Tuition and Fees Information

Statements concerning fees are announcements and not to be regarded as offers to contract. The University reserves the right to change fees and other charges and refund schedules at any time by published notice before the opening of any semester.

Courses taken for audit or courses taken for reduced credit or no-credit will be counted at their normal credit value in computing the amount of fees to be paid.

It is the student’s responsibility to pay fees and any other financial obligations to the University as they become due. The non-payment of any financial obligation may result in the administrative withdrawal of the student or in legal action (at the University’s option).  The student agrees that if financial obligations are not paid when due, and the University should retain an attorney or collection agency for the collection, the student agrees to pay all costs of collection, including reasonable interest, reasonable attorney's fees (even if a lawsuit is filed) and reasonable collection agency fees.  The fees assessed by a collection agency will be a percentage of the financial obligation to be collected.  Records, future enrollment and charging privileges will be withheld for failure to meet payment deadlines.  Delinquent accounts may be referred to external collection agencies and/or may be reported to national credit bureaus.  The student is obligated to pay all costs of collection including collection fees and attorney fees.

If the University removes a student from the class rolls for any reason, charges will be reduced according to the published schedules in Refund/Reduction in Charge Schedule. Such removal will not forgive any amounts due to the University and records and enrollment will be withheld until all obligations are cleared.

It is the student’s responsibility to have his or her current addresses on file with the Registrar’s Office.

The appeal body for most financial matters is the Student Financial Petition Committee. Petitions are available online at www.nwmissouri.edu/studentaccounts/forms.htm

A student’s residency status for fee purposes is determined at the time of admission according to the policy recommended by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education. Copies of the residency policy and petitions for change of residency status are available on request from the Office of Admissions. Petitions must be submitted to the Office of Admissions before classes begin for the semester for which the change is desired.

All bills will be emailed to the student's Northwest email account.

Students may add additional authorized users to receive an email notification of the new bill to which they can view online.

Students will receive their fall billing statement mid-July and the spring billing statement in mid-December. Full payment must be made on or before the due date to avoid finance charges.

Northwest uses a balance forward system. Any unpaid charges will appear on subsequent bills as a previous balance. Just like your MasterCard or VISA statement, charges will not be itemized a second time. Only new charges will be itemized.

Failure to pay the minimum due or make acceptable payment arrangements with the Office of Student Account Services could result in administrative withdrawal. A series of email notifications are sent prior to these measures. Student fees and miscellaneous charges are billed monthly and are consolidated on the billing statement. This allows the University to send the student one monthly billing statement covering all charges including tuition, technology fees, textbook rental fees as well as housing and food. The student ID card, Bearcat Card, also serves as a campus charge card. The charges are billed through one consolidated account for items such as Bearcat Shop purchases, copy charges, parking permits and Wellness Services charges.

Students are encouraged to pay the total balance on or before the due date to avoid finance charges. Students will automatically be enrolled in an installment plan at the time they receive their bill. Students can view their installment amounts in the payment center.

 THINGS TO KNOW

• A 1% finance charge will apply to any unpaid, billed balance on the 16th of each month.
• Financial aid and scholarships will reduce the overall balance on your account and cannot be used towards an installment payment.
• If financial aid and/or scholarships are not authorized to your account by the due date, you will be subject to a finance charge. If a scholarship check is made payable to the student and Northwest, student endorsement will be required before it can post to the student’s account.
• Monthly automatic withdrawal available.

VIEW YOUR INSTALLMENT AMOUNT

• Log into the Payment Center
• Payment Plans tab

• Funds will be credited to a student’s account after the student agrees to the conditions of the award and accepts the award offer (through student’s CatPAWS account), and completion of entrance counseling and a promissory note for loans. Awards are based on fulltime enrollment; however, some federal funds are prorated for less than fulltime enrollment.
• Refunds will be processed after the 100% drop/add period and are typically available a few days after the refund is processed if the student has signed up for direct deposit.
• First-time student loan borrowers at Northwest must complete entrance counseling before loan funds can be credited to their accounts.
• Loans made for an academic year (fall/spring) are required to be disbursed in two equal payments.
• Students intending to work on campus need to complete the required employment forms with the Student Employment Office.
• All awards except Federal Work-study are applied to the student’s account. Federal Work-study must be earned before a payroll check is generated.

Students are required to review the Payment Center and make a payment immediately if a revised course schedule or any change of housing/housing or food contract causes an increase in cost.