STORY AND PHOTO BY JASON GREEN, STAFF WRITER
Cypress College is set to implement a new repayment plan for tuition for all students starting Spring 2024.
Cypress College’s Interim Vice President of Administrative Services, Stephen Schoonmaker, noticed some students struggled paying their registration in full. This initiated the development of a new payment plan which would allow for a student’s registration to be paid in intervals.
Before the new payment plan was implemented, students had to pay their tuition in full when registering. While they were allowed to make payment arrangements, payments would need to be fulfilled within seven days.
For the upcoming Spring 2024 semester, students will now have the option to pay in monthly increments.
Students have to pay a minimum of at least once per month, but are able to make additional payments if able to.
“The important thing for students to know is that under the student payment plan, they do have to pay the full amount before registration for the next semester,” Schoonmaker said.
In order to be part of this payment plan, students must pay $25 to enroll in the plan. The payment plan has no interest attached to it.
According to Cypress College’s website, an average of 15 units cost $711 in tuition per semester plus a health fee.
Schoonmaker said that currently, if a student has a hold on their account, or an unpaid balance, then the hold prevents the student from dropping or adding classes, however, the new payment plan lifts that restriction.
There are consequences for failing to fulfill these payments. In an email to the Cypress Chronicle, Schoonmaker said, “If a student fails to make their payments, the plan would go into default and the unpaid balance (UB) hold would be re-established on the student’s account. The student would then need to clear their balance to register.”
In an effort to create ease for students and their families, Schoonmaker said that students can also authorize family members to make payments to their account.
As paying for tuition has become harder for many students, Cypress College found another way to support its students financially, allowing them to focus their efforts on their education instead of worrying about having to pay an outstanding balance on their account.