CLC Guide to Paying for College
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CLC Guide to Paying for College 2013/14 Financial Aid Information Payment and Scholarship Options Contents Paying your CLC tuition 4 Payment options Other important information Payment steps What is Financial Aid 9 How is need determined? Who funds financial aid? What do the Feds offer? Who’s eligible? What about state aid? Myths about Financial Aid How do I apply for Financial Aid? 12 Scholarships 13 Major CLC Foundation award programs Individual scholarships Additional scholarship information Scholarship application checklist CLC Foundation scholarship application 24 Need more Financial Aid information? Contact us! www.clcillinois.edu/financialaid Financial Aid Office (847) 543-2062 Email [email protected] Veterans Assistance (847) 543-2063 Whether you’re recently out of high school or a working adult who’s returning to college, you may be wondering how to pay for your education—especially in these tough economic times. Well, there’s great news. The College of Lake County offers many options to help you pay for college. First, there is a range of payment options, including an installment payment plan, to help you manage your payments. And there are many kinds of financial aid that can help you pay for educational expenses— tuition, books, transportation and more. Financial aid comes in many forms (with different screening criteria), so there’s a good chance you’re eligible for an award, even if you think you aren’t. Indeed, one in four College of Lake County (CLC) students received some type of financial aid during the 2011-2012 academic year. Wouldn’t it be great to spend less time worrying about how to pay for college—and more time making progress toward your goals? If your answer is “yes,” this booklet is for you. 3 Paying your CLC tuition Payment CLC offers lots of options for meeting your tuition and fee responsibilities: CLC requires students to pay their tuition (or Full payment options demonstrate they are eligible for financial aid) • Online . Go to myCLC on the college’s website and choose by payment due dates that are published in myStudentCenter option. Then select View, Pay or Setup the class schedule for each term. FACTS Plan . CLC accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Students who do not meet their payment due dates Express and Discover credit cards. may be dropped from all their classes. • By eCheck . An eCheck payment can be debited from either your personal checking or savings account. The tuition payment policy has two equally important goals: • Authorized Payer Account. A student may authorize someone else to pay. There are two steps: If you are • Help students afford college by providing choices in payment the student, log into myStudentCenter to set up the options and authorized payer account. If you are the payer, obtain • Ensure that the college receives tuition payments on a the login and password that were sent to the student timely basis (essential to keeping CLC running). when the authorized payer account was created. You may pay using a Visa, MasterCard, American Express Tuition due dates vary by when you register. Generally, there or Discover card or by eCheck. is one payment due date before the start of the semester and one after classes begin. The college strongly urges • In person. The Grayslake Campus Cashier’s office, students to register early. This allows time for students to room A101, accepts cash, check, money order and credit complete the admission and registration process (testing, card payments. A night depository at the Cashier’s Office advising, financial aid processing, etc.). Even with early is provided for your convenience. registration, tuition is generally not due until a few weeks Cashier Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., before classes begin. Additionally, early registration allows Fridays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lakeshore Campus – Checks are students to make smaller payments over a longer accepted at the Student Services Center. Southlake period of time. Campus – Checks are accepted in the Campus and Student Support Center. It’s to your advantage to register early! • By mail. Checks, money orders and credit card payments may be mailed to College of Lake County, Cashier’s Office , 19351 West Washington Street, Grayslake, Illinois 60030- 1198. Make check or money order payable to College of Lake County and include student’s name and ID number. • Third-Party Payment. (For example, if your employer is paying your tuition). Arrangements must be completed by your payment due date. Call (847) 543-2222 for information. 4 Installment payment Aternative payment option Set up a FACTS installment payment plan online Request an alternative payment plan. If extenuating each term. The plan allows you to make payments on circumstances make it impossible for you to use one of the tuition, fees and other student charges including child standard payment options, contact the Cashier’s Office on care throughout the semester. Some course fees, such as the Grayslake campus, room A101 or call (847) 543-2231 to those for extended travel, are not eligible for this plan. arrange an alternative payment plan. Set up your plan using a credit card, debit card or bank account for automated bank payments (ACH). Other important information A non-refundable enrollment fee is charged each term Payment deadlines. It is very important that you note ($25 for Spring, $15 for Summer, $25 for Fall). Detailed your tuition payment due date. You may be dropped from all information about the available plans can be found at classes if you have not paid in full, set up a payment plan or www.clcillinois.edu/payment . demonstrated eligibility for financial aid by your published To set up a FACTS plan, log into myStudentCenter and click due date. Because due dates are determined by when you on View, Pay or Setup FACTS Plan. See the FACTS register, you may have different due dates for different Installment Payment Plan schedule published each term classes, if you did not register for your classes at the same in the class schedule and posted online for details and time. Due dates are published in the class schedule each installment information. term as well as posted online at www.clcillinois.edu . Checking your tuition balance. If you are unsure whether Financial Aid you have an outstanding tuition and fee balance, you can Many students use financial aid to meet their CLC payment view your account online. To view your current balance, obligation. However, you must do more than just apply log into myStudentCenter and click on View, Pay or Setup for financial aid to satisfy CLC’s payment requirements. FACTS Plan or call (847) 543-2085 and select the option to You must demonstrate that you are eligible for financial aid speak to a cashier during regular office hours. (meet federal and/or state guidelines for need) before your Billing statements . The college sends billing statements. tuition due date. To find out if you qualify, submit a “Free However, depending on when you register, your tuition and Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) and all fees may be due before you receive a bill. It is your requested supporting documents. If you are a continuing responsibility to meet your payment deadlines to avoid student, you must also meet the Satisfactory Academic being dropped from classes. Progress Standards of the college to receive aid. Financial obligation. Students must officially withdraw Students who have demonstrated eligibility for financial aid by the refund dates listed in the student’s class schedule may also enroll in the FACTS Deferred Payment Plan for to cancel their financial obligation. To locate your refund Financial Aid Students . Doing so will provide a payment deadline(s), log into myStudentCenter and click on the plan for any balance remaining after financial aid has been academic calendar deadlines icon next to the class within applied. Log onto myStudentCenter and click on View, Pay your term schedule under Academics . All unpaid tuition or Setup FACTS Plan . If you are eligible for financial aid, and fees will be subject to the collection procedures of the you will be offered the “Deferred” Plan. college, including placing holds on future registration, withholding transcripts and check-cashing privileges and There is no down payment required. possibly referring the matter to a collection agency. Apply early for financial aid. 5 Payment steps You can access the links needed to pay your tuition and fees from the myStudentCenter main page. (You can also get to the links by clicking “Make a Payment” when you are in the “Add” or “Drop” pages. This link will bring you to the myStudentCenter page.) Click on Account Inquiry . This link is in the Finances area on the myStudentCenter main page. This step is necessary to ensure that your charges are up to date and accurate. After clicking this link, you will see your charges displayed. Click pay options and responsibilities to view your payment options. Click make a payment to pay online. 6 Make a payment steps You will be guided through four payment steps: 1. Specify Payment Details. On this page, you will enter your credit card information. Click Next . Step 1 2. Specify Payment Amount. Enter the amount you wish to pay online. Click Next . Step 2 7 Payment steps – continued 3. Confirm Payment. Review your payment information. If it is correct, click on Submit to process the payment and receive a transaction confirmation number. Step 3 4. FACTS Payment Plans. You may divide your payment into installments by signing up for the FACTS Payment Plans using the Setup Payment Plan. Step 4 8 What is Financial Aid? Financial aid is money awarded to you to help How Is need determined? pay for college.