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Family Connection: College Costs

	Financial Aid & Billing: Two Offices to Help 2016-2017 Tuition and Fees & Online Bill Estimator Authorized Payer Accounts Current Statements Logging into SSOL: Account Section Making Your Online Payment Consider the Payment Plan Explore Financing Options Direct Deposit Join the Financial Services Webinar Upcoming Events Important Dates

We are excited to join the chorus of voices welcoming you to the Columbia community! The Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing has been working closely with Student Financial Services to provide for your student’s smooth transition to Columbia in the fall. This message will serve as a guide to preparing to pay the college bill. Whether or not your student is receiving financial aid, our staff members are dedicated to assisting your family in planning how best to finance their education.

Sincerely,

Michael Hall
Executive Director of Financial Aid
Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science

	While they similarly provide extensive resources to educate your family about managing college expenses, each office provides unique services.

Financial Aid & Billing: Two Offices to Help

When your student needs help with financial matters, there are two offices that can help.

The Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing serves undergraduate students at Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, awarding financial aid and providing guidance to students and families about education loans and other financing options. Student Financial Services supports the entire community by managing student billing, accepting and processing payments, distributing refunds, and administering federal work-study.

2016-2017 Tuition and Fees & Online Bill Estimator

See the 2016-2017 cost for tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board, and use the online Bill Estimator to project the amount you will be expected to pay for the academic year.

Authorized Payer Accounts

Federal privacy regulations limit the access of other people, including family members, to student accounts. For parents or other parties to be able to view and pay monthly E-Bills, your student must set you up as an Authorized Payer.

Current Statements

Account statements are monthly snapshots of accounts as of the reflected issue date. They are e-mailed to Authorized Payers each month and include a due date for any balance owed at the time generated. Recent charges or credits may not be reflected. Students can view the statements in their SSOL accounts.

Logging into SSOL: Account Section

Your student can view recent activity in the Student Account Detail portion of his/her SSOL account. This will reflect current charges and credits applied since the last statement was generated. Until August, when the fall term bill is generated, only the admission deposit will be visible.

Making Your Online Payment

Both students and Authorized Payers can pay via online check via the E-Billing website. Other payment options are also available.

Consider the Payment Plan

Columbia’s Payment Plan enables students and/ or families to pay billed expenses over several months, rather than in one payment. It is not a loan, and while there is an application fee, there are no interest charges or credit checks. Students can sign up today!

Explore Financing Options

A variety of loan options are available to undergraduate students and families. You and your student may borrow loans to finance a portion or all of the Student Contribution (SC) and/ or Parent Contribution (PC).

Direct Deposit

If your student is receiving financial aid or a stipend in excess of the billed expenses s/he may receive a credit to the student account. The University’s preferred method of a refund distribution is through direct deposit. To enroll, domestic students should log into SSOL.

Join the Financial Services Webinar

The webinar on July 13 will cover general billing and financial aid topics. You can always contact Student Financial Services or Financial Aid to discuss personal questions securely.