Billing and Financial Aid

When will I be billed?

The Office of Student Finance bills on the 10th of each month. Once you are registered, your tuition charges will post to your Northwestern University Customer Account and an invoice will generate with the next billing cycle. The new charges on the invoice are due on the first business day of the following month.

Note: Other offices at the university also post charges to your Northwestern University Customer Account such as campus housing, parking permits and library fines. An invoice may generate as often as once a month if there has been any activity on your Northwestern University Customer Account since the prior billing cycle or if there is a balance (credit or debit) other than zero.

How do I access my bill?

You will receive an email notification (at your Northwestern email address) when a new invoice is ready for viewing on QuikPAY®.
To access QuikPAY®, log into CAESAR and select Account and Payments > View or Pay Tuition Bill.
Although QuikPAY® is updated at most once a month (when the bills generate), you may always view the current balance on your Northwestern University Customer Account in CAESAR at Account and Payments > View My Account.
See the Student Finance website for additional details.

Will my financial aid appear on the invoice?

Tuition scholarships, fellowships, grants, health insurance subsidies (if applicable) and student loan credits will all be listed as individual line items on your Northwestern University Customer Account and will appear on the first invoice that generates after the funds are entered in CAESAR.
Your stipend (if applicable) will not be reflected on the invoice as these funds are paid directly to you through the Payroll Office.
Any financial aid that has not yet been received (student loans for example) may appear on your invoice as anticipated aid until the funds are disbursed.
You do not need to pay any balance that is covered by anticipated credit; your Adjusted Balance is zero or less.

How do I pay my balance due?

If the total charges on your tuition invoice exceed the total credits (actual and anticipated), the balance due is your responsibility.
Payments can be made electronically (echeck), by check or money order through the mail, or in person at Depository Services. See Payment Methods for more information.
The easiest way to make your payment is online via QuikPAY®. This service allows you to make convenient and secure electronic payments using bank accounts and credit cards* from banks located in the United States.
To access QuikPAY®, log into CAESAR and select Account and Payments > View or Pay Tuition Bill.

*Payments made by credit card are charged a convenience fee.

Can someone else view and/or pay my bill?

Due to federal law (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act – FERPA), you must provide authorization for anyone who wants access to your information.
When you provide an individual with Guest Access via CAESAR at Profile > Manage Guest Access, you are in complete control of the degree of access granted to that person.

How do I determine my loan status?

Once you have received an email notice regarding your loan offer, you may view your loans on CAESAR at Financial Aid > View My Financial Aid.
Your To Do List on CAESAR will provide instructions for completing any outstanding loan requirements. Once completed, an item on your To Do List will be updated to "COMPLETED!" within a few days.

How and when can I access my loan funds if I have a credit balance on my Student Account?

Starting on the first day of each quarter, you can obtain a refund of the actual credit on your Northwestern University Customer Account. See the Student Finance website for additional details.

Cash: You may obtain a cash voucher for amounts of $300.00 or less from Student Finance. The cash voucher must be redeemed the same day at Depository Services. A current Wildcard ID is required.

Can I cancel or reduce my loans if I decide later that I borrowed too much?

Yes, you can reduce or cancel your loans any time during the academic year by contacting our office. You will accrue less interest and have lower monthly payments down the road if you borrow only what you need while you are in school. Please communicate your intentions clearly. For example:

You can specify an amount: "I want my loans reduced so that I have exactly $10,000 per quarter."
You can indicate what you want your loans to cover: "I want enough loan funds to cover my tuition each quarter and have a surplus credit of $500 for books."
You can cancel loans for individual quarters: "Cancel my loan disbursements for the Spring 2020 term only."

We will always reduce the highest interest rate loans first (within federal regulations). If loan funds are returned to the U.S. Dept. of Education within 120 days (i.e. before the end of the quarter), all accrued interest and origination fees are reversed.

If your loan funds have already disbursed and you have received a refund of the surplus credit for that term, we can still process a loan reduction or cancellation. You will first need to make a payment (via CAESAR at Account and Payments > View or Pay Tuition Bill) to restore the credit balance in your Northwestern University Customer Account. Once your Northwestern University Customer Account reflects the credit at Account and Payments > View My Account, send your adjustment request to our office.

You may also make a payment directly to your federal loan servicer to reduce your student loan balance. Be sure to instruct them regarding the loan to which you want the payment applied. (Note: payments made to your loan servicer will not be reflected in CAESAR.)

Finally, if your plans change, our office can reinstate your canceled/reduced loans (within federal regulations) as long as you are currently enrolled at least half-time (1.5 credits/units).