FAQs for Current Students

What is a 1098-T?
The IRS Form 1098-T is an informational form filed with the Internal Revenue Service by eligible education institutions to report qualified tuition and related expenses, adjustments, and scholarships and grants during the calendar year.

Related expenses do not include:

• Charges and fees for housing, food, insurance, medical expenses, transportation, and similar personal, living, or family expenses. 
• Amounts paid for any course or other education involving sports, games, or hobbies, unless the course or other education is part of the student’s degree program or is taken to acquire or improve job skills

Scholarships and grants exclude payments from family members and loan proceeds

Payments are applied on the date received in office of the calendar year. Please be advised that if payments are received during the time the College is closed for holiday break in December, they may not be processed until January of the following calendar year.

Fall charges are applied in May and Spring charges are applied in October of the calendar year. Fall scholarships and grants are paid to the account in August/September and Spring scholarships and grants are paid to the account in January/February of the calendar year. 
 Do I have to file my 1098-T?
There is no IRS requirement that you must claim education deductions or credits on your personal taxes. Claiming education tax benefits is a voluntary decision for those who may qualify and should be discussed with a tax preparer or advisor.
 
Neither Bard nor ECSI can answer tax questions or provide tax advice, you must contact your tax professional.

When will I receive my 1098-T?
In January Bard College generates the IRS Form 1098-T and sends via USPS using a third party; Heartland ECSI; to students whose accounts were billed for tuition and applicable fees, as well as applicable payments received during the calendar tax year. Bard will no longer be reporting charges billed. The IRS tax laws state that all tax documents must be mailed or electronically available by January 31st. 

If you would like to receive your 1098-T electronically, you can do so by filling out the Electronic Consent Application located on Heartland ECSI's website. By signing up for an electronic version, no paper 1098-T statement will be mailed to you. When your statement is ready, an email will be sent to you with instructions on how to access your 1098-T statement online. In order to protect your privacy, the email will contain no information specific to you or your financial information. 

Disclaimer: If consent to receive the statement electronically is not received, a paper copy will be provided. This consent is for every subsequent year you are eligible to receive a tax statement. You can change your consent at any time by signing into your ECSI eConsent or by contacting ECSI. To view an electronic statement, the recipient will need to sign into their ECSI eConsent. All tax statements will be accessible on line for a minimum of 5 years.

I lost or did not receive my 1098-T in the mail, how can I obtain a copy?
If you did not receive or lost the physical copy of your 1098-T, you can obtain a copy online. For more information, see here.
 
I did not receive a 1098-T in the mail or online, can you explain why and how can I request one?
Per IRS regulations Bard is not required to send a 1098-T form to students if:

• Courses for which no academic credit is offered, even if the student is otherwise enrolled in a degree program;
• Nonresident alien students, unless requested by the student;
• Students whose qualified tuition and related expenses are entirely waived or paid entirely with scholarships; and
• Students for whom you do not maintain a separate financial account and whose qualified tuition and related expenses are covered by a formal billing arrangement between an institution and the student’s employer or a governmental entity, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense.

If a 1098-T was not generated, but you would like one, an emailed request to [email protected], must be received on or before March 1 of the 1098-T tax year that was processed in January that the form was generated. Please note that once the 1098-T is generated it cannot be retracted, as it is sent to the IRS.

Example: 2024 1098-T tax year, mailed January 2025; email required by March 1, 2025.
 
The Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) on my 1098-T is missing or incorrect. What should I do?
The IRS reporting requirement is that we include your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification (ITIN) when reporting Form 1098-T data. It is important that we have your complete and accurate information on file. The IRS requires that an institution files the statement without the individual’s SSN or ITIN, but with all other required information. We will leave the SSN box blank in cases of invalid SSN or ITIN numbers.
To update your SSN or ITIN, complete the IRS Form W-9, “Request for Student’s or Borrower’s Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification” and fax or mail it to our office. This form allows students to provide their correct SSN or ITIN to an educational institution. The form can be located on the IRS website here.
For students who do not have an SSN or ITIN on file by January 1st, the 1098-T may be generated with a blank in the SSN field and this information will be reported to the IRS. If you do not provide a valid SSN or ITIN, the IRS may fine you or require you to return the credits claimed if you fail to update your SSN or ITIN.

Additional Information
Information regarding 1098-T, can be found here. Also see Student Accounts Policies under the 1098-T Tax Information dropdown.

IRS Exceptions: Eligible educational institutions do not have to file Form 1098-T or furnish a statement for:

• Courses for which no academic credit is offered, even if the student is otherwise enrolled in a degree program;
• Nonresident alien students, unless requested by the student;
• Students whose qualified tuition and related expenses are entirely waived or paid entirely with scholarships; and
• Students for whom you do not maintain a separate financial account and whose qualified tuition and related expenses are covered by a formal billing arrangement between an institution and the student’s employer or a governmental entity, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense.

IRS: Qualified tuition and related expenses
Qualified tuition and related expenses are tuition, fees, and course materials required for a student to be enrolled at or attend an eligible educational institution. The following are not qualified tuition and related expenses.

• Amounts paid for any course or other education involving sports, games, or hobbies, unless the course or other education is part of the student’s degree program or is taken to acquire or improve job skills.
• Charges and fees for room, board, insurance, medical expenses (including student health fees), transportation, and similar personal, living, or family expenses.

What is a Flex account and how can I add money to it?
Students have the option of adding money to three different FLEX accounts; Flex Cafe, Flex Print, and Flex Bookstore. A flex account acts like a debit card to be used for purchases on campus. Flex accounts are managed by the Student Accounts Office. 

• The Flex Cafe account is for purchases outside of the board plans, including Bard Bucks, at any of the dining outlets on campus. Students using their flex cafe account are given a discount on their purchases, in the form of tax savings!  Flex accounts cannot replace a meal plan. Flex Cafe/Dining has a $50 minimum requirement
• The Flex Print account is for purchases outside of the Bard Print funds ($37.50) given by the College each semester and can be used at any of the printing outlets on campus. Flex Print has a $10 minimum requirement.
• The Flex Bookstore account is for purchases at the Bookstore located on campus in the Bertelsmann Campus Center. Flex Bookstore does not have a minimum requirement.

If you would like to add money to your Flex Cafe, Flex Print, and/or Flex Bookstore account(s), payment can be made on your online student account. Once logged into your online student account, you will select "Make a Payment" and then select the corresponding "Flex Dining Payment" "Flex Print Payment" and/or "Flex Bookstore" option(s). Flex payments will be added to the corresponding Flex account by the end of the next business day. If you need the Flex funds available before the end of the next business day, once payment is completed, please contact the Student Account office at [email protected] or 845-758-7520 to let us know.

If you have a credit on your student account and would like to use all or a portion of that credit to make purchases using your Flex Cafe, Flex Print, or Flex Bookstore account, please contact the Student Account office. Flex payments will be added to the corresponding Flex account by the end of the next business day. If you need the Flex funds available before the end of the next business day, please let us know.

Monies deposited into Flex accounts must be used toward purchases and cannot be refunded or transferred. Flex balances roll over from semester to semester. Any flex balances remaining after a student graduates or withdraws from the college are forfeited. More information about Flex accounts can be found on the Policies page or by contacting the Office of Student Accounts at [email protected] or 845-758-7520.

I am thinking about taking a leave of absence for the academic year or semester, what steps do I need to take?
A student who takes a leave of absence or withdraws should email the Office of Student Accounts at [email protected] indicating the type of leave and when you will be taking the leave, as well as complete a leave or withdrawal form at the Dean of Students Office.

Will I be refunded for payments that I made?
If the leave or withdrawal date is before the first day of expected arrival, the semester charges are reversed in full. Additional information regarding refunds can be found here.

Do I have to sign up for a meal plan and is it included in my semester charges?
All students who live on campus are required to be enrolled in a meal plan. All regular semester meal plans are the same cost. This cost is included in the food portion of the housing and food charge on your student account. There is an additional meal plan cost charged to those student accounts who are enrolled in the Language and Thinking, Citizen Science, and/or Transfer Orientation Workshop. A breakdown of the cost can be found under Undergraduate Tuition and Fees.

All students living off campus are eligible to sign up for the Commuter meal plan. Sign up is required each semester. To sign up for the plan, please contact the Office of Student Accounts via email ([email protected]). If sign up is completed after the semester installments are due, payment for the plan is required in full at the time of sign up.

How do I select a meal plan?
Each semester all meal plan eligible students will receive an email from the Office of Residence Life and Housing with information regarding the Meal Plan Selection process. For questions regarding how to select a meal plan, please contact the Office of Residence Life and Housing at [email protected] or 845-758-7455.

I have particular dietary needs, who should I speak to?
Students with particular dietary needs or preferences should consult with the General Manager and Executive Chef from Parkhurst Dining; reasonable requests will be accommodated. Special requests for religious holidays should be discussed in advance.

I would like to be exempt from the meal plan, who should I speak to?
In rare instances due to documented medical reasons, an exemption may be granted. Your first step is to please complete the Disability Offices registration form as well as forward documentation of your needs. You can email documentation to [email protected]. Typically, documentation should include: diagnosis, history of treatment, current functional limitations, and recommendations for accommodations around dining access needs.

What dining locations are available on campus?
Kline Commons Dining Hall
Down the Road Cafe (DTR)
Manor House Dining Room

Who do I contact for questions regarding how to select a meal plan?
For questions regarding how to select a meal plan, please contact the Office of Residence Life and Housing at [email protected] or 845-758-7455.

Which meal plans are available?
The various meal plan options available can be located at ResLife Resources and Parkhurst Dining. 

How can the office share information with someone besides the student?
In order for our department to discuss information with an individual other than the student, we must have a completed Information Release Form on file from the student. To ensure FERPA compliance, the Student Accounts Office cannot discuss the student account with anyone other than the student or send to an email address other than the students Bard College email address; this includes billing statements, without this form on file. You can find more information regarding this as well as the form here (look for the section titled FERPA). We will need the online form completed by the student. Without this on file, the student will be the only person to receive all account information, and will need to forward the information to those they wish to share it with. Note: The student must be signed into Google docs with their Bard college email before clicking on the link. Please have them sign into Google using their Bard email as the  user name and then enter their corresponding password.

How can I access the online student account (CASHNet/Transact) to view billing statements and/or make payments?
The online student account (CASHNet/Transact) allows access to the view student account information in real time, as well as view billing statements, and make payments for tuition, flex accounts, replacement IDs and keys, and summer/winter housing, via credit card, electronic check (ACH), and/or Western Union.
 
For more information on how to access the online student account to make payments, please go to Self Service.

I want my billing information shared with a parent/other individual. How do I authorize someone to access my bill online?
Students will be the only one with access to view their student account or make payments online unless they set up a Parent/Authorized User.  A student may create a Parent/Authorized User Login to allow parents, guardians and other authorized users to access their account information.  A Parent/Authorized User Login must be created by the student before it can be used.  Information on how to complete this step can be found here. Please look for the drop down "Creating a User Login for Parents or Authorized Users". Only students can initiate this.
 
I am experiencing issues logging into the online student account. What should I do?
If you are experiencing issues logging into your online student account through SSB, you will want to ensure you are following the correlating instructions for logging into the online student account.

If after following the correlating instructions, you are still experiencing issues logging into your online student account through SSB and you are not using Chrome, please try using chrome. If you are using Chrome, please try using an incognito window.

I am not sure who to contact with my question on my scholarship/bill; where should I go?
In an effort to ensure the most informed response, please direct initial billing questions to [email protected] and financial aid, scholarships, grants, and loan inquiries to [email protected], or call 845-758-7520 to speak to a Student Financial Services representative.

I received a scholarship and loan, but it is not appearing on my bill; what should I do?
Scholarships are renewed for all students in good academic standing, but you must reaffirm your financial aid (including loans) annually. If you have not already, please review your financial aid package here and accept or decline any offered financial aid that you wish, to ensure that everything is accounted for on your billing.
 
I have a scholarship or tuition benefit from an outside organization, what should I do?
If you have the scholarship/tuition benefit check, please mail it to our office. If the scholarship/tuition benefit check is made payable to both the student and Bard College, please endorse the back of the check before mailing. 
 
If you do not have the scholarship/tuition benefit check at this time, please send a copy (email or mail) of the letter of intent/award to the Office of Student Accounts and we can memo the expected scholarship to your student account. This will allow us to show the scholarship and calculate your billing statement accordingly to reduce any amount that may be due. A copy of the letter of intent/award should be submitted to the Office of Student Accounts each academic year, even if the scholarship is reoccurring.

I have work study, but it is not showing on my bill, what should I do?
Federal Work-study is a federal student aid program that provides part-time employment while the student is enrolled in school to help pay his or her education expenses. The student must seek out and apply for work-study jobs at their school. The student will be paid directly for the hours they work and the amount they earn cannot exceed the total amount awarded by the school for the award year.  Work-study earnings help pay the student’s education expenses. For more information on student employment at Bard, please see this page.

There is a charge on my bill that I am not familiar with, can you provide more information?
Here you can find a list of various charges. Feel free to reach out to our office with additional questions.
Academic Leave of Absence Fee
Students who take an academic leave of absence are charged an administrative fee per semester.
Campus Facilities Fee
Students who live off campus are assessed the campus facilities fee each semester, which provides access to facilities including but not limited to, the gym, library, and computer centers located on campus. This is a required fee that cannot be waived.
Course Audit Fee
The fee is assessed based on information received from the Office of the Registrar.
Finance Fee (applied by Bard College)
A student account with a past due balance is assessed a fee of 1% of the past due balance. 
Graduation Fee
Students who are part of the graduating class are assessed the graduation fee which includes the cap and gown, and diploma with binder. This is a required fee that cannot be waived.
Health & Counseling Fee (Formally, Campus Health Services Fee)
Students are assessed the Health and Counseling fee each semester, which provides access to the health and counseling center located on campus. This is a required fee that cannot be waived.
Private Music Lesson Fee
Students taking private lessons for credit are assessed the private music lesson fee per each course taken. The fee is assessed based on information received from the Music Department and the Office of the Registrar. This is a required fee that cannot be waived.
Security Deposit
Students are assessed a one-time-only security deposit charge during their first semester attendance. This is refundable at the completion of a students' course of study at the College.

How can I become a part-time student?
Please contact the Office of the Registrar to discuss being part-time for the academic year or semester. We will need a completed Part-Time Student Request Form on file before we can adjust your student account to part time. This form can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar and will need to be signed by the Office of the Registrar, Dean of Students Office, Financial Aid Office, and our office (Office of Student Accounts) before the student account can be adjusted. Please note, Part-time may affect financial aid, housing,VA Benefit, International Visa status F1/J1, Health/Auto Insurance, NCAA eligibility.

Is there a deadline to change to a part time student?
Students who change their enrollment status from full-time (10 credits or more) to part-time (9 credits or fewer) while the drop/add period is in effect during the first two weeks of the semester may receive a refund of applicable tuition charges, provided an approved Part-Time Study Form is submitted by the student to the Office of Student Accounts and the Registrar’s Office prior to the designated end date of the drop/add period. No refunds are made if Student Accounts and the Registrar's Office have not been officially notified in writing prior to the drop/add deadline. 

What is the payment schedule for the Fall and Spring semesters?
Under the Standard Payment Schedule, half of the Fall semester cost is due in June and the other half is due in July.  Half of the Spring semester cost is due in November and the other half is due in December. Please refer to the Standard Payment Schedule for the current academic year schedule.  
 
What payments types are accepted?
The Office of Student Accounts accepts payments made online, by mail, and in office drop off. Find more information on payment types here.
 
What if I can't afford to make the full payment of the semester charges or need more time to make payment?
Bard offers a payment plan that you can use to make monthly payments.  Additional information about the Bard Budget Plan and the application can be found here. Please note, the first payment in all plans is due in June for the Fall semester, and the first payment for the Spring semester is due in November.

I have a credit (negative balance) on my account, how do I submit a request for a refund check?
A refund request can be submitted electronically by the student using the link provided below. The Student Accounts office will review and process the request. During the review process, additional information may be requested. Once Student Accounts submits the request to the Finance Office, a confirmation email will be sent.

If a refund is not requested, the credit (negative balance) will remain on your account to be applied to future semester costs or will be refunded after graduation or withdrawal during account review.

The approximate timeline for a refund check to be available is four weeks from the time that the request is submitted by Student Accounts to the Finance Office for processing. Our office submits refund requests once per week to the finance office, typically on Mondays. Factoring in the time it takes for review and processing, the total approximate timeline for a refund check to be available is six weeks from the date of your electronic submission. Because of this processing time, you should plan ahead for non-educational expenses such as rent, transportation, and child care. 
Credits (negative balances):

• For students with a drop/add period, credits created by financial aid cannot be processed until after the Drop/Add period has ended and the financial aid has been paid to the account, typically mid-September for the Fall semester and mid-February for the Spring semester. Refer to the academic calendar for the date each semester. Refund requests can be submitted after the add/drop date to be processed. 
• For students without a drop/add period, credits created by financial aid cannot be processed until first day of classes and the financial aid has been paid to the account.

If the student is a Title IV financial aid recipient and if Title IV funds exceed allowable charges (tuition, required fees, room, board) before non federal aid or direct payments are applied, these funds will be automatically returned to the student/parent within 14 days of payment to the student account unless the student/parent has authorized the school to hold these funds toward payment of other allowable institutional charges. 

For all other credit balances for a students' account, please complete the electronic Student Account Refund Form below to request a refund. Note: You must be signed into Google docs with your Bard college email before clicking on the link. Please sign into Google using your Bard email as your user name and then enter your corresponding password.

REFUND REQUEST FORM

 

Where do I go to complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?
Visit Student Aid dot gov for details about the application process.

What type of financial aid is available to help with the cost of attendance?
Financial aid to pay for college is available from a variety of sources. Student aid includes grants, scholarships, work-study jobs, and loans. More information can be found here.

More info about loans can be found here. Federal Direct Subsidized loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of higher education at a college or career school. The federal government generally pays the interest that accrues while the borrower is in an in-school, grace, or deferment status. Current interest rates can be found here. Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but eligibility is not based on financial need. The borrower is fully responsible for paying the interest regardless of the loan status. Interest on unsubsidized loans accrues from the date of disbursement and continues throughout the life of the loan. Current interest rates can be found here.

The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible parents and graduate or professional students through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program. A Direct PLUS Loan is commonly referred to as a parent PLUS loan when made to a parent, and as a grad PLUS loan when made to a graduate or professional student. More information can be found studentaid.gov website. Current interest rates can be found here.

I am being billed for student Health Insurance. Can this charge be removed from my bill?
All enrolled students at Bard College are required to have health insurance coverage. The student health insurance plan through Bard is included in your semester billing statement.

Students who elect to have alternate private plans must submit proof of coverage at https://www.studentenroll.anthem.com/496 for confirmation that, upon review, provides all essential benefits including non-emergency services without referral while on campus in NY. Waivers must be completed every year. If you have questions regarding the policy, please contact Marshall + Sterling at 845-226-3083 or [email protected], or Anthem at 844-412-0752.

Once completed you will receive a waiver confirmation. Please submit your waiver early! Payment will be expected until Bard receives a waiver approval from Anthem. 

For more information please go to: www.bard.edu/sfs/financial-aid/procedures/. Look for the drop down “Student Health Insurance Plan.”

If you are enrolled in Bard College’s Student Health Insurance Plan and decide to withdraw from the college mid-year, your coverage under the plan will not automatically continue. However, you will receive a link via email offering you the option to extend your coverage for up to 90 days after your withdrawal date. If you wish to continue your health insurance during this time, you must opt in and pay for the extended coverage through the link provided. Please be sure to watch for this message and respond promptly to maintain uninterrupted access to your benefits.

I submitted a waiver for the Student Health Insurance, but it is still showing on my bill. What do I do?
Waivers can take a minimum of one week to be sent to our office from the appropriate outside company. Until we receive the needed information from the appropriate company, the charge cannot be deducted and payment is expected as billed. We receive waiver reports from Allen J. Flood USA weekly (usually on Mondays). Once we receive the report that shows the waiver for you, the charge will be removed.
 
Account updates will be reflected on the "account activity" page of the online account. The e-bills will not be updated, as they are a snapshot of the account as of the date they are generated.

I lost my Bard ID and/or Key, how do I get a replacement?
There is a $20.00 replacement fee per key or ID. Replacement IDs and/or key payment can be made on your online student account. Once logged into your online student account, you will select "Make a Payment" and then select the corresponding "Replacement ID Card Payment" and/or "Replacement Key Payment" option(s).
Replacement ID and/or Key processing can take a minimum of 24 business hours. A confirmation email will be sent to your Bard email address with additional information regarding your replacement ID and/or Key(s) availability/pick up. Once your Bard ID is marked as replaced by the Student Accounts Office, your previous ID(s) will be inactivated and no longer work.
 
B&G ID regular office hours are 11am-11:45am; 12:30pm-3pm Monday through Friday.
B&G Key regular office hours are 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday.
Both offices are closed on some holidays.

I am being billed for Tuition Refund Insurance. Can this charge be removed from my bill?
I have taken an official medical leave or withdrawal from the college, how do I submit a claim?
Submission of Claim Forms
Claim forms should be submitted as indicated on the forms within 30 days of the medical leave of absence date.  Please use the following link to obtain these forms:  tuitionrefundplan.com/parents under College or University Claim Forms.

I submitted a waiver for the Tuition Refund Insurance, but it is still showing on my bill.