Housing and Estimated Cost of Attendance

Sofia University has a campus in the city of Palo Alto. Neighboring cities include Sunnyvale, Mountain View, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Redwood City. The average rent prices include the following:

  • Studio: $1,800–$2,600
  • 1-Bed, 1-Bath: $2,200–$3,400
  • 2-Bed, 2-Bath: $3,200–4,500

Housing is not available on campus; the University assumes no responsibility to find housing for students. There is a bulletin board on campus for students who are looking for housing. Students are encouraged to use online services to find roommates, potential housing, and commuting options.

For students enrolled at Sofia’s Orange County campus, the average rental cost is $2,200 in the county, and $2,500 in nearby Los Angeles County. The latter requires personal transportation, which should be figured into total monthly costs.

The following costs are estimated costs associated with living off-site, but reasonably near the Sofia University Campus, and include housing, food, personal care, books, and transportation. These are estimates for budgeting purposes only and are not necessarily reflective of the exact costs that a student may face for such items.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Indirect costs associated with living off-site but reasonably near the Sofia University campus (Palo Alto, Costa Mesa), such as housing, personal care, books, transportation, etc. These are estimates for budgeting purposes only, and may not reflect market changes, personal choices and living circumstances, and any other factors of daily living. Transportation may be higher for students enrolled in Online + Low-residency programs.

 

Quarterly

Three Quarters

Four Quarters

 

Housing (Room and Board)

$8,150.25

$24,444.75

$32,595

Estimated

Books

$450

$1,350

$1,800

Estimated

Transportation

$217.25

$651.75

$869

Estimated

Miscellaneous

$1,629.75

$4,889.25

$6,519

Estimated

Payment and Release of Records: Sofia University releases transcripts and grants degrees only after a student satisfies all financial obligations to the University. Official Transcripts can be ordered and sent but will not indicate degree completion. Some services and records are withheld from students who have any outstanding financial obligation to the University.

Audit Tuition Rate:

Students may elect to receive a grade of Audit in a course. This must be done before the end of the quarterly add/drop period. These units are included as part of the per-unit Tuition. Any part-time students or full-time students who have incurred unit charges will be billed for Audit units. Audited classes do not carry credit towards graduation.

Refund Policy:

If a student elects to withdraw from the program, they are entitled to a refund of the then-current quarter’s tuition on a pro rata basis according to the total number of hours of class time elapsed for the Campus Program and number of days of instruction for the Online Program, up to 60%. Withdrawal before the first day of a quarter entitles the student to a 100% refund (less the acceptance fee for first-time students and Global Additional Deductions if applicable). No refund will be given for withdrawal after 60% of the quarter is complete. Refer to the Refund Policy located on the University website for further information.

Seminar and Retreat Refunds:

During intensives and seminars, off-site hotels are generally used and students will make their own reservations. However, if Room and Board are provided by Sofia University for retreats, funds advanced for Room and Board fees for seminars and retreats will be refunded in full, if written notification is received at least two weeks before the beginning of the seminar or retreat. After the two-week limit, no refund is guaranteed, as the policies vary by retreat facility. Room and Board refunds are at the discretion of the party (the University or retreat venue) who took the reservation.

Online + Low-residency Intensive and Seminar Deduction:

Students who complete a residential intensive or seminar before withdrawing from an Online + Low-residency program are responsible for the intensive/seminar tuition payment at the for-credit rate. This means if a student attends a residential event and withdraws, they are responsible for at least this amount of tuition regardless of the withdrawal date.

Disclosure – No Pending Bankruptcy:

Disclaimer: Sofia University does NOT have a pending bankruptcy, is NOT operating as a debtor in possession, has NOT filed within the preceding five years, and has NOT hada petition in bankruptcy filed against it within the preceding five years that resulted in reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. Sec. 1101 et seq.).

Student Tuition Recovery Fund Disclosures:

The State of California established the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic loss suffered by a student in an educational program at a qualifying institution, who is or was a California resident while enrolled, or was enrolled in a residency program, if the student enrolled in the institution, prepaid tuition, and suffered an economic loss. Unless relieved of the obligation to do so, students must pay the state-imposed assessment for the STRF, or it must be paid on the student’s behalf, if the individual is a student in an educational program and is a California resident or is enrolled in a residency program and prepays all or part of their tuition.

Students are not eligible for protection from the STRF and are not required to pay the STRF assessment if they are not a California resident or are not enrolled in a campus program.

It is important that students keep copies of their Enrollment Agreement, financial aid documents, receipts, or any other information that documents the amounts paid to the school. Questions regarding the STRF may be directed to:

Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education 

1747 North Market Blvd., Suite 225 

Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 431-6959 or (888) 370-7589

To be eligible for STRF, the student must be a California resident or enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid or deemed to have paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss because of thefollowing:

  • The institution, a location of the institution, or an educational program offered by the institution, was closed or discontinued, and the student did not choose to participate in or did not complete a teach-out plan approved by the Bureau.
  • The student was enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution within the 120-day period before the closure of the institution or location of the institution or was enrolled in an educationalprogram within the 120-day period before the program was discontinued.
  • The student enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution more than 120 days before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, in an educational program offered by the institution as to which the Bureau determined there was a significant decline in the quality or value of the program more than 120 days before closure.
  • The institution has been ordered to pay a refund by the Bureau but has failed to do so.
  • The institution has failed to pay or reimburse loan proceeds under a federal student loan program as required by law or has failed to pay or reimburse proceeds received by the institution in excess of tuition and other costs.
  • The student has been awarded restitution, a refund, or another monetary award by an arbitrator or court based on a violation of this chapter by an institution or representative of an institution but hasbeen unable to collect the award from the institution.
  • The student sought legal counsel that resulted in the cancellation of one or more student loans and hasan invoice for services rendered and evidence of the cancellation of the student loan or loans.

To qualify for STRF reimbursement, the application must be received within four (4) years from the date of the action or event that made the student eligible for recovery from STRF.

A student whose loan is revived by a loan holder or debt collector after a period of non-collection may, at any time, file a written application for recovery from STRF for the debt that would have otherwise been eligible for recovery. If it has been more than four (4) years since the action or event that made the student eligible, the student must have filed a written application for recovery within the original four (4) year period, unless another act of law has extended the period.

However, no claim can be paid to any student without a social security number or a taxpayer identification number.