GW 101:
FINANCIAL
MATTERS
CI Day 2
Summer 2013
AGENDA
Student Services
 What is Colonial Central?
 FERPA
 Student Life Cycle
 Student Account eBill
 Financial Assistance
 Payment Options and Monthly Payment Plan
 Tuition Insurance
 Resources
 Q&A

QUICK FIRE QUIZ PREVIEW
When is the bill due every semester?
 In order to directly receive notifications
regarding tuition bills, what does your son or
daughter have to set you up as in Student
Account eBill?
 What does FERPA stand for? What is the name
of the form that the student completes to grant
you access to their financial and/or educational
records?
 What should you consider purchasing before the
start of the semester that will protect your
financial tuition investment if your son or
daughter needs to withdraw from school for
medical or mental health reasons?

GW STUDENT SERVICES
Department
Responsibilities
Student Financial Assistance
Financial aid awards, loans,
counseling
Student Accounts
Billing and accounts
Registrar
Registration, FERPA,
transcripts
Student Parking
Permits
Military & Veteran Services
GI Bill/VA benefits, counseling
GWorld Card
ID card and meal plan
Cashier
Payment processing
WHAT IS COLONIAL CENTRAL?
Created for our students with the intent to ease
the stresses of accomplishing business at GW.
 Co-location of student service offices including
Student Financial Assistance, Student Accounts,
Registrar, Student Parking Services, Cashier,
Military & Veteran Services, and GWorld.
 Financial Services counselors are cross-trained to
assist with both financial aid and billing/account
questions.
 Located on the Ground Floor of Marvin Center.

Web address: colonialcentral.gwu.edu
 Email: ccentral@gwu.edu
 Phone: 202-994-9000

FERPA FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT OF 1974
FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy
of students’ educational records.
 Student education records are confidential and
cannot be released without written consent of the
student.
 The Registrar’s Office maintains two FERPA
release forms:

Student Consent
 Financial Dependency


The student consent forms are located in Colonial
Central. We encourage students to submit this
form while they are on campus for Colonial
Inauguration.
STUDENT LIFE CYCLE
July – Sept
Register for fall classes
Fall balance emailed to student
First time borrowers finalize Loan
Applications / Promissory Notes
Sign up for monthly payment plan
Move In
Classes start, account balance due
April - June
Oct - Dec
Complete application for financial
assistance for next year
Register for fall classes
Sign up for monthly payment plan
Holds for past due accounts
Register for spring classes
Spring balance emailed to student
Finals, semester ends
Winter break
Jan - March
Classes start and account balance due
Holds for past due accounts
Submit FAFSA for upcoming
academic year
STUDENT ACCOUNT eBILL
GW utilizes an electronic billing system, called
Student Account eBill, for disseminating,
accessing, and paying tuition bills.
 Student Account eBill is accessible via GWeb and
Colonial Central Website.

STUDENT ACCOUNT eBILL
Students receive emails indicating the amount of
their tuition bill a few weeks before each
semester begins (as long as they have registered
for courses).
 This email directs them to log into Student
Account eBill to view their current activity and
point-in-time statement of account.
 Students can set up multiple authorized users in
the eBill system.
 Authorized users have access to all eBill features
and also receive emails regarding tuition bills.

WHEN ARE BILLS DUE?
First
 Fall
day of each semester
2013 – August 26
 Spring 2014 – January 13
EXAMPLE OF STUDENT ACCOUNT BILL
Highlights:
Fixed rate
tuition & fees
Room & board
Voluntary
library gift
Pending credits
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Office of Student Financial Assistance awards
need-based assistance in the form of federal and
institutional aid.
 Pending Credits on Statement of Account

Grants, Scholarships and Loans
 Federal Work Study does not appear on bill


Next steps
Provide any outstanding financial documents
required to confirm your awards
 Accept award via GWeb Financial Aid menu
 Finalize Loans (Federal and/or Alternative)


Reapply each academic year for assistance
PAYMENT OPTIONS
 Online
payments in eBill system via
electronic check
 Wire Transfers
 529 Plans or 3rd Party Payments
 External Scholarships
 Parent and Student Loans
 Monthly Payment Plan
NOTE: GW does not accept cash or credit cards.
MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN
Enroll online via Colonial Central website
 Annual or semester plans are available
 Credit card may be used

TUITION INSURANCE
The Tuition Refund Plan (T.R.P.), an elective
insurance program, provides coverage for tuition,
room and board charges throughout the course of
the semester if your student must withdraw from
GW for medical or mental health reasons.
 Contact Dewar at 617-774-1555 with questions.
 Visit this link to connect to the Dewar website to
complete application for tuition insurance:
http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/billing/insurance/

STUDENT / PARENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
o Students
o Parent/Guardians
o Check email, if you don’t
use GW email, setup
forwarding
o Check GWeb regularly
o Be aware of due dates
o Authorize and share
access with
parent/guardian via
FERPA release form
o Forward important email
notifications home
o Set up parent(s) as
authorized user(s) in
Student Account eBill
o Maintain an ongoing
dialogue with student
about deadlines and
university
communications
o Watch for
correspondence sent
home
o Complete payment
arrangements
o Sign up for parent
email list through the
Office of Parent
Services
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RESOURCES

GWeb - Student Self Service http://banweb.gwu.edu
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Colonial Central - www.colonialcentral.gwu.edu

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
Register for classes
Access Student Account eBill to view tuition bill and pay online
View schedule and grades
View and accept financial assistance award
Check on processing status of financial assistance requirements
Update contact information
View earnings from student employment
View “holds”
Information on student accounts and financial assistance
Access Student Account eBill
Access ECSI to sign up for monthly payment plans
Helpful links to key information and sites to assist with financial aid process
Download forms and loan applications
Links to student service office websites
Financial Literacy - www.gwired.gwu.edu/finaid-n/FinancialLiteracy

Collection of financial literacy resources compiled by the Office of Student
Financial Assistance
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FLASH DRIVE CONTENT
GWeb Information Sheet
 Financial/Administrative Tips Sheet
 FERPA Forms

Student Consent
 Financial Dependency

Monthly Payment Plan Brochure
 Student Account eBill palm cards for student and
parent
 2013-2014 Dining Plan Brochure

QUIZ
When is the bill due every semester?
 In order to directly receive notifications
regarding tuition bills, what does your son or
daughter have to set you up as in Student
Account eBill?
 What does FERPA stand for? What is the name
of the form that the student completes to grant
you access to their financial and/or educational
records?
 What should you consider purchasing before the
start of the semester that will protect your
financial tuition investment if your son or
daughter needs to withdraw from school for
medical or mental health reasons?

QUESTIONS?