Graduate Tuition & Fees

Deposit, tuition, room, board and other fees listed here are in effect for the 2022-2023 academic year. They are subject to change by the Board of Trustees of Russell Sage College without prior notice. Policy statements and other information below reflect current information at the time of this publication. Tuition charges are not refundable. Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Adjustments for withdrawals and other circumstances can be found in the Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board section. Graduate students pay tuition per credit hour according to the program for which they enroll.

Graduate housing is offered on the Troy campus. This option is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The living experience is customized for Sage graduate students who want the convenience of on-campus living combined with the flexibility of off-campus living.

Graduate students have the option of choosing a board plan.

Board charges are not refundable. Refer to the Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board section for information regarding adjustments to board charges due to a student’s withdrawal from the college or an approved leave of absence.

Russell Sage College declining balance meal plans are designed to meet the dining needs of students living off campus. Established as a way to provide tax-free purchases on meals, the meal plans provide a 5% discount on all purchases and, depending on the plan chosen, may include bonus money.

Declining balance meal plans can be used to make purchases at any Russell Sage College dining operation on the Troy or Albany campuses. Declining balance meal plans are maintained on a student’s Sage ID Card and work similar to a debit card. Only the person pictured on the ID card can use the funds on that card. If an ID card is reported lost, funds on the card can be transferred to a replacement ID card. With a commuter meal plan, students only pay for the meals they purchase, and balances can be used to purchase meals for guests.

Meal plans cannot be changed after the first week of classes, at which time all contracts become final and are non-refundable. Additions of $25 or more can be added at Dining Services throughout the semester and can be paid for by cash, check, Visa, or MasterCard. Any additional deposits to a commuter meal plan are also eligible for the 5% discount and tax free status.

Students enrolled in a commuter meal plan for the fall semester will automatically be enrolled and billed for the same plan for the spring semester. If a student chooses not to participate in the spring or would like to change the amount of their meal plan for the spring semester, written notification to the Office of Residence Life must be received prior to the start of spring classes.

Balances remaining at the end of the fall semester will be added to the spring semester starting balance. Balances remaining at the end of the spring semester may not be used to make bulk purchases. These balances are non-refundable in accordance with NYS tax regulations, and they do not carry over to any future semester.

Declining balance meal plans may be purchased by contacting the Office of Residence Life at 518-244-2009.

The following fees are not refundable or subject to adjustment after the first day of classes. These fees are charged accordingly and in addition to the previously stated tuition, room and board charges.

Russell Sage College is committed to an equitable, supportive and professional environment for graduate education. Graduate assistantships and fellowships provide financial support while helping students develop independent judgment, intellectual breadth, professional and personal accountability, and the ability to communicate effectively.

Graduate Assistantships provide tuition waivers and a stipend for working in an academic or administrative office, assisting faculty in research, or — in limited instances — teaching undergraduate classes. For each six-credit tuition waiver plus $2000 stipend, a student works 300 hours over the fall and spring semesters or teaches two three-credit course equivalents. The course waivers will be paid out when the student has completed their hours for that semester.

There are a limited number of summer assistantships. The summer positions are half positions. The GA must work 150 hours and will receive a 3 credit course waiver and $1,000 stipend.

Students enrolled for six hours per semester, including the summer term, may receive no more than one graduate assistantship per year; students enrolled for twelve or more hours may receive two graduate assistantships per year.

An assistantship award means that the student is eligible to apply for the open assistantship positions. Job descriptions allow students to match their skills and experience to the openings available. These may be in academic departments or administrative offices; selection is made by the individual supervising the graduate assistant. **Please Note: The Coordinator of Graduate Assistantships does not place GA’s. Each applicant should be pro-active and contact the supervisor of the positions they are interested in directly. When a selection has been made, the graduate assistant will need to sign a contract of employment and forms needed for the payroll office. The graduate assistant will not be eligible to start his/her position(s) until all paperwork is completed with the GA Coordinator and the Payroll Office.

Student assistants may be asked to perform only duties that are contained in the job description for the position they occupy; they may not be asked or required to perform inappropriate services (e.g., child care, pet care, or other personal services) as part of their responsibilities. Student assistants are expected to be accountable and professional in carrying out the duties of the position; less than satisfactory performance may result in the termination of an assistantship award.

Graduate stipends are paid twice each month, on the regular pay dates for staff employees. A form I-90 or other proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. must be completed with the Payroll Office before compensation may begin.

Teaching assistantships may be available to a limited number of students in post-masters programs who have already earned masters degrees and who are otherwise qualified to deliver undergraduate instruction. Such awards are contingent on departmental need for such instruction. Teaching assistants are assigned to a departmental faculty mentor who provides supervision and feedback during the teaching assignment. Teaching assistants, as with other instructional faculty, receive course evaluations from students and a final written evaluation from the faculty mentor.

Graduate assistantships are renewable each year for up to four years of study, contingent upon the maintenance of academic good standing in the students program of study and satisfactory performance in the assistantship position.

To renew an assistantship each year, the student must once again complete the Application for Graduate Assistantship form.

Businesses For a Better Sage
The Businesses for Better Sage Agreement is designed to assist organizations with employee recruitment, retention, and ongoing professional resources and training. Russell Sage College is a partner in making the best use of tuition assistance funds provided by your company and supports the efforts of businesses to attract and retain highly-qualified professionals. If your employer is a partner, Russell Sage College will discount your tuition by 10%.

Sponsorship Agreement
Students who receive full or partial reimbursement from employers will need to complete the Sponsorship Agreement Form, obtain employer information, and return it to Student Services prior to the end of the add/drop period of the semester they are enrolling.

Health Alliance Agreement
The Sage Health Alliance Agreement is designed to assist not-for-profit organizations with employee recruitment, retention, and ongoing professional resources and training. Sage is a partner in making the best use of tuition assistance funds provided by your agency. Sage supports the efforts of health systems to attract and retain highly-qualified health service professionals. If your employer is a partner with Sage, Russell Sage College will discount your tuition by 10%.