Billing, Payment Plan and Refund Information
2023-24 details
Please read carefully
The information provided on this page has several purposes:
- to acquaint you with Bluffton University billing periods and financial policies
- to help you calculate what your costs will be
- to help you determine a suitable payment option.
We know that paying for college can be a lot of information at one time and confusing. Bluffton University staff are ready to assist you! If you have questions, please email cashier@bluffton.edu and a team member will respond to you within 24-48 hours. We do try our best to respond in the same business day if possible.
Financial aid for returning students >
Billing
We want families to be proactive in their financial commitments. Bluffton University uses electronic billing (e-bill) as its official billing method. The student is responsible for viewing and paying their student account e-bill by the scheduled due date. Students will be sent an e-bill beginning June 30 and the first of every month thereafter if a balance remains.
Bluffton’s academic year consist of two semesters; fall and spring. The tuition cost per semester is $17,749 (12-17 credit hours). Room/board and fees will vary based on the student’s selection.
Students can view their bill at any time and make a payment by logging into your my.bluffton.edu account (Select Student → Financial Information→ Make a Payment). The first time you log in, you will need to read and accept the terms of service
agreement for enrollment at Bluffton University.
PAYMENT options
The preferred payment option is to pay in full (minus any financial aid) each semester. The fall semester balance is due on or before Aug. 1 and the spring semester balance is due on or before Jan. 2. There is no fee for this payment option. To make a payment, log into your my.bluffton.edu account (Select Student → Financial Information→ Make a Payment).
If not opting to pay in full each semester all other students must sign up for an approved payment plan and be up to date on the plan to move forward in the financial clearance process and obtain move-in ready status. (Payment plan options will be available on July 1).
NOTE: An enrollment fee of $20 is required for each payment plan. To set up a payment plan, go to your my.bluffton.edu account (Select Student → Financial Information→ Make a Payment).
Payment option descriptions
- Payment-in-full by semester: The fall semester bill is due on or before Aug. 1, and the spring semester bill is due on or before Jan. 2. The bill is calculated on the costs for that semester as of the date the bill was generated. Additional charges that are added to your student account must be paid at the time they are incurred. An example of these charges may include, but are not limited to: Bookstore charges, lab fees, change in tuition hours (e.g. overload), cross-cultural program fees, etc. Please check your balance regularly.
- Fall/Spring semester 5-month payment plan: This payment option is divided into five equal installments. There will be a $20 non-refundable enrollment fee each semester. Payments will be August through December (5 months) for fall semester, and January through May (5 months) for spring semester. For the fall payment plan, you must be enrolled by Aug. 1. For the spring payment plan, you must be enrolled by Jan. 2. Payments are due on the 15th of each month. Additional charges that are added to your student account will be added to your payment plan at your approval. If you deny the approval, you must make a separate payment towards the new charges. An example of these charges may include, but are not limited to: Bookstore charges, lab fees, change in tuition hours (e.g. overload), cross-cultural program fees, etc.
- Annual 10-month payment plan: This payment option is divided into ten equal installments. There will be a $20 non-refundable
enrollment fee. Students will input entire year budget of estimated charges and fees.
Bluffton University will notify you of incorrect budgeted plans. Payments will be
August through May. You must be enrolled by Aug. 1. Payments are due on the on the
15th of each month. Additional charges that are added to your student account will
be added to your payment plan at your approval. If you deny the approval, you must
make a separate payment towards the new charges. An example of these charges may include,
but are not limited to: Bookstore charges, lab fees, change in tuition hours (e.g.
overload), cross-cultural program fees, etc.
HOW TO PAY YOUR STUDENT ACCOUNT BALANCE
Payment toward your student account may be paid with the following:
- Check
- If mailing a check, please include the students name and ID number and send to:
Bluffton University
Business Office
1 University Drive
Bluffton, OH 45817-2104
- Credit cards (online only)
- Students:
- Sign in to my.bluffton.edu with your username and password. (Select Student → Financial Information→ Make a Payment.) This will take you in to CASHNet
- Parent/Guardian:
- Pay online after receiving login information. Go to my.bluffton.edu. Sign in with your username and password. (Select Parent → Financial Information→ Make a Payment. This will take you in to CASHNet. Click Make a Payment.)
- NOTE: 2.75% convenience fee applies to all domestic debit or credit card transactions. International credit cards are 4.25%.
- Students:
- ACH/eCheck
- This option is FREE! By selecting ACH payment option, your payments can be deducted from your checking or savings account. Make sure that you follow the instructions very carefully and properly input your bank’ s routing number and account number.
- 529 Payment
- Please have the 529 company include the students name and ID number and send checks
to:
Bluffton University
Business Office
1 University Drive
Bluffton, OH 45817-2104
- Please have the 529 company include the students name and ID number and send checks
to:
- VA Payment
- Notify the business office when a VA payment is being processed and on the way to
the university for payment. When submitting payments, identify the student by indicating
the student’s name and their Bluffton University ID number.
Bluffton University in accordance with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 recipient borrow additional funds to cover the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. This policy is limited to tuition funds paid by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Notify the business office when a VA payment is being processed and on the way to
the university for payment. When submitting payments, identify the student by indicating
the student’s name and their Bluffton University ID number.
FINANCIAL AID FOR RETURNING STUDENTS
- Submit the FASFA every year to renew your financial aid. Bluffton’s priority deadline for filing the FASFA is May 1 of each year. The FAFSA school code for Bluffton University is 003016.
- Financial aid awards are processed beginning in April after registering for fall classes, as long as all other requirements are met.
UNPAID ACCOUNT POLICIES
Financial Hold:
If a student fails to pay their account balance or any monies due and owing Bluffton
by the scheduled due date, the university will place a registration hold on their
student account, preventing them from registering for future classes (cf. terms of
service agreement).
Late Payment Charge:
If students fail to pay their account balance or any monies due and owing Bluffton
by the scheduled due date, Bluffton may assess a late payment fee or apply interest
charges of 1% of the unpaid balance to the student account until the past due account
is paid in full.
FERPA
The Federal Privacy Act of 1974 prohibits the release of information on a student’s account to anyone other than that student without written permission. The FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) authorization form is available on my.bluffton.edu. Select Student → Give Permissions to my Data (FERPA).
If students want Bluffton to share information from their education and or associated
financial record with someone else, the student must grant FERPA permissions to those
whom they wish to have information released. If this FERPA information is not provided, our staff will not be authorized to discuss
student information with anyone other than the student. Once a parent/guardian has been given permission to a student account, they will receive
their own login for my.bluffton.edu.
COMMUNICATION
All communication from the business office uses the student’s Bluffton email as an
official method of communication and therefore students are responsible for reading
emails received from the business office. For questions or additional information,
contact the business office at cashier@bluffton.edu.
REFUND POLICY
When a student submits written notice of withdrawal to the registrar’s office prior to the first day of classes, a full refund (100%) of institutional charges is made. Students who withdraw from Bluffton University and follow the approved withdrawal procedures will receive a refund for tuition and room/board. All courses dropped the first two weeks of classes will receive a 100% refund. During each consecutive week, the refund is reduced by 25% each week. After the fifth full week of classes, no refund is granted.
If a student withdraws from the university on or before the add/drop deadline, as defined in the academic calendar annually, tuition will be refunded according to the schedule below.
- Until the expiration of the add/drop period: 100% of tuition and fees.
- After the second full week of class up to the third full week of class - 75% of tuition
- After third full week of class and up to the fourth full week of class - 50% of tuition
- After fourth full week of class and up to the fifth full week of class - 25% of tuition
- After the 5th full week of class: No refund
Room: Rooms are reserved for each student for an entire semester. After add/drop, no refund of room charges is made except in cases of severe illness or incapacity.
Meal plans: Following the add/drop period, cancellation of a meal plan will result in a $100 charge and the meal plan will be refunded on a prorated weekly basis (Sunday – Saturday) through the third full week of class. Thereafter, no refund will be administered.
Students with special circumstances who intend to return to the university in the following semester may submit a written
appeal to cashier@bluffton.edu. Student refunds for approved student appeals will follow the federal financial aid
refund policy.
CASH CREDIT BALANCES:
FEDERAL TITLE IV FUNDS AVAILABILITY AND USE
(includes federal grants and loans)
The following statements are provided as required by federal regulations for the Title IV Funds.
Disbursements of financial aid may create credit balances on student accounts. Federal regulations stipulate that if a credit balance is created by Title IV Funds, it can only be kept on the account for future charges upon written authorization from the student or the student's parent. Bluffton University does not pay interest to students/parents on student accounts that have credit balances. Refunds can be issued to the student or parent after the add/drop periods have been completed. If a credit occurs due to a Federal Parent Plus loan, the refund will be issued in accordance with the borrower’s intent as reflected on the PLUS loan application and award.
Federal regulations require that “a student or student’s parents be notified of the
amount of Title IV, HEA (Higher Education Act) program funds the student can expect
to receive, and how and when those funds will be paid.” Specific reference to billing
and cash management is also outlined in materials sent from the financial aid office,
specifically the award letter and the policies brochure. Additional copies are available
upon request from the financial aid office.
EMERGENCY POLICY
The university shall not be liable for any failure, delay or interruption in performing its obligations and duties herein stated due to causes or conditions beyond its control or which could not have been prevented or remedied by reasonable effort at reasonable expense. The university’s inability to perform any term or condition of this contract as a result of force majeure conditions beyond its control such as, but not limited to, strikes, fires, flood, government restrictions, acts of nature, epidemics, damage or destruction shall not be deemed a breach of this contract. In such case, the university’s liability will be limited to a pro-rata credit for non-graduating students or a pro-rata refund for graduating seniors. In addition, neither the university nor its officials, agents and employees are liable for the loss, theft, disappearance, damage or destruction at any time or in any place of any property belonging to, used by, or in custody of any resident no matter where such property may be normally used, kept or stored. Students are strongly encouraged to extend their family’s homeowner’s insurance or purchase specific renter’s insurance to cover personal belongings.
symptomatic students who refuse COVID-19 testing
Students who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 and refuse testing must go home to quarantine until they are symptom-free, following the Allen County Health Department (or their local health department) protocol or they will be administratively withdrawn.