Fall view at night looking across green towards lake

green barWe offer many options to assist you in paying for your education.

Direct Payment Options

Payments may be made to UVM online, by check, credit card, or electronic check ACH.

 

529 Plan Payments

Request Distributions Well in Advance of the Due Date for On-Time Arrival

What is a 529 Plan?

A 529 Plan is an education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs, with tax benefits. 529 Plans are sponsored by a state or state agency.

If you have tax questions or how best to utilize your 529 plan we encourage you to contact your financial advisor or your plan administrator.

What expenses can 529 plans cover?

Please contact your plan administor about eligible expenses.

When should I request a withdrawal from my 529? And, other than a student ID what else do I need to provide?

The process to request a withdrawal varies from plan to plan. Please contact your plan administrator to arrange for payment well in advance of the bill due date for on-time arrival.

Where should my plan send my 529 withdrawal?

You will want to reference your plans withdrawal process for full details but, in general you can request to have your 529 withdrawal be sent directly to UVM or to the plan owner. 

Payments should be mailed to:

Make sure that your plan references the student's name and UVM ID (95#) on the check.

University of Vermont
P.O. Box 1306
Williston, VT
05495

How do I inform your office that my 529 withdrawal has been requested?

Send your 529 confirmation of withdrawal to our office prior to the bill due date, by email and include the name of your 529 plan, the student ID, and the requested withdrawal amount.

How long will it take for my withdrawal to be received at UVM?

It depends. When you request your withdrawal be sure to also to notify our office as part of your bill response by sending us an email which includes the name of your 529 plan, the student ID, and the requested withdrawal amount.

Can I use my 529 plan to pay my monthly payment plan?

If you anticipate using 529 plan funds to cover all or a portion of your semester bill, we strongly recommend that you recommend withdrawing the full semester amount at one time. If the 529 will not cover all expenses for a semester, you could set up a monthly payment plan to cover the amount that is not being paid by the 529 plan.

Can a 529 plan be used to pay back loans?

A limited amount of 529 plan funds may be used to pay qualified student loans. Please contact your 529 plan administrator or a tax professional for details.

 

Monthly Payment Plan

The University has contracted with Nelnet Campus Commerce to administer a monthly payment plan.

  • The monthly payment plan allows payment of tuition and fees, as well as university billed housing and meals, over a five-month period (July 1 to November 1 and December 1 to April 1).
  • The payment plan can also be used to cover a portion of the student's total charges.
  • The student or a Proxy can establish one payment plan, per student account. Multiple payment plans cannot be established.
  • The plan is available for a fee of $60 per semester.

 

International Wire Transfer

UVM has partnered with Flywire to streamline the tuition and fee payment process for international students.

  • Flywire offers multiple payment options and excellent foreign exchange rates. They'll ensure your payment arrives safely and accurately. To complete the payment process, connect to Flywire.
  • Flywire speaks 28 languages, and is available for help 24/7 around the world.
    Live Chat:     Payer Support Hub
    Email:            support@flywire.com    
    Phone:           +1 800 346 9252 (International #s)
    WeChat:        Scan Here (China)

 

Tuition Remission

Request tuition remission well in advance of the due date for on-time payment.

 

Outside Scholarships

Students can find and apply for outside scholarships, which can reduce the amount of loan borrowing.

  • Learn more about outside scholarships.
  • For more information on UVM scholarships, visit the scholarship section on our site.
  • Financial aid recipients must notify Student Financial Services if you receive any outside scholarships. These scholarships may affect other financial aid awarded to you.
  • A student's bill can be deferred by the portion being covered by the outside scholarship if you make note of this assistance when responding to your bill, and provide our office with a copy of the award or notification letter.
  • Learn more about submitting outside scholarship information and checks to SFS.

 

All of the Above

Many student and their families will use a combination of financial aid, financing options, and direct payment to cover their total charges.  To avoid late payment fees and holds on the student account, it's important to communicate with our office on how you are planning to pay your bill, so that we can work with you on any missing pieces. Visit our billing page for more information on the billing process at UVM.

 

Things to Consider

Assets/Savings:

Does the student or parent have savings which are intended for educational expenses?

Using assets intended for education in the early years will remove the assets from future consideration in the determination of financial aid eligibility. Further, this may reduce the need for loans in the early years of a students education. Loans borrowed may accrue interest so, limiting the amount of loan borrowing in the early years may save money over the long-term.

Federal loans vs. home equity:

Families frequently consider private loan financing options, including home equity loans, and loans against retirement accounts in addition to Federal loan options like the Direct PLUS loan. While, our office cannot make specific recommendations, here are some things to consider:

  • Apply for financial aid first. (Applying for aid will ensure you know all your options).
  • Compare interest rates and fees.
  • Consider the benefits of Federal debt.
  • Federal loans (such as the Direct PLUS loan) may initially appear more expensive than private debt such as a home equity loan however, Federal loans have the following features which many private loans do not:
    • Deferment options which allow you to suspend payments based on unemployment or economic hardship.
    • Parent PLUS loan borrowers can defer payments until six months after the benefiting student graduates or ceases to be enrolled at least half-time.
    • Federal loans are subject to cancelation if the borrower becomes permanently disabled or deceased.
    • Parent PLUS loans are canceled in the event the benefit student becomes deceased.