Office of Student Accounts

Bard Budget Plan 2008–09

• About the Bard Budget Plan
• How to Enroll
• Terms and Conditions
• Charges Not Financed Through BBP
• Financial Clearance
• Payment Due Dates
• Application and Complete Budget Plan Packet
• Mailing and Contact

About the Bard Budget Plan

The Bard Budget Plan allows student account payments for tuition, room, board, and required fees to be made in 10 equal installments from June through the following March. The plan participant receives a statement each month. In order to maintain enrollment in the BBP, a participant's account must be kept current each month.

The BBP is an alternative payment system. No tuition insurance, life insurance, or benefits are included.

A $50 annual application fee covers administration of the plan, and is due by May 30. This once-a-year, nonrefundable fee must accompany the application; it is not reflected in the installment amount. For applications submitted in June, this fee is $65. Budget Plan applications will not be processed if the fee does not accompany the application. No application for the Bard Budget Plan will be accepted after June 30, 2008.

How to Enroll

This page contains a Budget Plan worksheet and application that is used to determine the monthly payment. Use the annual charges given in the schedule of allowable expenses and the approved financial aid awards to complete the worksheet.

If a student plans to use a scholarship or grant that is not listed in a Bard College financial aid awards letter, a letter of intent from the scholarship's sponsor must accompany the application.

Please remember that a participant who enrolls in the plan late, that is, during the month of June, must submit a $65 application fee, any letters of intent, and the payment due for June. Applications will not be accepted after June 30, 2008.

Please Note: The completed worksheet and application must be signed and mailed to the Office of Student Accounts along with the application fee. On-line submission is not available and faxed applications cannot be processed.

Terms and Conditions

Payment terms
BBP payments are due by the date appearing on each monthly statement. All amounts billed on the student's current account statement that are not covered by the BBP or financial aid are also due and payable by the date appearing on the statement. The first BBP payment is due by the end of June. Please note especially that the August 2008 payment is due by August 22 and the January 2009 payment is due by January 16. Enrollments after May 30 will be accepted if an initial payment equal to the amount required to cover all missed payments is made at the time the application is filed. (Applications submitted in June must include the June payment.)

Late payments
In order to cover the administrative expenses incurred by processing late payments, Bard College bills a finance charge of 1 percent of the payment amount. Late fees appear on the student's current account statement and are subject to its terms and conditions for payment. Accounts that are 15 days past due are subject to an additional $25 late charge. Bard reserves the right to terminate the plan in the case of two or more late payments. If the College exercises this option, any unpaid portion is reported on the student's current account statement and is subject to the terms and conditions of the Retail Credit Disclosure Agreement.

Financial Aid
Financial aid that is listed in an awards letter and has been approved by the Financial Aid Office is credited on billing statements by that office, not by the Office of Student Accounts. Financial aid credits are listed only if all required pertinent items have been submitted to and approved by the Financial Aid Office. Payment in lieu of missing financial aid is due as billed on the statement and is subject to late charges if not received by the due date. Parent and student loans (PLUS, CitiAssist, Key, Signature, Stafford, and the like) are credited to a student's account only if Bard receives written confirmation of approval from the lending agencies. College stipend, work-study, and campus employment funding cannot be used as credits in calculating the monthly BBP installment.

Deposit
The $500 annual deposit is due by May 1, 2008. It cannot be financed through the Bard Budget Plan. This deposit may be applied to the final monthly installment for the year (March 31) or left on the account to be used for the following academic year's deposit.

Changes
The contract amount may be increased or decreased once without cost. Subsequent changes, made either to reflect newly approved financial aid or at the request of the participant, will be made at a cost of $10 for each additional change.

Credit Balances
Until the Bard Budget Plan contract is paid in full, no refunds will be issued from a student's current account if a credit balance would result.

Charges Not Financed Through BBP

The following charges cannot be financed through the BBP. The annual deposit is due by May 1. The new students' fees should be paid separately, along with the June installment.

Annual deposit: $500
New students' fees, as follows:
Language and Thinking Workshop meal charge: $650
Security deposit: $225
ID card fee: $5

Financial Clearance

Students' accounts must be current and financially cleared prior to scheduled registration, room draw, and start-of-term dates. The financial clearance dates are noted on statements and letters sent both to parents or guardians and to students prior to the scheduled events. Accounts not financially cleared prior to these dates are subject to financial holds and late charges. We encourage you to call the Office of Student Accounts in advance of these dates to verify the financial clearance status of the account, in order to avoid unexpected complications.

Payment Due Dates

Bard Budget Plan Payment Due Dates 2008-09 Academic Year
Monthly installment payments are due by the dates noted below:

For the Fall 2008 Semester:
June 30
July 31
August 22
September 30
October 31

For the Spring 2009 Semester:
November 28, 2008
December 31, 2008
January 16, 2009
February 27, 2009
March 31, 2009

Application and Complete Budget Plan Packet

Click here to download a PDF of the BBP Instructions, Worksheet, and Application
Click here to download a PDF of BBP-Packet.pdf

Mailing and Contact

Mailing Information
Payment can be made by check, money order, wire, or cash. The Office of Student Accounts does not accept credit card payments. Make checks payable to Bard College and write the student's ID number on the check.

Mail payments to:

Bard College
Office of Student Accounts
PO Box 5000
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000

When using overnight services, send to:

Bard College
Office of Student Accounts
30 Campus Road
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000
Phone: 845-758-7520

Fax: 845-758-7336

Contact
For more information about Finances at Bard, contact the staff at the Office of Student Accounts:

• Kristin Betts, 845-758-7521, betts@bard.edu
• Carol Hosier, 845-758-7623, hosier@bard.edu
• Gwen Menshenfriend, 845-758-7520, gwen@bard.edu
• Viki Papadimitriou, 845-758-7520, viki@bard.edu

For information regarding financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at 845-758-7526.