Student Financial Responsibilities Agreement

Purpose: This Agreement is between Aims Community College (“Aims” or “College”) and you (“Student” or “I”), regarding the delivery of educational services for which you agree to pay in the future in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth.

By registering for classes and allowing charges to be applied to my student account, I will be bound by this Agreement. 

A. Use of Account

I authorize the College to add to my account all tuition, fees, and other charges incurred by me as a result of attending the College.

B. Promise to Pay

1. I understand that when I register for any class or receive any service at Aims, I accept full responsibility to pay all tuition, fees, bookstore charges, and other associated costs assessed because of my registration and/or receipt of services. I further understand and agree that my registration and acceptance of these terms constitutes a promissory note agreement in which Aims is providing me educational services, I promise to pay for all assessed tuition, fees, bookstore charges, and other associated costs by the published or assigned due date.

2. I understand and agree that if I drop or withdraw from some or all of the classes for which I register, I will be responsible for paying all or a portion of tuition and fees in accordance with the published tuition deadline schedule. I understand that administrative, clerical, or technical billing errors do not absolve me of my financial responsibility to pay the correct amount of tuition, fees and other associated financial obligations assessed as a result of my registration.

a. Student Account and Billing Statements: It is the student’s responsibility to view their bill. The College sends electronic billing statement notices to the student's College issued email address on record. The College may also send paper billing notices to the student’s physical address on record with the College. Failure by a student to view their student account or receive any billing statement and/or notices does not constitute valid grounds for waiving late payment penalties, or registration, grade, diploma or transcript holds.

C. Financial Aid

1. I understand that aid described as “estimated” on my Financial Aid Award does not represent actual or guaranteed payment, but is an estimate of the aid I may receive if I meet all requirements stipulated by that aid program. I understand that my Financial Aid Award is contingent upon my continued enrollment and attendance in each class upon which my financial aid eligibility was calculated. If I drop any class before completion, I understand that my financial aid eligibility may decrease and some or all of the financial aid awarded to me may be revoked. If some or all of my financial aid is revoked because I dropped or failed to attend class, I agree to repay all revoked aid that was disbursed to my account and resulted in a credit balance that was refunded to me. 

2. Prizes, Awards, Scholarships, and Grants: I understand that all prizes, awards, scholarships, and grants awarded to me may be credited to my student account and applied toward any outstanding balance. I further understand that my receipt of a prize, award, scholarship, or grant may be considered a financial resource according to federal Title IV financial aid regulations, and may therefore reduce my eligibility for other federal and/or state financial aid (i.e., loans, grants, Federal Work-Study) which, if already disbursed to my student account, must be reversed and returned to the aid source.

D. Student Age 

I understand and agree that if I am younger than the applicable age of majority when I execute this agreement that the educational services provided by the College are a necessity, and I am contractually obliged pursuant to the “doctrine of necessaries.”

E.  Types of Payments 

The College is able to accept payment on student accounts by cash, check, money order, and most major credit cards. Temporary counter checks are not accepted by the College. Third-party payer authorizations awarded financial aid and payment plans may also be submitted as a form of payment. Payments are accepted in person, online through the student portal, by mail or in person at the cashier’s office of the College. Credit card payments are accepted online through your student web portal. Students who have previously provided a check that was dishonored by their financial institution (insufficient funds check) may be required to pay in cash or with other certified funds. All outstanding balances must be paid in full or arrangements made with the cashier’s office before any registration holds will be lifted.

F.  Assignment 

The College may assign my account to a collection agency and any of our rights under this Agreement without my consent. I will be notified via US Post Mail and student email account.

G. Other Fees

1.  Nonsufficient Funds (NSF) – Checks returned to the College will be processed by a collection agency. All NSF checks may be assessed additional fees by the collection agency, pursuant to C.R.S. 13-21-109. Checks will not be accepted from students who have written or submitted two or more returned checks to the College. All NSF check and fees must be paid through the designated collection agency; payments will not be accepted by the College.

2.  Collection Agency Fees – I understand my account may be assigned to a collection agency after all internal attempts have failed. The collection agency may report the debt to one or more credit bureau reporting service(s). To the extent permitted by applicable law, I agree to pay all costs, fees and disbursements, including collection fees and reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by the collections agency in legal proceedings to collect or enforce my indebtedness.

3.  Payment Plan Fees – I agree to all fees assessed by the payment plan provider and adhere to the terms of conditions of said payment plan provider.

H. Service Fee 

I understand the College may assess a service fee on the unpaid portion of my past due student account at least once per semester per the posted deadlines.

I. Refunds 

I understand refunds are processed and available to me through current refund methods offered in the best interest of the student that also meet State and Federal regulations. Refund information can be located on the College website. Refunds are available for distribution starting the beginning of the semester and are issued on a regular basis throughout each semester. Refunds are issued to me only. Refunds are not issued to parents, guardians or other responsible parties, except Federal Stafford Plus Loans. 

Please note: Federal financial aid regulations do not permit the College to automatically apply my upcoming financial aid refund to a past due balance from a previous term. I am required to pay for all past due balances in full before any upcoming financial aid funds will be released. 

Registration for any upcoming terms may also be canceled.

J. Hold on Services 

I understand and agree that if I fail to pay my student account bill or any monies due and owing Aims by the scheduled due date, Aims will place a financial hold on my student account, which will prevent me from registering for future classes or receiving my diploma.

K. Course Drop and Withdrawal 

I am responsible to drop from my course(s) by the posted deadlines in order to not be charged for the course. I am responsible for the full cost of the course if I withdraw after the drop deadline of the course or I stop attending. I will not be automatically dropped from the course for non-attendance and will be held financially responsible for the course.

L. Entire Balance Due 

If I fail to make a required payment when due or break any other promise under this Agreement or a separate payment Agreement, the College can declare the entire balance of my account due and payable at once without notice or demand.

M.  Removal from Classes 

The College reserves the right to drop my enrollment for failure to abide by this Agreement or fail to complete one of the payment options I have entered into with the College. Enrollment may also be dropped for any future term enrollment if any outstanding balance is owed to the College.

N. IRS Form 1098T 

I agree to provide my Social Security number (SSN) or taxpayer identification number (TIN) to the College upon request as required by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations for Form 1098-T reporting purposes.

1.  I agree that I have the option to receive my IRS Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, electronically for each year or by USPS mail for which I have reportable transactions, and I may view and print my IRS Form 1098-T by logging into my online student account to access the tax form. I can update my delivery option by logging into my student account by Dec 31 of the same tax year.

O. Change of Terms 

The College may change the terms of this Agreement at any time by providing reasonable notification to my Aims.edu email account. It is my responsibility to ensure I am aware of any changes, including changes to any and all tuition and fees. Changes may apply to all outstanding unpaid indebtedness and to any future transactions on my account.

P. Notices 

All mailed notices required to be given by the College in connection with my account shall be deemed to have been delivered on the day when they are deposited in the United States mail, properly addressed and with postage prepaid. Any notice by email is considered received when the email enters the information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purpose of receiving email. Student account information is considered received when the information is posted on the student portal.

Q. Communication

1.  Method of Communication: I understand and agree that the College uses email as an official method of communication with me, and I am therefore responsible for reading the emails I receive from Aims on a timely basis.

2. Contact: I authorize Aims and its agents and contractors to contact me at my current and any future cellular phone number(s), email address(es) or wireless device(s) regarding my delinquent account. I authorize Aims Community College and its agents and contractors to use automated telephone dialing equipment, artificial or prerecorded voice or text messages, and personal calls and emails, in their efforts to contact me. Furthermore, I understand that I may withdraw my consent to call my cellular phone by submitting my request in writing to the College or in writing to the applicable contractor or agent contacting me on behalf of the College.

3. Updating Contact Information: I understand and agree that I am responsible for keeping the College records up to date with my current physical addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers by updating them on the online student account or contact the Enrollment office to provide the College with updated contact information for purposes of continued communication regarding any amounts that remain due and owing to the college.

R. Family Education Right to Privacy Act 

Family Education Right to Privacy Act, 20U.S.C. § 1232g (“FERPA”) applies to all students, including students younger than the applicable age of majority. Account information will only be released to the student unless a “Release of Confidential Information” form has been submitted to the College. 

Revision Approved:                           
College Council, May 31, 2023

College Council, March 9, 2020
College Council, August 22, 2016
Adopted:  October 19, 2015
Responsible Administrator: Vice President for Administrative Services
Procedure is co-owned by SEIS and AS Administratively Renumbered from 5-601F