FAQs
"Where do I find the Bursar's Office?"
The Bursar's Office and Cashier services is located on the second floor of the Lucas Administrative Center (AC 235) and can be reached at 859-572-5204. Office hours are Monday - Friday 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM with evening hours posted. You can find more information here.
"Where is the Financial Aid Office, Admissions Office, Registrar and Bookstore?"
Financial Aid is located on the fourth floor of the LAC 859-572-5143
Admissions is located on the fourth floor of the LAC 859-572-5220
Registrar is located on the third floor of the LAC 859-572-5556
Bookstore is located on the main level of the University Center 859-572-5141
"How much will it cost me to attend NKU?"
Students who are considering attending NKU or current students who have not yet registered can find tuition rates on the tuition and fees page.
"When will I receive a bill?"
NKU does not mail bills to students since student accounts tend to change frequently. Approximately a month prior to the start of the semester you will receive an account statement to your NKU email address. You can always view your 'Biller Direct' page on myNKU to see your balance due.
"Will I be charged a late fee if I do not receive an account statement?"
Yes, if your account is not paid by the published due date you will be charged a $50 payment plan fee and will be charged a 1.25% account maintenance fee on the unpaid balance each month that the account is unpaid.
"My employer offers tuition reimbursement. How does that work?"
If a student is receiving tuition reimbursement from their employer, the student will initially be responsible for paying the balance up front. At the end of the semester, the employer will usually ask for a copy of an account statement from our office indicating the balance has been paid and by what means. The student may print off their account statement via their myNKU account under the Biller Direct tab and the Pay Your Bill link. The employer will then reimburse the student. To avoid any additional fees, the balance will need to be paid in full by the tuition due date each semester.
"Is there a payment plan available?"
Yes, the Northern Installment Plan is available to our students. Charges for the semester are broken into three payments.
If your tuition is not paid in full by the initial due date you will automatically be placed on the Northern Installment Plan, be charged a $50 enrollment fee, and your account will be charged a 1.25% account maintenance fee monthly. The first payment on the installment plan is 50% of your full tuition and fees, second payment is 25% and the final 25% is due on the third payment. Second and third payments are due approximately 30 and 60 days after the initial due date. Please see the installment plan page for the current semester's due dates.
"What if there is an error on my student account?"
First make sure you are registered into the correct number of credit hours and that all financial aid is showing correctly. If your classes are not correct you can make the necessary corrections through myNKU. If your financial aid is not reflected correctly please call 859-572-5143. If there are other inaccuracies on your student account please call the Bursar's Office at 859-572-5204.
"Can my parents call and get my information?"
Under the Buckley-Pell federal privacy act, NKU cannot give any information to your parents without your written consent. NKU has simplified the consent process by creating the NKU Authorized User Portal. The student can grant access any time to Biller Direct on myNKU to any third party that they choose. Find more information here.
"How do I get a parking permit?"
Parking permits may be ordered online at: http://parking.nku.edu/
Financial Aid
"How do I apply for financial aid?"
Applying for financial aid is an annual application process. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), is available every January and can be found on the following Web Site: www.fafsa.ed.gov. We encourage the completion of the application by March 1st to be considered for limited campus based aid programs.
"I am receiving a KEES award. What do I do?"
Your KEES award will show on your initial account statement that is emailed to your NKU email account approximately a month before tuition is due. Your KEES award will be sent to the University approximately one month in to the semester. If the only balance on your account will be covered by your KEES award, then you will not be charged a payment plan fee or account maintenance fees.
"I just applied for financial aid and tuition is now due. I would like to receive a deferment."
There is no financial aid deferment available for tuition and fees. If you applied late for financial aid then your aid may not be in on time. You will be placed on the installment plan automatically and charged all appropriate fees.
“Can I get an advance from my financial aid to buy books?”
If you have excess financial aid estimated on your account, have signed up for direct deposit, and have no holds on your account, then you are eligible for a book advance. The advance will be sent electronically to your bank account the week before classes begin. Advances will not be given in the form of a check. Click here for more details.
"If I missed out on the book advance, do I have any other options?"
You may be eligible for a book deferment. If you have not received your financial aid refund and your award has been accepted and approved by the Financial Aid department, please contact the Bursar's Office so that we can check for eligibility. Book deferments are only available during the week before classes beginning and the first and second weeks of the semester. You must have your NKU All Card and will only be able to purchase the books at the University Bookstore. You cannot receive the book advance and deferment in the same semester.
"What should I do if my financial aid is less than what I owe?"
You will be required to pay the difference by the tuition due date.
Drops, Withdrawals, Refunds
"I never attended class, will I be dropped automatically?"
If you do not attend any classes your professor could drop you for non-attendance. If you have not paid 50% of your costs by the first payment due date of the Northern Installment Plan you may be administratively dropped from your classes with grades of "W", in which case you are still responsible for 50% of your tuition costs. To avoid the possibility of owing the University you should be sure to drop within the first week of the semester.
"My advisor added my classes and I wasn't aware. Now I'm being charged tuition for classes I never signed up for. What can I do?"
It is typcial that an academic advisor may place classes in a student's registration cart upon an advisor/advisee meeting. However, it is the student's responsibilitiy to review their account continuously to make sure everything is accurate and up-to-date. When classes are registered through the student's myNKU account, the student must read and sign a Student Statement of Obligation. This statement explains that classes are being registered. Once the Obligation Statement has been read and the classes are registered, the student will now be responsible for their account balance. If the student decides to withdraw from any of the classes, they will need to make sure they are doing so in accordance with the academic calendar to ensure a tuition adjustment and possible refund.
"If I drop a course, will my costs be adjusted?"
If you withdraw within the first week of full session classes you should receive a full adjustment of your charges. If you withdraw during the second and third week of full session classes you will receive a 50% adjustment of your charges. After three weeks there will be no further adjustments of charges. Please check the university academic calendar for all of the proper drop dates.
"I had to withdraw from one or more of my classes due to a University error or medical/family situation. What are my options?"
NKU is aware that students have lives outside of the classroom and that many unforeseen situations may occur during the academic year, forcing the student to withdraw from one or more classes. When this happens students have the option to file an Appeal for Exception to Tuition Refund Form. If the student is withdrawing for a medical reason, a Medical Documentation Form must also be submitted with the Appeal. These forms will need to be submitted to the Bursar's Office where they will be given to the Tuition Appeal Committee for review every two weeks. A decision will be made and the student will be contacted by the Vice Provost's Office. The Tuition Appeal Committee will only review appeals based on University error or a medical situation involving the student or a member of their immediate family. Students only have one year from the beginning date of the semester to file their appeal. Appeals submitted after the one year time frame will not be considered.
"When are refunds issued?"
Refunds are issued by direct deposit approximately seven to ten business days after a credit appears on your student account. Refund checks may not be picked up under any circumstances. Please log on to myNKU and click on the Biller Direct tab where you can sign up for direct deposit.
Making Payments
"How can I make payments?"
There are four options for payment:
- Online - E-Check payments are accepted online. There is no additional fee for paying with E-Check.
- Online - Credit card payments are accepted online. American Express, Mastercard, VISA, and Discover credit card payments are accepted. There is a 2.5% convenience fee for all credit card payments. Detailed instructions for making payments by credit cards are available here.
- By Mail - Check or money order only. Please include the student's name and myNKU ID number in the memo section of the check. Please mail all payments to: Bursar Operations, AC235 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099.
- In Person - Bursar Operations is located on the 2nd floor of the Lucas Administrative Center. We accept cash, check or money order at the cashier windows. No credit cards can be accepted at the cashier windows. Our hours of operation are posted here. If you are unable to make it during work hours and would like to drop a payment off, please take advantage of our night deposit box which is located down the hallway, leading to the tunnel to the University Center.
"Why am I charged a 2.5% convenience fee for a credit card payment?"
Many Universities around the country have found the processing fees associated with the increasing number of credit card payments to be cost prohibitive. NKU has decided that the university can no longer absorb those costs. The 2.5% processing fee will cover the credit card processing fees. We can accept E-Check payments online, or check, cash and money order at Bursar Operations as an alternative payment.
"Biller Direct asks me for the CID/CVV2 code. What is that?"
The CVV2 code is on the back of your credit or debit card. Click here for further details.
"I tried to use my debit card to pay but it will not work."
Most debit cards have a daily limit that may be less than the amount you are trying to pay. Please contact your bank to have them temporarily increase your limit.
"How can a student authorize some else to make payments on their account?"
Due to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) parents and other third parties cannot gain access to a student's financial records without authorization from the student. To simplify student authorization, NKU offers the NKU Authorized User Payment Portal. The authorized user portal allows students to grant access to as many third parties as they choose. These guest users can then view the student's financial statements and make payments on the account. The student grants and has the right to rescind that access at any time.
If you are the student and would like to grant this access to a third party, please see:
Student Instructions for Authorized User Portal
If your student has already granted you this access, please see:
Authorized User Instructions for Payment Portal - Paying by Credit Card
Authorized User Instructions for Payment Portal - Paying by Electronic check
"What if I don't pay on time?"
If your tuition is not paid in full by the initial due date you will be placed on the Northern Installment Plan, be charged a $50 enrollment fee, and your account will be charged a 1.25% account maintenance fee monthly. The first payment is 50% of your full tuition and fees, second payment is 25% and the final 25% is due on the third payment. Second and third payments are due approximately 30 and 60 days after the initial due date. Please see the installment plan page for the due dates.
If your first payment (50%) is not made on the tuition due date, then your classes may be cancelled for non-payment. If this happens, you will no longer be able to attend classes and will be charged 50% of the tuition cost. If you owe a Summer semester balance, you could also be deregistered from future courses.
"I have some special circumstances, what can I do?"
If for some reason you are unable to pay your charges and have extenuating circumstances please contact the Bursar's Office at 859-572-5204 before tuition is due and ask to speak to a Bursar specialist.
"I can't register or see my grades"
If you owe a balance of greater than $100 you will not, under any circumstances, be able to perform registration activity. If you owe a balance greater than $5 you will not be able to see or receive your grades.
"My employer will pay for my classes. What do I do?"
If your company will pay for your classes upon being billed, bring a signed authorization from your employer to the Bursar's Office. We will then bill your employer for the cost.
"My employer will pay for my tuition if I pass the class. What do I do?"
If your employer uses a reimbursement plan it will be necessary for you to pay your costs by the due date and then get reimbursed by your employer at the end of the semester.
Form 1098-T
"If I received a 1098-T am I eligible for a tax credit?"
Not necessarily. Receipt of a 1098-T does not constitute a statement or guarantee about a student's eligibility to claim a tuition tax credit.
"How will I receive my 1098-T form?"
Beginning with the 2013 calendar year, NKU will no longer mail out paper 1098-T forms. A notification will be sent to the student's NKU email account when these forms become available. Students may then download and print off copies of their 1098-T form online via their myNKU account under the Biller Direct tab. Students who do not with to receive their 1098-T form electronically may opt out and receive a paper copy.
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Highland Heights, KY 41099
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