FAQs

Where are my bills sent?

Semester bills and monthly statements will be available online to students and their authorized users in the Billing and Payment Gateway. Students and authorized users receive email notices when a new bill or statement is ready to view online. Students must add parents as authorized users under their profile in the Billing and Payment Gateway in order for parents to receive billing notices and have online access to their student’s account.

Why isn’t my financial aid on my bill?

Students should log in to their student portal and look for outstanding/incomplete requirements that may be preventing their aid from showing on their student account or disbursing. Students should email our office at sfs@wheaton.edu if they have further questions or need assistance with requirements.

When is my semester bill due?

The semester bill is due in full (or the student must be enrolled in a payment plan) by the first day of classes. The fall semester bill is due by the first day of fall semester, and the spring semester bill is due by the first day of the spring semester.

I am a parent and have multiple students attending Wheaton.  How can I link their accounts?

As long as all students set you up as an Authorized User and use the same parent preferred email address, you will be able to use the same login credentials for all of your students. Once logged in, you will be able to toggle between students.

How can I access my account information or make a payment if I am not attending Wheaton anymore?

Students and parents can still access the Billing and Payment Gateway after a student has graduated or is no longer enrolled. Students can get instructions from AIT at this link Portal Access for Graduated Students.  Further assistance is available at ait.service.desk@wheaton.edu or 630-752-4357.  Parents can use their own login credentials on the Authorized User login page.

How do I submit a non-Wheaton scholarship check?

Mail or drop off your scholarship check, with any accompanying letter of instruction, to our office. Make sure that your full name and student ID number are included on the check. 

Our office is in the Student Services Building, Room 219.  Our mailing address is:

Wheaton College - Student Financial Services
501 College Ave
Wheaton, IL 60187

How do I pay from a College Savings/529 account?

Please contact the plan administrator and direct them to issue a check payable to Wheaton College, including the student’s full name and student ID number, and mail it to our office at the address below. Checks need to be received by our office by the bill due date to avoid late fees.

Wheaton College - Student Financial Services
501 College Ave
Wheaton, IL 60187

Can I pay my bill with a credit or debit card?

Payments by credit and debit card can be paid online. There is a non-refundable service charge per transaction.

Can I pay from a non-US bank account? 

Yes. Select TransferMate from the payment method drop-down menu when making a payment. You will select the country of payment and complete the payer details to initiate your payment. An email from TranserMate will be sent with instructions to make your trasfer. Your payment will post to your student account when TransferMate is funded, and we will send you an email confirmation. Watch this video from TransferMate for a demo. 

Can I pay in installments?

Wheaton College offers convenient, interest-free semester payment plans to help families spread their costs over the semester. For more information, please review the details on our Billing and Payment page.

How do I enroll in a payment plan?

Payment plan enrollment is completed by the student or authorized user online in the Billing and Payment Gateway. 

Is there a charge to enroll in a payment plan?

There is a $40 payment plan application fee per semester. The charge is added to your plan balance.

If I enroll in a payment plan, will I automatically be enrolled every semester?

No, you will not be automatically enrolled in future semesters. Each semester, plan enrollment must be initiated by the student or authorized user.

What is the deadline for signing up for a payment plan?

Plan enrollment should be completed at least one business day prior to the semester due date to avoid late payment fees. Some plans may be still be available after the due date, but late fees will apply and missed installments will be due at enrollment.

Can I use a payment plan if I am paying from a non-US bank account?

Unfortunately, no. This payment method cannot be offered as an option for those that need to enroll in a payment plan. This is due to a 48-hour exchange rate hold and additional time needed to complete and verify the funds transfer. 

How do I change the payment method for my payment plan installments?

If you need to change your payment method, you must update your account at least one business day before the payment due date.

You can change the payment method for individual installments or all remaining installments by logging in to the Billing & Payment Gateway. Students log in through the student portal. Authorized users login here.

1. For checking or savings (ACH), set up your new account under your Personal Profile>Payment Profile. Marking a payment method as “Preferred” DOES NOT override the payment methods already linked to your scheduled payments. Step 2 is required.  
   Credit cards cannot be saved in your payment profile but can be used for scheduled payments. Skip to step 2. (Note that credit card transactions incur a separate bank service fee which will show as a separate charge on your credit card statement.)
2. Navigate to the homepage and scroll down to the Payments Plans section. Use the Action gear to change the payment method for an individual installment. Use the Update All Methods button to change the payment method for all remaining installments.

Why is a convenience fee added for credit/debit card payments?

The convenience fee is charged by our payment processor and covers the cost of processing credit and debit card payments. Wheaton College will not receive any part of the convenience fee. 

Why can’t I see the convenience fee charge on my student account?

The convenience fee is assessed by PayPath, not Wheaton College, so it will not appear on your student account. The convenience fee will appear as a separate charge on your credit card statement.

Is the convenience fee refundable?

The 2.95% convenience fee is non-refundable. Any convenience fee disputes must be taken directly to your credit card company.

Why is a $20 fee added for TransferMate payments for international payments?

The $20 fee is charged by TransferMate and covers the cost of processing transactions. Wheaton College will not receive any part of the fee. 

Is the $20 TransferMate fee refundable?

The $20 fee is non-refundable. Any convenience fee disputes must be taken directly to TransferMate.

What happens if I don't pay my account on time?

A one-time $75 late penalty will be charged if the account balance is not received or enrolled in a payment plan by the first day of classes. Additional late fees of 1.5% will be assessed on any past-due balances. In addition, students with unpaid balances are not permitted to re-enroll or receive diplomas or transcripts. Please see the Responsibilities and Reminders section on this page for more details. Participants in a payment plan are exempt from late charges on current plan amounts. Items not included in the plan may be subject to late charges.

Can I appeal a late payment fee?

Late fee appeals will be considered after the balance on the account has been paid. Appeals must be submitted in writing to our office at sfs@wheaton.edu. Please be sure to include the student’s name and student ID number along with a brief description of the reason for appeal.

How do I appeal a Parking fine?

Parking questions and appeals should be directed to Public Safety at parking@wheaton.edu.

How do I make changes to housing or meal plans?

Housing and meal plan questions and changes should be directed to Housing Services at housing.service@wheaton.edu.

What are SHS charges/credits?

SHS charges are from Student Health Services. Questions should be addressed to student.health.services@wheaton.edu.

Can I charge books to my student account?

Books and supplies cannot be billed to your student account. There is a special provision for Pell Grant eligible students to obtain assistance for books. More details can be found here.

What is a 1098-T?

IRS Form 1098-T is an information return that colleges and universities are required to issue for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility for tax credits. Since Wheaton sends your 1098-T information to the IRS per IRS code, you do not need to attach a copy of the form to your tax return.

How do I get a copy of my 1098-T?

Student 1098-T forms are available to students online in the Student Billing and Payment Gateway on or before January 31, 2024. Students log in through their student portal and then select 1098-T Statement on the homepage. 

Parents and authorized users can gain access to view/print their student’s 1098-T statement by having their student check the 1098-T permissions box under their Authorized Users profile.

Why is my 1098-T Box 1 amount lower than I thought it would be or blank?

Box 1 reports the payments from all sources received during the 2023 calendar year (January 1-December 31) and is limited (capped) by the amount of qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) you were billed during the 2023 calendar year. Also, included in Box 1 are payments received for past due QTRE billed from a previous calendar year. Your personal financial records may not reflect the same amount as in Box 1 of the 1098-T.

When looking to claim educational credits and deductions on your income tax return, please use your records of charges posted to your student account and payments made via your billing and payment gateway portal (specifically the "account history" and "payment history" tabs.) You can use this information along with your 1098-T and consult with your tax expert/advisor if you have questions about filling your income taxes. As we are not tax experts or advisors, we suggest you contact your tax preparer in regard to how the 1098-T relates to your specific tax preparation.

Please note: Box 1 on your 1098-T may be blank or zero for the following reason: Spring 2023 qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) were billed in late 2022 and reported on your 2022 Form 1098-T. Since the qualified tuition was reported in 2022, payment for these items were not included in Box 1 to avoid duplicate reporting to the IRS. This is common for a senior who graduated in the Spring of 2023.

What are some examples of qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE)?

Examples of educational expenses that are qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) are: Tuition Charges, Mandatory Course and Program Fees, Lab Fees

Examples of Educational expenses that are not qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) are: Room and Board Expenses, Books, Vehicle Registration Fees and Tickets, Health Insurance Fees, Application Fees, Transcript Fees, Late Payment Fees

What does an amount in Box 5 mean?

Box 5 ("Scholarships or Grants") shows the total educational assistance that was received or applied to your student account during the 2023 calendar year. Any additions or reductions to educational assistance that occurred in the same tax year are figured into the total amount.

If the amount in Box 5 exceeds Box 1, will it be considered by the IRS as income?

The form is an informational return for your personal records and not intended to be an indicator of income. It is not required to be submitted with your income tax return. IRS Form 1098-T contains information to assist the IRS and you in determining if you are eligible to claim educational related tax credits. Form 1098-T does not indicate whether you received a taxable educational assistance. It is the responsibility of the student to report and pay taxes on the taxable portion of any educational assistance. You may need to report taxable income if the total amount of educational assistance received during the calendar year exceeded the amount you paid for qualified education expenses in that year. As we are not tax experts or advisors, we suggest you contact your tax preparer in regard to how the 1098-T relates to your specific tax preparation.

Remember that the 1098T is an INFORMATIONAL RETURN ONLY and it is up to the taxpayer to calculate their legally eligible deduction and the IRS allows them to use their personal documentation such as cancelled checks to support any deduction they claim.

This is common for a senior who graduated in the Spring of 2023.