Student Billing FAQs

1. Do I need a student ID?

Yes.  Once per academic year you will need to update your student ID.  Students need a valid student ID for various purposes when on campus including but not limited to using the athletic center, using the library, picking up refund checks, bookstore purchases and returns, receiving a tax waiver in the cafeteria, and participating in student events.

2. Do I need a parkin​g decal? 

Yes.  Once per academic year you will need to update your parking decal.  The parking decal covers designated student parking at our main campus on West Boylston Street.  It also covers our Downtown, Southbridge, and Senior Center locations.  There may be additional parking costs for off- site instruction.

3. What is Tuition?

This amount is set by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and is assessed per credit to all students.  Tuition is credit-driven based on residency in Massachusetts: In-State or Out-of-State.

4. What is the Educational Service Fee (ESF)?

This fee is assessed per credit to all students.  The ESF helps fund educational related services such as the development of academic curriculum and instructional delivery in all modalities including; on-ground, on-line, blended, hybrid, and remote.

5. What is the Student Support Fee?

This fee is assessed to all students based on full time or part time enrollment status.  This fee helps fund essential and mandated student support services such as infrastructure (technology, energy, and physical plant), accessibility, counseling, tutoring, advising and enrollment services.

6. What is a Program Fee?

This fee is assessed to students enrolled in a specific program per semester.  The fee is set based on the needs of the specific program.  To view a list of program fees by program major please select "Program Fees" in the drop down to your left.

7. What is the Lab Fee?

This fee is assessed only to students taking a lab course and is used to support associated costs.

8. What is the Health Insurance Fee?

The College is mandated by law to provide health insurance and to assess a Health Insurance Fee to all students enrolled in nine or more credits once per academic year in the Fall or Spring only.  The Health Insurance Fee can be waived if the student has comparable health insurance coverage.

9. Can I waive any fees?

The Health Insurance Fee is the only fee that can be waived.

10. If I drop a course will I still be charged or will I get my money back?

Each semester the College has a specific refund policy tied to the semester add/drop dates. The Tuition & Fee Refund Policy can be found on your billing notification, in the college booklet, on The Q and in the Business Office. Please refer to that policy for exact dates and penalties. If you are not attending one or more of your classes you need to drop the class if you do not wish to be financially responsible for the charges. Please contact the Advising Center by email at advising [at] qcc.mass.edu or by phone at 508.854.4308 to officially drop any class that you do not plan to attend before the end of the published add/drop period. If you are receiving a financial aid award please consult with the Financial Aid Office before dropping as your financial aid eligibility may be affected. 

11. How do I pay my bill?

To VIEW/PAY your bill log into The Q: on the Welcome page to the right under Quick Links select View/Pay My Bill, then to the right under My Payment Account select My Account Balances, then select Make A Payment. The first time you use this system you will be asked to create an account.  Once that account is created and you select Make A Payment you will be routed to our third party payment portal managed by Nelnet Campus Commerce (customer service 1.800.609.8056).  Here you can make one time payments or when available set up a payment plan for an upcoming semester.  If you have questions concerning your bill or payment please contact the Business Office by phone at 508.854.4560 or by email at businessoffice [at] qcc.mass.edu from your QCC student email account – please include your student ID. Please note the college no longer accepts credit cards in the office or over the phone for student account payments.

12. Does the College offer payment plans?

The College offers a number of on-line payment plan options each semester (except Winter/Intersession). For additional information you can log into The Q or email businessoffice [at] qcc.mass.edu .

13. How can my parent or guardian gain access to my billing information?

In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Quinsigamond Community College policy, the Business Office cannot release any information pertaining to a student’s record. In order for any information to be released to anyone, other than the student, the student must provide our office with written consent. The student can complete the Authorization to Release Information Form and return directly to the Business Office. We can only accept the FERPA document directly from the student in person or scanned and emailed to our office from the student's email account.  This FERPA is for Business Office use only. The student needs to provide a separate FERPA form to the Financial Aid Office.

14. When will my financial aid refund check be ready?

You’ll receive a check for your excess financial aid award after all charges have been paid to the College. As funds become available a refund check will be processed and mailed to the address on your student account. Depending on when funds are received some students will receive multiple refund checks throughout the semester.  You will receive an email notification to your student email account when a refund check has been processed and mailed.

15.  How are outside scholarships paid to student accounts? 

Third-party and outside scholarship funds will be applied to the student's account for the semester in which the award is given. If the student has sufficient funding that there is no balance due to the College in that semester, QCC will contact the funding source and ask if the funds can be refunded to the student or if the funds must be returned to the funding source and QCC will act accordingly.  The College will no longer hold over funds from one semester or academic year to the next.