It is the policy of The Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) that tuition, room, board and fees for a given term are to be paid in full before the start of each semester.  Payment in full may be made via check, eCheck, cash, money order or cashier’s check, as well as enrollment in the Transact Payment Plan that allows you to spread your educational expenses over monthly payments.  Payment by credit card is also available, and will include a convenience fee.  These payment options are further described below.

Payment deadline for Fall semester is July 15th, and for Spring semester is December 15th.  After that date you will be assessed a $350 late fee if you are not paid-in-full or enrolled in a payment plan.  We encourage everyone to complete their registration including payment in full by the Payment deadline. 

In any event, payment in full for the semester is due no later than Wednesday before the start of classes.

Each semester’s charges must be paid in full to be considered enrolled at CIA.

Payment by Check/eCheck/Cash/Money Order/Cashier’s Check/Wire Transfer

Students and parents may pay in-person, by mail, or online with check, eCheck, cash, money order, cashier’s check, or wire transfer. 

• Cash, paper check, money order or cashier’s check may be brought in person or mailed to the Office of Student Accounts, Room 122M, 11610 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Checks and money orders should be made payable to Cleveland Institute of Art.
• An eCheck payment – an ACH transfer from your bank account – can be processed online through a student’s my.CIA account.
• To submit payment by wire transfer, please contact studentaccounts@cia.edu for transfer information.
• A $35 returned check fee will be imposed in the event a paper check, eCheck, or wire transfer is returned by the financial institution.

Payment using the Cashnet Full Service Payment Plan

A payment plan for tuition and fees is available through your Transact portal.   This is a payment plan and not a loan, therefore no interest is charged.  Transact, a Blackboard Inc. Company charges a non-refundable $50 per semester fee to enroll in the plan.  You must make your first payment when you apply. 

 The full academic year tuition payment plan includes both fall and spring semesters.  You can request this payment plan in person with Student Accounts, Office 106.

Payment by Credit Card/Debit Card

Effective July 1, 2017, CIA has partnered with a third-party payment processor to accept credit and debit cards for the payment of student tuition and fee balances.  A 2.85% convenience fee will be imposed by the third-party processor.  Credit and debit card payments will only be accepted online through a student’s my.cia.edu account.  Credit and debit card payments will no longer be accepted over the phone, by mail, fax or in person.

A refund cannot be issued to a student until their aid has been disbursed to their student account.   Disbursement of confirmed financial aid – grants, scholarships, loans – begins after the first week of classes.   Students with a credit balance on their account will be issued a refund within 14 days.  Email notifications of when funds are available are sent from Student Accounts to the student’s CIA email address.   For the quickest access to refunds, we strongly encourage all students to sign up for direct deposit into their designated checking or savings account.

The Office of Student Accounts will place a “Business Office Hold” on a student’s record when the requirements for payment of tuition and other charges related to enrollment at CIA are not fulfilled.  Should an account be in default either through withdrawal, loss of financial aid, failure to secure loan approval or finalize loan documentation, NSF checks, departmental fines, outstanding online store purchases, library or student life fines, or late payments to the Transact Full Service Payment Plan, the following penalties will apply:

·         Mid-term and/or final grades will not be released.

·         Academic and financial aid transcripts will not be released.

·         Registration for succeeding terms will not be allowed.

Graduating seniors must have their accounts paid in full before receiving their diploma.

A student’s failure to assume financial responsibility for charges and fees posted to the student’s account may result in that account being sent to a third party for collection.  If an account is sent for collection, the student is responsible for all late fees, service charges, legal fees and collection costs, and any other interest, charges, expenses, or penalties allowed by law for the collection of any amount not paid when due.  No grades or transcripts will be released nor will readmission to the Institute be approved until past due balances are paid in full.

You must notify the Office of Academic Services, Room 120, of your intent to withdraw.

The official date of withdrawal is the last date of recorded attendance as determined by the Office of Academic Services and faculty. If a student stops attending classes without official notification to the Office of Academic Services, the student is responsible for 100% of tuition, fees, room and board regardless of when the student stopped attending classes.

Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence from CIA after the fall or spring semester begins are charged a portion of tuition, fees, room and board as follows:

All withdrawals from CIA are charged a $100 withdrawal fee.

* Room charges begin on move-in day.

FINANCIAL AID RECIPIENTS: Students who choose to withdraw during the first 60% of a semester will forfeit a portion of their grants, scholarships and loans. Following federal, state and institutional guidelines, the financial aid office will determine the amount of unearned aid resulting from the withdrawal. This calculation, determined by the number of days in attendance, is separate from the schedule above and may result in a higher balance due.

After the drop/add period, recalculations are only granted if ALL courses are dropped for the semester. There are no refunds for individual courses dropped once the drop/add period has ended.

A balance due resulting from a return of federal, state, CIA-funded, or third party scholarships and tuition/fee recalculations must be paid in full before a Business Office hold will be removed.

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CIA reserves the right to amend these Student Accounts Financial Policies at any time.

version 01/05/2024