When is tuition due?
Tuition is always due in full before the start of classes each semester. Typically, the bill is due 3-4 weeks after it is issued. The due date will be listed on the billing statement.
Depending on the date you registered for classes, your due date may be later in the term.
Alternatively, you may enroll in one of the BW payment plans.
Check the Bursar/Cashier's Office Jacket Connect page for exact tuition due dates and information on payment plan enrollment.
What is a Bursar's Office? Is it different from the Cashier's Office?
A bursar's office is a department within an educational institution, usually a college or university, that manages financial and administrative matters related to student accounts and tuition payments.
See more about the origin of the word on the Etymology Dictionary.
At BW we are interchangeable with the term "Cashier's Office." However, it is good to know both terms as you may hear either used around campus.
The BW Bursar's Office does not process federal direct or private student loans nor does it process internal or external scholarships and grants. For questions about financial assistance, please contact the BW Financial Aid Office.
Does BW offer a payment plan?
Yes! BW offers interest-free payment plans to help students and families budget for college.
We currently offer a four and five month plan during the fall and spring semesters. We offer a three month plan for the summer semester.
Visit the "Payment Plans" section of the Bursar/Cashier's Office Jacket Connect page for full details and a payment plan specific FAQ.
Plan enrollment can be done online by students or authorized users. For assistance, please refer to the Payment Plan Enrollment Quick Guide.
How do I view my billing statement?
Student account statements are not mailed or issued in a physical form. They can only be viewed online in the BW Payment Portal.
> Student Access
Authorized users can access the billing statement on the BW Payment Portal using their access.
> Authorized User Access
I don't understand my bill. Can you help explain it?
Please refer to the How to Find and Interpret your Billing Statement Quick Guide (Coming Soon).
For additional assistance, please contact us.
How do I add an authorized user (a third-party who can view/pay my bill) to my account?
Students who have a third-party helping with their tuition, such as a parent or grandparent, may consider adding them as an "authorized user" in the BW Payment Portal.
Authorized user status will allow that person to view billing statements, make payments, and enroll in a payment plan.
For help adding an authorized user, please refer to the Authorized User Quick Guide.
Authorized users have a separate log in to the BW Payment Portal. Their username will be the full email address used to set up their access.
If your authorized user has misplaced or forgotten their password, please contact the Bursar/Cashier's Office. Students who have forgotten their university log in should reach out to the IT Help Desk.
How can I pay my bill?
You can pay your bill online, in person at the Cashier's Window, or by mail.
Online payments are made via the BW Payment Portal and are the preferred method of payment.
> Student Access
> Authorized User Access
Please note that all debit or credit card transactions made online will have a 2.95% surcharge added. The ACH electronic check option has NO FEE.
In Person payments can be made at the Cashier's Window on the first floor of Bonds Hall. During the fall and spring semesters, the Cashier's Windows is open from 9:00am to 4:30pm MTWR and until 2:30pm on Fridays.
Please note that all debit or credit card transactions made in person will have a 2.55% surcharge added. There is NO FEE for payments made in person via check, cash, or money order.
Mailed payments, including 529 checks, should be sent to:
Baldwin Wallace University
ATTN: Bursar/Cashier's Office
275 Eastland Road
Berea, OH 44017
Checks can be made payable to "Baldwin Wallace University."
**Student name and ID number must be included with any mailed payments.**
What if I want to pay with a 529 plan or College Savings Plan?
The owner of the 529 plan or College Savings Plan should contact their plan or investment administrator to determine what documentation is needed, if any, to have payment issued to the university. Some plans may request a copy of your student account statement/bill. This can be found in the BW Payment Portal.
In many cases, payment requests can be submitted via your 529 plan's online portal. In some instances, we may still be listed in 529 portals as "Baldwin Wallace College."
At this time, BW does not accept ACH payments from 529 plans. A physical check must be issued by the plan. We recommend requesting payment from 529 plans as early as possible (or as soon as the billing statement is published) to ensure that payment makes it to the university before the published due date.
Please have checks made payable to "Baldwin Wallace University."
Payments can be mailed to:
Baldwin Wallace University
ATTN: Bursar/Cashier's Office
275 Eastland Road
Berea, OH 44017
**Student name and ID number must be included with any 529 checks**
What if I have a tuition benefit through my employer?
If your employer offers a tuition reimbursement program and you would like to participate in TRPP, please complete the TRPP form and return it to the Bursar's Office
The form must be completed each semester that you wish to participate in TRPP.
What if I receive veteran or military benefits?
Baldwin Wallace University offers a supportive learning community and the resources needed to assist service members transitioning from the military to higher education.
Veteran and military students attending, or interested in attending, BW should view the information below about the various types of military education benefits available.
> Financial Aid for Veterans and Military Students
> Educational Benefits for Veterans
Veteran Support Contact:
Kate Lentz
Associate Director of Military & Transfer Student Success
440-826-5920
bwvets@bw.edu
School Certifying Official:
Marcia Shaffer
440-826-2218
mshaffer@bw.edu
I receive Chapter 35 DEA or Chapter 1606 military benefits. What do I do?
Our School Certifying Official, Marcia Shaffer, certifies students to the VA with Chapter 35 DEA or Chapter 1606 military benefits.
Students looking to take advantage of these programs should send their Certificate of Eligibility to Marcia at mshaffer@bw.edu or in person at the Bursar's Office on the first floor of Bonds Hall.
I'm an authorized user and I forgot my password or I am locked out. What do I do?
Authorized users should contact the Bursar's Office at 440-826-2906 or at cashier@bw.edu to request a password reset email. The "forgot password" feature will not work for authorized users.
Otherwise, the student can remove the authorized user's access and then re-add them. This will prompt the system to issue a new temporary password.
Students who have forgotten or misplaced their university password and cannot regain access to Jacket Connect/the BW Payment Portal should reach out to the IT Help Desk for assistance.
Why do I have a negative account balance?
The system will display a negative (credit) balance when the total of all payments (scholarships, grants, loans, and out of pocket payments) exceeds the total of all charges on the account. This creates a surplus or "credit" on the account for the overpayment. The system displays this as a negative balance.
A refund will be issued automatically for the credit balance. In most cases, the refund will bring the account balance to zero. Students and authorized users do not need to "request" the refund or complete any form to receive it; however, we do recommend setting up an eRefund preference on the BW Payment Portal under "Refunds" > "Set up a new account."
How do I get a refund if I have a credit balance on my account?
Credit balances (negative amounts) will be automatically issued as refunds. Neither students nor authorized users need to request a refund and there is no form to complete. Refunds are typically issued at the beginning of the semester after federal financial aid has disbursed and after the first week of classes. After that, refunds for the term are issued on a rolling basis.
As of fall 2025, refunds are typically processed once a week on Thursdays.
All credit balance refunds are issued directly to the student via a mailed check or ACH direct deposit. Students who would like to receive their refund as a direct deposit should set up an account for "eRefunds" in the BW Payment Portal under "Refunds" > "Set up a new account" prior to the issuance of the refund. The Bursar's Office cannot direct deposit a refund that has already been issued as a physical check.
Important information for Parent PLUS Loan borrowers:
If a parent utilized a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan to cover a student's institutional charges, a physical check may be issued to the borrower (parent) depending on the option they chose on their loan application. BW does not offer direct deposit refunds for anything other than refunds issued to students.
How do I know when my refund has been issued?
Students will receive an email from the Bursar's Office alerting them that a refund has been processed. Students and authorized users can also check the BW Payment Portal.
Any refunds issued will be reflected in the "Credit Balance Refund" transaction line on the statement or account activity. Accounts that have been refunded, in most cases, will have a $0.00 balance afterwards.
Where and when can I find my 1098-T tax form?
The 1098-T will be available in the student's "My Records" portal in Jacket Connect no later than January 31 each year. Students will receive an email notification when the form is available.
To locate the form, please log into Jacket Connect and navigate to "My Records." If prompted, enter your BW username and click "Continue." Then, select "Tax Information." All current and prior 1098-T forms will be listed there.
It is the student's responsibility to provide their parent/guardian with the 1098-T form if needed for tax purposes. The Bursar's Office cannot issue or send the forms to parents/guardians because the document is a tax form in the student's name.
Why don't I have a 1098-T?
Baldwin Wallace University reports tuition payments from all sources including out-of-pocket payments and any financial aid resources not exceeding the amount of tuition billed in the same tax year, minus any refunds issued. If your payments are less than your refunded amount, you will not have a 1098-T.
Often, students who graduate in the spring semester do not have a 1098-T for the tax year they graduated in. This is because the tuition for spring semester is billed in the previous tax year. BW can only report tuition paid against tuition billed in the same tax year.
How will the 1098-T impact my taxes?
The BW Bursar's Office calculates and issues your 1098-T; however, in the Bursar's Office, we are not tax professionals and we cannot give tax advice.
Please direct any questions about the 1098-T's potential impact on your individual tax situation to your tax preparer or other certified tax professional.
If you believe your 1098-T form is incorrect, please contact us.
