HOW DO I PAY MY TUITION?
When you're a student, it can feel like money is always tight. You've got bills, rent and tuition to pay, and you want to have enough money for fun, too. So how can you get on the right path to a great financial future while making your money count today?
View several tools available to you to help track and manage your finances.
Then, check out the convenient options available to you to pay for your classes below, and authorize a friend or family member to pay on your behalf.
Key information about paying your tuition
Whatever method you choose, ensure your tuition and fees are paid by the tuition deadline to avoid being dropped from classes.
You can also choose to enroll early, and make partial payments until the tuition deadline when the remaining balance is due. Payment for enrollment after the tuition deadline is due at the time of enrollment. View financial tools, learn how to set up an authorized user (proxy) on your financial account, and understand how third-party payments work.
A $30 fee will be charged for any not-sufficient funds (NSF) checks, and future payments will require cash, money order or debit/credit card.
If you fail to pay for your classes by the tuition payment deadline through the 100% refund period you'll be dropped from the class. Learn more about refunds. You can re-register for available class(es), but payment in full is due at the time of re-registration.
If you have unpaid charges or fail to return all materials owned by the college, you won't be allowed to re-register. If you have any uncollected past-due balances, the college may use any and all means necessary to collect this debt in accordance with the state and federal laws.
It's also worth noting there may be costs incurred in addition to tuition and fees.
Setting up a proxy
You can add one or more authorized users (called a proxy) who can make online payments on your behalf, and access financial aid documents and awarding information. Learn how to set up a proxy.How do refunds work?
Learn more about financial aid, overpayments and withdrawal refunds. Understand how refunds work.
Pay in person
Visit the Business Office located in E100 on the Galesburg main campus or at the Carthage branch campus to pay your tuition with cash, check, money order or debit/credit card. American Express©, Discover©, Mastercard© and Visa© are accepted. Checks are made payable to Carl Sandburg College with a memo of the student's name and ID.
Pay with financial aid
Sandburg participates in federal, state and institutional financial aid programs to assist you pay for college.
Finalized financial aid can be used toward tuition and fees. Eligible awards have a status of accepted, and the disbursement will show on your account based on enrollment status. If aid isn’t processed by the tuition deadline, you're responsible for paying your tuition in full or setting up a payment plan.
The Business Office automatically deducts incurred costs (e.g., tuition, fees, lab costs and other authorized charges such as books, supplies, etc.) out of the financial aid credited to your account. Any remaining financial aid is refunded to you once attendance is confirmed — approximately 14 calendar days after the semester begins.
Paying through the payment plan
The payment plan allows families to pay tuition and fees in up to six monthly installments with Nelnet's Tuition Payment Plan (excludes books). A student or authorized user can access mySandburg to set up the payment plan with a debit or credit card, checking or savings account, and manage the plan by checking scheduled payments, transactions, balances, payments made and changes to the account.
Benefits of the payment plan:
- No credit check
- Interest-free
- A low enrollment fee of $40 a term is processed immediately and is nonrefundable.
- Set it up once each term; payments are automatic.
- Manage account plan at any time.
Enroll in the payment plan today
- Login to mySandburg.
- Select Tuition Payment Options/ Payment Plan.
- Choose Begin. If this is your first time, you’ll need to create an account.
- If your information has changed, select Edit Details, and hit Next.
- Choose Amount Due and View Details. Expand all to show courses and fee amounts, and hit Next.
- Choose Payment Plan Options, and the Select
- Select Payment Details / Add Bank Account or Add Credit/Debit Card, and choose Next.
- The Add Account page will be displayed, and complete the details for the option you choose and the billing address that appears on your billing statement, and choose Save.
- Go back to the Payment Details page to verify. This page also displays the Down Payment, if one is due at the time of signing up, Amount Due Today and the Remaining Amount, and click Next.
- The Payment Schedule page will be displayed, and you’ll choose what day you want the future scheduled payments to be on – the 5th or the 20th of each month.
- The Future Payment Schedule will be displayed; click Next.
- The Review & Authorize page will be displayed, and you can specify if you want your down payment paid from one account/card and the remaining amount paid from another account/card.
- You’ll check the box stating you’ve read and accepted the terms and conditions of this payment plan. You’ll also be able to change any information as needed before authorizing payment, then choose Authorize.
- You’ll see a confirmation number on the Thank You page, which you can print for your records.
- You have to renew the payment plan online for each term in which you’re enrolled.
- Contact the Business Office at 309.341.5210 with any questions during regular business hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (summer hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m.)
If at any time during the term, you add or drop a class, make extra payments online or in the offices, receive financial aid, receive a scholarship and/or receive a loan, contact the Business Office to let them know of your changes. Changes are not automatically adjusted. If you drop after the 100% refund period, you’re still obligated to pay the remainder of the balance due.
You must meet all financial obligations to the college before you’re allowed to re-register. If you have any uncollected past due balances, any and all means necessary may be used to collect this debt in accordance with the state and federal laws.
If you need to change the payment method or credit card number, please contact Nelnet Business Solutions, and a customer service representative will help you. They're available Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. (CST) and Friday from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at 800.609.8056.
SET UP AN AUTHORIZED USER (PROXY) FOR FINANCIAL AID AND BILLING
You can add one or more authorized users (called a proxy) who can make online payments on your behalf, and access financial aid documents and awarding information. The authorized user receives a separate login and password to access your account.
Authorized users don’t have access to your stored payment methods, academic records, grades, personal emails or other personal information. You control what the user can access. Sandburg staff cannot discuss your academic records with the authorized user.
Setting up your authorized user through Person Proxy
You can designate one or more persons as a proxy, and grant each proxy permission to view your school financial and financial aid records and act on your information. For example, a proxy may be allowed to view and make a payment on your account, or submit information required from the financial aid office.
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Login to mySandburg, select Self-Service.
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Choose your name from the upper, right-hand corner of the page, then select View/Add Proxy Access.
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Since you haven’t yet assigned a proxy, you’ll receive a message that reads: You do not have any designated proxies. Add one now to allow another self-service user to view or edit your account.
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The drop-down list in the Select a Proxy section shows everyone in Sandburg’s database who’s eligible to be your proxy. Only persons with an email address and an approved relationship to you are listed. Choose one, or if you want someone added who’s not on the list, choose Add Another User.
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If you select someone from the drop-down list, specify what your proxy is allowed to see by checking the boxes.
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Agree to the Disclosure, and click Save.
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That’s it! Your proxy will receive an email (with a copy to you, too) letting them know they have access to your Sandburg account, and providing their login credentials and a link to your account. You can rescind proxy rights at any time by redoing these steps.
Third-party payments
When an outside entity pays for your tuition and/or books are third-party payments, which may include:
- Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)
- Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)
- College Illinois
- Your place of employment
An authorization on company letterhead must be submitted to the Business Office by the tuition deadline. If you’re in the National Guard or have an Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG), please contact or set up an appointment with the coordinator of veterans and military services, or call 309.341.5283, or contact Financial Aid.
Tuition waivers for seniors 65 & older
If you’re a District 518 resident who’s 65 years of age or older, you can participate in credit-bearing courses at no charge for tuition (no credit awarded — enrolled as an auditing course), as long as there’s a free space in the class and that tuition-paying students constitute the minimum number required for enrollment in those classes.
Just show us your Illinois driver’s license or other valid documentation to verify your age when you enroll. Payment is required for all fees, books and supplies.
HOW DO REFUNDS WORK FOR FINANCIAL AID OR IF I WITHDRAW?
Financial aid & overpay disbursements
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Financial aid disbursements are distributed to you approximately two weeks after the start of class.
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If you’ve overpaid (e.g., your financial aid or payments exceed the amount of tuition charged), a refund will be issued approximately two weeks after the date of that occurrence.
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Financial aid disbursements, overpayments or loan disbursements are refunded the same way payment was made:
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If paid by cash or check, a check will be issued.
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If paid by debit or credit card, a refund back to the card used will be made.
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All checks will be mailed to the address on file* unless you've signed up for a direct deposit, which refunds directly to the bank account* of your choice. To sign up for direct deposit, log in to your mySandburg account, and enter the necessary info in each of these areas:
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Choose Self-Service.
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Banking information
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+ Add an account
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Activate button (to go on to the next page)
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Next button (to enter all your banking account information)
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Check the box to agree to terms to receive your funds electronically.
*Keep your address and bank account information up to date to avoid any delays.
Withdrawal refunds
Refunds are determined based on the length of the course and your withdrawal date. If you withdraw after the refund date, you won’t receive a refund.
Refund period refers to the number of calendar days beginning with the first day of the term. Courses with shorter terms begin with the appropriate term date.
Refund schedule
|
LENGTH OF CLASS |
% RETURNED |
DATE WITHDRAWN |
|
Nine to 16 weeks |
100% |
Ninth calendar day of term |
|
Five to eight weeks |
100% |
Fifth calendar day of term |
|
Four weeks |
100% |
Third calendar day of term |
|
Two to three weeks |
100% |
Second calendar day of term |
|
Less than two weeks |
100% |
First calendar day of term |
Community education courses dropped the day before class starts receive 100% refund.
Attendance requirement
Sandburg has a mandatory attendance policy for all classes. If you don't show in class at least once during the first four days of the semester, you'll be dropped from the course. Courses less than 16 weeks require attendance during the 100% refund of the course. You may re-register for these classes if they are still available and with the instructor's permission. For more information view the no-show policy.
Consequences for dropping before completing 60% of the term
If you don't attend 60% of the semester — and if you've received federal financial aid (Pell grant, SEOG, direct loans) to pay tuition, fees or other institutional costs — you’re responsible for repaying part of the monies received. If you fail to repay the funds, you won't be eligible to receive federal aid at any college or university. The college follows the federal requirements for the repayment of Title IV funds. For more information, understand more about why you may lose your aid.
What if i have extenuating circumstances?
You have time at the beginning of the semester to decide if you're able to continue with the course. You should thoroughly review the course syllabus to ensure you're able to complete the course requirements and have the proper resources, including the required textbooks, online access codes and technology when appropriate. Sandburg provides a full refund of tuition and fees if you drop the course before the deadline date.
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Deadline for 16-week courses: The first nine calendar days of the course.
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Deadline for eight-week courses: The first five calendar days of the course.
If you experience extenuating circumstances — something that you couldn’t have anticipated and that was out of your control — after the 100% refund deadline that will prevent you from completing the course, you may be eligible to appeal for a refund. You should submit the refund request form along with any documentation to support your claims after you drop the course.
The refund committee meets on or about the 20th of each month. You’ll receive a written response mailed within 30 days after your information is received. No refund request form will be considered once the term is over and grades are posted.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 309.341.5260.