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Capella Tuition Cap – $45,000 Cap

To help you understand doctoral costs, we’ve created Capella Tuition Cap to give you a maximum tuition amount for your professional doctorate. Find your program to see cost and learning format options for your degree. Eligibility rules and exclusions apply. Connect with us for details. Find your program.

Do I qualify?

Must be a newly admitted student and acknowledge terms and requirements

Student must meet Capella University admission requirements. Must be a new student, or former student reapplying to the university, accepted into and enrolled in an eligible program in the GuidedPath or FlexPath learning format at Capella University with student’s start occurring now through July 2024.*

*Acknowledgment of Capella Tuition Cap terms and requirements: student must complete an acknowledgment of the terms and requirements of the Capella University Tuition Cap before the student reaches the census date in the first course of the program. Failure to timely complete and return the acknowledgment will forfeit the student’s eligibility for the tuition cap.

Returning students may apply

To be considered a former student reapplying to the university and eligible for this offer, the student must not be currently enrolled in the university when reapplying, and must must meet one of the four following criteria:

  • Graduate of a Capella certificate or a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree program in the GuidedPath or FlexPath learning format.
  • Inactive from the university for at least four consecutive quarters.
  • Program of prior admittance to the university has been restaged or retired.
  • Applying to a program at a different degree level than program of prior admittance.

Must meet academic standards

Adhere to all applicable Capella University policies, including but not limited to academic standing (3.01.04 Academic Standing) and financial aid satisfactory academic progress (3.01.05 FASAP).

Program enrollment requirements

  • Tuition cap recipients who change learning formats from GuidedPath to FlexPath, or FlexPath to GuidedPath, within the same program and retain eligibility to receive the tuition cap. If a recipient changes learning formats within the same program, the amount of tuition paid in the prior learning format will still apply and be included in the tuition paid toward the tuition cap in the new learning format.
  • If a recipient graduates, is dismissed from the university, or is inactive from the university for four consecutive quarters or billing sessions for any reason, that student forfeits any future tuition waivers through the Capella Tuition Cap in that program.
  • If a current Capella student changes programs to another program that doesn’t offer a Capella Tuition Cap, that student forfeits any future tuition waivers for which the student would have been eligible in the prior program.
  • If a current Capella student changes programs to another program that offers a Capella Tuition Cap, or a former Capella student reapplies to the university in a program eligible for the Capella Tuition Cap, tuition amounts that the student paid in any prior programs will not be applied to the tuition cap threshold in the new program.

How Capella Tuition Cap affects program costs

How Capella Tuition Cap affects program costs

  • The Capella Tuition Cap may decrease the amount of funding that can be offered from other sources, such as federal financial aid.
  • The Capella Tuition Cap is intended to address the cost of attendance, including but not limited to, tuition. Books, course materials, supplies, equipment and other fees apply, and do not count toward the tuition cap threshold. Travel expenses for residencies, practicum, etc., do not count toward the tuition cap threshold.
  • In some circumstances, recipients may complete their programs before they reach the tuition cap threshold in the eligible program. Under no circumstances will recipients be eligible for cash payment, tuition credits or other compensation for tuition paid below the tuition cap threshold.

How Capella Tuition Cap is applied

How Capella Tuition Cap is applied

  • The Capella Tuition Cap can be applied only to an eligible doctoral program in the GuidedPath or FlexPath learning format and only for students who began the program on an eligible start date. The tuition cap will only apply to tuition and, upon reaching the tuition cap threshold for the eligible program, the tuition cap will be applied to your Capella account during the third week of the quarter that the cap is reached.
  • In the quarters leading up to the tuition cap threshold for the eligible program, tuition paid to Capella University for successfully completed courses, withdrawn courses, failed courses, and charges for courses dropped before census, will apply as tuition paid toward the Capella Tuition Cap. The recipient is responsible for funding these charges leading up to the tuition cap threshold. Once tuition cap threshold is reached, the tuition for these course scenarios will be covered by Capella.
  • Reversed charges are excluded in all cases and will not count toward the tuition cap threshold.
  • Past-due balances accrued prior to reaching the tuition cap threshold will not be waived once threshold is reached. Once the tuition paid threshold is reached, the tuition cap will only cover tuition charges for amounts in excess of the tuition cap threshold. In some circumstances, recipients may complete their programs before they reach the tuition cap threshold in the eligible program. Under no circumstances will recipients be eligible for cash payment, tuition credits or other compensation for tuition paid below the tuition cap threshold.

Can Capella Tuition Cap be used with other scholarships and discounts?

Can Capella Tuition Cap be used with other scholarships and discounts?

  • Recipients of the Capella Tuition Cap are not eligible for Capella grants, scholarships, or discounts, except for percentage-based scholarships with a discount of 15% or less, or unless otherwise noted in the eligibility requirements of the additional applicable scholarship. Students receiving a TAAP (Tuition Assistance Aligned Pricing) through a partnership between Capella and the students’ employer are not eligible for this award.
    • Upon completing the Tuition Cap acknowledgment, if a recipient applies for another Capella grant, scholarship or discount, such application will supersede the Capella Tuition Cap and will forfeit tuition cap eligibility.

Faculty and staff of Capella University, Strategic Education, Inc., and Strategic Education, Inc.'s subsidiaries and affiliates, as well as their spouses, domestic partners and dependent children, are not eligible for the tuition cap.

The terms and conditions of all scholarships and each subsequent renewal are subject to change and will be governed by university scholarship policies. Capella University reserves the right to cancel or modify any scholarship funded by the university at any time.

Eligible programs and start dates

Eligible programs Start dates
Doctor of Business Administration (FlexPath) Feb. 5, March 4, April 8, May 6, June 3 or July 8, 2024
Doctor of Business Administration (GuidedPath) April 8 or July 8, 2024
Doctor of Human Services (FlexPath) Feb. 5, March 4, April 8, May 6, June 3 or July 8, 2024
Doctor of Human Services (GuidedPath) April 8 or July 8, 2024
Doctor of Information Technology April 8 or July 8, 2024
Doctor of Social Work April 8 or July 8, 2024

Find funding options

We’re here to help you find ways to pay for college. Capella’s financial aid advisors are available to guide you, or you can download our step-by-step Financing Guide.