Student Accounts Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When is tuition due?
A. Tuition is due 7 days after the 1st day of the term, or 7 days after registration (whichever comes later).

Fall 2009 tuition

Traditional Undergraduate and Graduate Semester Tuition is due September 7, 2009
Adult & Graduate Quarter Tuition is due seven (7) calendar days after the first day of class.

Q. What is the best way to make a payment?
A. The most efficient and timely way to make a payment to your account is to pay online at http://www.ben.edu/MyBenU. For help on how to make an online payment, visit: http://www.ben.edu/mybenu/docs/Student_Financials_Self_Service_Navigation.pdf. This information is also available in the Course Schedule Book. Payment can also be mailed to Benedictine University, PO Box 809020 Chicago, IL 60680-9020 or Benedictine University, Ben Central, 5700 College Road, Lisle, IL 60532. Be sure to include your student ID on any payment. Credit card payments can also be made by phone by contacting Ben Central at (630) 829-6500.

Q. May I pay with a credit card?
A. Benedictine University accepts MasterCard, Visa and Discover cards.

Q. What if I can't pay all of my tuition by the due date?
A.If payment in full is not received by the due date and your charges will not be covered by financial aid, you must be on a payment plan in order to avoid assessment of a late payment fee and financial hold to your student account. Benedictine University has teamed with Sallie Mae in providing the TuitionPay Plan. You can enroll online at http://www.tuitionpayenroll.com/ben or by phone at (800) 635-0120. Please note that tuition for the Fall term must be paid in full with the December 1st payment and tuition for the Spring term must be paid in full with the May 1st payment. Summer tuition payment plans begin June 1st with final payment on August 1st.

Q. I made a payment to Sallie Mae through the TuitionPay, but I don't see it on my BU statement?
A. Sallie Mae transmits payments to Benedictine University once a week. (ex. A payment made to Sallie Mae on 5/25/08 will be received by BU by 6/6/08). Sallie Mae waits one week for clearance of check or until next payment due date if payment is submitted early. Please note that you will receive a monthly statement from both Benedictine University and Sallie Mae when using the TuitionPay Payment Plan. Sallie Mae does not have access to your student account at Benedictine University, so if you have questions regarding your budget, please contact the Student Accounts Office at (630) 829-6503 or Ben Central at (630) 829-6500.

Q. What is Anticipated Financial Aid that appears on my statement and on my online account?
A. Anticipated aid shows the expected credit that will be posted to the student's account. These amounts are typically based on full time enrollment and are reviewed by the Financial Aid Office staff after the term has begun and before being posted to the student's account. All programs (Pell, MAP, institutional aid, Stafford and PLUS loans) have separate criteria that must be reviewed each term before aid is posted. The post date for anticipated aid that appears on the billing statement refers to the expiration date of that aid. If those aid amounts are not posted to your student account by the post date listed on your bill, please contact the Financial Aid Office for explanation.

Q. Where's my financial aid?
A. Financial aid is not credited to student accounts until the 2nd week of the term (after the 100% add/drop period).
Students should have received, or will be receiving an award letter from the Financial Aid office. To determine their out-of-pocket expenses, students/parents should take the total invoiced amount for the term, and subtract that term's portion of their financial aid.
Note: Federal Work Study should NOT be included (this is not an award, it is received as a paycheck only if the student works on campus). Loans may be disbursed minus up to 4% bank service fee(s).

Q. Why are parents not allowed access to their son/daughter's account without his/her permission?
A. The student is financially responsible for his/her Benedictine account, and is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, students may grant permission for others to receive information regarding their account. The office of Student Accounts offers a "Student Accounts Information Release Form", which may be completed and submitted by the student to provide consent.

Q. Why is my registration and/or transcript request blocked by Student Accounts?
A. Future registration and transcript release are not allowed on accounts with past due balances. In order to have the hold or block removed, you must pay your account balance.

Q. There is a credit balance on my account, how do I request a refund?
A. Refunds for student loans are processed and mailed out to students 10 days after funds are posted to the student's account. If you wish to pick up your refund check, you must complete a request form in Ben Central or online at: http://www.ben.edu/resources/studentaccounts/refund_request_form.pdf.

Q. I'm getting Tuition Reimbursement from my employer… how does TuitionPay Plan work?
A. This is a 4-step process the student must follow EACH TERM:
1. Each term, student must request to be set up on the Employer Reimbursement Plan through the Student Accounts Office at (630) 829-6503. Student is required to provide documentation/proof of eligibility for their employer's reimbursement policy (once per academic year Fall-Summer).
2. Benedictine University authorizes a single-pay plan for the student's term balance with the TuitionPay Plan through Sallie Mae...payment is due after the end of the term, on the nearest 1st of the month (ex. Fall 2009 single-pay plan is due February 1, 2010).
3. Each term, student pays $30.00 enrollment fee directly to Sallie Mae.
4. Student pays term balance to Sallie Mae by due date. If payment is paid at Benedictine, it is student's responsibility to notify a member of Student Accounts payment was made on campus rather than directly to Sallie Mae so the Sallie Mae account can be updated. Otherwise, late fees may incur on account.

Q. If my company is late reimbursing me, may I wait for their payment and be allowed an extension on the tuition due date?
A. No, tuition is due on the published due date, even if a student's company is late with reimbursement. Regardless of when the employer reimburses the student, it is the student's responsibility to pay the balance in full on or before the tuition due date. Students who experience this delay from their employers typically pay tuition using a credit card.

Q. What if I haven't completed my coursework by the end of a term and my employer won't reimburse me until I have my grade… can I have an extension on the single-pay tuition due date?
A. No. Students are responsible for paying their tuition accounts in full by the extended single-pay due date whether or not they have received their grades. There is no additional extension for this plan.

Q. What happens if I don't receive my grades… can I wait and pay after I get them?
A. No. Students are responsible for paying their tuition accounts in full by the extended single-pay due date whether or not they have received their grades. There is no additional extension for this plan.

Q. Why did I get a $100.00 late fee?
A. Tuition must be paid in full, or a payment plan be activated with TuitionPay through Sallie Mae before the payment deadline.

Q. What if I didn't receive a bill?
A. Tuition is due by the tuition due date whether or not a bill has been received. If a student has not received a bill, they may contact Student Accounts or Ben Central to determine the required amount due or they may view their account online at http://www.ben.edu/MyBenU.

Q. What is a 1098-T?
A. The 1098-T is an IRS form used to report educational-related expenses. While this form has been used in prior years, 2003 is the first year that educational institutions are required to report actual dollar amounts.
Institutions are required to report on either payments received (Box 1), OR amounts billed (Box 2); not both. Benedictine University reports on Box 2 ~ Amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses.
The dollar values recorded on the 2008 1098-T are calculated based upon qualified transactions occurring between January 1 and December 31 2008.
Questions regarding individual eligibility for education tax credits such as the Hope Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit should be referred to your income tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at (800) 829-1040 or http://www.irs.gov.
Benedictine University is unable to provide students and families with any tax opinions or advice.

If you misplaced or have not received a 1098T form, you may view it online through MyBenU. From the Main Menu, go to Self Service-->Campus Finances-->View 1098T. If you have not received a 1098T and cannot view it online, you may not be eligible to receive one. Please contact the Student Accounts Office at (630) 829-6503 for further explanation.