<p>Dumb question, but we're a year away from college and I've been unable to get this info on the college websites. I realize it's different for each school, but for an entering freshman, do you have to pay the whole semesters worth of caboodle before school even starts? Do most schools have monthly payment plans? I just realized we may have to move up our austerity plan launch if I have to write a large check a year from now.</p>
<p>monthly plans vary from school to school. some schools allow up to 10 payments in a year, some schools one payment each semester. i initially had difficulty finding that info on the college websites too, and someone here helped me out, check the bursar or cashier section rather than financial aid section, or use the search engine of the college website. if all that fails, call the school and they will direct you to the right department.</p>
<p>Calling the school is the BEST way to go.</p>
<p>Once you have picked a college, they will send you bunches of information about paying the bills. Some schools have payment plans (either once a semester or monthly) that get paid directly to the college. Other colleges use Tuition Pay or Tuition Management Services…two vendors that offer various payment plans for students. You can actually go ON their websites and see which colleges use these services this year. BUT beware…schools DO change vendors. We had been “members” of TuitionPay" for 6 years…and this year, DD’s school has switched to Tuition Management Services.</p>
<p>If you are not members of a plan, most schools charge tuition, room and board twice a year, if on semester plan</p>
<p>It does vary from school to school. My daughter’s school the tuition is due by the 15th of the month after school starts. So for this semester it would be due Sept 15th. At my son’s school (which starts the same day) it is due by 5pm of the 1st day of school (August 17th). I have a friend who has to pay a portion of fall by June before the fall. So very variable. </p>
<p>My daughter’s school does have a monthly payment plan.</p>
<p>If you go to the bursars office page on the schools you are looking at it may have this information there. (again this will vary by school - my daughter’s school has an excellent website where you can find just about everything, my son’s school does not).</p>
<p>We used Tuition Management Systems (because that’s what our kids’ colleges used). It was very straightforward. Ten equal payments, August through May (might have been July through April). You set that up after you know what your total annual tuition-fees-room/board is going to be for the coming school year. The annual fee was about $50. No muss, no fuss. Of course there’s that troubling remaining little thing of coming up with the money…</p>
<p>Wow. Since we have no idea where he will actually end up, I guess I’d better plan on being able to pay at least a semesters worth of money by next august, in case he ends up at a school that’s money up front.</p>
<p>If you don’t intend to use a payment plan, figure the tuition is due about mid-August for schools where classes start before Labor Day. The semesters are billed equally except that health insurance, which could be $600 to $1600, typically is a once-a-year expense, billed in August. The second semester’s bill will likely be due in mid-to-late December</p>
<p>My D’s tuition is due August 1st, and the first semester starts after the Labor Day. Second semester tuition is also due a month in advance.</p>
<p>Your plan is wise. While my son’s school has a monthly plan, if you pay upfront the semester’s payments are due August 1 and January 1.</p>
<p>I think that they’re all money up front. But they provide or contract with companies that provide payment plans to spread them out.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>My daughter’s fall semester bill actually comes in July.</p>
<p>So for schools that use 3rd party companies to allow monthly payments, do these 3rd party companies charge an extra installment fee? Do you end up paying more over the course of the year than if you pay in lump sums?</p>
<p>We always need to know the “pay due” date, regardless of when the bill arrives. Bill Arrival = join the others on the pile. </p>
<p>We pay monthly, and our only real regret is that S-3’s school doesn’t accept payment by Visa (other charge cards okay). This particular school objects to Visa charging a fee to parents doing tuition payment. I gather that’s an unusual college policy, however. </p>
<p>Sometimes, when asked, a college business office will adjust a monthly due date to match the arrival of your salary paycheck. </p>
<p>There are also some bumpy little fees, such as a deposit on the room when you accept their offer in May, but that can become part of the Aug/Sept first payment; or some health insurance inclusion fee that might come over the summer. Again, ask at each college’s business office iif you need to know such FEE payment-due details before they are announced in the May 1 packet that soon follows the acceptance news. (May 1 = acceptance announcements for Regular Decision at many private colleges/unis). </p>
<p>I will name the above: Early Fee-Ding Frenzy. </p>
<p>Props to you for thinking so far ahead!</p>
<p>the fees for these companies that i have seen listed ranged from 25-60 dollars to enroll.</p>
<p>Interesting reading all the different due dates. D’s tuition is due Aug 31, the day classes start.</p>
<p>At my son’s school, if you elect to send them a check every month, then you pay $40 per semester as a fee. But it you allow them to debit your bank account each month then there is no fee. We used our credit card to pay for the whole semester at once because we get a 1.5% rebate from the card and the college doesn’t charge a fee for credit card use.</p>
<p>That’s great about schools taking credit card. I’d never thought about that. That’s a free plane ticket on my AmEx Delta card every semester (if I can use AmEx and if they continue the rewards program. I was just reading that companies are cutting back). Almost makes it worthwhile… NOT.</p>
<p>paying3tuitions: Don’t envy you based on your username. The payment issue came to me while reading about potential refunds thread. I thought, whoa, they’ve already paid before august? Had forgotten about my tuition experiences oh so many years ago.</p>
<p>Was hoping to keep the 529 intact a bit longer to give the stock market more of a chance for rebound, but looks like it might get raided next summer.</p>
<p>Check for fees - my daughter’s school charges a 2.5% fee for any credit card payments to offset the charges they must pay the CC company. This is a recent thing. I also have an airline mile card and have so far garnered 2 free flights to the UK to see my Mum, mostly by paying my in laws horrendous nursing home fees with the card (then it is paid off by them). And I almost have the miles for another ticket. But it would not be worth using the card at the school with a 2.5% fee added on.</p>
<p>My daughter’s school’s monthly payment plan has a $40 annual fee.</p>