Financial Aid and Expenses

Online and Graduate Programs

Payment of Accounts

By completing registration for any period of enrollment at Southern Wesleyan University, the student agrees to the financial responsibility for all charges on their student account. Students must make student account payments in full, or must have approval by the Office of Student Accounts and participate in one of the University’s payment plans. The University has the right to take steps to collect the balance, including but not limited to the following terms:

• Assessing a finance charge and/or late fee to delinquent accounts.
• Not releasing diplomas or transcripts until all accounts with the university (including parking fines, library fines, dormitory fines, and business office and bookstore bills) have been settled.
• Placing a student’s account with a third party collection agency.

You may make payments using personal funds by calling our Student Accounts Office at 1-800-282-8798, extension 5520 and using one of the following methods: MasterCard, Discover, VISA, eCheck, or American Express.

Payment Options

Either payment in full or the first payment of approved payment plans should be received by the Student Accounts Office on or before the first day of class in the current term.

The following are the payment plan options for the Online and Graduate Programs:

• Payment in full prior to first day of class.
• Two Pay Plan - The balance on the student’s account is divided into two equal payments.  This plan has a per term finance charge of $20.00.  A $25.00 late fee will be charged for any payment not received in full by the last day of the month.
• Three Pay Plan - The balance on the student’s account is divided into three equal payments.  This plan has a per term finance charge of $40.00.  A $25.00 late fee will be charged for any payment not receive in full by the last day of the month. 
• Four Pay Plan - The balance on the student’s account is divided into four equal payments.  This plan has a per term finance charge of $60.00.  A $25.00 late fee will be charged for any payment not receive in full by the last day of the month.  This plan is not offered for the summer term.
• Direct Bill Plan - Approved company tuition vouchers must be received an approved by the Student Accounts Office.  If the recipient will not have 100% of his or her bill paid through funding, a payment plan for the remaining balance must be selected.
• Veteran’s Assistance - Signed and approved forms must be on file with SWU’s VA representative in the Office of Academic Records for this option to be chosen.  If the recipient will not have 100% of his or her bill paid through funding, a payment plan for the remaining balance must be selected.
• Deferred Billing - Signed and approved deferred billing forms must be on file with Student Accounts for this option to be chosen.  Deferred billing is a delayed payment option in which outstanding balances for each course must be paid no later than 31 days after the class ends.  Payment is deferred because the student is awaiting his or her employer’s reimbursement.  To qualify for this option, the employer must be able to reimburse the student for at least 75% of tuition cost per year.  There is a $20.00 service charge assessed per course for this payment option.

If payment in full or the first payment of either the two or four pay plan has not been received by the end of the first week of class in the current term, a $20.00 finance charge will be added to the student’s account.  After six weeks of school, if the account is delinquent, another $40.00 will be added to the account for a total of $60.00 for the term.

Delinquency Policy

In general, Online and Graduate Programs students who have not met their financial obligation will be considered delinquent ten days after beginning the first course of the current term.  In addition, any Online and Graduate Programs student with an outstanding balance at the end of the current term will be considered in default.  An Online and Graduate Programs student participating in Deferred Billing is considered delinquent 32 days after course end date, allowing students 31 days to remit payment.  Those participating in Direct Billing will be considered delinquent 60 days past the due date.

Should a student default on their student account charges, they agree to reimburse the University the fees of any collection agency, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 33%. In the event the University has to incur any costs or expenses in collecting the student’s account, the student agrees to reimburse all of the University’s cost of collection. This includes reasonable collection, attorney, and litigation fees incurred by the University in efforts to collect. The student authorizes the University to release financial information about his/her account to those concerned with collecting the balance.

AUTHORIZATION- By completing registration for any period of enrollment at Southern Wesleyan University, the student authorizes the University, its vendor partners, its collection agencies, and its respective agents and contractors to contact them regarding their loan request, loan(s), including repayment of my loan(s), and/ or student account at the current or any future number that the student provides for their cellular phone or other wireless device using automated telephone dialing equipment or artificial or pre-recorded voice or text messages.

CHANGE OF STATUS- The student will inform the University of any change in their name, address, telephone number, Social Security Number, or driver’s license number.

Refund Policies

The following refund policies pertain to all adult and graduate programs:

1. Application fees are not refundable. Tuition deposits are refundable upon request, if student does not enroll.
2. If submission of appropriate withdrawal paperwork is received prior to the course start date, the student is eligible for a full-tuition credit for that course.
3. If submission of appropriate withdrawal paperwork is received after the course start date but before the second workshop, 90% of the tuition (whether or not the student ever attended) will be credited.
4. No refund will be given after the second workshop except on appeal. Appeals may be granted only in rare situations involving death in the immediate family, work transfer, military obligations, or serious personal or family illness.

Veterans’ Benefits

Certain armed forces veterans and dependents who qualify under federal laws administered by the Veterans’ Administration are eligible to receive educational benefits. Information about these programs is available through state or county V.A. offices or from the Office of Academic Records. Funding is available to eligible, active military students. Southern Wesleyan University participates in all educational offerings for our veterans and is a Yellow Ribbon participant. Grade point average for those receiving veterans’ benefits will be calculated on all work attempted. For certification of enrollment, those eligible should contact the Office of Academic Records.

Active Duty Military

Southern Wesleyan University offers tuition discounts to active duty military personnel and their spouses who are enrolled in the Online and Graduate Programs. This includes active drilling National Guardsmen and Reservists who have served in combat as evidenced by a letter from the student’s commander, stating completion of active service in combat. The Military Discount is considered Institutional Aid. A student will not be eligible to receive the Military Discount if the combination of any grant, institutional aid, and/or any governmental military benefits exceeds the cost of a course. Please contact the Student Accounts Office to be considered for this discount.

Note: Spouses of National Guard or Reservists do not qualify for discount.