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Installment Payment Plans

New and Current Students

A payment plan will allow you to spread your educational expenses for fall and spring semesters over monthly installments instead of paying in full at the beginning of each semester. Please visit the Nelnet Campus Commerce website for more information on setting up a payment plan and the options for number of payments and due dates.

Students: Log in to ConnectCarolina and select the Student Center tile. Then, scroll down to Student Financials and click on Student Account Payment Plan. If someone is paying on your behalf, you MUST first create an account and set them up as an Authorized Payer to give them access to the Nelnet payment plan (Authorized User and Proxy are separate accesses).

Authorized Payers: If you are paying on behalf of the student, the student must set up their account first and then add you as an Authorized Payer in Nelnet.

Managing Your UNC-Chapel Hill and Nelnet Payment Plan accounts

Nelnet does not have access to a student’s bill. Your Nelnet plan is based on the budget you enter.

Tuition and fee figures for the upcoming academic year are usually posted online by July 1.

The sample budget listed below can be used to help you set up your budget before the rates are available.

Once you receive your billing statement (mid-July for the Fall semester and mid-November for the Spring semester), you should adjust your budget accordingly.

  1. When setting up the budget for each semester, add the student account charges together, subtract any payments that you have made and/or any financial aid awards that you would receive, and use that number for your budget.
  2. NOTE: If you are in a graduate program that has quarters instead of Fall and Spring semesters, you will need to budget for 2 quarters for Fall semester and 2 quarters for Spring semester to cover the entire academic year.
  3. The fall bill will be generated in mid-July, and students can estimate the student account charges by using the sample budget below or the relevant Tuition and Fees listed on our website under Tuition and Fees or in your Financial Aid offer letter and adjust the budget once the actual bill is generated. If you need assistance setting up the budget, please email our office at cashier@unc.edu.
  4. If you need to increase/decrease the Nelnet budget for the semester, you can do so at the Nelnet Campus Commerce website or contact Nelnet at 800-609-8056 to request the adjustment.
Sample semester budget for undergraduate students entering Fall 2023
based on Estimated Cost of Attendance 
Billed Charges NC Resident Amounts Non-Resident Amounts
Tuition $3,510.00 $18,680.00
FEES* $989.00 $989.00
Meal Plan $2,825.00 $2,825.00
Flex Account $200.00 $200.00
Housing $3,683.00 $3,683.00
Total Expenses $11,207.00 $26,377.00
minus UNC-Chapel Hill Enrollment Deposit Paid* -$250.00 -$250.00
Sample Nelnet Budget Amount (NC Resident) $10,957.00 (Non-Resident) $26,127.00
*There is an additional $53.35 Orientation Fee added to all first-year students in the fall semester only.
*If an enrollment deposit was paid, it is applied to the first semester.
Payments are due to Nelnet by the first or 15th of each month depending on the payment plan you choose.

You will receive monthly billing statements from UNC-Chapel Hill but continue to pay Nelnet according to your plan.

  1. Please compare the UNC-Chapel Hill bill with your Nelnet account to make sure you will not over-pay the account or owe additional funds.
    1. UNC-Chapel Hill may adjust the budget down to the correct amount to avoid overpayment.
    2. If there is an overpayment through Nelnet, refunds will be issued after the last payment plan due date for the term. Refunds are issued to the student via electronic refunds.
  2. Prior term balances and other charges such as campus health and library fines are not eligible for the installment payment plan. Students must pay these amounts directly to the Cashier’s Office.

If you still have an outstanding balance with UNC-Chapel Hill once your final payment date with Nelnet has passed, pay the balance directly to UNC-Chapel Hill using one of the payment options listed on cashier.unc.edu. There is a delay between when you make the payment to Nelnet and UNC-Chapel Hill receives the payment, so please do not expect to see the payment posted immediately. (June payments will post to student accounts in July.)

This information is for students no longer enrolled in classes at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Before separating from UNC-Chapel Hill, it is expected that your student account be paid in full. Individuals no longer enrolled at the University with an outstanding account balance over 30 days past due are subject to collection processes. Once the collection process begins, students are notified by letter that they have an outstanding balance with the University. A second collections letter is sent 30 days after the first letter. A HOLD is placed on the student’s account to prevent registration, obtaining transcripts and/or diploma until the balance is paid in full, as required by the State of North Carolina. There are no exceptions to releasing holds with students who have an outstanding balance with the university. The University does not accept settlement offers on debts owed. Monthly payment plans are available to students whose accounts have been placed in collections.

Monthly Payment Plan Details
Amount Due Months
Up to $999 Six Month Payment Plan
$1,000 – $2,999 12 Month Payment Plan
$3,000 – $4,999 18 Month Payment Plan
$5,000 or more 24 Month Payment Plan

Request a summary of the debt if you do not know why you have a balance due.

Payment Plan Request Form

Please call 919-962-1368 or email cashier@unc.edu if you have questions about your student account in collections.

CCI Laptop Grant Repayment

We collect repayment of grants when a student who received a CCI Laptop grant leaves the University before graduating. Students who do not return the laptop will be billed for the grant repayable amount after they leave the University.

You can return your laptop to the ITS Response Center to fulfill your requirement, or you can mail your computer along with all the parts and accessories to:

UNC – CCI Program
111 Airport Dr., Computer Repair Center
Campus Box #1120
Chapel Hill, NC 27599

CCI highly recommends you insure and track your computer shipment. To request your prorated laptop grant repayment amount or to setup a repayment plan please create a help ticket to CCI with your request.