Student Accounts, Term Bills, and Payment Plan
Upon enrollment, each student at Berea College is assigned a Student Account. This account contains charges for housing, meals, required fees, and selected educational items such as books, supplies, and institutional fees and fines. Financial aid for educational costs also is credited to this account.
To confirm enrollment and validate the student ID, student account balances from the previous term must be paid in full. In addition, all charges for the current term must be paid or resolved prior to the first day of classes for each term. If the current term charges cannot be paid in full by the first day of classes, a payment plan must be arranged through the Office of Student Financial Aid Services. Payment plans for the current term may include a combination of payments by cash, check, or credit card; use of labor earning via payroll deduction (50% or more); or additional aid such as institutional or federal loans.
Once the student account is paid for a prior term, students will be able to charge books through the College's on-line Bookstore. Other educational costs and College fines also may be applied to the account. These charges and any charges remaining as part of a payment plan must be resolved in order to register for upcoming terms. (Continuing students must have paid their Term Bill below $100 before being able to register for upcoming terms.) Student financial aid cannot be used to cover any fines.
Charges remaining on the account or incurred after registration must be resolved by the end of the term. Special financial aid for upcoming terms (e.g., grants for travel abroad) will not be released until the account balance is paid in full.
The College establishes fees and charges under the following circumstances:
- as a charge for some service or materials to be used by the student;
- as a privilege to do something out of the usual pattern;
- as a means of defraying administrative costs that are involved in making materials and services available; and/or
- as a deterrent (fine or disciplinary charge)
Students who have a credit balance will receive the balance by check or direct deposit no more than 14 days after the credit appears on the account.