Financial Policy

Monterey College of Law is an independent, nonprofit educational institution that receives no support from taxes or other public funds. The primary source of revenue comes directly from student tuition.

Annual tuition and fees are due in full at the time of registration. For those students in need of additional flexibility in paying their tuition and fees, MCL provides a tuition installment program (TIP). Under the TIP program, students are allowed to pay the annual amount due in monthly installments. A TIP enrollment form will be available during registration.

To review our Financial Policy, click here.

Tuition and Fees
See the Schedule of Fees for current tuition and fees. Monterey College of Law has a policy of protecting students from tuition increases during their course of study. As long as a student remains continuously enrolled in good academic standing at Monterey College of Law, their tuition rate per semester will not increase. This unique policy by the MCL Board of Trustees allows MCL law students to estimate the entire cost of their law degree (excluding books and materials) at the time of their initial enrollment.

Student Loan
As a state-accredited law school, Monterey College of Law is not a Federal Title IV educational institution. This means that MCL students do not qualify for federally insured educational loans. However, Sallie Mae Law Student Loans are available to students based on their personal credit or that of a co-signer.  Sallie Mae also provides a Bar Study Loan for Law Students which can be found here Sallie Mae Bar Study Loan. 

When students obtain a loan from a third party, student pay a non-refundable deferred tuition fee to Monterey College of Law. When a loan check is received, MCL will promptly notify the applicant and draw a check payable to the applicant. At that time all current tuition owed must be paid.

Tuition Refunds
To be eligible for a refund, a student must notify the Dean and the Registrar of his/her intention to withdraw from the law school. The amount of refund is calculated by a formula under which the amount of the refund decreases as the semester progresses.

Tuition Credit Policy

The annual, flat-tuition rate is based on taking 12 or more units during the academic year that includes the Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters. Students who enroll on a flat-tuition schedule for 12 units or more during an academic year (including combined Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters) are only eligible for a prorated credit if they submit timely add/drop forms and are approved by the Academic Dean to drop to fewer than 12 enrolled units for the combined Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. For example, if you register for 9 units in Fall Semester, 9 in Spring Semester, and 4 units for the Summer Semester, but are approved to drop all Summer Semester courses, there is no prorated tuition refund because you will have already completed more than 12 semester units (in this example, 18 units during the Fall and Spring) during the academic year.

Students who submit timely add/drop forms and are approved to enroll in fewer than 12 units in an academic year can be eligible for a prorated credit of tuition charges. To be eligible for a tuition credit, a student must notify the Academic Dean and the Registrar by filing a timely add/drop form and submitting a written notice (by hard copy or email) of his/her intention to reduce the number of enrolled units and/or withdraw from the academic program. The amount of tuition credit is determined as of the date of receipt of written notice of withdrawal and is calculated as follows:

Withdrawal before the start of instruction: 100% Tuition credit

Withdrawal during the first 60% of instruction: * Pro Rata Tuition credit

Total hours of instruction offered (minus) Total hours elapsed   X   Total Tuition Cost
Total hours of instruction offered

Withdrawal after completion of 60%* of instruction: No refund

* 60% of instruction is completed in the 9th week of classes during the Fall and Spring Semesters and in the 6th week of classes during the Summer Semester.

Please note that fees are not refundable.

Students attending the College under the Veteran’s Administration Bill are governed by a special refund policy.