Common Questions Regarding
Financial Aid and Billing
Presented by:
Michelle Anderson – Associate Vice President for Enrollment
Jeff Betler – Bursar of The College
Common Financial
Aid Questions
What does it mean if we are selected for verification?
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The purpose of verification is to collect documentation to verify that
certain information submitted on the FAFSA is accurate.
Copies of federal income tax transcripts, W-2’s, and other income
information for both the parent and student must be provided.
Financial Aid Awards are not confirmed and will not credit to the
student’s account until verification is complete.
What is the college’s policy regarding the receipt of
outside scholarships?
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Outside scholarships must be included in your financial aid package.
Students should notify the Office of Financial Aid as soon as possible
when they receive an outside award.
If an adjustment needs to be made to your award package because of
the increased scholarship amount, then a revised financial aid award
letter will be sent to the home address.
Can students get a job on campus?
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The college has over 500 jobs available with a priority given to
students who are awarded work-study in their financial aid package
based on financial need.
Students who do not demonstrate financial need can apply for jobs
that are still available at the end of September.
Information about the job search process will be provided at
Orientation for students eligible for the work study program.
How do students receive their work-study wages?
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Students receive a paycheck twice per month based on the number of
hours that they have worked.
Paychecks can also be received via direct deposit by filling out a
request form and providing additional banking information.
Earnings may be used to pay on the school account or for personal
expenses.
Tax paperwork needs to be completed before students can receive
their first paycheck. There will be information on all necessary
paperwork in the student’s campus mailbox when they arrive for
Orientation. Students should bring a photo ID to campus (college ID
is fine) along with either a copy of their social security card or birth
certificate.
What happens if a parent loses his/her job and
cannot afford to help pay for college?
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The family may apply for Special Circumstances and the Office of
Financial Aid will reevaluate financial need.
Additional funding cannot be guaranteed.
Please wait 6 weeks from the date of unemployment before
submitting the form to allow time to apply for unemployment
benefits.
What happens if a student changes his/her housing status?
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The student must notify the Office of Financial Aid of a change in
their housing.
Financial aid is awarded based on the student’s cost of attendance
(resident or commuter); therefore, a change in housing status can
affect aid eligibility.
Commuter status must first be approved by the Office of Residence
Life.
Can parents borrow money for college costs, and if so,
how much can they borrow?
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Parents may apply for a Direct PLUS Loan and borrow up to the cost
of attendance minus the student’s other financial aid.
 Interest rate for 16-17 academic year will be announced July 1.
 Fee is 4.272%
Visit www.StudentLoans.gov to request a PLUS Loan and Direct
PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) if credit approved.
Please indicate the amount you wish to borrow instead of using the
maximum amount indicator.
The parent must Log In to this website.
The only lender for this loan is the U.S. Department of Education.
If the Direct PLUS loan is denied, the student becomes eligible for an
additional $4,000 in Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds.
What action is required to secure a Direct Loan?
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The student must Log In to www.StudentLoans.gov.
Students need to complete a Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan
Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling.
The maximum Direct Loan amount will be certified each year using
the MPN, as long as the FAFSA is completed, unless the student
requests otherwise.
The only lender for this loan is the U.S. Department of Education.
What action is required to secure
a Federal Perkins Loan?
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Perkins Loans are awarded by the Office of Financial Aid mainly to
freshmen.
A promissory note needs to be completed along with an entrance
counseling session.
An email to the student’s W&J email account will provide
instruction for completing both forms online over the summer.
ECSI is the servicer for this loan.
What if students need to borrow more than Direct and
Perkins Loan?
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Parents should consider borrowing a Direct PLUS loan or using the
interest-free tuition payment plan.
Private educational loans in the student’s name are available, but a
credit check will be involved & students will need a cosigner.
Private loans that W&J students have used over the past 5 years are
listed at http://www.washjeff.edu/private-loans. Students are not
limited to this list and should shop around for the best product to
meet their needs.
When does repayment begin for federal and private loans?
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Direct Loans have a 6-month grace period and Perkins Loans have a
9-month grace period after graduation or after the student falls
below half-time status. The grace period for private loans varies by
lender.
Direct PLUS Loan repayment traditionally begins 60 days after the
loan is fully disbursed.
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Parents have the option to defer repayment until 6 months after the
student ceases to be enrolled. This must be requested from the lender
and interest will accrue during this time and be capitalized quarterly.
There is no penalty for prepayment.
What options are available if financial aid is in excess of
what is owed to the college?
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If a credit balance occurs through application of loan funds, the
student may elect to do one of the following:
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send the excess funds back to the loan provider
carry them over to the next term
have them refunded to use for educational expenses
What happens to a student’s financial aid in future
years?
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Students must re-apply for financial aid every year by
completing the FAFSA (PA State Grant deadline is May 1st).
The college is generally committed to awarding need-based aid at the
same level each year unless there has been a dramatic change in the
family’s financial situation.
Scholarship renewal depends on the student’s achievement of the
required minimum G.P.A.
Student must maintain “Satisfactory Academic Progress” as defined
in the College Catalog.
W&J will award a maximum of 8 semesters of College-funded aid to
students enrolled on a full-time basis.
Common
Billing
Questions
What am I really paying for?
Tuition
Room
Board
Fees
Full-Time Rate (9 courses or 36 credit maximum)
$42,656
Part-Time/Overload Rate per Course ($1,075 per credit)
$4,300
Traditional Single Room
$7,650
Traditional Double Room
$6,694
Traditional Triple Room
$6,390
19-Meal Traditional Meal Plan*
$4,712
14-Meal Traditional Meal Plan
$4,480
19-Meals + $300 Dining Dollars
$4,952
14-Meals + $300 Dining Dollars
$4,720
575 Block Meal Plan
$4,896
450 Block Meal Plan
$4,670
575 Block Meals + $300 Dining Dollars
$5,108
450 Block Meals + $300 Dining Dollars
$4,882
Student Activities Fee
$225
Student Services Fee
$245
Health Services Fee
$100
What is e-billing?
 The college has moved to e-billing in an effort to reduce paper use
and printing and postage costs associated with large mailings. Ebills are sent monthly to the student’s campus e-mail address.
 By using their WebAdvisor account, your student can view
account activity and pay the remaining balance. Students also
have the ability to download their statements into a PDF format
so that they may be printed and sent or e-mailed home to the
person responsible for payment.
 Simply put, students can view their current statement at any time
and pay the balance on-line using a credit or debit card or an
ACH from a bank account. There is a 2.6% transaction charge
added by our payment processing provider, Official Payments
Company, but e-checks are free.
What is Jay Cash and how do I use it?
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Jay Cash provides students with a non-cash option to make it more
convenient to purchase books and merchandise at the Bookstore, as
well as food and beverages at The Commons, George & Tom’s Snack
Bar, or the Barista or Roasted Cafés.
Deposit any amount of money into a Jay Cash account at the
Business Office via check, cash, credit/debit card, or by ACH and the
college ID card will be loaded so that purchases can be made.
Each time the ID card is swiped, the Jay Cash balance is reduced by
the amount of that purchase. Any point of sale terminal can provide
the remaining Jay Cash balance, which can be replenished as often
as needed.
Jay Cash carries forward from one semester to another and from one
academic year to the next, but it is not transferable and may not be
redeemed for cash. Only balances that remain after a student has
graduated or withdrawn from the college will be forfeited.
Why did I get charged for health insurance?
 Since all students are required to have health coverage, the
college charges this fee unless proof of coverage is provided by
submitting a completed Health Insurance Waiver, which can
be accessed through the ‘Helpful Links’ section of our webpage.
 Students who do not waive this coverage by September 1st will be
enrolled for the academic year in a group plan made available to
the college by an outside provider. Once a student is enrolled, the
fee cannot be removed from the student’s account.
 Once your waiver has been received by the Business Office, your
statement will be adjusted accordingly.
What are activity and service fees?
Who pays these fees?
 The activity fee funds the Student Government so that it may
allocate funds to the numerous student organizations and clubs
on campus.
 The service fee provides all students with free admission to
athletic events, lectures, and other campus activities.
 All clubs and student organizations are available for commuters
to join, and all athletic events, lectures, and campus activities are
open to commuters as well.
 All full-time students must pay these fees each semester, so
commuters and even those who are studying abroad are charged.
Why do I have a lab/course fee when my student
isn’t taking a science class?
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Courses other than science classes have fees associated with them:
 Computer Science courses
 All courses in the Integrated Technology Leadership Program
(ITL)
 Most Art ‘Studio’ courses
What are Tuition Overload charges?
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Full-time students who register for more than 36 credits (9 courses or the
equivalent) in one academic year will be assessed an additional tuition
charge per each additional credit.
The course overload charge for the 2015-2016 academic year is $1,075 per
credit, or $4,300 per 4-credit course.
These charges will appear on Spring semester billings and do not apply to
course registrations for Physical Education & Wellness courses (PED),
Applied Music courses (MUA), or the Theatre Practicum Course
(THR151).
Students will also incur overload charges if they choose to take more than
two Intersession courses during their four years of study.
Note: Billings are calculated based on the number of classes students are
recorded as registered for in the year, not what they will actually
complete. Registration is tabulated at the end of the Add/Drop period
rather than at the end of the term.
What is the $200 security deposit used for?
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Each new student will be charged for a $200 security deposit on the
Fall semester billing. Charges for damages and loss of equipment will
be made against this deposit and will be shown on tuition billing
statements as they occur.
This is not to be confused with the $200 matriculation deposit that
was paid when your student decided to enroll at W&J.
Any balance remaining from this non-interest bearing account will be
refunded when the student leaves the college and it must be
maintained and replenished at the end of each academic year.
Common area damages in residence halls are assessed against the
residents of the hall and are divided and charged equally if the
perpetrator is unknown.
When will I receive my account statement?
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Paper statements are mailed in July and August for the Fall term and
December and January for the Spring semester. Otherwise,
statements will be e-mailed each month of the academic year.
A final paper statement for each semester could also to the home
address in November and April if a balance still exists.
If you need another copy, you can call the Business Office at (724)
223-6014 and a copy of the statement can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to you.
Students can also log into their “Web Advisor” accounts to view
account activity, print out statements, and to make payments.
If you’re paying by credit card, please remember that Official
Payments will charge a 2.6% fee on all credit card transactions.
When is my balance due?
 Due dates are:
 Friday, August 9th (Fall)
 Friday, January 10th (Spring)
 Interim balances are due by the end of the month in
which the charges were incurred.
 Participation in the external payment plan must be
established or standard payment must be received
prior to the first day of class for each semester.
What exactly is on my student’s statement?
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The first statement reflects all known charges and credits at the
statement date and will show pending financial aid and the
remaining balance. It will not include subsequent charges that could
arise later in a semester like parking fines, course materials fees, or
residence hall damages.
Once the semester begins, statements no longer show pending
financial aid, only the actual aid that has been credited by the
statement date. All forms, promissory notes, and entrance interviews
must be completed before loans can be posted to a student’s account.
A Business Office accounting clerk will be happy to assist in you
determining your balance due.
Why are students required to be on a meal plan?
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W&J is a residential college, meaning that all students who live
outside of commuting distance (less than 15 miles from campus) are
expected to reside in college housing and dine in college facilities.
All freshman are automatically billed the 19 meals per week plan
until we receive a Meal Plan Form indicating which plan you
prefer.
In addition to the eight meal plan options available to first year
students, Parkhurst Dining Services tries to be as flexible as it can in
meeting the specific dietary needs of students.
Meals are available from 7:15am-11pm during the week and
10:00am-11pm on the weekends to accommodate busy student
schedules. A 50 Block Plan is available for commuting students.
Students with strict medical or dietary restrictions must petition the
Business Office to be excused from the meal plan service.
You can fill out the Meal Plan Form in your folder and turn it in today!
When do students get ID cards and
what happens if they lose them?
 Student ID photos are being taken today! ID cards will be
available for pick-up later this afternoon outside The Barista
Cafe.
 ID cards are used for access to residence halls and academic
buildings, meals, and Jay Cash.
 Should an ID be misplaced, the Business Office will make a
replacement for you.
 The ID card replacement fee is $15.
Where can I park my car?
 Students who bring your car to campus with them have the
opportunity for free, first-come, first-served parking for
freshmen available in the Lincoln Lot. There is a separate lot
available for commuters.
 To get a parking pass:
 Go to the First Year website at www.washjeff.edu/firstyear
 Choose ‘Forms’
 Under Optional Forms, click the on-line “Parking Permit
Request Form” and complete the information
 Your pass will be in your mailbox when you arrive on campus.
I was told by the Office of Financial Aid that my balance
would be covered by all my loans, grants, and scholarships.
Why do I still owe money?
Call us! The Business Office will assist you by confirming that all
loans, grants, and scholarships have been credited to your account
and by checking to see if there is any pending financial aid that has
not been received.
We will also check to see if you have any outside awards that
require an invoice to a third-party.
Remember: Your Financial Aid Award Letter shows a general
budget with the 14 Meal Plan and traditional housing. Your actual
billed amount could be more if you have chosen a different meal
plan or live in non-traditional campus housing since it changes the
‘cost of attendance’ used in the award letter.
Why doesn’t any financial aid appear as pending or
credited on my statement?
 This may occur for one of the following reasons:
 The student has not filed a FAFSA.
 The FAFSA has not yet been processed and received by the
college.
 The FAFSA was rejected by the federal government due to
missing information.
 The student has been selected for the verification process by
the U.S. Department of Education and that process was not
completed before statements were sent.
Call the Office of Financial Aid at (724) 223-6019
to ensure that your financial aid paperwork is in order.
Why don’t my loans appear on my statement?
 If you receive an e-bill and your loan is not credited by mid-term
(October for Fall and March for Spring), you should call the
Office of Financial Aid at (724) 223-6019 to see what needs to be
done.
 Until the September statement for the Fall term and the
February statement for the Spring term most loans will appear
as pending financial aid credits.
 Once the paperwork is completed and the funds have transferred
electronically to the college’s bank account, they will appear as
an actual credit on your statement.
My Direct Loan was for $3,500, why did I only get
credit for $3,464 and why does only one-half
appear on my statement?
 There is a fee of charged on all Direct Loans, so the
student’s account is only credited with the net
proceeds.
 Note that Direct Loans are split into two
disbursements—one for Fall and one for Spring.
Do I have to pay the entire balance before my
loan has been disbursed?
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No! As soon as the Business Office is able to verify that a loan has
been applied for, the promissory note has been signed by all
applicable parties, entrance interview requirements are met, and the
loan is ready for certification and disbursement, the loan proceeds
may be deducted from the balance shown on the statement.
Work-study is part of my financial aid package.
Why isn’t that amount deducted from my balance?
 Student wages are paid directly to students bi-monthly around
the 15th and 31st of each month.
 Because job availability and hours cannot be absolutely
guaranteed, even if they have been awarded, it is not possible to
know how much should be credited in advance to a student’s
account, so it is the student’s responsibility to use proceeds from
their earnings.
Students with on-campus jobs should set
up direct deposit for their FWS earnings
If I still can’t afford to pay my bill in one lump sum, how
do I make arrangements for a monthly payment plan?
 Monthly payment arrangements must be made through the
Tuition Payment Plan provided to W&J by Higher One.
 There is a $50 annual sign-up fee to participate in the Tuition
Payment Plan. You can choose from several payment options to
better suit your individual financial needs.
 Higher One Tuition Payment Plan can be reached at
(800) 635-0120 or you can visit their website:
www.tuitionpaymentplan.com/washjeff
 Choose “Enroll in a plan for the first time” and you’re only a
few easy steps from joining in the program.
I don’t want to pay the enrollment fee for the Higher One
Tuition Payment Plan. Why can’t I make payments
directly to the school?
 The external payment plan is provided to W&J College students
and families for the added convenience of making interest-free
monthly payments.
 The nominal fee of $50 to enroll yearly in the plan is the only fee
charged to participants and pays for all the services that Higher
One provides for collecting, reporting, billing, and technical
support.
 This fee is charged by Higher One, not W&J, and it is sent along
with the first installment when you sign-up for the payment plan.
 These are services that the college is not equipped to handle
given the number of participants in the plan.
I’ve made three payments to Higher One, so why
do only two appear on my statement?
 There is a short delay from the time Higher One receives a
payment until those funds are released to W&J and appear as a
credit on your account statement.
 The college receives its disbursement from Higher One weekly.
These are credited every Friday for those received that prior
week.
How are students billed for Intersession trips?
 Students who take Intersession courses which involve travel
abroad are billed for the cost of those trips separately from their
tuition accounts.
 Course costs and due dates for payment are determined by the
professor who is teaching the course. Unless otherwise indicated
by the course instructor, final payments are typically due by
December 1st.
 Because the additional cost of an Intersession trip can be added
to the student’s Cost of Attendance, additional financial aid may
be available. Check with that office at 724-223-6019.
Business Office Website
 Check out our website at www.washjeff.edu
 Choose ‘Offices & Departments’ link, then select Business
Office
 Our web page provides access to forms, contact information for
staff, and links to information on financial aid, schedule of fees
for the current academic year, FAQs, and detailed information on
the various dining options.
 We also provide links to the monthly payment plan, health
insurance provider, and the Perkins Loan website.
 Follow us on Twitter @WJBusOffice or like us on Facebook at
Washington & Jefferson College Business Office
Questions???
Office of Financial Aid – (724) 223-6019
Business Office – (724) 223-6014