Students are required to pay fees at the time of enrollment in classes. Any debt on a student's account is subject to the student being dropped from their course within the payment deadline period. Students with a past due balance may also receive a hold on their account, which will prevent them from future enrollment and access to some optional services if dropped from all courses. Please review the payment deadlines found on the Student Services website (miracosta.edu/student-services/admissions/important-dates) for detailed dates. 

Enrollment fees are subject to change as directed by the California Legislature. All other fees are subject to change as directed either by the California Legislature or by the MiraCosta College Board of Trustees in accordance with Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. 

Detailed information about fees, financial aid, and scholarships can be found in each semester's class schedule, in the Financial Aid Office (located in Building 3000 of the Oceanside Campus), and at miracosta.edu/student-services. 

Enrollment Fee

MiraCosta College is required by state law to charge each student a per-unit enrollment fee for credit classes. 

• California residents currently pay $46 per credit unit.  
• International students and non-California residents currently pay $332 per unit in addition to the current $46 enrollment fee per unit for a total of $378 per credit unit. (Please see Admissions Information for residency requirements.)

High school students who are concurrently enrolled part-time are not required to pay the enrollment fee. Non-resident students (except those students with non-immigrant visas) may be eligible to have their non-resident tuition waived.

Upper-Division Fees

Upper-division coursework required for the biomanufacturing bachelor's degree costs $130 per unit, which is an additional $84 per unit currently charged for lower-division coursework. 

Instructional Materials Fee

Some courses require a materials fee as a condition of enrollment in a class. When required, this fee is noted in the course description. The fee is used to purchase materials such as tools, equipment, and clothing that not only are necessary for achieving the respective course's objectives but also have a continuing value to the student outside of the classroom setting.

Textbook Costs

Most credit courses require students to provide their own textbooks, lab manuals, and workbooks, which can cost upwards of $150 per class unless the class section is designated as Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) or Low Textbook Cost (LTC). ZTC classes typically use no-cost digital textbooks, online resources, and homework systems, and they may have optional print texts and other required materials, such as lab supplies, a calculator, or test forms, that are not free. LTC-designated classes use course materials that may be purchased new for $40 or less at the MiraCosta College bookstore. You can see a list of all ZTC and LTC classes MiraCosta offers at miracosta.edu/ZTCclasses, and you can search for them in SURF where they are marked with the following logos: 

Note: While the college strives to ensure the accuracy of ZTC and LTC designations, under some circumstances, faculty may have to adjust the selection of instructional materials, which can affect course material costs. Additionally, when the college must change an instructor originally assigned to a class, the replacement instructor is not obligated to use free or low-cost course materials selected by the original instructor.

Textbooks, lab manuals, workbooks, and other course materials for classes taught online or at the Oceanside Campus can be rented or purchased from the Oceanside Campus bookstore; course materials for classes taught at the San Elijo Campus can be rented or purchased from the San Elijo Campus bookstore (see bkstr.com/miracostastore/shop/textbooks-and-course-materials). Books for classes taught at the Community Learning Center (CLC) must be purchased or rented at the CLC bookstore. 

Students are encouraged to participate in the bookstore's textbook rental, used book, and book buy-back programs. Students who need assistance paying for books should contact the Financial Aid Office to determine their eligibility for financial aid, book grants, or book loans.

Health Services Fee

All students enrolled in credit courses and taking any number of units at the Oceanside Campus, San Elijo Campus, or Community Learning Center are required to pay a state-mandated health services fee. This fee is $19 per term for fall and spring and $16 for summer term. The fee covers the cost of secondary student accident insurance and helps fund the operational expenses of the Health Services Center.

Students enrolled in credit courses conducted at other locations must also pay the health services fee. However, companies or school districts that arrange for MiraCosta to conduct classes at off-site locations may request a waiver of the health services fee by providing proof of accident insurance. Arrangements for a fee waiver need to be made with the Office of Instruction when off-site class negotiations are conducted.

The following students are not required to pay the health services fee:

• Students who depend exclusively upon prayer for healing in accordance with the teachings of a bona fide religious sect, denomination, or organization. 
• Students who are attending a community college under an approved apprenticeship training program. 
• Students who are enrolled in noncredit courses are not required to pay the health services fee; however, they may elect to do so if they want to avail themselves of the services. 

Parking Fees

All student vehicles parked on campus must be registered with the Parking/Campus Police Office, and vehicles not displaying a parking permit will be ticketed. A parking fee is charged for registration of each vehicle each semester with some exceptions, which are listed in the class schedule, and the fee varies with the type of vehicle:

• Four-wheel vehicle (hang tag or sticker): $35 per semester
• Motorcycle, motor-driven two-wheel vehicle (sticker): $17.50 per semester

Daily parking permit machines are located on all three campuses. San Elijo and Oceanside Campus permits may be purchased for $1 and the Community Learning Center campus permits may be purchased for $ .50 All visitors must purchase a permit to park on campus Monday through Saturday.

The Parking/Campus Police Office is located in Parking Lot 1A on the Oceanside Campus and on the east side of the entrance to the San Elijo Campus. Upon request, the office will provide a copy of all the rules and regulations that pertain to parking on campus. Students who violate the college's parking rules and regulations are subject to citations and fines.

Student Center Fee

A student center fee of $1 per credit unit with a maximum of $10 per academic year (summer through spring) is charged to students enrolled in on-campus credit classes at the San Elijo or Oceanside Campus. This fee is waived for students who provide the Financial Aid Office with documentation of their participation in AFDC/TANF, SSI, or General Relief. Students who enroll only in online courses or who are studying abroad are not required to pay the student center fee.

Student Representation Fee

The California Education Code Sec. 76060.5 requires community colleges to charge a student representation fee of $2 at the time of registration to support student organizations both locally and statewide. A student may decline this fee at the time of registration. 

Student Identification Card Fee (optional)

The student identification (ID) card, known as the Spartan Pass, is available for all students, including noncredit and credit students, and provides many benefits on and off campus. For example, the Spartan Pass offers many discounts, including savings at retail shops, restaurants, museums, sporting events, and travel. 

The funds received from the purchase of Spartan Passes go back to serving the students by allocating $5 to the Associated Student Government and $1 to the Chariot News Media. This money is then used to offer events, activities, ASG stipends and scholarships, and news publications for the MiraCosta College community. 

Students can pay for their Spartan Pass in SURF or at the Cashier’s office. Then students can request their Spartan Pass by visiting miracosta.edu/Engage and completing the “Spartan Pass/ Nursing ID Card Application.” 

Transcript Fees

Two transcripts are provided to each student without cost. Additional copies cost $5 each. An additional $2 processing fee is charged for transcripts ordered online.

California Veteran Dependent Exemption

The basic benefit is the waiver of tuition and required incidental fees at a California community college, California State University, or University of California. Dependents who may be eligible for this benefit include the following:

• A child or surviving spouse of a veteran who died in the line of duty or as a result of a service-connected disability.
• A child or spouse of a totally disabled, service-connected veteran.
• A child of a veteran who has applied for a service-connected disability, has received a rating of zero or more percent, and falls within the income guidelines.

Contact the MiraCosta College Veterans Services Office (760.757.2121 x6285), the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, or the California Department of Veterans Affairs (916.503.8397) for information about how to apply for this college fee waiver.

Delinquent Debt Collection Charge

Students are responsible for all fees on their student account. If the California Legislature changes the fees, the student is responsible for any fee increase for classes that remain on or are added to the student’s SURF account. When fees are not paid, the fees owed are past due and subject to a collections process, so please always keep an eye on your SURF account, which you can view by logging onto your SURF portal. Before a delinquent debt is sent to collections, students will receive official collection letters in the mail; if the student decides not to pay the balance to the school district, then their account will be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office Tax Offset Program. Once sent to COTOP, a 25 percent collection fee of the balance owed may be assessed. If your account is sent to our second collections processor, CEDAR Financials, a $50 fee may be added to your account. If your account goes into collection status, your credit could be negatively affected. 

For more information, please contact the Cashiers Office at 760.795.6746 or rdean@miracosta.edu.