following credit hours will not be counted:

  1. Semester credit hours earned by the student while the student was classified as a nonresident or foreign student for tuition purposes.
  2. Semester credit hours earned by the student 10 or more years before the date the student begins the new degree program under the Academic Fresh Start Program of the Texas Educational Code, § 51.931.
  3. Semester credit hours earned by the student before receiving a baccalaureate degree that has previously been awarded to the student.
  4. Semester credit hours earned by the student by examination or under any other procedure by which credit is earned without registering for a course for which tuition is charged.
  5. Credit for a remedial education course or another course that does not count toward a degree program at the institution.
  6. Semester credit hours earned by the student at a private institution or an out-of-state institution.

Tuition for Resident Doctoral Students in Excess of 100 or More Credit Hours

Beginning fall semester 1999, a resident doctoral student who has a total of 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral work at an institution of higher education can be required to pay non-resident doctoral tuition rates. Students should contact the Graduate School for more information at 915.747.5491.

Distance Learning (Resident) Tuition and Fees*

For current fee rates, please visit the Student Business Services website. For additional information, please contact the Student Business Services Office at 915.747.5116.

If enrolled only in Distance Learning courses, the following fees are waived under this program:

            - Activity Fee, Health Center Fee, Recreation Fee, and Union Fee.

Parking Fees

For current parking fees that apply to students who want to park on campus, please visit the Parking and Transportation website

Accessible Exempt Parking

Disabled Veterans, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients, Former Prisoners of War, Pearl Harbor Survivors, and Purple Heart Recipients whose vehicles display the special license plates issued by the State of Texas or applicable state of issuance, are exempt from payment of parking charges at paid short-term surface metered parking upon proper registration with Parking and Transportation Services, in accordance with State law.  This privilege applies to the veteran only and not anyone else driving the vehicle.  This parking privilege does not apply to (1) a parking space or area located in a controlled access parking facility if at least 50 percent of the number of parking spaces or areas designated specifically for persons with physical disabilities on the property of the institution of higher education are located outside a controlled access parking facility; (2) an area temporarily designated for a special event parking; or (3) an area where parking is temporarily prohibited for health or safety concerns.

Methods of Payment

The University accepts cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover for payment of tuition and fees. If a student cannot pay in full, there are two payment methods for which a student pays a minimal fee:

  1. Twenty percent (20%) payment of tuition, mandatory and incidental fees is paid by the student upon receipt of the student’s bill but no later than the payment deadline.  The remaining balance is due in four (4) equal installments payable by the 15th of each month in accordance with the payment plan.
  2. Use a tuition loan offered by the University to cover twenty percent (20%) payment of tuition, mandatory and incidental fees before the payment deadline.  The remaining balance is due in five (5) equal installments in accordance with the payment plan.

The following charges CANNOT be included within the payment plan and must be paid by the payment deadline:

  • Student General Property Deposit
  • Discretionary Fee (Liability Insurance)
  • Amounts due for financial holds or from previous payment periods
  • Optional Incidental Fees (such as Late Registration, Add/Drop, Installment Tuition Handling Fees, etc.)

Students should be aware of the following additional tuition and fees policies:

  • Any past due account balances, including items associated with deferred payment, must be paid in full before a student can begin registration for a subsequent semester.
  • A payment plan selected at the time of registration will be binding and will be applied to any subsequent add/drop activities; however, pre-payment of outstanding balances will be accepted.
  • An Installment Tuition Delinquency Fee of $15.00 will be assessed if the payment due for that payment period deadline is not paid in full.
  • The Office of Student Business Services will send e-mail reminder payment notifications as appropriate to students enrolled in a payment plan.
  • The student's tuition and fees assessment will be based upon the courses for which a student is enrolled on the official census date, which is the twelfth (12th) class day in a long semester.  No reduction in amounts due will be made after this date, except for students who officially withdraw up to the end of the refund period as indicated in the Class Schedule. Further, the student is obligated to pay the assessed amounts whether or not class attendance is subsequently interrupted or terminated.
  • A student who fails to provide full payment of tuition and fees, including any late fees assessed, to the University when the payments are due is subject to one or more of the following:
  1. A bar against registration at the institution.
  2. Withholding of grades, degree, and official transcript.
  3. All penalties and actions authorized by law.

Refund of Tuition and Fees

Refund policies are established by, and are subject to change by, the Legislature of the State of Texas and are applicable to class withdrawals and dropped courses. Refunds of tuition, general fees, and student services fees will be made under the following conditions:

Tuition Limit in Cases of Concurrent Enrollment

When a student registers at more than one public institution of higher education at the same time, tuition charges shall be determined in the following manner (Texas Education Code, section 54.011):

  1. The student shall pay the full tuition charge to the first institution at which the is student is registered; and in any event the student shall pay an amount at least equal to the minimum tuition specified in this code.
  2. If the minimum tuition specified in this code for the first institution at which the student is registered is equal to or greater than the minimum tuition specified in this code for the second institution at which the student is registered concurrently, the student shall not be required to pay the specified minimum tuition charge to the second institution in addition to the tuition charge paid to the first institution, but shall pay only the hourly rates, as provided in this code, to the second institution.
  3. If the minimum tuition specified in this code for the first institution at which the student is registered is less than the specified minimum tuition charge at the second institution (that is, if the second institution has a higher minimum tuition charge specified in this code), then the student shall first register at the institution having the lower minimum tuition and shall pay to the second institution only the amount equal to the difference between the student's total tuition charge at the second institution and the student's total tuition charge at the first institution, but in no case shall the student pay to the second institution less than the hourly rates as provided in this code.
  4. If a student is considered to be a Texas resident and therefore qualified to pay Texas resident tuition rates by one institution at which the student is registered, the student shall be considered a Texas resident at each of the institutions at which the student is concurrently registered for the purposes of determining the proper tuition charges.  Nothing in this subsection shall be so construed as to allow a nonresident to pay resident tuition except at institutions covered by Section 54.231 of this code.

Tuition Rebate and Other Assistance for Certain Baccalaureate Recipients

The Texas Legislature has authorized a $1,000 tuition rebate for students who complete baccalaureate degrees with no more than three credits in excess of those required for the student’s degree. The purpose of the program is to provide a financial incentive for students to prepare for university studies while completing their high school work, to avail themselves of academic advising, make early career decisions, and complete their baccalaureate studies with as few courses outside the degree plan as possible. Minimizing the number of courses taken by a student results in financial savings to students, parents, and the state.  Students must apply for the rebate prior to receiving their bachelor’s degree.

General Debts of Students or Organizations

The University is not responsible for any debts contracted by individual students or by student organizations. The University will not assume the role of collection agency for any organization, firm, or individual to which students owe money nor will the University adjudicate disputes between students and creditors over the existence or amounts of debts.

Debts Owed to the University

In the event of non-payment of debts owed to the University, one or more of the following actions may be taken by the University:

  • The student can be barred from registration.
  • The student's grades and official transcripts can be withheld.
  • A degree to which the student might otherwise be entitled can be withheld.
  • Delinquent accounts will be referred to a collection agency and credit bureau.
  • Other penalties and actions authorized by law can be exercised.

Returned Checks

A student who pays the University a check or money order for services or goods which is not subsequently honored by the payer's bank and the fault is not that of the bank, and who does not pay the University the amount due within ten (10) class days after the receipt of written notice that the bank has refused payment, can be subject to disciplinary action or withdrawn from the University for non-payment of tuition and fees if the student fails to pay the University the check amount due plus a returned check fee within ten (10) class days after receiving written notice and the student's check will be referred to the County Attorney for collection.

Notice to Students Regarding Tuition Set Aside for Financial Assistance

In accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 56.014, resident students will be emailed a notification each semester in which the student is enrolled, and informed of the amount of their tuition that will be set aside by The University of Texas at El Paso for need-based financial assistance programs. Authority for these mandatory set asides is found in Texas Education Code, Sections 56.011, 56.012, 56.095, & 56.465.

No action from students is needed in response to the notification as the communication is for informational purposes only. For questions regarding this matter, please contact Student Business Services at (915) 747-5116.