Tuition & Costs

Tuition and Fees

You may be surprised to know that tuition and fees, housing and food, account only for about 60 percent of the funds needed to provide a quality Denison education. Thanks to the university’s alumni-supported, well-managed endowment, our students can afford an outstanding education at a price that is actually well below its true costs.

The charges for the 2023-24 academic year are $79,400. These charges are itemized below.

With an allowance of $2,500 for personal expenses and books, the 2023-2024 total cost of attendance will be $81,900.

Please note that some students could incur additional costs that are billed by Denison, including required health insurance, federal loan fees, private music lessons, and studio art fees, among others. These potential costs are not covered through financial aid and should be anticipated as out-of-pocket expenses. Review a list of additional fees below.

Housing

There are several styles of housing at Denison. Most first-year students share a room with a roommate or two, many sophomores and juniors opt for suites of four to six, and later in your experience students have the opportunity to live in an apartment. Regardless of the style of living you choose, Denison charges one fee for housing and food. Learn more about housing options.

Dining

Denison University Dining Services offers a community experience centered on culinary expertise, fresh ingredients, healthy options, and a shared sense of environmental and social responsibility through its dining services partner, Bon Appetit. All residential students will be required to be on a meal plan, and meal plans are determined based on a student’s class year; however, sophomores and juniors could also select the first-year plan, and seniors can select any of the plans.

First-Years

All first-years will be on a 21 swipe per week plan, which can be used in Curtis and Huffman dining halls. In addition, they will have $150 flex dollars per semester to be used anywhere on campus ($50 of which can be used off-campus in Granville at participating locations).

Sophomores and Juniors

All sophomores and juniors will be on a plan with 15 swipes per week to use in dining halls (7 of which can be used as Meal Exchange in Slayter, Slivy’s or the Nest) and $835 flex dollars per semester to be used anywhere on campus ($100 can be used off-campus in Granville at participating locations).

Seniors

For seniors, the entirety of your meal plan is comprised of flex dollars. This gives seniors $3,000 per semester to use in Slivy’s, Slayter Market, Common Grounds, DFuse, late-night pop-ups, the Nest, dining halls, etc. Seniors can use up to $1,000 of flex dollars off-campus at local participating businesses.

Flex Dollars

All plans have a specific amount of Flex Dollars for the student to use. As the student uses Flex Dollars for purchases, the balance declines. Flex Dollars not used during Fall semester will roll to the student’s Spring semester meal plan. Unused Flex Dollars are forfeited at the end of the academic year. Students can ask any cashier to check their Flex Dollar balance.

Students use their Flex Dollars to purchase meals at various venues on campus. Each meal has an associated price. As demonstrated above, all class years will be able to use part of their flex dollars in Granville.

Denison Dollars

A Denison Dollars account is a prepaid, declining balance account that can be used on campus for purchases at the University Bookstore, Copy Center, Mail Center, all Dining Services locations, and Bandersnatch (our student coffee house). Money can be added to your account at any time. Any unused funds at the end of the semester will be carried over to the next semester. Learn more about Denison Dollars and how to add money to your Denison Dollar account.

Other Costs

Fees are charged for certain classes that require extra resources. Please consult with student accounts if you have any questions.

Student Insurance Plan

All students are required to carry health insurance. You will automatically be billed for this annually. For reference, the estimated cost of the Denison health insurance plan for the 2023-24 academic year is $1,365. If you are covered through another insurance plan (e.g., insurance provided by your parent’s employer, Ohio Medicaid), you can waive the Denison health insurance plan by providing proof of insurance. Once proof of insurance is verified, the charge will be removed from your bill. Unfortunately, out-of-state Medicaid only covers emergency services and thus it is insufficient to waive the Denison health insurance plan. Learn more about Denison’s Student Insurance Plan.

GradGuard Tuition Protection Plan

The GradGuard Tuition Protection Plan can help protect your tuition investment if you have to withdraw unexpectedly for a covered illness, injury, or mental health reason. This plan complements and enhances Denison’s refund policy. Students and/or parents can purchase this coverage before the first day of class. Learn more about Denison’s Tuition Insurance Plan.