Money Matters

Tuition and Fees

Students must pay all tuition and fees or set up a payment plan by the published Payment Due date for each semester. NWACC offers payment plans that allow students to spread tuition payments over a period of time; it is not a loan. See the Payment for more details. Students that have applied for financial aid and are awaiting word on their eligibility will need to pay for classes themselves by the Payment Due Date or their classes will be dropped for non-payment.

Residency Requirements for Fee Assessment

NWACC determines a student’s legal residency for tuition at the time of admissions to the college. For all residency classifications, students must be a legal resident on the first day of class for that semester, as well as meeting the six-month residency requirement.

In-district refers to someone living within the Bentonville/Rogers school district.

Out-of-District or Contiguous refers to someone living in Arkansas, but not within the Bentonville/Rogers school district. Students who are current residents in Adair and Delaware counties in Oklahoma, and Barry and McDonald counties in Missouri.

Out-of-State residents refers to someone who has not lived in Arkansas for six consecutive months prior to the first day of class but are citizens or legal residents of the U.S. Students without a social security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) on file will be classified as out-of-state residents and will be charged the out of state tuition rate, in accordance with Federal Law 8 U.S.C. Section 1623.

International residents refers to an international student if they are not a U.S. citizen or legal resident and have met all requirements as enforced by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. For the most current Residency Classifications Policy (4019), refer to the NWACC policy database.

To Reclassify Your Residency

Need to change your residency to adjust your tuition rate? Complete the Tuition Change Form and provide the appropriate documentation to the Enrollment Support Center. Documentation must contain the following:

• Student Name
• Student’s physical address (no PO Box) with a date at least six (6) months prior to the first day of class (note: changing mailing address does not establish legal residency)
• Updates to SSN/ITIN information, require presenting your social security card/individual taxpayer identification number card

Residency reclassifications received prior to the “official day” of the semester (tenth class day fall/spring; fifth class day for summer) will update a student’s residency for the current semester. Residency reclassifications received after the “official day” will be updated for the next semester. A student’s residency will not be lowered for previous semesters.

Fees and Tuition

Paying for college is an important aspect of realizing your academic goals. Our affordable tuition helps you keep costs low as you pursue your education.

Tuition per Credit Hour (based on residency per credit hour)

Certain divisions assess differential tuition based on your program of study.

Health Profession

Administrative Fees

General Student Fees (per credit hour)

General Student Fees (per semester)

Course Fees (list is not exhaustive, please refer to course descriptions for further fee details)

Testing Center Services and Fees (per exam)

For updates & additional information, visit NWACC Testing Center.

Insurance Fees (per year)

Insurance fees will cover students in the health professions programs below for their malpractice insurance.
(Note: All insurance costs are subject to change)

Payment Policy

Students must have one of these payment arrangements in place by the payment due date or your class registration may be canceled. If you are unable to attend, it is up to you to drop your courses. The only way to get a 100% credit of tuition and fee charges is to drop your courses by the add/drop deadline. If you remain registered past the add/drop deadline, you are no longer eligible for a 100% credit of tuition and mandatory fees. Once classes begin, non-attendance or non-payment does not release the student from their responsibility and may result in failing grades being awarded.

Student Obligation

By registering for classes at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, you agree to assume financial responsibility for all charges billed to your student account including, but not limited to tuition, course fees, books, parking and library fines, late fees, and returned checks. You understand NWACC is advancing value to you in the form of educational services and that your right to register is expressly conditioned upon your agreement to pay these student obligations. You acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to the following provisions:

• Financial Aid: If your federal or institutional financial aid is either not received by NWACC or you later lose eligibility to retain financial aid for the semester, you assume responsibility for paying all student obligations for this term.
• Third Party: If your third-party sponsor (military, employer, governmental agency, etc.) fails to pay NWACC, you assume responsibility for paying the amount the sponsor originally promised to pay on your behalf.
• Hold on Student Account: A “HOLD” will be placed on your records if your student obligations remain unpaid, which will prevent your ability to register for future semesters, add classes for the current term, receive grades and test scores, and receive official/unofficial transcripts.
• Collection Information: NWACC or its designated collection agency may use an automated calling system and pre-recorded voice or text messages to contact you by phone regarding any outstanding account to any current or future phone number you have provided to the college, including any number to a cellular phone or wireless device.
• Credit Reporting: Delinquent debts may be reported to a credit bureau and referred to collection agencies and pursued through legal action against you. You agree to pay all reasonable costs and expenses of collecting unpaid charges, including collection agency fees (which may be based on a percentage up to a maximum of 25% of the debt), attorney fees and court costs. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with Arkansas law and you consent to the jurisdiction of the District Court of Benton County, Arkansas, or the Federal District Court of Western Arkansas regardless of your domicile at the time of such suit.

Refer to NWACC Delinquent Accounts Policy (6007) for additional details.
Refer to NWACC Obligation for Payment of Tuition and Fees Policy (6006) for additional details.

Methods of Paying Tuition and Fees

Current students can pay on-line by accessing TouchNet through My NWACC Connection: LaunchPad > EagleNet > Treasurer’s Office > TouchNet eServices. You can also pay at the Treasurer’s Office with cash or check.

Credit/Debit Card payments are no longer accepted by telephone or in person at the Treasurer’s Office.

By Mail

Be sure to include the student’s legal name or student ID on all correspondence (checks, cashier’s checks, etc.) Please send payment to the following address:
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
ATTN: Treasurer’s Office
One College Drive
Bentonville, AR 72712

In Person

Pay in person at the Treasurer’s Office located on the second floor of the Student Center. Office hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. An after-hours drop box is located at the Treasurer’s Office Window. When using the after-hours drop box, be sure to include the student’s name or student ID with any after-hour’s payments. DO NOT deposit CASH into the after-hours drop box.

Please note: Your check may be converted into an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) transaction for clearing through an electronic payment network, such as the Automated Clearing House (ACH). By providing us with your completed signed check, you authorize us to make an EFT payment from your account in the same amount as the check. An EFT payment is processed faster than a regular check. Therefore, make certain there are sufficient funds available in your checking account. Our system will make three attempts at processing your payment. Regular bank fees apply. Check with your bank to review its fee policy. Additional attempts may result in additional charges by your financial institution. You should contact your financial institution immediately if you believe you were charged an incorrect amount.

Online with TouchNet

Students and authorized users can pay online through a checking or savings account or with a debit/credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express). Online payment plans are also available for spring, summer, and fall terms (see information in the Payment Plan section below).

Due to changes in credit card processing, the cost to do so has consistently increased over the past several years. The credit card processor fee or the convenience fee is 2.95%.  For a number of years, NWACC absorbed credit card convenience fees on behalf of its students. Because of the increased use of credit cards for online payments for tuition and fees, the cost to the college to continue this practice has become prohibitive. For additional information, please visit NWACC Fees and Tuition/Convenience Fee.

Authorized Users

Student Information:
Students may authorize others (parent, employer, etc.) in Touchnet to view their NWACC bill and/or pay their tuition. Students and authorized users have their own separate login and password; also, students and authorized users are not able to view each other’s bank account or credit card information. You may set up multiple authorized users, and you may remove authorized users at any time in Touchnet.

Authorized User Information:
Once the student has added your email address as an authorized user for his/her account, you will receive an email. The email will provide your temporary password and the link to login as an authorized user.
As an authorized user, you will be able to make a payment or enroll in a payment plan (if your student meets the plan’s criteria). You may also view billing statements and payment history if your student has granted it. If multiple students have made you an authorized user, you will see a list of those students when you log in. You may either select a student to see individual information, or you may pay for all the students at once.

Third-Party Billing

If a third party (employer or a government agency) will be paying tuition and fees on behalf of a student directly to NWACC, a letter of authorization to invoice the employer or agency must be received in the Treasurer’s’ Office by the student’s published payment due date. Any part of the tuition and fees not covered by the third party must also be paid by the published payment due date. The Treasurers’ Office must have a letter of authorization to invoice the employer or agency for each semester.
NOTE: An individual may not be invoiced as a third party.

The letter of authorization to invoice should contain the following:

• Student’s Name
• Student’s social security number or ID number
• Third party name and address (letterhead is sufficient)
• Detail of covered expenses (tuition, fees, etc.)
• Maximum dollar amount
• Semester covered by third party

If the letter of authorization is not received by the published payment due date, the student will be responsible for the balance in full. Any charges not approved or paid by the third party will be placed back onto the student’s account, as well as all charges are the responsibility of the student.

By Scholarship

Students receiving an EXTERNAL scholarship, must have an award letter* on file with the Scholarship coordinator and awarded to their student account OR the scholarship check must be received in the Cashiers Office by the published payment due date. Any part of the tuition and fees not covered by the scholarship must be paid in full or a payment plan set up by the payment due date. The scholarship award letter should contain the same information as required by a third party billing (see #5 above).

By Waiver

A variety of waivers are available to students who meet the necessary criteria. Waiver forms are available at the Cashiers Office located in the Student Center.

Early College Experience Instructor Tuition Waiver
Early College Experience (ECE) instructors at partner high schools, each spouse, and dependent children may earn a tuition waiver for up to three (3) credit hours per family for the semester they are the instructor of record for an Early College Experience class at the high schools offered by NWACC. Refer to NWACC ECE Instructor Waiver Policy (5005.4) for additional details.

Employee Waiver
All NorthWest Arkansas Community College employees, their spouses, and their dependent children are eligible to receive a tuition waiver. The employee tuition waiver is for tuition and infrastructure fee only.  Full-time employees may receive up to twelve (12) credit hours of tuition per semester and part- time employees may receive up to three (3) credit hours of tuition per semester.
Eligible employees must meet the following criteria:

• The employee must be employed on the first day of classes and remain employed by NWACC in a budgeted position that is scheduled to continue through the last day of classes for the requested semester.
• The employee and/or spouse or dependents must meet the requirements for admission into the class/classes and not have a past-due balance for tuition or fees.
• Differential tuition programs will receive scholarships as defined in the Exceptions section of the policy.

Refer to NWACC Employee Waiver Policy (5005.2) for additional details.

GED®/ELL Waiver
Students receiving a GED® from NWACC Adult Education Department or completing 40 hours of advanced English Language Learning courses may qualify for up to a 4 credit hour tuition waiver to take a credit course from NWACC. Students should inquire about the waiver at the Adult Education Center.

Golden Age Waiver
Students who are 60 (sixty) years of age and older at the time of registration may be eligible for a tuition and general fee waiver (Golden Age Tuition Waiver). Qualified students that meet admission requirements may be admitted as degree or non-degree seeking. The Golden Age Tuition Waiver is available to residents of the state of Arkansas and may not be used in conjunction with other financial aid or College policies which reduce tuition and fees.

Registration using the Golden Age Tuition Waiver is limited to the last three days prior to the beginning of the semester. Students who do not wish to register on a space available basis during the “Golden Age” registration period may pay tuition and fees and register during priority registration.
Refer to NWACC Golden Age Waiver Policy (4008.2) for additional details.

In-District Teacher Waiver
NorthWest Arkansas Community College will waive up to three hours of credit course tuition per term for students who are currently employed as full-time Arkansas certified teachers in the Bentonville or Rogers School districts.
Refer to NWACC In-District Teacher Waiver Policy (4008.4) for additional details.

Native American Tuition Waiver
Native American people in other states belonging to tribes which formerly lived in Arkansas before relocation, and whose names are on the rolls in tribal headquarters, shall be classified as in-state students of Arkansas. Tribes so identified include the Caddo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Delaware, Kickapoo, Osage, Quapaw, Shawnee, and Tunica Tribes.

Therefore, for documented members of the above named tribes, NorthWest Arkansas Community College will waive additional tuition charges applied to non- residents of Arkansas. To qualify for this waiver, students must submit a notarized photocopy of the Degree of Indian Blood Card that documents tribal membership in one of the specified tribes.

Book Credit

Book credit is available for students receiving an external scholarship or financial aid in excess of the total for tuition and fees. Book credit is obtainable at the NWACC Bookstore located in the Student Center. Please refer to the NWACC Schedule of Credit Classes or visit the Treasurer’s Office web page at https://www.nwacc.edu/ for the dates book credits are available for a given semester.

Semester Payment Plan Details

The semester payment plan option is for ALL charges on your student account, including but not limited to: tuition, course fees, books, parking and library fines, and testing fees. Enrollment in the semester payment plan is elected on a semester-by-semester basis, with payments spread out over the semester. The monthly payment amount is recalculated each time there is a new transaction posted to the student account.

Therefore, your payment amount may vary each month. The student or the authorized user will be notified each time the payment amount changes.

• Partial payments do not automatically enroll you in a payment plan.
• You must select the payment method, pay the $30 nonrefundable fee, and sign the agreement to be enrolled in the payment plan.
• Installments are due on the dates specified in the payment plan user agreement. Payment plan recalculations stop 10 days prior to an installment processing. Activity posted on an account during this time will not be reflected in the current monthly payment, but will be included in the recalculation in the following month(s).
• If you have a balance from past terms or semesters, please contact the Treasurer’s Office.

Returned Payments

If your payment is returned by the bank for the following reasons:

• Insufficient Funds
• Closed or invalid account
• Stop payment or unauthorized payment
• Expired credit/debit card

The following actions will occur:

• The student account will be assessed a $25 returned payment fee.
• A “HOLD” will be placed on the student’s records until the student, authorized user, or third party pays the amount of the returned payment, plus the $25 returned item fee with either: cash, money order, or valid credit/debit card.
• The NWACC Treasurer’s Office will notify the student by email and by letter if a check payment is returned on a student account.
• If payment is not made to the college within 10 business days, the matter may be referred to the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office.
• If a student has had more than one check returned, the college will refuse to accept checks.

Effect on Tuition and Fees of Adding or Dropping Classes

Classes with the same number of credit hours that are dropped and added simultaneously will be treated as an even exchange of tuition and fees during the refund periods of each semester. For classes with different total credit hours that are dropped and added simultaneously, students will receive the appropriate credit/refund of tuition and fees percentage for the dropped class or pay the total tuition and fees for the added classes.

Cancelled Classes

Students who are enrolled in classes that have been canceled will receive a 100% credit/refund of tuition and fees for the canceled classes.

Refunds

Students may be eligible for a refund if they officially drop from classes within the specified refund periods (see Important Academic Dates). An official drop is completed when the “drop-add” form has been properly processed by the student or drops online.

If tuition and fees were paid by cash, check, e-check, or credit/debit card, a refund will generate after the registration period ends (approximately 4-6 weeks for fall & spring terms and approximately 2-3 weeks for summer terms). Refunds can be deposited electronically into your bank account if you have established a payment election account through Workday. Students without a bank account on file will receive a refund by check, which may be delayed up to 2 weeks. Mailed refund checks will be sent to the current primary mailing address on file with the Enrollment Support Center. You can setup a refund profile to receive funds electronically through My NWACC and Workday.

Students that drop all classes in the 80% refund period will only have tuition and fees refunded at 80%. The infrastructure fee and the registration fee are non-refundable during the 80% drop period.

After the official census date of the semester, electronic refunds are processed every Tuesday and refund checks are processed every Thursday. For more information, review the NWACC Treasurer’s Office.

All refunds will be electronically deposited or a check mailed to students; refund checks cannot be picked up.
Note: For those students who do not officially drop from classes, no credit/refund of tuition and fees will be made.

Questions concerning tuition and fee appeals (credit/ refund of tuition and fees after the 80% drop period) may be brought to the Enrollment Support Center.

Scholarships

Awards are based on financial need, academic achievement, and a variety of factors. Scholarship information is available on NWACC Scholarships or the Scholarship Coordinator at (479) 986-4050.

Office of Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office administers Title IV aid that includes the Pell grant, Federal Direct Loan Program, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and the Federal Work-Study Program. In addition, our office processes state financial aid administered by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. Our official form of communication with students is by their NWACC email address. The Enrollment Support Center is located on the second floor of the Student Center. We can be reached at (479) 986-4000 or by email at enrollmentsupport@nwacc.edu.

Applying for Financial Aid

Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal financial aid programs. Completion of the FAFSA is also required for students applying for state financial aid programs. Students may apply online at FAFSA. NWACC’s school code is 030633. Students are encouraged to apply early.

Financial Aid

There are several types of financial aid available to NWACC students. Aid may include grants, loans, scholarships, and employment.

Grants: Financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund).
Loans: Borrowed money that must be repaid with interest.
Scholarships: Gift aid with eligibility based on academic achievements, skills or merit.
Work-Study: Part-time on and off campus and community service jobs that allow the student to earn money to help pay for school.
Refer to NWACC Financial Aid Policy (4007) for additional details.

Federal Aid

The U.S. Department of Education awards about $150 billion a year to more than 14 million students. Federal student aid covers such expenses as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Most awards are based on financial need. Federal student aid includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Direct Loans and the Federal Work Study program. Visit Federal Student Aid for more information about these programs and how to apply.

Arkansas State Aid

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) provides loans, grants and scholarships to Arkansas residents enrolled at NWACC. The most notable scholarship is the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship funded by lottery proceeds. For information on how to apply for state aid, visit State of Arkansas Scholarship Application Management System (SAMS). The deadline to apply is July 1.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Federal Regulations state a student must be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible degree program and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to receive Federal Student Aid. A regular student is someone who is enrolled for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate in an eligible program at NWACC. All hours attempted at or transferred in to NWACC will be counted as part of a student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress regardless if they have received Federal Aid for the hours or not. A student maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress by meeting minimum qualitative and quantitative requirements as outlined in NWACC Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Veterans Services

The Office of Veteran Services is responsible for assisting veterans, military service members and their dependents regardless of eligibility of GI BILL® benefits. Eligible NWACC students may qualify for the GI BILL®, the Veteran Readiness & Employment program (CH. 31), Dependent Education Assistance benefits (Ch. 35), Guard or Reserve tuition assistance programs, or other types of Veterans Administration (VA) assistance. Veterans who access VA benefits should be aware of VA regulations governing academic standards.

Arkansas State Approving Agency (SAA)

NorthWest Arkansas Community College is approved annually by the Arkansas State Approving Agency (SAA) for the training of eligible veterans and/or their dependents. Compliance audits concerning student’s educational progress and administration of federal funds are performed annually by the State Approving Agency and the Education Liaison Representative (ELR) offices. The following regulations have been implemented by NWACC per State Approving Agency (SSA) regulations: Addendum #1: Pending Payment Compliance, Title 38 US Code 3679(c) and Addendum #2: In-State Tuition Regulations. Full descriptions of these addendums can be located in the Veterans Services Center SAA accredited approval packet in SC 114F.

Important Information for Veterans

Veteran students are responsible to pay in full all account balances owed to NWACC or set up a payment plan with TouchNet according to the published payment dates for all semester/terms. Veterans are responsible for notifying the Director of Veterans Services if they stop attending or participating in class, class is dropped or if the student withdraws completely from the college, to avoid an overpayment to the VA. Students who access VA benefits should be aware of VA regulations governing academic standards. Students may stop by the Office of Veterans Services or call (479) 619-2273 if they have questions regarding their benefits, eligibility, file status or VA regulations.

Refer to NWACC Treasurer’s Office for the most current information pertaining to NWACC Fees and Tuition, Residency Requirements, Payment Due Dates, Paying your Fees, Refunds, and/or Student Financial Responsibilities.