PAYMENT AND REFUND POLICIES
Paying Your Tuition/Fees Bill
The college’s Student Accounts Office bills students each semester for tuition, room, board and mandatory fees. Full payment is expected by the due date or a late fee will be assessed. The fall payment due date usually occurs in end-July, and the spring payment usually is due at the middle of December.
Financial aid that has been awarded and accepted will appear as a credit on your bill. However, federal work-study awarded will not be credited on your bill; rather, you will receive payment as you work throughout the semester or year toward fulfillment of your work-study award.
The Student Accounts Office offers students a monthly installment plan, which allows you to pay your bill over a period of 4 months per semester. For more information on the Installment Plan, please contact the Student Accounts Office at (413) 572-8538.
College Withdrawal Refund Policy
To be eligible for a refund, a student formally must withdraw from the college (please refer to the Westfield State College Bulletin). Upon formal withdrawal, the official date for refund purposes is established. This date will be used by the Financial Aid Office to determine the amount of refund for tuition, mandatory fees, room and board. Withdrawal forms are available in the Student Administrative Services Center for full-time undergraduate day students or at the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education Office for part-time day, evening, and graduate students. Important to note: A student who leaves the college without formally withdrawing either in person or in writing through the appropriate office forfeits all rights to a refund (within Title IV regulations).
When a student withdraws before 60% of the semester is completed, the college is required, under Federal law, to refund federal and/or state financial aid funds on a pro-rated basis. The calculation is based on the amount of time the student was enrolled for the semester. For example, a student who completes only 20% of the semester will keep only 20% of his or her federal and/or state funds. The remaining 80% will be returned to the appropriate source. Funds are returned to federal and/or state sources in the following order: Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Plus Loans, Pell Grant, SEOG, and then to other Title IV funds requiring a refund.
Below is a chart that shows the refund policy schedule for tuition, mandatory fees, room and board for full-time undergraduate students:
Withdrawals prior to the first day of classes |
100% |
Withdrawals during the first two weeks of classes |
80% |
Withdrawals during the third week of classes |
60% |
Withdrawals during the fourth week of classes |
40% |
Withdrawals during the fifth week of classes |
20% |
Withdrawals after the fifth week of classes |
No Refund |
*This policy is in accordance with the 1998 Financial Aid Reauthorization Act. It is reviewed annually by the college’s Vice President for Administration and Finance and Board of Trustees. This policy also is subject to change without notice.
Students should not expect to receive refunds until at least four weeks after his or her official withdrawal date due to heavy processing that coincides with the start of each semester.
How Your Financial Aid Award is Disbursed
If your financial aid award is determined prior to the due date of your bill for the coming semester, your financial aid award will be listed on your bill as a credit. If you are awarded more aid than is required to meet your financial obligation to the college, the balance will be refunded to you by the Student Account Office for use toward your additional college expenses. Refunds generally are not available until mid-semester. If your award is determined after your bill is due, you must make arrangements to pay your bill until your financial aid award is packaged.