With college tuition higher than ever, some universities are getting creative by disguising additional costs as mandatory fees.

Just last week, I logged onto my account at Northeastern University to try and waive the health plan fee that my private Boston-based university charges. Since I receive health insurance elsewhere, I’m able to opt out of paying the $1,975 fee each semester. But not every charge is so easily resolved. I’m also charged a $70 student center fee, a $109 student activity fee and a $46 recreation fee, and there’s no getting around them.

Turns out these fees are a common occurrence at colleges and universities across the country, and are even greater at many public schools. Eileen O’Connor, the Director of Communications and External Affairs at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, says that the cost of “tuition” at a public school is returned to the state’s general fund while the institutions keep the additional fees.

“Institutions set their own fees, which [at public institutions] are often three or four times higher than tuition,” says O’Connor. “The reason student fees have continued to climb over the years is directly related to the level at which the colleges are funded by the state. When an institution does not receive the level of state support needed to operate, it must raise student fees. Pretty simple.”

What’s not quite as simple is figuring out just what the fees are and where they’re going. Here are a few examples of fees being charged at universities across the country and where the money is heading.

Technology fee: At the University of Georgia, students are charged a $108 tech fee each semester which funds computing equipment in the Student Learning Center, makes improvements to the university’s wireless network and provides Internet support to students living on campus. The fees are also used to address the specific technology needs of the university’s five campuses.

Student Activities Fee: Each semester at the Southern New Hampshire University students pay $165 student activities fee to the Student Government Association (SGA). The money is used to support clubs, organizations, publications, the yearbook, social life, campus improvements and other SGA activities.

Energy Fee: At Michigan State University, students are charged a $442 per semester energy fee that’s used to pay for the cost of energy. The fee is designed to address the extraordinary "cost of doing business" for the university.

Health Plan Fee: The University of Southern California charges students a mandatory health fee of $220 per semester in addition to an optional USC Student Health Insurance Plan. The university states the fee pays for services at the University Park Health Center, however it doesn’t cover any medical costs accrued off-campus.

Library Fee: At Georgia State University students pay a $35 per semester library fee that allows for continual improvements to be made to the campus library. Some improvements include expansion of group study rooms, more workspace, advanced technology, an enhanced special collections section, and areas to encourage collaborative learning and instruction.