Taking Care of Business

General rule: Don't ignore the bureaucracy. It can come back to haunt you. The least pleasant part of starting school is the business side, but it's important that you not ignore this stuff. Unpaid bills, unsolved problems with financial aid, missing forms can lead to problems later in the semester.

 

Don't ignore mail that you receive from the University. Don't ignore deadlines. Don't assume the problem will go away on its own. If you have problems, they are MUCH easier to fix if deadlines haven't passed. Anytime you have a problem or issue about your bill or financial aid or your records, please use the Office of Student Services to help you sort it out.

 

Here are some of the important things you should know about right from the start.

 

Billing Procedures

You will receive a bill from the Bursar's Office each semester after you have registered for competencies. The bill will list all charges for tuition and fees. Fees include: the curriculum support fee, activities fees, and health fees. There are special one time fees charged in your first semester that cover registration fees, help pay for peer advisors and Critical Learning Seminars, etc. Your bill will also charge you for student health insurance. If you have insurance outside the University or if you are attending part time and do not wish to use the insurance, you must submit a health insurance waiver card to have that fee removed from your bill.

You should make payment by the due date on the bill. If you don't, the Bursar's Office will begin to add on late fees and will ultimately put an administrative hold on your records.

 

If your bill is incorrect, you are advised to contact the Bursar's Office (617-287-5350) immediately. Make arrangements to pay the amount that is NOT in dispute while the bill is being corrected. This will insure that you are not charged late fees.

 

If you have a tuition waiver you, or the agency processing the waiver, should remit the waiver with the bill by the due date. If you are receiving financial aid, the aid should be posted on your bill. If it is not showing, you should check immediately with the Financial Aid Office (617-287-6300).

 

If you have trouble figuring out your bill, or if you have questions about how to correct it, contact the Office of Student Services. To make it easier on yourself, make sure to bring any problems to our attention immediately (before the bill is due). And remember, the best bet is to pay the amount you think you owe, while we help square away the problem.

Financial Aid

Students who have received a financial aid award must be registered for at least 6 credits to receive their aid. To receive the full financial aid award a student must be registered for at least 12 credits (4 competencies). The Financial Aid office determines your enrollment status for financial aid at the end of the course add/drop period each semester. At that time the office will take a snapshot of your registration. If you are not registered for the appropriate number of credits, your aid package will be reduced or taken away completely if you are showing as less than half time. It is, therefore, extremely important for students who are receiving financial aid, to carefully review their registration and make sure that your status is correct by the end of the course Add/Drop period. If you have any questions about your status, you should contact the Office of Student Services prior to that deadline.

If you are interested in finding out if you qualify for financial aid, or would like more information about financial services, please browse Financial Assistance Options.