Prepayment Plan FAQ
General information
What is a prepayment plan, and how is it different from a deferred payment plan?
With a prepayment plan you are making payments before a balance becomes due. With a deferred payment plan, you are making payments after a balance is due.
Initial setup
How do I know whether I’m eligible for a prepayment plan?
For undergraduates: When you are on the View & Pay Accounts screen in CAESAR/QuikPAY, you will see a message saying, “Did you know that you may be eligible for a payment plan?”
For all other students: Contact our office at studentaccounts-ev@northwestern.edu, studentaccounts-chicago@northwestern.edu, or 847-491-5224, to see if you are a good candidate for a prepayment plan.
How do I enroll in a prepayment plan?
What is the cost for enrolling in a prepayment plan?
There is a $55 enrollment fee per plan.
What is the deadline for signing up for a prepayment plan?
You can sign up throughout the academic year, as long as months remain for submitting prepayments for an upcoming term. Please note that enrollment in the prepayment plan is for future term charges, and the sooner you enroll the more benefit you will get. On this help page, scroll down to see target dates.
What happens to the enrollment fee if I decide to cancel?
An enrollment fee is paid when enrolling in a prepayment plan; it is not returned if you cancel your plan.
How is my down payment amount determined?
The down payment amount is a one-month portion of total payments available for the upcoming term, depending on the plan enrollment date.
Enroll for a quarter plan on July 15 allows 3 total payments for the Fall quarter: 1 online down payment and 2 scheduled monthly payments, resulting in a 33% down payment for the Fall quarter budget.
Enroll for a quarter plan on July 16 allows 2 total payments for the Fall quarter: 1 online down payment and 1 scheduled monthly payments, resulting in a 50% down payment for the Fall quarter budget.
Budget and payments
Where can I find the budget worksheet?
The budget worksheet can be
found on our website as well as within the prepayment plan enrollment screens in QuikPAY.
How should I set up my budget initially?
On the budget calculator, estimate the charges and credits you're expecting for the upcoming term.
Do I include work study in my prepayment plan budget?
No, work study funds will be paid directly to the student and should not be included in your budget worksheet.
Can I use the prepayment plan to spread out the cost of my SHIP premium so it’s not all due in the Fall?
The SHIP premium is charged on the first invoice of the Fall term, and is due in full with tuition for that term. Because a prepayment plan does not defer due dates (see the first question on this FAQ for more details), you cannot extend payments for the SHIP premium into the rest of the year. If you sign up for the prepayment plan in the summer, you can spread out the cost of the SHIP premium into three payments, but they will all be due by the Fall deadline for your program.
How do I know if my prepayment plan budget is accurate?
After August 10, log into CAESAR (using your guest or student access) and go to View My Account to see the quarterly tuition/fees and the Received Prepay Funds. The Grand Total line at the top of the page will indicate whether there is a shortfall (positive balance) or a surplus (negative balance). Note: the final prepayment for the term will post to the account before September 10.
How can I make changes to my prepayment plan budget once I have set up the plan?
When there are changes in credits or charges on your account that are different from what you initially budgeted, your plan amount can be adjusted up or down as needed. You can make adjustments to your budget by going to CAESAR > View or Pay Tuition Bill > Payment Plan > Agreement ID# > Payment Plan Installments, and select 'Adjust Balance'.
How do I see what payments I’ve made on my prepayment plan?
The QuikPAY Payments Plans section of your account shows all payments made towards your prepayment plan. These payments will not be applied to your actual account balance until the charges for that term have been generated.
When will prepayments be applied to the charges on my tuition and fees account?
Your account will show the received prepayments for the upcoming term shortly before the first tuition bill of the term, and shortly after the payment due date, with eBill availability and payment due dates corresponding to the academic calendar of your school. There is no penalty for the few days between the payment due date and the date when received prepayment funds are posted.