Frequently Asked questions: Off-Campus

1. Where are you located?
2. How can I contact the Student Accounts Office?
3. I have a question about my student account. Who should I contact?
4. What is FERPA?
5. Do I have to submit a payment at orientation?
6. How does Auto-Registration work?
7. When will I receive an invoice for my balance due?
8. Where will my invoice be mailed?
9. In addition to tuition, what other charges may appear on my invoice?
10. Can I use financial aid to pay my balance due?
11. Can I check the "Financial Aid Pending" box on my registration form if I am waiting for my financial aid award to be finalized?
12. If my payment is not received by the due date, what are the consequences?
13. What is a student account hold?
14. If I must change cohorts, will I pay the same rate?
15. I cannot take the next scheduled course and have been given approval for an independent study. What rate will I be charged?
16. My employer will pay for my courses. Does the University accept third party payments?
17. If my company reimburses me for tuition, do I still need to pay when I register?
18. How can I make a payment?
19. What will happen if there are insufficient funds in my bank account to cover a check payment?
20. Can I establish a payment plan?
21. I applied for student loans in excess of my tuition. When will I receive my refund?
22. If I must drop a course, who should I contact?
23. Will I receive a full refund if I withdraw after the course begins?
24. Am I required to pay the medical insurance charge?
25. If I have an outstanding balance, what options do I have?

Q: Where are you located?

A: The Student Accounts Office is located at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Third Floor, Suite 380, Cambridge, MA 02138. Our office hours are Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Q: How can I contact the Student Accounts Office?

A: The Student Accounts Office can be reached by:

Q: I have a question about my student account. Who should I contact?

A: First, view your individual student account online at www.lesley.edu/lois. If you have remaining questions, contact the Student Accounts Office at 800.999.1959 extension 8760 or via email at studentaccounts@lesley.edu.

Q: What is FERPA?

A: FERPA is the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (formerly known as the Buckley Amendment). In accordance with the provisions of FERPA, Lesley University has adopted the regulations to protect the privacy rights of its students. Under these regulations, the Student Accounts Office policy is to communicate only with the student, unless the student has submitted written authorization granting others access to account information. If the student wants members of the Student Accounts Office to speak with a parent, grandparent, or others, this information must be communicated to the Student Accounts Office in writing. Student account information will not be granted without permission. For further information please see the FERPA page on the University's Policies site.

Q: Do I have to submit payment at Orientation?

A: No. You will receive a student account statement in the mail indicating your balance due. When a new cohort starts their first course, the Student Accounts Office is notified so that an invoice can be sent to the student indicating the charges for their first course. The student will be invoiced on a monthly basis for all courses in their cohort program thereafter.

Q: How does auto-registration work?

A: Automatic registration minimizes the paperwork necessary to register for courses in your cohort program. It allows Lesley University to automate the registration procedures so that you sign one form and we take care of the rest. It is a contract with the University in which you agree to pay for each course that is scheduled for the duration of the program.

Q: When will I receive an invoice for my balance due?

A: Student account statements are mailed on a monthly basis and are due within thirty days of the invoice date unless otherwise noted. Courses that are due within 30 days will appear as "amount to pay". Courses that exceed the 30 days will appear as "future charges". These charges will be invoiced at a later time.

Q: Where will my invoice be mailed?

A: Unless you notify us otherwise, the Student Accounts Office will mail invoices to your permanent home address. If your invoice should be sent to a different address, you must submit your request in writing to the Student Accounts Office. During each billing cycle, only one invoice is generated per student. If all or part of your educational expenses should be billed to a sponsor or government agency, please refer to Sponsored Billing for more information.

Q: In addition to tuition, what other charges may appear on my invoice?

A: Please refer to the Tuition and Fees page for information about specific fees.

Q: Can I use financial aid to pay my balance due?

A: Pending Financial Aid may be used in lieu of payment only if the student's financial aid award is complete and covers the balance due in full. Pending financial aid will appear on the first invoice of the academic term as anticipated funds. Any amount not covered by financial aid will appear under "Amount to Pay" and will be due within 30 days of the invoice date. NOTE: Pending financial aid may require further action on the student's part. It is the responsibility of the student to check with the Office of Financial Aid to ensure that all financial aid paperwork and applications are complete. Failure to complete all financial aid requirements in a timely manner may result in late payment fees and student account holds.

Q: Can I check the "Financial Aid Pending" box on my registration form if I am waiting for my financial aid award to be finalized?

A: No. If you are using financial aid in lieu of payment, your file must be complete with the Office of Financial Aid. This means that you have filed a FAFSA form with the federal government, completed a Lesley University application, provided all documentation requested by the Office of Financial Aid and have a tentative award pending registration.

Q: If my payment is not received by the due date, what are the consequences?

A: Payments not received by the due date will result in monthly late payment fees and student account holds that will prevent the release of grades, transcripts, diplomas and the processing of future registrations.

Q: What is a student account hold?

A: A student account hold is applied to any student account with an outstanding balance. Student account holds prevent the release of grades, transcripts, diplomas and the processing of future registrations. Accounts with student account holds are subject to monthly late payment fees.

Q: If I must change cohorts, will I pay the same rate?

A: No. You will be charged the rate of the class the cohort is established with. The cost may be more or less than the cohort you are currently in.

Q: I cannot take the next scheduled course and have been given approval for an independent study. What rate will I be charged?

A: Cohort students taking independent study courses will be charged the on-campus graduate rate for that particular course as well as a $30.00 registration fee. Please refer to the Tuition and Fees page for more information.

Q: My employer will pay for my courses. Does the University accept third party payments?

A: Yes, Lesley University will accept a third party payment. To arrange for third party payment, the student's employer must submit a purchase order to the Student Accounts Office prior to the start date of the course. Once received, the Student Accounts Office will invoice the employer for the authorized amount. If the employer is not paying the full amount due, the student is responsible for paying any difference by the scheduled due date. If the employer does not remit payment in a timely manner, the student will be invoiced for the balance due and will be subject to late payment fees. Please refer to Sponsored Billing for more information.

Q: If my company reimburses me for tuition, do I still need to pay when I register?

A: Yes. Students who are reimbursed by their employers need to pay at the time of registration. Employers often require a passing grade for reimbursement and the University cannot wait for payment.

Q: How can I make a payment?

A: Payments can be made via check or credit card. The University accepts American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa card payments over the phone at 800.999.1959 extension 8760 or 617.349.8760 and can be paid over the phone. Checks must be made payable to Lesley University and must include the student's full name, student account number or social security number to ensure proper application to the student account.

Q: What will happen if there are insufficient funds in my bank account to cover a check payment?

A: If a check is returned for non-payment, a $50.00 Returned Check Fee will be applied to the student account.

Q: Can I establish a payment plan?

A: Yes, payment plans are available through Tuition Management Systems (TMS). With a TMS payment plan, your tuition and fees are divided into monthly payments; each payment is due by the 15th of each month to TMS. TMS offers a number of payment plan options depending on your enrollment schedule. A printable worksheet [pdf] is available to help you determine which payment plan option is best for you.

TMS payment plans can only be established according to the time frame of the particular plan chosen. For example, a fall semester payment plan is for fall semester charges only. TMS Payment plans cannot be established for past due balances, and will only be approved for current tuition charges.

All payment plan options must be completed one month prior to the student's graduation date. Students who have defaulted on their TMS payment plans due to non payment in the past will not be entitled to enroll in a payment plan again at the University.

Please refer to the Payment Plans page for more information.

Q: I applied for student loans in excess of my tuition. When will I receive my refund?

A: The Office of Financial Aid determines disbursement dates for student loans based on the cohort course schedule. Refunds are issued 10-14 days after the student loan is disbursed to the student account. Refunds will be mailed to the student's address. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that a current address is on file with the University.

Q: If I must drop a course, who should I contact?

A: The Student retains the right to drop from a course and receive a refund as long as the Office of the University Registrar is notified prior to the first class meeting of that course.  In order to drop, the Office of the University Registrar must be contacted either by phone at 800-999-1959 x8740 or by email at registrar@lesley.edu.  If a Student fails to drop a course prior to the first class meeting, the Student will be charged tuition and fees for the course according to the prevailing refund rate.  Failure to drop in a timely manner may result in the course being included in the Student’s official transcript.  Non-attendance does not constitute an official drop/withdrawal; students will be held responsible for all related tuition and fees.

[ back to top ]

Q: Will I receive a full refund if I withdraw after the course begins?

A: No. Students dropping from courses with six or fewer course meetings will receive a 100% refund only if the drop occurs prior to the start of courses. Tuition is non-refundable once the course has started.

Off-campus cohort students in Georgia, South Carolina and Oregon should refer to the Tuition Refund page for additional refund information.

If you completely withdraw from all coursework during an academic term, or take an approved leave of absence, your financial aid award may be subject to change based upon federal regulations.

You must notify the Office of Financial Aid when your enrollment plans change so as to avoid delays in your financial aid disbursement.

Q: Am I required to pay the medical insurance charge?

A: Please refer to the Student Health Insurance page for information regarding insurance coverage requirements and waiving the medical insurance charge.