Preparing for Your Fall Bill
Even with the research and conversations you had in making your college choice, it can still be confusing once your bill arrives: that’s why we’re providing this step-by-step guide now.
Important Dates
Your Hartwick bill for the fall semester is available on July 15 and is due August 5. Also make note that spring semester is billed on December 15 and is due January 5.
YOUR SEMESTER BILL
What you should do before receiving your bill:
- Review your financial aid awarded (available in your applicant portal), estimate your expenses, and create a “game plan” for your balance. We provide a worksheet here – and also invite you to schedule a one-on-one appointment with an aid counselor for guidance on your plan.
- Activate your Nelnet billing account from your self-service account or using this link and, if desired, invite a parent or guardian to have access once you have activated your account.
- Complete the mandatory financial responsibility form.
- Complete the Title IV authorization form, which enables us to apply your financial aid to your expenses.
- If you have health insurance and will be waiving the College insurance, submit proof of insurance here.
- Check your Hartwick email address on July 15. We will let you know your bill is ready, with a link to the Nelnet portal where you can view it.
If you are borrowing federal student loans, also:
- Submit the loan authorization form
- Complete the Master Promissory Note
- Do your online entrance counseling
If your parent is borrowing a federal parent loan, ensure they have completed the PLUS application and MPN.
Nancy DaSilva, interim director of financial aid, walks you through accessing these forms in brief video.
When you receive your bill
You will see the following charges on your fall bill. Note that the fall bill is inclusive of fall and one-half of January term. Your charges for spring will be the same or similar.
Tuition: $11,250; Comprehensive fee: $500; Matriculation fee: $400
These are the charges for your full-time schedule of 12+ credit hours or higher and includes mandatory fees. You will see your $400 enrollment deposit is applied here. Art, physical education, music, and nursing may have additional fees.
Room: $4,450; Meal plan: $3,800
This includes a standard double occupancy room and the required all-access meal plan. Your billed amount may vary depending on your room.
$1,527.96
All students are automatically enrolled in the Hartwick College Health Insurance unless proof of U.S. based coverage is provided. You will see this charge on your bill if you have elected to enroll or if you have not yet completed the waiver. You can still complete the waiver and remove this charge: the deadline to submit this proof for a waiver is 8/31/2026. This proof must be provided annually.
$86
You will be automatically enrolled in the Tuition Protection Insurance with A.W.G Dewar but may opt out of the plan by waiving the coverage (get details here). The deadline to waive coverage is September 12, 2026.
$370
You are automatically enrolled in the book bundle program, which streamlines how you get your books. Details can be found here. You must take action to either verify your order or to opt out if you are not interested in the program. The open window to do so starts on August 1, when the Hawks Book Bundle site opens. You will receive instructions directly from the Barnes and Noble @ Hartwick Bookstore about this program.
ATI fee: $575; Liability insurance: $18; Nursing skills kit: $235
These are fees required within the nursing program and are not charged for the spring term.
$100
This mandatory fee covers secondary insurance coverage and is charged in the fall term only.
Preparing for your balance
After your financial aid has been applied (you will automatically see any Hartwick, federal and state scholarships and grants as credits on the bill), the remaining balance represents the amount you’ll need to cover your educational expenses.
See below to help you draft your plan for addressing your balance. You may consider strategically combining any of the following funding to cover your expense. Using a combination of student loans, parent loans, private loans, and/or the payment plan can be a smart way to minimize borrowing and manage overall costs. Our staff is available to help you should you have questions as you consider your options.
Before borrowing
This includes any scholarships awarded at graduation, from an employer or community organization, or other sources. Scholarships are applied to a student’s account in the order received. Most often these are provided directly to the College and will appear as a credit toward your bill. The amount received is most often split between fall and spring unless accompanied by a letter stating otherwise. Please reach out to the organization directly for timelines on when checks will be mailed to the school. If you receive an award directly, you can apply the funds you received as part of your payment.
Eligible 529 plan distributions may be used for qualified higher education expenses in accordance with federal tax regulations. Students and families should contact their 529 plan administrator well in advance of payment due dates to determine the procedures and processing timelines for distributing funds. Depending on the plan, payments may be sent directly to Hartwick College or distributed to the account owner or beneficiary for reimbursement of qualified educational expenses.
Hartwick College participates in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefit programs and complies with federal regulations supporting veterans and eligible dependents pursuing higher education.
1. Apply for benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
2. Obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA.
3. Submit the COE and any required forms to Hartwick College’s Financial Aid Office.
4. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for additional federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
For assistance with VA educational benefits at Hartwick College, students should contact the Financial Aid Office.
You may directly pay the balance in full, or pay some of the balance in conjunction with other options outlined here.
This is directly through our billing portal, Nelnet. Enrollment opens when the bill is available. Get details here. There is a small enrollment fee of $50.
Borrowing
This is included in your financial aid package and is generally the most affordable borrowing option, offering flexible repayment, deferment opportunities, and borrower benefits.
A parent or guardian borrows the loan on behalf of the student. Federally regulated, PLUS is historically the most cost-effective for families. Note that new borrowing limits have been put in place starting this year.
Offered by private financial lenders, these loans can be offered to the student and/or parent. Students may need an endorser if they have not yet established a credit history. Be sure to research local, regional, and national banks carefully before making a selection.
Once you’re here
Want to further reduce your spring bill? The Life Balance Credit program rewards full-time students who meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) with a $250 credit on their student account for their next semester for actively engaging in activities that promote balance across academic, physical, emotional, and financial wellness. You can earn this for each of your following semesters. Learn more about the program here.
Loan Comparison
Who: Student
Current Rate of Interest: 6.52%
No repayment or interest accruing until 6 months after graduating or falling below half-time attendance
Fees: Origination fee of 1.057%
Maximum Annual Amount: $3500 for a first year student
Credit: No credit check
Required Forms: You must have a FAFSA on file and have received this as part of your financial aid offer.
Submit the Loan Authorization Form.
Complete the Master Promissory Note.
Do your online entrance counseling.
Who: Student
Current Rate of Interest: 6.52%
Interest accrues upon first disbursement, no payments required until 6 months after graduating or falling below half-time attendance
Fees: Origination fee of 1.057%
Maximum Annual Amount: $2000 for a first year dependent student
Credit: No credit check
Required Forms: You must have a FAFSA on file.
Submit the Loan Authorization Form.
Complete the Master Promissory Note.
Do your online entrance counseling.
If you were also awarded a subsidized federal direct loan, the forms you completed for that loan (listed above) will also apply to this loan.
Who: Parent
Current Rate of Interest: 9.07%
Interest accrues upon first disbursement, repayment begins after second (spring) disbursement
Fees: Origination fee of 4.228%
Maximum Annual Amount: $20,000 or remaining cost of attendance, whichever is lower (note that a parent now has a lifetime maximum of $65,000 per child)
Credit: No adverse credit
Required Forms: Complete the PLUS application and MPN.
Who: Student, most require a creditworthy cosigner
Current Rate of Interest: Different lenders offer variable or fixed, interest typically based on credit worthiness. Interest accrues and repayment starts upon first disbursement
Fees: N/A
Maximum Annual Amount: Cost of attendance minus all other aid
Credit: Credit check
Required Forms: You may use a lender of your choice; each will have their own requirements. ELMSelect offers options.
Who: Student, parent, or other
Current Rate of Interest: 0%
Fees: Per semester enrollment fee of $50
Maximum Annual Amount: Balance on the bill for each Fall and Spring
Credit: No credit check
Required Forms: Get details here.
How to Estimate Your Balance
Based on the costs outlined here and your financial aid offer, determine your anticipated costs for the semester/year and build a plan to cover the remaining balance.
You will be billed for tuition, mandatory fees, housing, a meal plan (board), insurance (unless waived) and the book bundle. Using the details shared here outlining fall charges, you can add these costs to estimate what you will see on the fall bill.
Note that if you are waiving the health insurance or will be opting out of the book bundle, you can deduct these charges from your balance as you determine the balance you will owe – but you must take action (as outlined above) for these to officially be removed from your bill.
Do not include money that needs to be paid back.
This includes the fall portion of aid that appears on your financial aid award and outside scholarships.
Subtract the amount from Step 2 from the charges you estimated in Step 1.
Next, if you are utilizing federal student loan(s), you will apply the net fall amount of what you borrow. Federal student loans have mandatory origination fees deducted. To find your Net Payout, subtract the fee percentage from the gross loan amount.
Review your Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan:
- Take the total amount and multiply by 1.057%
- Take the amount calculated above and subtract that from the total amount
- Divide this in half, as loans will be disbursed in two installments, one for fall and one for spring
- This is the amount you will apply to your bill.
Subtract the net loan amount(s) as determined in step 4 from the amount you calculated in step 3
As outlined earlier, you may address your balance by utilizing any combination of options: federal PLUS loans, private loans, payment plan, and direct payment.
*Note: Work-study funds are usually paid to the student via a bi-weekly paycheck based on hours worked, rather than being deducted upfront from the tuition bill. Many students use these earned funds toward incidental expenses and spending money.
Questions?
Have questions or want to walk through your plan? We’re here to help!
Questions on Charges
The Office of Student Accounts can advise you. They can be reached at [email protected] or 607-431-4300.
Questions on Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid can advise you. They can be reached at [email protected] or 607-431-4130.
You are welcome to contact us at your convenience, or you may opt to set up a time for an appointment. Schedule that here.
We look forward to working with you!