FAQs

• Billing
• Payment Options
• Refunds
• Withdrawal Policy
• Tuition Insurance
• Health Insurance Waivers
• ECCash

Billing

When are bills generated? When are payments due?

Emerson College generates electronic tuition statements once a semester.  Statements can be viewed through TouchNet by logging in as a student through eCommon, or as an Authorized User.  Email notifications will be sent to students and their Authorized Users each time a new tuition statement has been uploaded.

• Fall semester statements are generated in June and are due August 1.
• Spring semester statements are generated in December and are due January 3.
• Please adhere to the billing due date to avoid having your registration terminated.  Students with unresovled account balances will automatically be deregistered.  For additional information, please read our Financial Policies.
• Authorized Users can be updated on eCommon, under the Student Services tab by clicking on "Make a Payment."

Students living on campus must resolve their balance by the stated deadline to avoid losing their housing assignment and enrollment at Emerson College.

How do I check my account since you no longer mail a billing statement?

Real-time student account activity and monthly statements can be viewed through TouchNet by logging in as s student through eCommon or as an Authorized User.  For more information, please see our Online Tuition Statement FAQ.

May I make a payment if I am not registered but still enrolled in the College?

Yes. A student who is not registered for a semester but has not withdrawn from the College may still make a payment toward their student account. The payment will be added to the account and applied towards future charges.

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Payment Options

How can I make a payment?

You can make payments online, by mail, by wire transfer, or in person. Payments cannot be made by phone. Please view Methods of Payment for full details.

What if I can't pay my tuition in full? Do you offer any payment plans?

Emerson offers a monthly Tuition Payment Plan, which is administered by Sallie Mae. Please contact Sallie Mae online or by phone at 800-635-0120 to enroll.

What if I have outside loans or scholarship funds to apply to my account balance?

You must notify the Office of Student Accounts and provide documentation to support receipt of outside scholarship funds. It is your responsibility to follow up and ensure payment is received from any outside agency. Please notify the Office of Student Accounts at 617-824-8655 if the agency needs to be billed.

What if my company is paying my tuition?

If you participate in a tuition reimbursement plan through your employer, you may defer up to 75% of the tuition balance until 30 days after the semester ends. You are required to pay 25% of your tuition and all fees upfront at the start of the semester to settle your account. Please contact your Emerson account manager to complete the necessary paperwork.

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Refunds

How and when can I request a refund for an overpayment on my student account?

Only students can request a refund. View our Refund Information page for more information.

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Withdrawal Policy

What happens if I withdraw from Emerson?

All students are eligible to receive full credit for their tuition and fees, excluding nonrefundable deposits, if they withdraw before the first day of classes. Students receiving federal financial aid funds who withdraw on or after the first day of classes will have their aid adjusted using the percentage determined by the Federal Return of Title IV Funds calculation. Adjustments are made based on the number of days a student attends, up to the 60% point of the semester. Tuition charges on the student’s account are adjusted by the same percentage used to adjust aid. Students who do not receive federal financial aid are subject to the Emerson College Refund policy as indicated:

• During the first two weeks of classes: 80% refund of tuition only
• During the third week of class: 60% refund of tuition only
• During the fourth week of class: 40% refund of tuition only
• During the fifth week of class: 20% refund of tuition only
• After the fifth week: NO REFUND IS MADE

No tuition refund is available when the College authorities require a student’s withdrawal or when a student withdraws from a course with a WP or WF grade.

Can I receive housing or meal plans refunds?

Fees are nonrefundable.  Housing and meal plan charges may be refundable on a pro-rated basis. Petitions should be filed with the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

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Tuition Insurance

Does Emerson offer a tuition insurance plan?

The College policy provides a tuition percentage refund for withdrawals through the first five weeks of a semester, but does not provide refunds for room and board charges. The College does not refund tuition for medical reasons after this five-week period; the supplemental tuition insurance must be purchased for this type of coverage.

Elective insurance is available from the Dewar Tuition Refund Plan to enhance the college's existing refund policy. The insurance provides coverage for medical withdrawals and leaves of absence (LOAs) above and beyond College refunds. To learn more, contact Dewar at 617-774-1555.

The Tuition Refund Plan covers 100% of the insured semester tuition in the case of a medical withdrawal or LOA, and 60% of the insured semester tuition in the case of a psychological withdrawal or LOA, less any refund or credit due from the College. Applications must be submitted before the first day of classes. The premium is 1% of the total charges for the academic year. Contact your account manager for further information.

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Health Insurance

How do I waive my health insurance fee?

Visit our Health Insurance page to learn more »

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ECCash

What is ECCash?

ECCash is a way for students to use their Emerson Student Identification as a debit card for on-campus purchases. Students put pre-paid dollar amounts on the card to be used at many designated locations like the Book Store, on-campus laundry machines, Iwasaki Library, dining halls, Emerson convenience stores, and on-campus vending machines. The purchased amount is deducted from student's ECCash balance.

How do I check my balance and deposit funds?

Students can log into www.emerson.edu/eccash using their ECNet username and password. Students can see their Board Bucks and ECCash balance and transaction history on the ECCash site. IMPORTANT: you cannot add any dollar amount to your ECCash if there is an outstanding balance on your student account. Any funds received will first be applied to the existing balance on the account.

I'm a parent. How can I deposit funds into ECCash?

Students can give "Guest Access" to four authorized users, which is a great way for parents/friends to deposit money into a student's account. If given access, authorized users can click the Make a Deposit link, enter the student's Emerson ID, and make a deposit without logging in.

Please do not use the online tuition payment site to deposit ECCash; ECCash payments can not be tracked through the tuition process.

Does ECCash roll over?

ECCash remains on the student's ECCash account at the end of each semester ready to use the next semester. It can also be refunded at the end of the academic year.

I lost my card. What do I do?

If you lose your Emerson ID card, you can deactivate it online. To get a new card, visit the Police Department's ID office in the Little Building, 80 Boylston Street. If you find your card before you visit the Police Department, you can reactivate it on the ECCash site.

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