Payment Policies

If at any time during a semester an account becomes past due with an unresolved balance, a hold will be placed on the student’s account and the student will be unable to enroll in additional classes. The balance can be from tuition and fees, missed promissory note payments, DDA book charges, financial aid repayments, parking fines, library fines, and unreturned items (laptops, calculators, etc.).

An account becomes past due when a balance is on the account and that balance is not paid by the next posted payment due date. Holds will be placed on accounts with any unpaid balance over $1.00.

Accounts with past due balances of $50.00 or more may be subject to referral to our third-party collection agency, TSI, Inc. If sent to collections, students are responsible for payment of all additional collection and/or attorney fees charged by the agency.

Black Hawk College will assess a late fee of $10 to all past due accounts; up to 3 late fees can be charged per semester. Students participating in a 3-installment or 4-installment promissory note will also be assessed a late fee after each missed or late payment.

Students are encouraged to speak with the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing from any classes. The student’s hours will be recalculated and some students may be required to return a portion of the federal financial aid they’ve been awarded for that semester. If the recalculation results in the student owing funds back to Black Hawk College, the student will receive a bill and payment in full is expected within 30 days. A payment plan may be available by contacting the Bursar’s Office.

For current and former students with any questions, concerns, or complaints about their student loans, please reach out to Black Hawk College’s Director of Financial Aid at 309-796-5442.

The IL Attorney General’s Office also created the Student Loan Helpline, 1-800-455-2456, to provide struggling student borrowers with free resources about repayment options and information on avoiding default. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities can reach us by using the 7-1-1 relay service. Borrowers can also call to file consumer complaints regarding issues with the billing and servicing of their loans.

Parking tags can be purchased, and parking fines can be paid, in the Bursar’s Office. Important information regarding payments for parking permits and/or fines is available through the Black Hawk College Police Department.

Most bookstore charges are paid directly to the bookstore upon purchase of the required materials for a given semester. The bookstore accepts cash, check, major credit/debit cards, Financial Aid, and third-party vouchers.

Many instructors are using DDA in lieu of a traditional textbook. For more information on DDA, read the Direct Digital Access FAQ.

DDA charges are posted to the student account 2-3 weeks after a class using DDA begins. Notification with a link to your bill reflecting these charges will be sent to the student’s myBHC email account if a balance is due – when available, financial aid or 3^rd party vouchers can be used to pay the balance. DDA access charges are expected to be paid in full by the published due date each semester. If DDA access charges are not paid in full by the published due date, a hold will be placed on the account restricting future enrollment in courses. Once the charges are paid in full, the associated holds and restrictions will be lifted.

Some books are available for semester rental. If a student rents a textbook, they must sign a Textbook Rental Agreement and pay the associated rental price. The agreement will list the date that the book must be returned to the bookstore. Late returns are not accepted.

If a student fails to return the book by the published rental return due date, a charge for the current shelf price of the book will be billed to the student’s account. An invoice will be sent to the student’s myBHC email account and payment is due within 30 days upon receipt. Unpaid Unreturned Textbook Rental charges are subject to a $25.00 late fee and hold will be place on the account that will restrict enrolling in future courses. Once the charges are paid, the associated holds and restrictions will be lifted.