Affordability and Outcomes Brochure

our commitment to VALUE AND EXCELLENCE

A college education is a significant investment in your future. At Roger Williams University, we appreciate this deeply. Therefore, the education and the experience we provide is intentionally designed to set you up for success. We believe that the college selection should be driven by fit – academic, personal, and financial. Students best thrive in their college experience by choosing an institution that provides the most ideal experience and opportunities for the individual, and financially aligns. In considering RWU, know that we are committed to both:

1. Providing institutional funding to recognize top candidates, and to help families make their investment a reality.

2. Providing the most excellent experience of personalized attention, top-quality faculty and resources, handson experiences, real-world preparation, and more to maximize the value of your investment as well as your potential for success.

YOUR FINANCIAL INVESTMENT:

• RWU guarantees our institutional funding for all four years of your undergraduate enrollment

• 98% of students are awarded RWU scholarships and/or needbased financial aid on an annual basis

• All admitted students automatically qualify for merit-based scholarships that typically range from $15,000 to $21,000 per year

• We do not require a high GPA minimum to maintain your scholarship, but rather simply being in Good Academic Standing

• All admitted students who submit a FAFSA are automatically considered for RWU grant awards in addition to other needbased financial aid opportunities

THE VALUE OF A DEGREE FROM RWU:

• 80% of students blend programs to graduate with more than a single major

• 100% of classes are taught by professors and never teaching assistants, and 99% of classes have fewer than 40 students

• 100% of our students take part in internships, research programs, and hands-on specialty programs unique to each school

• More than 40% of students study abroad in over 40 countries across 6 continents

Throughout this piece, we will elaborate on the elements that speak to the value of an RWU experience and degree, as well as lay out the details around cost and financial aid.

100%

of classes are taught by professors, never by teaching assistants

a comprehensive, PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE

RWU is unique in its design in higher education. With eight schools of study and two campuses, we are the right structure of a comprehensive university to deliver the many opportunities and resources you need.

Yet, with about 4,000 full-time undergraduate students, we provide a university experience in an extremely personalized, community-centric way. You’re getting 100% of classes taught by experienced faculty and tons of handson projects woven into the education. Our curriculum includes community-based projects that let you apply your learning and get realworld experience, including opportunities for graduate level research, starting your first year.

Our Center for Student Academic Success (CSAS) ensures that new students receive support for a successful transition into college. You’ll be paired with an experienced and trained Peer Mentor who will act as a personal guide throughout the year. Through CSAS, you’ll also continue to benefit from individualized guidance throughout your time at RWU to help you meet your academic and personal goals. Many students enter college unsure about their future plans. We support this exploration and will help you through the process.

Net Cost

Opportunities, Quality & Real-Life Experiences

state-of-the-art FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT

• The Wiegand Center for Advanced Financial Education (CAFE) provides a real-world trading room modeled on Wall Street facilities and equipped with Bloomberg technology.

• Architecture students benefit from individual design studio space, with 24/7 access, when they are enrolled in design studio courses.

• Our 3,000-square foot Wet Lab is a hands-on research lab with flowing sea water to support aquaculture and aquarium science research and training. Students, staff, and faculty are developing sustainable practices for rearing animals for public aquaria, and current research is on clownfish, glassy sweeper fish, the Yasha goby, several different species of shrimp, and tropical and temperate corals.

• Our unique use of virtual reality (VR) provides an immersive experience and ability to experiment. Forensic science students use VR to evaluate crime scene scenarios and evidence samples, and our education students practice behavioral classroom techniques.

Across our RWU schools, signature facilities and opportunities ensure you stay current and prepared for the changing work world. Below are some highlighted examples:

The newest building on the Bristol campus, the Richard L. Bready Applied Learning Laboratories, is designed to foster collaboration and innovation while offering high tech resources for experiential learning. The three-floor, 27,325-square-foot building, features cutting-edge laboratories, senior design project rooms and open spaces dedicated to supporting hands-on education for our Engineering, Construction Management, and Computing programs.

PROVEN OUTCOMES

RWU’s wide range of academic programs and experiences prepares students for success after graduation.

We provide a curriculum that keeps you marketable and able to adapt as your career advances. Our Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) starts working with students from year one and offers career exploration, industry networking events, several school-focused career fairs throughout the year, and so much more. A degree from RWU means you’re more than a graduate; it means you are ready for a fulfilling career and life. And, our professional support is for life - reach out to the CCPD at any point during your career for guidance about potential job moves and training assistance.

95 %

AVERAGE PLACEMENT OF OUR GRADS

Our graduates found success in employment or graduate school within 6 months of graduation.

Data collected from 2019-2021 RWU graduates

MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

• All applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships. In the 2022-23 year, these awards ranged from $15,000 to $21,000 per year. Scholarships are awarded based on a holistic review of both academic as well as personal achievements. You do not have to submit test scores to be eligible for scholarships.

• Returning RWU students who earn a 3.6 GPA or higher are awarded the Academic Excellence Grant. This is a $1,000 award applied to each year of qualifying performance that can result in up to $6,000 in additional grant aid during a four-year program.

• Select students may qualify for our Intercultural Leadership Ambassador Scholarship (ILA), which is an award that covers 95% of tuition annually.

view the full list of scholarships

RWU.EDU/GO/SCHOLARSHIPS

Here’s the “best-kept secret” in tuition financing … monthly payment plans! Absolutely interest-free, and everyone qualifies. A payment plan enables you to break your education costs into easy-to-handle monthly payments rather than pay for the entire semester or year in one large sum.

FINANCIAL PLANNING

At RWU, we are admission and financial aid professionals because we love helping families through the process of selecting and affording higher education. At any point, we want to have a conversation with you. No question is too small or too complex.

Whether it’s a quick question about completing the FAFSA, guidance around whether or not to submit test scores, or assistance with mapping out a multi-year plan, we hope you consider us a partner.

Scan the QR code to set up a personal appointment with Financial Aid.

FINANCIAL AID TIMELINE

RWU requires only the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Priority consideration for Financial Aid is given to students who file their FAFSA between Oct. 1 and Feb. 1.

Financial Aid is reviewed and processed on a weekly, rolling basis. If a FAFSA is on file at the time of admission, typically students will receive their full financial aid award within seven days of their offer of admission.

RWU

for more information visit RWU.EDU/GO/FABASICS

NEED-BASED FINANCIAL AID

• Grants are awarded to students to directly offset costs and do not need to be paid back. Grants may be based on your financial circumstances and require the FAFSA or other demonstration.

• Student employment is a way for students to earn money to pay for educational expenses. Unlike other types of financial aid, work earnings typically do not address your tuition and fees. Students receive a regular paycheck throughout the semester, based on hours worked, just like a normal job. RWU offers a number of onand off-campus job opportunities for students.

• Our unique student employment program, Financed Individualized Training (FIT), provides hands-on experience and a mentor in an internship-like role over a three-year work opportunity.

• RWU awards Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. Both programs use the FAFSA form to determine a student’s eligibility.

“It is incredibly important to compare the bottom line and final out-of-pocket differences between schools. Don’t judge a school only by its sticker price or by the size of a scholarship offer. Get to your actual cost after your aid awards are subtracted so that you can fairly put schools side by side. Only then can you make an informed decision about the value of each of your choices.”

Amy Tiberio Vice President, Enrollment Management

bottom line:

AN RWU EDUCATION IS A VALUABLE INVESTMENT

TOTAL COST

A college’s sticker price is just part of the story. The actual price you pay for each particular college is the result of their sticker price minus all aid awarded to you: the net cost. Each family will have their own unique access to loans, payment plans, savings, and other resources to afford a school.

Every college does this differently. At RWU, we believe in keeping the process as simple and straight-forward as possible. We have kept our listed costs as low as possible while providing the highest quality education and experience. Because of that, our tuition tends to be much lower than other comparable private four-year institutions. However, many families also consider public universities and other options that may have lower list prices. That is why we commit over $73 million annually to institutional financial aid.

FINANCIAL AID

NET PRICE

the sticker price for tuition, housing & meals grants, scholarships & loan opportunities what a family is expected to pay

OUR COMMITMENT IN NUMBERS

• $28,500 average total aid award per student (2022-23)

• Nearly 1,300 student jobs on campus

• 98% of students are awarded RWU scholarships and/or university need-based financial aid

• Travel Grant for students from outside the northeast

• $180,000 dedicated annually to FIT (Financed Individualized Training) program, which are on-campus, long-term paid internships

• Up to $400,000 dedicated annually to the Architecture Career Investment Program, which provides stipends to students to complete summer internships in firms and organizations

• Over 40% of RWU students study abroad, supported by increased financial aid that helps to offset flight costs and other expenses

2022-2023 RWU NEW STUDENT RATES

FULL-TIME TUITION & FEES

STANDARD RATE

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

ARCHITECTURE

COMPREHENSIVE TUITION $40,632 $42,336 $45,408

STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE $330 $330 $330

RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS

ROOM (STANDARD DOUBLE) $9,138 $9,138 $9,138

BOARD (STANDARD MEAL PLAN) $7,156 $7,156 $7,156

ROOM AND BOARD SUBTOTAL $16,294 $16,294 $16,294

TOTAL DIRECT COST $57,256 $58,960 $62,032

Please refer to our website for the most up-to-date information as rates for the next academic year are approved and posted.

One Old Ferry Road Bristol, Rhode Island 02809 401-254-3500

OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID

One Old Ferry Road Bristol, RI 02809-2921

Phone: 1-800-458-7144, Ext. 3100

Fax: 401-254-3356

Email: finaid@rwu.edu