Lindenwood has a two-year residency and athletics residency requirement for traditional undergraduate students that requires students to live in university housing. The following students are required to live on campus:

• Two-Year Requirement – New first-year students, freshmen transfer, international students, and transfer students who have completed fewer than 24 credit hours will need to begin their two-year requirement. Students are required to live in housing the second year of classes as well.
• Any student affiliated with an athletic team, both NCAA and SLS, including scholarship student-athletes, non-scholarship student-athletes, team managers, etc.
• Students receiving scholarships that include residence as a scholarship requirement.

Last year, Lindenwood awarded undergraduate students more than $40 million in institutional aid, plus millions in federal and state assistance.

Yes, most institutional scholarships require full-time enrollment and on campus residence. Please consult with your Financial Aid Advisor or email sfs@lindenwood.edu before making any final decisions.

The Lion Fee is increasing for the 2026-27 year. The Lion Fee will be $1802 annually, billed in equal increments of $901 per semester.

All traditional undergraduate students, both part-time and full-time, will be billed for the Lion Fee as part of their student bill. This is charged to domestic and international students.

Graduate students will not pay the Lion Fee. Students enrolled in a fully online program do not pay a Lion Fee.

Yes, part-time students are charged the Lion Fee.

The Lion Fee is a single fee that covers various services and resources to support a student’s education at Lindenwood.

Your Lion Fee will include services such as orientation, mental health and wellness services, student activities, fitness facilities, academic support (like writing and math help), technology on campus, library resources, tech support, and even athletic event fees.

• The Lion Fee does not include books and course materials.
• Some specialized courses / academic programs will continue to have individual charges. These include paramedicine, student teaching, and applied music courses. The complete list can be found on the tuition and fees webpage under “Other Charges and Penalties”

Since every student's experience is unique, we can't break down the fee for each service individually. Instead, the Lion Fee is a flat rate applied to your semester bill, so it's easy to see in your overall charges.

No, the Lion Fee does not cover the housing deposit or on-campus accommodations.

No, student health insurance is not included in the Lion Fee.

The Lion Fee streamlines fees for students – it covers academic fees, parking, tech support, and more. All traditional undergraduate students are assessed the same fee because they have access to the same resources.

No, students cannot opt-out of, or appeal, the fee. Students must pay the fee in full.

We understand that each student’s needs are different, and students will access a range of services at different times, and at varying levels.  The Lion Fee is designed to continue to provide a robust offering of campus resources with this understanding.

Students who study abroad, teach full-time, or participate in full-time clinical rotations for a semester are not assessed a Lion Fee for that semester.

Note that fees, credits, etc., assessed to graduate and non-traditional students are not listed, as those students do not pay the Lion Fee.

For all students paying the Lion Fee:

• Fines incurred by the student including parking, housing, campus violation and library fines – Cost varies
• Late Payment Penalty - $55 per month
• ID Replacements - $15

For students who choose to participate in the below programs or majors, fees for the 2026-27 academic year will be released in early 2026:

• Study Abroad Administration Charge
• Study Abroad Trip Charges
• Applied Music Course Charge (per credit hour)
• Student Teaching Administration Charge
• Paramedicine Administration Charge
• RN to BSN Administration Charge

Traditional undergraduate students enrolled at Lindenwood under the Tuition Grant policy will be responsible for paying the Lion Fee and all other fees out of pocket. Fees are not included in the Tuition Grant policy.

All online students will pay $530 per academic year for technology fees. Because our online learners utilize services in different ways than traditional undergraduate students, we developed a separate fee at $530/year called our Online Student Technology Fee. This reduced fee covers the necessary costs of service to support online student success and eliminates the cost for the broader scope of services included in the Lion Fee. This fee is used to cover the technology support and systems utilized by our online learners including Canvas, Microsoft 365, Apporto Virtual Computer Labs, online tutoring resources, and more.