Frequently Asked Questions

Add/Drop Policy

  • Tuition and fees are nonrefundable for students who drop courses after the “last day to drop” date.  
  • Students will need to be enrolled full-time to receive financial aid.

For more information regarding Dropping, Adding, or Withdrawing from Courses, please visit the  College Catalog.  

What If I withdraw? Will my fees be canceled?

Students may receive a pro-rated cancellation of the tuition, room and board.  Withdrawal forms need to be filed by the deadline each semester. Visit the Cancellation of Institutional Charges Policy for more information.

When and how will my financial aid disburse?

Financial Aid will disburse 10 days after the semester start date and will be applied to the students' accounts.

Why has my financial aid not disbursed onto my account yet?

Approved financial aid will be applied to the students' accounts at least 10 days after the semester start date, pending verification of full-time enrollment and completion of all required Financial Aid documents.

When and how will my financial aid disburse?

Contact the Office of Financial Aid for any question regarding missing aid.

When will the parent plus loan or private alternative loan be applied to my account?

The Financial Aid Office (FAO) will receive updates from the lender, please contact the FAO to confirm loan disbursements and dates.

Why are my federal student loans not showing up on my statement?

All federal loans are added to student accounts at least 10 days after the start of the Fall semester. Please contact the FAO if you have additional questions regarding your financial aid.

Why is there a charge for student health insurance?

All full-time undergraduate and international students are required to have access to comprehensive medical care while enrolled at Whittier College. 

How can a student waive the student health insurance fee?

Students (domestic, non-foreign) may waive the health insurance fee through the Gallagher’s website. The waiver site is only open during  the Fall semester. Please visit the Student Health Insurance Plan page for waiver deadlines.

Why does the business office also need proof of health insurance when it has been submitted to the Health and Wellness Center?

Providing proof of health insurance coverage via the waiver site will remove you from the College mandated health policy.

Why am I being charged for health insurance if I uploaded my insurance information to My Health Portal?

Students will need to waive out of the health insurance plan by submitting a waiver at the beginning of the fall semester.

Why do I not see the waive form when I log into the Gallagher website?

All international students enrolled in 12 units or more will be automatically enrolled in the college’s health insurance plan and are therefore, ineligible to waive coverage.

How can I change my meal plan?

Students can make changes to their meal plans within the first 2 weeks of the new semester by submitting the Request to Change Meal Plan form.

Can unused meal plans be carried over to the next semester?

No, unused meal plans will not be carried over. For more information, please visit the Meal Plans page.

How can I buy more Flex points?

Flex points can be purchased as long as the student has a meal plan with flex and the initial $100 or $200 has been exhausted. Flex points can only be added in increments of $50 throughout the semester. Please follow the Request to Change Meal Plan form to add more points.

Why do I need a meal plan if I live in the dorms?

The college policy requires a meal plan for all dorm residents. See the policy.

Will the Campus Inn be open during breaks?

Please check the Bon Appetit website or a staff member at the Campus Inn for more information.

How do I view my statement online?

Online statements can be viewed via the MyWhittier portal.

Why do I receive monthly statements about my student account?

Statement notices are sent on the 1st day of the month. The student is responsible for reviewing their account statements for accuracy, to verify charges and credits, and to ensure that all financial aid awards and payments have been applied.

What is the outstanding balance on my statement account mean?

The outstanding balance on your statement account is the difference between tuition and fees (charges) less financial aid and payments. A positive number indicates an amount due to the college and a negative number indicates a credit amount for refund to the student.

How do I request a credit refund?

Credit refunds on student’s accounts are submitted online with the Refund Request Form.

Do I have to sign up for a payment plan every semester?

Yes, tuition and fees need to be paid in full at the beginning of every semester or students must be enrolled into a payment plan.

How often do I have to enroll into a payment plan?

Students will need to enroll in a payment plan every semester - prior to the semester start date.

How do I sign up for a payment plan?

Students may enroll in a payment plan online through Transact and can only be accessed through the MyWhittier portal. Once redirected to theTransact site, payment plan options can be found on the Payment Plan tab.

What happens if I do not payoff my tuition balance for the semester?

Students who have a balance due and who are not registered for a 6-month payment plan through Transact will be flagged for a restrictive hold until the account reflects a zero balance due or enrollment in a payment plan.

Who else can make payments on my account?

Student can authorize any individual to make a payment on their behalf by creating a Poet Proxy Account on MyWhittier and Authorize Payer on Transact.

How will I know if there is a balance on my account?

Students are responsible for checking their account balances monthly through Transact account or by reviewing monthly invoice statements.

I am new incoming student at Whittier. How do I pay the $400 deposit?

Student can make the enrollment deposit here. 

How can I review the balance on my tuition account?

The student can access their tuition account balance via the MyWhittier portal.

Where can I find my 1098-T online?

1098T forms can be accessed via the MyWhittier portal.

How can I pay my parking citation?

Payments can be made at the Business Office via check or cash only.

How do I dispute my citation?

Contact Campus Safety if you wish to dispute any parking citations during the semester.

Why is the parking citation not added to my student account?

Citations not paid will be billed to the student's account.

What is Poet Proxy and why do I have to assign a Proxy?

Student’s privacy is protected under the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act while they are attending school; every student must authorize whom they want to receive info on their account.

How can my parents make a payment on my student account?

Students can add parents as a proxy and authorized payer to make payments online.

Can students change and remove their proxy access?

Yes. Please refer to the proxy site for more information.

What if I have more than one student attending the College, do I need Proxy access for each student?

Yes, proxy access is needed for each student attending the college and each student will need to grant the proxy access. Please refer to the proxy site for more information.

What should I do if I forgot my password for Proxy?

The student will need to send reset the proxy password. Please refer to the proxy site for more information.

Can the Student Accounts team make updates to Proxy access?

Only students can authorize and grant proxy access to their accounts.  Please see proxy instructions for more information.

How do I change my housing status?

Contact Residential Life for any changes to your housing status.

How long will it take for my housing charges to update if I move into a different size room?

Please contact Residential Life for a status update on your housing status.

Why are there Dorm Damage fees on my student account?

The fees are added based on the of damages assessed by Residence Life when student vacates.

What is the annual cost to attend Whittier College?

The Schedule of Charges can be located year-round.

Why was there an increase in Wellness Fee?

Increase in the Wellness Fee is due to budget reevaluations and the increase of services provided by the Health and Wellness Center. Additional services offered reflect an increase in COVID-19 precautions such as testing on campus.

Why do I have to pay fees?

Fees are mandatory for enrollment and for use of college services, library, and college events.