Payment Methods and Policies

Billing statements are emailed monthly if there has been any account activity or if there is a balance due.

Statements are posted online on a monthly basis via the online Student Account Center which can be accessed by logging into AARC.

Students are required to maintain an accurate address with the College. If you will be moving please update your address via AARC or contact the Registrar.

Failure to receive a student account statement is not an adequate reason for nonpayment.

Make all checks and money orders payable to Simmons University. You must include the student's account number on the check. Post-dated checks will not be accepted. Send payments using the enclosed remittance envelope, with the billing stub, to the following address:

Simmons University

P.O. Box 414104 Boston, MA 02241-4104

Payments without the billing stub must be brought or mailed directly to the Cashier Window at the University:

Simmons University, Cashier Window

300 The Fenway

Boston, MA 02115-5898

A fee of $20 will be charged for any dishonored check. Student Financial Services will wait 5 business days for an electronic check to clear and 10 business for a paper check to clear before lifting any financial obligation holds.

Many students and families take advantage of the monthly payment plan through Nelnet (formerly TMS) to cover the cost of tuition or to supplement any remaining balance not covered by financial aid or loans. The monthly payment plan is an interest-free alternative to lump sum payments at bill time. Such arrangements must be made well in advance of the bill due date to avoid late fees.

For all on campus students (including LIS Online and Nutrition Online), please apply at https://simmons.afford.com/. The application fee for the academic year (Fall and Spring) is $55.00, and the application fee per term (Fall or Spring) is $35.00. The monthly payment plan is not a payment option during the summer semester for on campus students.

Please apply at https://simmonsonline.afford.com/if you are an online student enrolled in one of the following programs: Nursing@Simmons, SocialWork@Simmons, BehaviorAnalysis@Simmons, MPH@Simmons, MBA@Simmons, or HealthCareMBA@Simmons. Payment plans are generally available for enrollment one week prior to registration for the term. The application fee is $35.00 per term.

Nelnet Customer Service can be reached at 800-722-4867.

Online Payment - E-Check and Credit Card

Simmons provides the convenience of making a quick and easy online payment towards your student account. If you are a student, this is available to you through the Student Account Center which you can access through Simmons Connection. If you would like to make a payment on behalf of a student, please see the information below on becoming an "Authorized User". There is no fee for the electronic check payment option. Please note that a convenience fee of 2.85% will be charged by the provider for the credit card payment option. Simmons University does not charge nor collect the convenience fee. Credit cards currently accepted are: Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express

Authorized users

Authorized users are individuals such as parents, an employer, a spouse, etc. who can make payments on behalf of a Simmons student. In order to become an Authorized User, the student MUST first grant the access. After the access has been granted, the authorized user will automatically receive an email with instructions on how to log in and make payments. Authorized Users will only have access to the financial information the student has made available to them through the Student Account Center. They will NOT have access to anything on AARC, such as grades and registration information.

If you have already been granted access as an Authorized User, you may login using your username and password.

Instructions for payments via wire transfers will be mailed with the first billing statement sent each semester. You may also request instructions by calling the Office of Student Financial Services at (617) 521-2001 or (617) 521- 2009.

Simmons University welcomes all college and university savings plans. Student Financial Services recommends that parents contact their individual plan provider for specific information regarding how to initiate payment. Most 529 plans send payment directly to the University based on an invoice supplied by the 529 holder. Some plans request that the University provide the invoice on behalf of the student. Please let Student Financial Services know if your plan provider requires documentation from University directly.

If you are using a pre-paid tuition plan to pay for tuition, such as the UPlan, please provide Student Financial Services with the provider name and the amount you will be using for the upcoming academic year. Once we receive this information, we will credit your account and ensure the timely receipt of payment from the plan provider.

Please Note:

Credit card payments and direct debits are not accepted at the Cashier's Window. These payment sites are for Tuition and Fees ONLY.

If you would like to make a deposit, please call the Admissions Office for instructions on how to make an online deposit payment. If you make your deposit here, your Admissions Office will NOT be notified of this payment.

On-Campus Graduate Programs:

*The payment due date has been extended to August 24th, 2020 for the Fall 2020 semester only

Online Graduate Programs (Nursing@Simmons, SW@Simmons, MBA@Simmons, HCMBA@Simmons, MPH@Simmons & BehaviorAnalysis@Simmons)

Late fees & penalties

Payments received at the University after the due date on the billing statement are subject to late payment fees. A

$100 late fee will be assessed if the balance is not paid in full by the tuition payment deadline. Another $100 late fee will be assessed if the balance has not been paid in full by the first day of classes for that semester.

Student accounts must be paid in full before a student may attend class. Students who do not settle their accounts prior to the first day of classes may have their schedules canceled and will have to select courses on a space- available basis.

Any account that is severely delinquent may be referred to a collection agency or lawyer for collection. Any expenses incurred by the University in doing so will be added to the due balance.

Simmons University reserves the right to suspend any or all of its privileges and services to students who have not met their financial obligations to the University. Such services include the release of academic transcripts, diplomas, references, and placement materials, as well as access to various campus offices and facilities. Please note that Simmons has no deferred-payment plans. All University charges are payable by the applicable due dates or the late payment fees will be applied.

Enrollment Requirements related to Loans, Financial Aid, and Scholarships/Fellowships

For federal loans, students must meet particular enrollment requirements. All students need to be enrolled at half- time status or more to receive financial aid. For graduate students, half-time status is registered in at least 5 credits.

For merit scholarships awarded at time of acceptance, the credit requirements vary and are dependent on your level of award. Please refer to your scholarship offer letter to ensure you are consistently registered for the minimum number of credits required to maintain the scholarship.

Graduate Tuition and Fees

Fall 2020 to Summer 2021

Please also refer to the Simmons University website for current tuition and fees.

Student Lending Options

Example

NOTE: Dollar amounts are for example only and are not true current costs. Rachel has been awarded the following package for Fall 2020:

• Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan - $10,250

Rachel withdraws from all of her classes on October 5, 2020. The total amount of Title IV Aid that is subject to the Return of Title IV Calculation is $10,250. The percentage of Title IV aid Rachel has earned is 31.1%. The total amount of Title IV aid that was earned by the student is $3,177.5.

The total amount of Title IV aid to be returned is $10,250 - $3,177.5 = $7,072.5

Total charges for Fall 2020 semester is $17,088  tuition and fees. The amount of Title IV aid unearned is 68.9%. The charges times the amount of unearned aid is $17,088 X 68.9% = $11,773

The amount of Title IV aid to be returned by the school is the lesser of the two, or $7,072.5. Therefore, Simmons University would return $7,072.5 Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. Simmons will also report the withdrawal effective October 5, 2020 to the National Student Clearinghouse.

The student in this example would not need to return any additional funds since the amount to be returned by the school was the same amount to be returned.

Post withdrawal disbursement

If a student’s loans were originated but did not disburse and they were enrolled at least half time when they ceased to be enrolled, they may be eligible for a post withdrawal disbursement (PWD). (note: The student may need to resolve an issue that prevented loans from disbursing. For example, if they did not complete their loan documentation but the loan had originated, regulations state the student can complete them after last day of attending.)

We will communicate with the student, or parent in the case of a parent PLUS loan, and inform them that they can accept all, a portion or none of the PWD. The normal timeframe we allow them is 14 days to inform us of their wishes. If they do not meet our deadline, then the loan funding is cancelled. We can, on a case by case basis, extend that deadline as long as the overall length is within scope of the federal regulations.

If the student has completed their loan documents but does not respond to the offer of the PWD, the loan will need to be cancelled.

Student Health Insurance

All students taking 9 or more credits are required by Massachusetts State law to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan or be covered by a health insurance plan with comparable coverage. To ensure compliance with Massachusetts State law, Simmons students are automatically billed for the Student Health Plan, which is separate from the Health Center fee. Failure to submit a waiver form by the stated deadline will result in automatic enrollment. Students are not allowed to waive coverage with a foreign insurance carrier or Health Safety Net Plan. Only insurance companies within the United States will be accepted as substitutes for the Simmons Student Health Insurance Plan.

Simmons University does not offer Student Health Insurance to students enrolled in less than 9 credits OR to the dependent(s) of any Simmons student.

If you are covered under a comparable insurance plan you may be eligible to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan. Waivers must be completed online at the website of our insurance provider, www.universityhealthplans.com. The deadline to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan for the fall semester is August 1, 200 and the deadline to waive for the spring semester is December 15, 2020. Failure to waive by these dates will result in mandatory enrollment with no possibility of reversal or refund of the insurance costs.

Satisfactory Academic Progress and Student Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To be eligible and continue to receive Federal Student Aid (FSA), students must make satisfactory academic progress toward achieving and completing their program of study through measurement of qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (completed credits) standards.

Qualitative Standard:

Students enrolled in a graduate degree program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA established by their program

• 3.0 - Required by all on-campus programs, online library science, Nursing@Simmons, SocialWork@Simmons, and BehaviorAnalysis@Simmons
• 2.67 - Required by MBA@Simmons, HCMBA@Simmons, and MPH@Simmons

How courses count when determining GPA:

Quantitative Standard:

All graduate students must complete at least 50% of all credits attempted. This is calculated by dividing the total credits earned by the total credits attempted.

How courses count when measuring pace

Additionally, all graduate students are required to complete their degree within a reasonable timeframe. As the number of credits required to complete Simmons degree varies, students should consult with their program to determine the maximum allowed for their degree. All credits attempted will count toward this timeframe.

Frequency of Review:

Academic progress will be determined by Student Financial Services based upon the information contained on the student's academic record as of the date of the review. Students must meet both the qualitative and quantitative standards in order to be eligible and continue to receive financial aid. Reviews will include all terms of the student’s attendance (including summer terms).

SAP is reviewed at the end of each term for graduate students

**Please note: Financial aid may not be disbursed to your student account until SAP has been evaluated.**

The office of Student Financial Services will complete the SAP evaluation after the prior semester grades have been officially posted by the Office of the Registrar. If grades are not made official before the beginning of the next  term, an otherwise eligible student may have their financial aid disbursement delayed.

No exceptions can be made to this process.

Review Results:

Satisfactory academic progress reviews result in a status for Title IV and Institutional eligibility. One of the following results will occur upon review for satisfactory academic progress:

• Satisfactory: Students are placed in this status when the SAP review determines the student is achieving the qualitative and quantitative standards required for satisfactory academic progress and can continue to receive both federal and institutional aid.
• Financial Aid Warning: Graduate students who fail to meet the qualitative and/or quantitative standards for satisfactory academic progress are placed on financial aid warning for the subsequent term of enrollment. Notification is provided when the student is placed in this status and the student's eligibility for aid is considered to be reinstated for the subsequent term of enrollment only. Students must meet SAP standards by the end of the next term.
• Financial Aid Suspension: Graduate students who fail to meet either the qualitative or quantitative standards for satisfactory academic progress will be placed in an unsatisfactory status that suspends financial aid eligibility until the next evaluation period. Notification is provided when placed on this status and the student is not allowed to continue to receive financial aid unless they complete an appeal, as described below, and it is approved.

  SAP Appeal:

  Students who are on financial aid suspension and have extenuating circumstances that may warrant an exception can:

• Continue to enroll in coursework toward their degree without using financial aid to assist with the cost. Students will have their Title IV eligibility reinstated upon successful achievement of the SAP standards. OR
• Appeal the SAP suspension by submitting a completed "SAP Appeal Form".

SAP Appeal Decisions

Students will be notified of the appeal decision via email from Student Financial Services. Students who have an appeal approved will have their status updated to financial aid probation.

• Financial Aid Probation: Students who have their financial aid suspension appeal approved are placed on financial aid probation and will have their financial aid eligibility reinstated for the following semester.
  • Graduate students on probation must meet with their academic advisor to determine their Academic Plan
  • Progress toward SAP will be evaluated at the end of each probationary semester and may require submission of additional documentation to show the student has adhered to the terms of their plan

Tuition Refund Policies

The percentage of tuition to be refunded is calculated using the official drop date of the course as determined by the Registrar. Non-attendance does not constitute a drop or withdrawal from a course.

In all cases, students should be aware that any reduction in the number of registered credit hours and subsequent charges may affect their financial aid. Students considering a withdrawal or reduction in credit hours are strongly encouraged to contact their Financial Aid Officer, prior to course withdrawal, to determine the impact on financial aid eligibility. Simmons University is responsible for adhering to rules established by the federal government that determine the amount of federal financial aid a student is allowed to keep toward university charges. Please refer to the "Return of Title IV Aid" section of this webpage for more detailed information.

Tuition Refund Schedule – Fall & Spring: All Graduate Students*

*This refund schedule applies to ALL on-campus and online graduate students (except as noted below)

The refund schedule below applies to the following Nursing@Simmons courses effective for terms starting in September 2020 or after:

This summer refund schedule applies to the following programs:

The refund schedule below applies to the following Nursing@Simmons courses effective for terms starting in September 2020 or after:

Students are responsible for abiding by the published deadlines on the Academic Calendar and the Tuition Refund Schedule. Tuition is not refundable when students drop or withdraw from courses after the published

deadlines. If circumstances beyond the student’s control have made the late drop or withdrawal necessary, the student may appeal the tuition charge. Before a student can appeal the tuition charges, they must be officially withdrawn or dropped from the courses for which they are appealing the tuition. In all cases, students should be aware that any reduction in the number of registered credit hours and subsequent charges may affect their financial aid. It is highly recommended that all students discuss their individual situation with Student Financial Services.

Petition Refund Exceptions:

Supporting Documentation

The burden of proof rests with the students to submit documentation of the circumstances that prevent the student from adhering to the Simmons policies. All statements in the petition MUST be documented.

Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

Death of an immediate family member:

1. Certificate of death or obituaries listing relationship to deceased individual
2. Immediate family is defined as spouse, sibling, children, and/or parents

Medical condition requiring extended medical care where continuing school is impractical or impossible. (This provision specifically excludes conditions or chronic illnesses that remain static and are known to the student at the time of enrollment. Please do not submit medical bills or insurance claims. Statement from the physician or hospital on official letterhead that provides:

1. Date the medical condition was diagnosed
2. Dates of treatment
3. Dates of hospitalization or confinement, recuperation period, release from treatment
4. How this condition affected your university attendance

Military deployment or military commitments:

1. Military orders if the student’s military unit was activated and deployed during the semester
2. Other official legal documents that substantiate the inability to participate in courses during the semester due to the deployment or military commitments

Submit the Appeal for Exception to Tuition Refund Policy Form and all supporting documentation to Student Financial Services, Bursar.

Download the Appeal for Exception to Tuition Refund Policy Form on the Student Financial Services website.