Undergraduate Student Billing

Student Billing: Undergraduate

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• Undergraduate Payment Options

  Single-Payment Plan

  Payment in full of total charges, less any expected financial aid, is due on or before August 1 (Fall Term) or February 1 (Spring Term). Partial or late payments received by the College after due date will result in a late payment penalty of 2% on the amount unpaid as of the initial due date and on any subsequent billing date.

  Two-Payment Plan

  The College will permit an initial payment of 50% of the balance of total charges less any expected financial aid on or before August 1 (Fall Term) or February 1 (Spring Term), with the remaining unpaid balance charged 1–1/2% interest monthly until paid in full on or before the final due date of October 31 (Fall Term) or April 30 (Spring Term). Partial or late payments received by the College after due dates will result in a late payment penalty of 2% on the amount due and unpaid as of the initial due date and on any subsequent billing date.

  Parents who wish to participate in this plan must complete, sign and return the Two-payment Plan form, which must be received by the College no later than August 1 (Fall Term) or February 1 (Spring Term), accompanied by the initial payment. The College reserves the right to deny election of this option for any student whose account was seriously delinquent during a prior term.

  Five-Month Payment Plan

  The College offers a payment plan providing for five equal monthly installments payable from June to October (Fall Term) and December to April (Spring Term). The initial payment must be received by the College by mid-June (Fall Term) or mid-December (Spring Term), and the remaining payments received on or before the 20th of each of the next four months. No interest is charged under this plan. However, partial or late payments received by the College after due dates will result in a late payment penalty of 2% on the amount due and unpaid as of the initial due date and on any subsequent billing date.

  Enrollment in this plan requires the completion and return of the signed Monthly Payment Plan Agreement, accompanied by the first installment, which must be received by the College no later than mid-June (Fall Term) or mid-December (Spring Term). The College reserves the right to deny election of this option for any student whose account was seriously delinquent during a prior term.

  Other charges billed to the student account

  All other charges billed to the student account (for example, library and parking fines, phone charges, etc.) are not included in payment plan options. Such charges not paid in full when due will result in a late payment penalty of 2% on the amount due and unpaid as of the initial due date and on any subsequent billing date.

  Please note that no person accepted for participation in a Bennington College academic program will be allowed to reside on campus or attend classes unless all amounts due are paid in full as stipulated in the payment options listed above.

  ^{Rev 05/2006}

  
  

• Regulations Governing the Payment of Fees

  1. Except for students using the Monthly Payment Plan or the Two Payment Plan offered by Bennington College, term bills are due and payable in full on August 1 for the fall term and on February 1 for the spring term. For due dates for the Monthly or the Two Payment Plan, please refer to the applicable separate agreement. A late payment penalty of 2% of the unpaid balance will be assessed on any amount not paid when due.

  2. As a convenience, the College will permit students or parents who choose to do so to make a minimum payment of one-half of the amount due on the specified payment date followed by payment(s) of the remaining balance no later than October 31 for the fall term and April 30 for the spring term. A signed agreement for the election of this option must be on file with the Business Office before such arrangement will be considered in effect. The College will assess interest on the unpaid balance subsequent to August 1 or February 1 at the rate of 1.5% per month.

  3. Students who have not paid all amounts due and payable to the College by the first day of classes of the upcoming term and who have not received written authorization from the business office will not be allowed to attend classes or to occupy or use campus facilities. Should a student fail to meet his or her financial commitment subsequent to enrollment, the College may require the student to vacate the campus immediately. Such action will not constitute release of the student or other responsible party from his or her financial obligation to the College.

  4. Students who carry a past due amount on their account will not be eligible to pre-register for courses for the upcoming term or participate in the student housing process until such time as all past due amounts are paid in full. No student with a past due balance for a prior term will be permitted to return to campus for the upcoming term until such balance is paid in full.

  5. Graduating students who carry a past due amount on their account will not be eligible to receive their diplomas until such balances are paid in full.

  6. No student will be permitted to receive or to direct delivery of an academic transcript to another party unless the student's financial obligations to the College have been met.

  7. The College may agree in certain circumstances to making other arrangements for payment of pending or delinquent balances in cases deemed appropriate by the College. Students will not be permitted to remain at the College or to return for the following term if they do not meet the conditions specified in any such arrangement, which must be in writing.

  8. The College reserves the right to deny election of either the Monthly Payment Plan or the Two Payment Plan for any student whose account was seriously delinquent during a prior term.

  ^{Rev 05/2005}

• Withdrawal Refund Policy

  Tuition, Room and Board Charges

  The amount of the tuition, room and board charges to be refunded, if any, is based on the student's effective date of withdrawal (see below). Withdrawal means complete severance from classes for the balance of the term. This refund policy applies regardless of the reason for such withdrawal. Refunds, or offsets to amounts owed to the College, will be made only in cases where the student withdraws:

  • before the first day of classes: 100% refund of all term charges;
  • during the first five days of classes: 75% refund/offset of the charges;
  • after the first five but before the eleventh day of classes: 50% refund/offset of the charges;
  • after the tenth but before the twenty-first day of classes: 25% refund/offset of the charges.

  No refunds or offsets to amounts owed to the College will be made in cases of withdrawal after the twentieth day of classes.

  Other Charges and Fees

  • Health Services Charge: No refund.
  • Activities Fee: 200/0 if withdrawal occurs before the twenty-first day of classes; none thereafter.
  • Telephone Fee: 50% (of basic service charge only) if withdrawal occurs before the twenty-first day of classes; none thereafter.

  There will be no refund of, or credit against, any other charges, fees or fines incurred by the student, including long distance telephone charges.

  All withdrawals are subject to a $200 withdrawal fee.

  Any refunds will be made only to the extent that no other amounts are owed to the College. Amounts owed to the College after application of any refund will continue to be the full responsibility of the obligor in accord with the terms of the obligation. Students receiving federal financial aid will have the withdrawal date determined and refunds calculated in accordance with federal refund policy.

  Tuition Refund Plan

  If a withdrawing student is covered by the Tuition Refund Plan, any proceeds of a claim will be paid first to (1) amounts owed to the College and then (2) against the balance of any outstanding loan made directly by the College for that term. Any remaining proceeds will then be applied to reimbursement of tuition, room and board payments actually made on behalf of the student's account for the term. Any balance after such payments will be applied to any grants awarded by the College for the term.

  Withdrawal Notice

  Students should report in writing immediately their intent to withdraw to the Office of the Dean of the College. The effective date of withdrawal is the date on which written notice is received by the College.

  ^{This policy supersedes all previous versions. | November 2003}

• Health Service Charge (mandatory)

  The College assesses a health service fee each term to cover the costs of the Health Services and Psychological Services offices. Open six days a week during term, the Health Services office is staffed by an MD and nurses. The Psychological Services office is headed by a clinical psychologist and is staffed by two psychiatrists and other clinical professionals. Both offices cover emergency situations 24 hours a day.

  Included in the health service fee is an Injury and Sickness Reimbursement Plan. Please note that the 2012–2013 brochure will be made available as soon as possible. Please contact Health Services (802-440-4426) if you have any questions about this plan.

• Activities Fee (mandatory)

  The Student Activities Fee is a mandatory fee that helps to support the many student activities of campus life at Bennington College including the Meyer Recreation Barn facilities, outdoor adventure courses and programs, wellness programs, Student Center events, community outreach, and many other activities.

• Tuition Refund Plan (waiver required)

  The College will be offering an Undergraduate Tuition Refund Plan for the 2012–2013 academic year. More information about this plan, the costs, and waiver options will be made available soon.