School Info, Enrollment & Policies

Acceptable Methods of Payment

Credit Card
Payments via credit card may be made online. The following major credit cards are accepted: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa.

Personal Check, Cashier’s Check, or Money Order
Payments made by check may be subject to processing delays, so we encourage you to choose one of our alternate payment methods. Please contact finance@online.berklee.edu or 617-747-2146 ext. 5 for additional check payment instructions.

All checks should be made payable to Berklee College of Music with the negotiable amount in U.S. currency. If a student makes payments with a personal check and the check is returned, Berklee Online charges a $50 processing fee. Notice of the returned check will be sent to the student. If the return payment creates a debit balance on the account, a hold will be placed on the student account, which blocks academic schedule changes, access to grades and transcripts, and all future registrations until complete restitution of funds is made. Berklee Online reserves the right to require future payments in the form of a certified check, money order, or credit card, and the student will no longer be able to use personal checks as a form of payment. Berklee Online will not redeposit personal checks that have been returned and requires that full payment be made within five business days of the notice being issued.

Wire Transfer
Berklee Online has partnered with Flywire to streamline the wire payment process for our students. You will be able to log into your Flywire account at any time to track the progress of your payment, and you will also be notified via email or text when your payment is received by Berklee Online. Flywire processes both international and domestic wire transfers.

Before initiating your transfer, please take note of your student ID in order to help ensure your payment is posted to the correct account. Your ID can be found from your home page.

PayPal
Berklee Online accepts payment via PayPal. Students should submit a request to finance@online.berklee.edu with the amount to be paid, the email address associated with the PayPal account, and student ID in order to utilize this method of payment.

Online E-Payment
Students can pay Berklee Online tuition and fees with no additional outside fees by making payments from a United States-based checking or savings account.

Berklee Online Degree Tuition Payment Plan Policy
To meet the needs of our degree students, we offer a flexible payment plan each semester through our partner Nelnet Campus Commerce (Nelnet). This plan can be utilized throughout the degree program and allows students and families to spread payments throughout the semester beyond the tuition due date. The plan requires a $25 enrollment fee and a deposit of one-third of the payment plan balance upon enrollment as well as automatic payments for subsequent installments.

To enroll, please log in to your student account navigate to the Financial Information menu and select Student Finance. Then, select Monthly Tuition Payment Plan.

First, you will create a Nelnet account. Then, you will select Set up a Payment Plan. If a family member or sponsor is paying on your behalf, you can select Add an Authorized Party, and your payer will receive an invitation to create a Nelnet account.

Additional information and a short how-to video can be found here.

Third-Party Billing/Tuition Assistance
Berklee Online can apply advanced credit to students’ accounts for a scholarship awarded from an outside sponsoring agency, employer, or other form of tuition assistance from a third party. Students should submit a letter or voucher to the Finance Department from the source, on their letterhead, stating the following:

• Student’s name
• Course or courses covered
• Tuition amount covered
• Semester and dates covered
• Name and address where invoices will be sent
• Contact Information for the third party being billed
• Student signature if applicable

This information can be emailed to finance@online.berklee.edu or faxed to (617) 747-2149.

These letters or vouchers must be received by the bill due date. Upon approval of the letter or voucher, the amount the employer or scholarship organization is paying will be applied to the student’s account as a temporary credit. If there is a balance remaining, the student will be responsible for paying it by the bill due date. Once this balance is paid, the student will be officially enrolled in the relevant course(s). Students will be responsible for any approved amount that is not paid by their third party.

Military Benefits
Students may be able to use their military benefits toward tuition and fees. For more information, visit https://online.berklee.edu/military/getting-started.

Authorized User/Proxy Account Access

Authorized User/Proxy Account Access for Berklee Online Degree Students

Student information and records are legally protected and Berklee Online cannot share them with third parties, including parents, spouses, or financial sponsors. However, degree students may choose to grant access to certain aspects of their my.berklee.edu account to an authorized user or proxy.

Students have the option to grant the following permissions:

• View account activity (financial information and statements)
• Make a payment

Instructions for adding and updating authorized user/proxy access can be found here. Once granted access, authorized users have account access until the student revokes it or until the student’s account becomes inactive.

Please note that providing my.berklee.edu account access does not permit Berklee representatives to communicate with authorized users by email or phone. Learn more about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and access the FERPA Release Form here to allow Berklee representatives to communicate with a third party about your student account.

How to Access a Berklee Online Degree Student’s Account Information as an Authorized User/Proxy

1. You will receive an email notifying you that a student has granted you access as an authorized user.
2. Shortly after that email, you will receive a separate email with details about how to log in to my.berklee.edu as an authorized user.
3. Your account will be activated within an hour of receiving your credentials. Log in with your credentials, and then you will be prompted to change your temporary password.

If you don’t receive those two emails, please check your spam folder. Instructions for logging in to my.berklee.edu to view the student’s account information can be found here.

Authorized users looking to change the name that appears on their account must complete the Authorized User/Proxy Name Change Request Form. Please note documentation (marriage certificate, court documents, license, social security card, etc.) is required in order to update your name of record.

If you have any issues accessing my.berklee.edu, or need to make changes to the email address associated with the account, please contact Berklee Online Support at support@online.berklee.edu.

If you have any questions about the activity on your student’s account, please ensure that your student has submitted the FERPA Release Form before contacting Berklee Online Finance at finance@online.berklee.edu.

Berklee Online Terms of Use

Read Berklee Online’s General Terms of Use and Texting Terms of Use on our Terms of Use page.

Collection Policy

By registering for classes at Berklee Online, students acknowledge financial responsibility for the charges and fees assessed to their student accounts. Students are also responsible for any additional costs related to their enrollment with Berklee Online. Student account balances are to be paid in full by the due date published. Students will be notified of any unpaid balance on their account. Students are also expected to periodically check their online account for any additional charges or loss/reduction in aid that resulted in an unpaid balance. Should it be necessary to place a delinquent account with an outside collection agency, all fees assessed by the agency become the responsibility of the student.

Financial Aid for Domestic Students

Funds for financing a Berklee Online education are available from many different sources, including federal and state programs, other government agency programs, and private sources.

The Office of Student Financial Services is responsible for administering federal financial aid through a review of a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and allows the student to be considered for federal Direct Loans, and become eligible for the Graduate PLUS Loan.

For more information on financial aid options for Berklee Online Graduate degree students, please visit the Tuition and Financial Aid page.

Students should prepare their financing plan well in advance, and should not rely on a single source of funding. Alternative funding options include private, outside scholarships and private loans: ELMSelect and Credible.

Financial Aid for International Students

International students have options to finance their education. Many loan companies offer programs for credit-worthy applicants with a U.S. citizen or permanent resident cosigner. The ELMSelect and Credible sites may assist you in searching for private loans.

The team in the Office of Student Financial Services works with students to help find solutions for financing their education. For more information, please visit the International Student Financial Assistance page. You can also email financialaid@berklee.edu or call 617-747-2274.

Financial Obligation—Your Rights and Responsibilities

As a Berklee Online student, you are entering into a partnership with the college, part of which is financial. As a result, you have a number of rights and responsibilities.

You have the right to:

• have all records and data submitted with your application for financial aid treated as confidential information as prescribed by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)


• receive an explanation of the financial aid award process


• be notified in a timely manner of any balances owed to the college

You have the responsibility to:

• read and ensure that you understand all materials provided to you regarding financial aid, particularly the rules governing the aid
• keep copies of all forms that you sign
• understand that financial aid is awarded based upon your anticipated credit load. Should your actual credit load be different than the anticipated credit load, your aid will be re­calculated after the add/drop period. This recalculation could result in a balance due that is your responsibility to pay
• understand that by registering for courses with Berklee Online, you are financially responsible for the associated tuition and fees assessed to your student account on the published due dates
• understand Berklee Online’s withdrawal policy and how it affects the return of financial aid and any outstanding balances you may owe
• understand that Berklee Online will place a finance hold on your account if payment is not made on a timely basis for tuition and fees assessed. The hold will prevent future registrations, receival of transcripts or diplomas, and other college services
• report any changes in your status including marital, academic, enrollment, residential, or name
• keep your contact information, including phone number, residential and mailing addresses, current with the Berklee Online Registrar’s Office

Overdue Debts
In the unlikely event you owe past due amounts to Berklee Online, the college will attempt to contact you in an effort to bring your account up to date. However, if these efforts are unsuccessful, the college may refer your debt to an outside collection agency. In that case, all arrangements for repayment will be made with the outside collection agency and such agency’s collection fees will be added to your then­ current debt. Fees for collection may vary.

Return of Unearned Military Tuition Assistance

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student using military tuition assistance withdraws, they may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with the U.S. Department of Defense policy, Berklee Online will return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds will be returned to the service member’s branch of service (Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Air Force). In instances when a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, Berklee Online will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion.

A student’s official withdrawal date is used to calculate the percentage of TA earned. A student’s official withdrawal date is the last date of attendance. The return calculation is based on the formula listed below.

Payment of Tuition

Before students attend any classes, all tuition and fees for the semester must be paid. Students are required and agree upon registration to pay tuition and fees by the tuition due date. If students add additional courses to their schedule, they must pay any additional tuition or related fee(s). Students will be notified of any unpaid balance that appears on their account via email or the student portal. Students who do not make a payment or payment arrangements with the Finance Department upon receipt of their bill will be subject to collection procedures (see Collection Policy for more information).

Refer to the Graduate Degree Tuition and Financial Aid page to learn more.

Refund Checks and Overpayments of Tuition or Fees

If students are owed money for overpayment of their bills, Berklee Online will begin processing refunds during the third week of classes, after all schedules are finalized and all student data is verified. Refunds are issued once a week to students who have become eligible since the previous week. Refunds are not issued for overpayments of anticipated (i.e., verified or pending) funds or instances in which the college has advanced credit (i.e., payment plans) pending actual payment of expenses. Note: Students must keep in mind how the tuition and fees are paid, as it may affect the manner in which Berklee Online issues refunds:

• Payments received by credit card will be refunded to the credit card account in the amount of the refund within 60 days of the initial charge.

• Payments that include Federal Pell Grants or other Federal Direct Loans require completed registration for the semester, signed promissory notes, and Entrance interviews with the College. If payment by financial aid results in a credit balance on the student’s statement, the student must wait until the college receives funds from the originating bank or the federal government before a refund is processed. The same process is required for alternative loans and funding sources outside of Berklee Online. Students should contact the Office of Student Financial Services for inquiries regarding grants or loan statuses by emailing financialaid@berklee.edu or calling 617-747-2146 ext. 4.

Students should contact the Finance Department for assistance in calculating a refund.