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Huskie Installment Plan (HIP)

The Huskie Installment Plan (HIP) is a payment option designed to provide budgetary assistance in meeting NIU students’ semester educational expenses. Through HIP, instead of making a lump sum payment at the beginning of each term, students can spread their NIU semester expenses over four equal monthly payments.

Estimate your HIP installment amounts with our Tuition Estimator.

 HIP Application Form (PDF)

How the Plan Works

The student’s account charges (including the Participation Fee), less any pending financial aid awards, will be divided equally into four monthly installments. Students with prior term charges of less than $500 will have the prior balance amount spread evenly over the four installments with the new charges.

For Fall semester, initial billing for HIP is in July with the first installment due in August. The remaining three installments will be due in September, October and November. For Spring semester, initial billing for HIP is in December with the first installment due in January and the remaining installments due in February, March and April (see Billing and Due Dates section).

Any new charges the student may incur after enrollment in HIP will be evenly spread over the remaining unbilled installments. For example: if the student adds a class after the initial installment billing in July, the charges relative to the added class will be evenly spread over the remaining three installments; or, if a parking fine is added to the student’s account after the second installment billing, this fine will be evenly spread over the remaining two installments.

Reductions to the student’s charges will be treated the same as increases to charges. If the student has a reduction of charges, e.g., drops a class or waives student medical insurance, after the first installment billing, this reduction of charges will reduce the remaining unbilled installments equally.

HIP Enrollment

Enrollment in HIP is on a per semester basis. Students will need to complete and submit an application for each semester they wish to participate.

Application Deadlines

Students are urged to apply early. To participate in the four month budget plan, applications must be received by the Bursar’s Office no later than June 30th for Fall semester enrollment and no later than November 30th for Spring semester enrollment. Click here to complete the HIP Application Form.

Submit Applications by mail to:

Office of the Bursar
Northern Illinois University
1425 W. Lincoln Highway
DeKalb, IL 60115-2828

Or by FAX at (815) 753-0491

Participation Fee

A non-refundable Participation Fee of $50 per semester is required for enrollment in HIP. This fee will be divided equally into the four monthly installments.

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Billing and Due Dates

Monthly billing statements will be issued in advance of each payment due date. These statements will be mailed to the student at the billing address the student has indicated on the application form. This statement will reflect charges and any payments or credits received since the last issued account statement, the installment amount due, and the current outstanding balance.

Students can also view their HIP installment schedule on their MyNIU self service account. Monthly installments are due each month whether or not a bill is received.

Below is the current year schedule for billing and installment due dates:

Installment Payments

Payment of each installment is to be made by the payment due date; however, a student can pre-pay an installment or pay more than the installment. Payments can be made electronically via MyNIU, by mail to or in person at the Bursar’s Office, or through one of the Bursar’s Office drop boxes (see the Make a Payment page).

If the student pays less than the total installment by the due date, a $25 late payment fee will be assessed to any unpaid amount of $25 or more. The late payment charge will be evenly added to the remaining unbilled installments. If the student has past due installments of $500 or more after the third installment due date, a hold will be placed on the student’s records prohibiting the student from registering and receiving transcripts.

If the student pays all installments except the fourth installment, the $25 late payment fee will be assessed to the student’s account and the student will be prohibited from participating in HIP for the next term. Additionally, if any unpaid installment amount of $500 or greater is remaining after the fourth due date, a hold prohibiting future registration and receipt of transcripts will be placed on the student’s records.

Estimate your HIP installment amounts with our Tuition Estimator.

Returned Payments

A charge of $25.00 will be assessed to the student’s account for any returned payment by the bank. If the returned payment results in a late payment, a late payment fee may also be charged.

Address Changes

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Bursar’s Office of any Billing Address changes as soon as possible. This notification can be done by sending an e-mail to the Bursar Office (bursar@niu.edu) via the student’s secure NIU e-mail account, or completing a form in the Bursar’s Office.

Refunds

Refunds of credit balances resulting from monies paid to the plan will be handled according to the university’s refund policy.

Plan Withdrawal

The student may withdraw from the plan at any time by submitting a written notice to the Bursar’s Office; however, the Participation Fee of $50 is non-refundable. The regular university tuition payment policy will then apply to any outstanding balance remaining on the student’s account at the time of withdrawal.

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