About Your Bill
TIMELINE:
- Fall semester bills are due July 21, 2023
- Spring semester bills are due December 15, 2023
Please review our step-by-step instructional Guide for Navigating your WSU Student Account
Accessing your Student Financial Account Center
- Login to your myWestfield account
- Select ‘Finances’ from the top menu
- Select ‘View Account & Pay Your Bill’
- This will lead you to the Student Account Center – main page
The blue bar across the top of the page has several important features:
My Account:
- Account activity:
- View itemized balances by semester, or using a date range. On the upper right-hand side of the screen, you can expand all data, print it, create an Excel spreadsheet, or a PDF document.
- Statements
- View billing statements and statement history and generate an on-demand statement
- Payment history
- View a report of payments made by selecting full payment history or a date range. Please note that ‘payments’ will include other items that credit the student’s account, such as financial aid, deposits, and waivers. You can also search by amount or key word by using the search box on the right hand side.
My Profile:
- Authorized Users
- Optionally, you can grant a thirdparty such as a parent or guardian access to your billing information. See detailed instructions below, or click here for more information
- Personal Profile
- Enter a secondary email address, opt in for text message alerts & view security settings
- Payment Profile
- Add/delete/manage your saved payment methods (checking/savings accounts only; credit card information cannot be saved).
Online Payments
We offer two payment options for paying your balance online: electronic check and credit/debit card. There is no fee for making payments via electronic check. Please note that credit card payments will incur an additional 2.85% service fee, or a minimum of $3.00 (whichever is greater). Please click here for our Credit Card Fee FAQ’s
International Payments
At Westfield State University, we know that our international students often have to pay significant international transfer fees when paying for their tuition fees and expenses. We listened to your challenges, so we've teamed up with TransferMate to provide you a transparent payment method to reduce additional bank fees and improve your payment experience. TransferMate helps international students pay tuition and fees in their local currency from any country. Click here to read more about sending international payments
Adding an Authorized Bill Pay User:
Would you like to grant a parent, guardian, or champion access to view your account balance, access billing statements, and make payments? To add an authorized user, access the Student Account Center Main Page using the instructions at the top of this page. Once there, select ‘My Profile’ from the top menu bar and click on ‘Authorized Users’. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to set up an Authorized Bill Pay User
After a student grants access to a student account, you will receive an email with login credential information. Follow the directions in the email. Please note: the temporary password in the email is only valid for 24 hours, so please log in immediately to set up your account.
You can also access the WSU Payment Center for authorized users using this link: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20645_tsa/web/login.jsp
Payment Plans
Our interest-free monthly payment plan option allows you to spread each semester’s expenses over monthly installments for a small enrollment fee of $50.00 per semester. To sign up for a monthly payment plan, access the Student Account Center Main Page using the instructions at the top of this page. Once there, select ‘Payment Plans’ from the top menu bar to view available plans and to enroll. Click here for more information about our Installment Payment Plans
Please note:
· The $50.00 enrollment fee is nonrefundable and is charged on a per-semester basis. This fee is due upon enrollment.
· You must enroll in the payment plan each semester – the plan does NOT roll over from one semester to the next. You will need to set up your plan each semester that you wish to participate.
· All prior semester balances must be paid in full in order to enroll. We do not allow past-due balances to be rolled into our payment plans.
You may also contact our Payment Plans Support number: 833-269-3675
Lifetime Owls Program
Join the “Lifetime Owls” program by paying the current one-time $75 fee that gives you access to exclusive events, programs, scholarship opportunities and more! Click here to learn more about the Lifetime Owls Program
How to join: Simply fill out the “Lifetime Owls” enrollment form and the $75.00 fee will be added to your student account. Access your student financial center (instructions above) and make your payment.
Health Insurance (waivable)
Once a year (typically in the fall semester, unless the student is a spring-semester enrollee) you must complete a health insurance waiver or enrollment form online at www.UniversityHealthPlans.com
- Select the WAIVER form if you currently have health insurance coverage and would like to waive/remove/deduct the health insurance charge from your billed amount due. Please note that WSU will NOT remove the charge from your bill unless you complete the waiver form online at www.UniversityHealthPlans.com. Please allow up to 48 hours processing time for the charge to be removed from your account balance.
- Select the ENROLLMENT form if you do not have health insurance and wish to enroll in the University’s health insurance plan. Please note that you will NOT be enrolled in the plan unless you submit payment for the health insurance premium as appearing on your billing statement.
Fitness Center Fee (waivable)
Each semester, you are billed $92.50 for use of the fitness center. This fee entitles you to use the Ely and Woodward Fitness Centers. The Fitness Centers include strength and conditioning training equipment, a fitness assessment area, a swimming pool, a racquetball court, an aerobic exercise/dance gym, lockers, showers, and more. If you do NOT wish to utilize the fitness center for the current semester, you may waive it, and the $92.50 charge will be deducted from your account balance within 48 hours. Here’s how:
- Login to your myWestfield account.
- Click on ‘Quick Links’ at the top
- Select ‘Web Self-Service’
- Select the ‘personal information’ tab
- Click on ‘Answer a Survey’ to access the fitness center waiver form
- Click on ‘Yes, WAIVE the fitness center charge, then submit
External Scholarships
If you were awarded scholarships from other sources, aside from WSU, and want to apply these funds to your balance, please be advised that we will need the award letter emailed to us at StudentAccounts@Westfield.ma.edu the letter must contain the following information:
- The amount of scholarships & for which semester(s)
- The letter should clearly indicate where the scholarship is being mailed (to WSU or to student). We can only add the scholarship to the student’s account if it is being mailed directly to WSU, so please be sure the letter specifically indicates where the check is being mailed.
- An approximate date by which the funds will arrive
- A contact person for the scholarship committee (name, phone number, and/or email)
529 Plan Payments/Educational Savings Account Payments
529 Plan Payments/Educational Savings Account Payments
***IMPORTANT: REQUEST DISTRIBUTIONS WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE DUE DATE FOR ON-TIME ARRIVAL***
What is a 529 Plan?
A 529 Plan is an education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs, with tax benefits. 529 Plans are sponsored by a state or state agency.
If you have tax questions or how best to utilize your 529 plan, we encourage you to contact your financial advisor or your plan administrator.
What expenses can 529 plans cover?
Please contact your plan administrator about eligible expenses.
When should I request a withdrawal from my 529? And, other than a student ID what else do I need to provide?
The process to request a withdrawal varies from plan to plan. Please contact your plan administrator to arrange for payment well in advance of the bill due date for on-time arrival.
Where should my plan send my 529 withdrawal?
You will want to reference your plans withdrawal process for full details but, in general, you can request to have your 529 withdrawal be sent directly to WSU:
Payments can be mailed to:
Westfield State University Attn:
Office of Student Accounts
333 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
How do I inform your office that my 529 withdrawal has been requested?
Send your 529 confirmation of withdrawal to our office prior to the bill due date, by email and be sure that the confirmation includes the name of your 529 plan, the student ID, and the requested withdrawal amount. Our email address is StudentAccounts@westfield.ma.edu
How long will it take for my withdrawal to be received at WSU?
It depends. When you request your withdrawal be sure to also to notify our office as part of your bill response by sending us an email which includes the name of your 529 plan, the student ID, and the requested withdrawal amount.
Can I use my 529 plan to pay my monthly payment plan?
If you anticipate using 529 plan funds to cover all or a portion of your semester bill, we strongly recommend that you withdraw the full semester amount at one time. If the 529 will not cover all expenses for a semester, you could set up a monthly payment plan to cover the amount that is not being paid by the 529 plan.
Owl Bucks
Owl Bucks is a declining balance account you can deposit into at any time. Once funded, simply swipe your Westfield ID as a method of payment at the Campus Bookstore as well as participating merchants around campus! A complete list of vendors that accept Owl Bucks is available online by visiting www.OwlBucks.com
Note: Owl Bucks carry over from semester to semester and do not expire. Any unused Owl Bucks will be refunded to the student upon graduation or separation from WSU.
How to Pay to Add Owl Bucks to your WSU ID: visit www.OwlBucks.com and click on ‘Online depositing!’ on the left-hand side of the screen. Students will be prompted to enter their myWestfield login credentials. Parents, Guardians & Champions will click the link at the bottom that reads ‘Click Here to Deposit into a Student’s Account’
Transferring Pending Financial Aid to Owl Bucks
When a student has excess pending financial aid, they can request the excess funds (up to $1,000 per semester) be transferred to their Owl Bucks’ account. Simply click on this link to access the form.
Refunds
Westfield State University partners with BankMobile to deliver electronic refunds to our students. Please take a moment to setup or review your refund preference. From your myWestfield, select FINANCES from the top menu, and then ‘BankMobile Disbursements’ from the “1098T & Student Refunds” portlet located at the bottom left of the page. If you’re due a refund, you’ll receive an email from BankMobile letting you know when it’s processed.
Adding/Changing a Meal Plan
Students are able to select/change their meal plan themselves online through July 20th for the fall semester, and December 14th for the spring semester. (Any changes requested after these dates will need to be sent to Dining Services via email at Dining@Westfield.ma.edu)
To select/change your plan online, log into your myWestfield account, go to QuickLinks, and select myHousing. See step-by-step instructions below.
NOTE: Students can only make one change to their meal plan through myHousing. Additional changes must be requested through Dining Services by emailing Dining@Westfield.ma.edu
We encourage you to determine your meal plan eligibility by reviewing the information on the Dining Services website before making a change.
Based on whether you are living on campus or commuting next year, follow the instructions below:
Students Living on Campus
All residential students are initially assigned the Nestor’s Unlimited Meal Plan. Residential students may change to a different meal plan they are eligible for by following these steps:
- Click/tap on “My Dining Plan” then “Dining Plan”.
- Click/tap on the “Purchased Meal Plans…” drop down menu.
- Change the semester to Fall 2023.
- Click/tap on “Change my Meal Plan”.
- Click/tap the circle next to the meal plan you would like to select/change to.
- Click/tap “Purchase Meal Plan” at the bottom of the screen.
Students Commuting
Commuter students are not initially assigned a meal plan but may select one. Commuter students are able to select any of the five available meal plans.
- Click/tap on “My Dining Plan” then “Dining Plan”.
- Click/tap on the “Purchased Meal Plans…” drop down menu.
- Change the semester to Fall 2023.
- Click/tap on “Select a Meal Plan” if you are a commuter.
- Click/tap the circle next to the meal plan you would like to select/change to.
- Click/tap “Purchase Meal Plan” at the bottom of the screen
Federal Student Loans
On your financial aid award notification, you were offered a Federal Direct Loan to assist with your student bill. For you to secure your loan, you will need to complete the following three steps:
- (new and returning borrowers) Log into your myWestfield account.
- Go to “Finances” tab
- Toward the bottom right, click “Awards by Aid Year,” this will open a new window.
- Select Aid year 2023-2024
- Go to “Accept Award Offer” tab. On the Accept Award Column, choose to Accept or Decline loan from the drop down option. You can accept for just the fall term or for both fall/spring terms. You can also reduce the loan amounts.
- Click Submit decision. If you are a returning borrower, you are finished. If you a new borrower, continue to steps 2 and 3.
- (for new borrowers) Log into studentaid.gov with your FSA user ID and password. This is the same one you used to log into your FAFSA. Make sure you log in with your own ID and not your parent’s.
- Once logged in, click on the bar “I’m in School”
- You will see several options and links. Click on “Complete MPN (Master Promissory Note)”
- Under the first option “I’m an Undergrad Student” click on “Start” and follow the prompts. If you are a graduate-level student choose “I’m a Graduate/Professional Student” and Subsidized/Unsubsidized MPN.
- (for new borrowers) Go back to main page and click on the bar “I’m in School”
- Now click on the link “Complete Entrance Counseling”
- Under the first option “I’m an Undergrad Student” click on “Start” and follow the prompts. If you are a graduate-level student, chose “I’m a Graduate/Professional Student”
If you have already completed the MPN and Entrance Counseling, you would only need to accept your loan on your myWestfield account. Your loan will not appear as a credit on your bill until all three steps are completed. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office at (413) 579-3080.
More questions? Here’s how to get in touch with the correct department:
Questions regarding your charges, balance due, refunds, and health insurance waiver/enrollment forms should be directed to Student Accounts by emailing StudentAccounts@Westfield.ma.edu
Payment Plans Support number: 833-269-3675. Our dedicated Tuition Payment Plan support representatives will be able to answer questions related to your account balance, plan details, installment payment status and plan agreement. They can also change a payment plan amount (if the plan allows it), remove a user-scheduled payment and enroll a user in a plan.
Questions concerning financial aid should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid by emailing FinancialAid@Westfield.ma.edu
Questions regarding your housing charge or housing assignment should be directed to Housing@Westfield.ma.edu
Questions concerning your meal plan (including pricing and how to add or change your meal plan) should be directed to Dining@Westfield.ma.edu
Questions concerning VA/Military benefits should be directed to Justin Marques jmarques@westfield.ma.edu and/or click here to view more information regarding Veteran and Military Services