Tuition & Fees | American Public University (APU)
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Tuition Rates
$250/undergraduate or master's credit hour with military grant*
- Doctoral: View programs for pricing details
- Audit per credit hour: $100
- Undergraduate textbooks & ebooks: $0
- Master's level textbooks & ebooks: $0 for all U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and military spouses/dependents*
*To minimize out-of-pocket costs, U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and their spouses/dependents receive a tuition grant that covers undergraduate and master's-level tuition above the military TA cap of $250/credit hour. In addition, the University provides no-cost textbooks and ebooks for all undergraduate, doctoral, and military-tuition-grant-eligible master’s-level students.
Fees
$0 Admission & Registration Fees
Apply Any Time at No Cost
- Admission and registration: $0
- Doctoral Application: $100
- Technology (per course)*: $65
- Late registration: $50
- Certificate completion: $25
- Graduate comprehensive exam: $250
- Graduation (for most degrees): $100
- Transcripts (per copy):
- Official electronic: $10
- Official paper: $20
- Unofficial electronic: $5
*The technology fee is waived for U.S. active-duty military servicemembers, National Guard members, and Reservists.
Refunds & Withdrawals
If you withdraw from or drop a course, your account may be credited based on the guidelines listed below.
8 Week Course Withdrawal Refund Schedule
- Before or during week 1: 100% refund
- During week 2: 75%
- During weeks 3 and 4: 50%
- During weeks 5 through 8: No refund
16 Week Course Withdrawal Refund Schedule
- Before or during week 1 or 2: 100% refund
- During weeks 3 and 4: 75%
- During week 5 through 8: 50%
- During weeks 9 through 16: No refund
Course withdrawals could impact your eligibility for some financial aid, so it is important to look into that prior to making a decision.
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) Refund Policy
This refund schedule is ONLY applicable to eligible U.S. servicemembers who have paid for all or a portion of their course tuition using Military Tuition Assistance (TA).
The Department of Defense requires the university to return any unearned Military Tuition Assistance (TA) funds to the Department should a servicemember withdraw from a course that was paid for using TA. If a servicemember withdraws from any course on or before the 60% completion date (during week 5 for an 8-week course and during week 9/10 for a 16-week course), a prorated refund will be issued back to the Department for the TA funds that were provided. The schedules below determine the prorated amount of TA funds refunded to the Department based on the date of service member's withdrawal from a course. For example, if a servicemember withdraws from a course at the 60% mark (during week 5 for an 8-week course and during week 9/10 for a 16-week course), 40% of TA funds used for the course will be returned to the Department. In instances when a servicemember stops attending due to a documented military service obligation, the University will work with the affected servicemember to identify solutions that may not result in a student debt to the University for the portion of TA funds returned to the Department.
Week-1 Course Drop
Course drops before or during the first week of the course receive a 100% refund of tuition, including any technology fees charged per course.
Week 1 refunds will NOT include any late registration fees. Note: Week 1 ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on the first Sunday of the first week of the course.
Tuition Refund Schedule when using Military TA
Your potential refund amount is based on the length of course in which you are enrolled and when you submit your withdrawal request, as follows:
2-Week Course
Withdraw submitted:
- before or during week 1 = 100% refund
- during week 2 = no refund
8-Week Course
Withdraw submitted:
- before or during week 1 = 100% refund
- during week 2 = 75% refund
- during weeks 3–4 = 50% refund
- during week 5 = 40% refund
- during weeks 6–8 = no refund
16-Week Course
Withdraw submitted:
- before or during weeks 1–2 = 100% refund
- during weeks 3–4 = 75% refund
- during weeks 5–8 = 50% refund
- during weeks 9–10 = 40% refund
- during weeks 11–16 = no refund
Ways to Pay
As an accredited university, we are able to accept many forms of financing from public and private sources, including:
Ways to Save
In addition to our affordable tuition rates, here are ways to save when paying for school.
Transfer Credits
You can take full advantage of our transfer credit options, including credit for your previous college courses and military service. Don’t leave your hard-earned credits behind.
Prior Learning Assessment
Earning credit for real-world experiences can help you accelerate degree completion and save on total cost of tuition. Learn more about our prior learning assessment (PLA) program.
Be a Smart Consumer
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website provides information about how to pay for college including tools to compare college costs and financial aid offers. You can also use the Department of Education's College Scorecard and College Navigator to search national databases.
Don’t become the victim of a scam. Before you apply for financial aid, learn how to spot potential fraud, avoid paying for free services, and prevent identity theft.
We also encourage you to view our consumer information page designed to help you make informed decisions regarding your education.