Tuition Payment FAQs

When is tuition due?

Tuition payments are due on or before the first day of the term.

Is there a late payment fee?

Yes. Payments not made by the first day of the term will be assessed a late payment fee.

If I drop a class or classes after the refund drop date, will I get a prorated tuition refund?

No, tuition for classes dropped after the refund date is non-refundable. However, if a student withdraws completely from the College and completes the applicable withdrawal process, then the tuition will be prorated according to the amount of the term completed. (There is no refund after 60% of the term is completed.)

Are financial aid advances available?

As a general rule, financial aid advances are not available.

When are financial aid excess checks available?

Excess financial aid checks are issued under the latter of these two circumstances:

• After financial aid money has arrived and an excess has been created in your account.
• After the last day to drop classes with a refund.

Is there a payment plan available?

Yes, contact the Business Office for further information.

How can I access my undistributed financial aid to purchase textbooks?

You may submit an electronic request form for a book voucher. Click here for details and to complete the online form. After you have completed the request form it is submitted directly from the website to the Mercy College Business Office.

What should I know about Mercy College's online payments?

All Mercy College payments are now processed so that they appear in MyMercy immediately. Students can now pay online as well as stopping in to see Laurie in person. Checks DO NOT have processing fees, but credit cards now DO.

How can I pay online?

In MyMercy you can pay with a checking account (Mercy College will absorb any processing fees), or you can pay with a credit card (or with a debit card that can be processed as a credit transaction). Card transactions will have a 2.55% processing fee that you must also pay.

1. Log into MyMercy and check your statement online to see what you owe. Remember that if you have a payment plan, that the total balance will be shown and not the amount for your next payment installment.
2. Choose the option to Make a Payment. Adjust the balance to be what you need to pay as per your statement. Also choose your method of payment.
3. Confirm your payment information and account as appropriate to the payment method and continue. You may be prompted for billing address information for the checking account or the credit card.
4. You will receive a confirmation or error. Confirmed payments will be reflected in MyMercy immediately.

Are there processing fees? If so, how much are they?

Checking accounts used for payment do have a processing fee, but Mercy College will pay the fee for you. However, credit card and debit card transactions will have a processing fee that is based on 2.55% of the total amount being paid. There is a minimum fee of $1.00 for such transactions.

Is 2.55% a lot for a processing fee?

It adds up. Consider: full time tuition is around $8,000.00. The processing fee on an $8,000.00 credit card payment to Mercy College will be over $200.00!

How can I avoid that processing fee when making a payment?

Pay with a checking account. Only when using a credit card (or a debit card processed as a credit card) are processing fees assigned.

Can I pay with a debit card?

Yes, but it will be processed as a credit card by our payment provider.

Which credit cards does Mercy College accept?

We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover.

Can I still come in and pay in person?

Yes, you can still come to campus and pay with cash, money order, checks, and credit/debit cards. However, credit/debit cards will still have a 2.55% fee.

Paying by credit card takes me to another site. Why is that?

We are partnering with Official Payments (also known as OPC or ACI) as our online payment provider. The College never handles your actual credit card information. Official Payments does. They are a legitimate, PCI compliant company, and they process many thousands of payments daily throughout the United States.

If I have a question about online payments, who do I contact?

If you have a question about the amount you are being billed, please contact Laurie in the Business Office at (515) 643-6603. If you have a technical question about the online payment process, please contact IT at (515) 473-8158.