Secure Your Funding and Pay Your Bill

Awarded Aid & Billing Made Simple  

Once you’ve decided to enroll at Lesley, or if you’re a returning student, you’ll need to follow these steps to secure your aid funding, pay your bill, and receive tuition refunds (as appropriate). ​For more detailed guidance on how to pay your bill, please visit the Services Directory.

Secure Your Funds

Learn how to access different financial aid awards you’ve received and apply them towards your Lesley costs and tuition.  

Learn about the different processes required to accept different types of aid:

  1. Within 30 days of receiving your federal direct loan award, you must accept or decline the loan in full, or revise (decrease) the loan amount on your Lesley Self-Service account.

If you decide to revise your loan, don’t forget to click “Accept” to complete this step. From there, we’ll notify the U.S. Department of Education so they can certify the loan. Please note: If not accepted within 30 days, the loan is canceled.

  1. Next, you will sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN) electronically. The MPN is a legal document that explains the terms and conditions of your federal loan(s). By signing the MPN, you promise to repay your loans and any accrued interest and fees to the U.S. Department of Education.
  2. Lastly, you will complete the U.S. Department of Education’s online Direct Loan Entrance Counseling, which should take approximately 20-30 minutes.

If you’ve received either of these loans, we will email you a promissory note to sign along with information about required online loan counseling. We’ll also notify you of the deadline to complete these steps to secure the funding.

For scholarships and grants, we automatically apply your award towards your tuition and fees. If you’ve received a Federal Work-Study opportunity, these funds will be paid to you for the hours you work in your Work-Study position.

Notify us of tuition reimbursements, alternative (non-government) loans, or state grant money from a state other than Massachusetts. Similarly, if you’ve received any private scholarships, you must send your notification letters to Lesley's Financial Aid Office.

Your total awards can’t exceed the budgeted costs for your education, including tuition, fees, and living expenses. However, financial aid from outside resources can be used to reduce your need for federal assistance or loans.

Changes in your enrollment status may affect your financial aid package. So, after accepting your award, you must register for classes and independent study before that semester’s add/drop period ends. If you’re taking classes outside of Lesley, submit any consortium agreements. After your credits are registered, we’ll confirm your enrollment.

Please notify Lesley's Financial Aid Office immediately by submitting a ticket on the Support Hub if your plans for enrollment change. If you’re enrolled in one of our online or bachelor’s degree completion programs or one of our graduate programs, use the following online form to submit any enrollment changes.

If your financial aid is at risk for any reason during or after the class registration period, we’ll reach out to you via your Lesley email.

After your financial aid is applied, you’ll need to pay any remaining balance. You can make your payment in full, get an additional loan, or set up a monthly payment plan.

For more information or additional support as you finalize your financial plan, please contact our Financial Aid Office by submitting a ticket on the Support Hub.

This process is called “disbursement”, which will occur once:  

  • We’ve confirmed your registration
  • You’ve begun classes
  • You’ve completed the steps for accepting certain awards

Please note: If your billed tuition and fees are less than the amount of financial aid applied to your student account, you may have a credit balance. In this case, we’ll refund you within 14 days of the disbursement date. Use the refund for living expenses, transportation, or personal expenses you incur as a student.

Paying Your Bill

We're here to guide you through paying your outstanding tuition and fees and answer your billing questions.

We protect the privacy rights of our students in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Students are the only ones who receive communication about their bill, unless they give us written permission to talk to a parent, grandparent, or others. We don't share a student’s account information without this permission.

We’ll send notifications of your bill to your Lesley email address about one month before your balance is due. If you have an outstanding balance, you’ll get an eBill notification each month.

You’ll see charges for tuition and fees related to your specific academic program on your bill.

Log on to the Student Account Center to review your bill. If you need a paper statement, you can print one out from the Student Account Center.

Errors in Your Statement 

For transaction information, contact us at the Support Hub within 60 days of the first billing error.

In your email, include the following: 

  • Your full name and student account number.
  • The dollar amount of the error.
  • A description and explanation of the error.

To be in good standing, pay your bill by the following due dates. Payment is due immediately if you’re registering for courses after the term or semester’s due date.

Term/Semester | Due Date | We’ll notify you on/about: 

  • All Spring courses | December 15 | November 16
  • Summer Term 1 | April 15 | March 16
  • Summer Semester | May 15 | April 16
  • Summer Term 2
  • All Fall courses | August 1 | July 5

Please note: 

  • Late payment fees and holds are assessed to student accounts not paid in full, covered fully by financial aid, or on a payment plan by the term or semester’s due date.
  • If you have an outstanding balance, contact Lesley’s Financial Aid Office via the Support Hub for assistance with loan and financing options.
  • Students who haven’t met their financial obligations to the university won’t be able to register for courses. Note that grades, transcripts, and diplomas are withheld from students whose accounts are overdue.

There are several ways you can pay your bill. If you have questions regarding any of these payment methods, please submit a ticket on the Support Hub or email help@lesley.edu. 

  • Check
  • Credit Card
  • Financial Aid
  • Federal and Private Loans
  • Federal Loans
  • Private Loans
  • International Wire Transfer
  • Payment Plans

To pay your remaining balance for your tuition and fees in monthly payments, you can enroll in our flexible, interest-free payment plan. See below for steps to enroll:  

  1. Enroll in a Nelnet Payment Plan through the Student Accounts Center.
  2. Establish the payment plan for the correct amount. If your courses are 8-week terms, then include both terms one and two expenses in the payment plan.
  3. Pay the nonrefundable enrollment fee ($45), along with the first payment. Nelnet accepts electronic checks / Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments, as well as American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa for an additional fee.
  4. Re-enroll in the payment plan each semester.

Click here for information on our payment plan policies.

Learn more about establishing your payment plans and how to pay your bill here.

Tax form 1098-T reports the amount of tuition and related expenses that you’ve paid in a calendar year. The document helps the IRS verify tax return information and helps you determine if you’re eligible for education tax credits. Follow the directions below to access your 1098-T tax form.

Go to www.tsc1098t.com  

  • Enter the Site ID: Lesley Site ID 11445
  • User Name: Student ID
  • Password: Last 4 digits of your SSN (Social Security Number) 

For security reasons, if you have not logged in before, you will then be prompted to change your password.  Enter your old password (last four digits of your SSN) and then enter a new password. 

  • The new password must be 8 characters and contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase character, one numeric character, and one special character.

Once you have entered your new password, if you have not already consented to receive your form via the web, you will be presented with the online consent form. Read the Online Consent Form for the requirements and specifications. If you agree, click “Consent”.

Please Note: Once you consent, you will NOT be mailed a 1098-T and must return to the site to view/print a copy of your Form 1098-T.

Refund Policies & Processes

Learn about tuition refunds following credit balances, course withdrawal, and more, and discover the benefits of investing in tuition insurance.

  • Credit balances can result from overpayment of tuition and fees, scholarships, excessive financial aid applied to the student account, or a change in enrollment.
  • Lesley’s Student Accounts Office will issue a refund if the funds we’ve received exceed the charges on the student account.
  • Refunds for credit balances generally occur within 14 days after the add/drop period is over for the semester or term for which the student is enrolled or 14 days after the credit balance appears on the student account. This excludes credit balances for pending financial aid or payments.

  • If a student drops a course prior to the end of the add/drop period for any given semester or term, course-associated charges such as tuition and fees for that course will be refunded in full, and there will be no impact on the student’s transcript.
  • If a student drops the course after the end of the add/drop period, the student is financially responsible for the entire semester/term of tuition and fee charges for the course. This applies to all courses, including residencies, weekend intensives, short courses, conferences, and travel study. The course will remain on the student’s transcript, and the student will receive a grade of “W.”
  • Non-attendance does not satisfy the requirement for withdrawal, and students who do not attend courses or withdraw/drop will be charged in full for course tuition and fees.
  • University policy does not allow retroactive withdrawals or refunds.

When are you dropping a course? | Tuition and Fees Refunded | Transcript Impact 

Before the End of the Add/Drop Period | 100% | No course attempted. No grade issued. 

After the End of the Add/Drop Period | 0% | Attempted course. "W" grade issued.

Refund of Charges for Withdrawal from the University 

  • To withdraw voluntarily from the University, you must complete an online withdrawal form to remain in good standing with the University and receive any refunds.
  • Students who are suspended or dismissed from the University or residence halls for any reason will receive no adjustment of charges.
  • In most cases in which the student received financial aid, any credit applied to the account will go to repay financial aid received and no money will go to the student or parent. Remaining Unpaid charges after all adjustments are still owed to the university.
  • Students who withdraw from all classes after the add/drop period will be eligible for a reduction of tuition and fees in accordance with the following schedule based on withdrawal date. This includes students who withdraw for medical reasons.
  • Students are eligible for a 100% refund of all tuition and fees if they withdraw prior to the end of the add/drop period except for tuition deposits and housing deposits.

Time of Course Withdrawal | Refund 

Add/Drop Period: Day 1 through Day 7 of classes | 100% 

Day 8 though Day 14 of classes | 50% 

Day 15 through Day 21 of classes | 25% 

Day 22 and beyond | No refund

Financial Aid 

  • Students who receive financial aid and then withdraw or reduce their credit load during the refund period will have a reduction in their aid awarded.
  • If the financial aid you received exceeds your direct charges for tuition and fees, the Student Accounts Office will refund you within 14 days of when the financial aid was credited to your student account.
  • Credits from a Federal Parent PLUS Loan are refunded to the parent borrower.
  • You will be responsible for any balance on your student account that is a result of a reduction in your financial aid due to withdrawal. 

Payment Plans 

  • If you’re on a payment plan with Nelnet and you later receive enough financial aid to create a credit on your student account, cancel the payment plan with Nelnet directly. Students won’t have their credit balance refunded to them if they have an active Nelnet payment plan.
  • If you do not cancel your payment plan, a refund will be issued to the student, once the payment plan has been completed. 

eRefunding 

  • We have partnered with Nelnet to provide electronic eRefunding services to our students. You’ll receive an email at your Lesley address, asking you to complete your eRefunding account and to choose your refund preference. Click this link to view your account and choose your refund preference. If you do not choose to receive your refund via our eRefunding process, a paper check will be issued to you and sent to the preferred mailing address in our system. 

Refund Options 

  • Automated Clearing House (ACH)/electronic check (a deposit into your account)
  • Paper check 

To see your account and choose your refund preference, follow this link.

  • If you’ve received a refund and would like to cancel or reduce your loan, please follow the steps below depending on when you are requesting the return.
  • Fully canceling your current disbursement(s) results in the cancellation of any future loan disbursements for the current academic year.
  • You will be responsible for any balance on your student account that is a result of cancelling your loan disbursements. 

Returns up to 30 Days after Disbursement

  • If you wish to reduce current and future disbursements of your loan, notify us by submitting a ticket on the Support Hub. We can return or reduce your loan funds up to 30 days after the disbursement to your student account.
  • In the ticket, please include the semester, the loan type, and the amount of the loan you wish to cancel. You will also need to provide us with the refund check you received or a personal or bank check made payable to Lesley for the amount you would like to have sent back.
  • Checks should be directed to Student Financial Services or the Support Hub. 

Returns after 30 Days 

  • If you wish to return all or a portion of your refund after 30 days from the date the funds were posted to your student account, contact your loan servicer directly.
    • Find the servicer of your loan. Go to www.NSLDS.ed.gov and log in or create an account.
    • Select your refunded loan. Get the servicer’s contact information.
    • Contact the servicer directly and inquire about their payment procedures.
  • Be clear if you’re making a payment on a recently disbursed loan. It may be possible to credit your payment as a return of funds, instead of a repayment.

  • We believe it's important to offer an easy, affordable way to protect the investment your family has made in higher education. That's why Lesley University has partnered with GradGuard™ to provide our families with tuition insurance by Allianz Global Assistance, featuring special plans and rates not available to the general public.
  • This coverage expands the scope of our refund policy by ensuring reimbursement for tuition, room and board, and other fees for covered withdrawals at any time during the semester.
    • Plans also include Student Life Assistance: a 24-hour emergency hotline that offers students and parents even greater peace of mind.
  • Learn more at https://gradguard.com/ or call 1-866-724-4384.

Take the next step

Ready to begin your journey with Lesley? ​Share some basic information by filling out one of the forms below so that we can reach out to you with more information about our programs. Or, email admissions@lesley.edu to connect with a member of our admissions team.

Undergraduate Inquiry Form  |  Graduate Inquiry Form  |  Threshold Inquiry Form