Semester Start Requirements

Semester start requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied prior to enrollment. In order to be considered officially enrolled in classes at the start of each semester, all university semester start requirements must be satisfied. Students who fail to fulfill these requirements will have holds placed on their accounts and be prohibited from entering classes or changing their schedules. In addition, students may not be able to select their housing assignments.

Prior to each semester’s posted deadline for the semester start requirements, all students must complete (or confirm completion of) the following requirements. Deadlines are set forth in the Academic Calendar and included in many email communications.

All students must

  1. Participate in course registration.
  2. Contact Student Financial Services to review their invoices and payment arrangements.
    1. Invoices are mailed beginning in May (for the fall semester) and November (for the spring semester).
    2. Students are encouraged to contact Student Financial Services to streamline the process of completing the semester start requirements
  3. Meet the Payment Deadline Requirement.

If applicable, students must also

  1. Satisfy the financial aid requirements.
  2. Satisfy high school requirements and receive a high school diploma (all new undergraduate students), bachelor's requirements (all new graduate students) or master’s requirements (all new postgraduate students) by submitting final, official documentation.
  3. Satisfy the health services requirement (all new students).
  4. Satisfy the international student services requirement.

Payment Deadline Requirement

A payment deadline has been established for each semester. Prior to this deadline, all students must establish (or confirm) an appropriate and approved payment plan with Student Financial Services. Failure to satisfy this requirement may result in immediate and permanent deletion of the student’s schedule, and a financial hold will be placed on the student’s account. In this instance, students will be permitted to register only when holds no longer exist on their record. Students who have not registered by a semester’s deadline for completing semester start requirements will be required to complete their payment arrangements, as well as satisfy all other hold(s) if applicable, before being able to register for courses. Students who subsequently satisfy their payment arrangements shall have no guarantee that they will be able to re-register for the same course(s) and/or section(s) from which they were dropped.

Students who fail to make payment in full by the prescribed deadlines may be assessed a late payment charge of 1.5% per month on any unpaid balance. Accounts that are more than 90 days past due may be referred to an agency and/or attorney for collection. The student is then responsible for all fees and costs due to or incurred by the university, as well as all fees and costs incurred by the agency and/or attorney, including attorney's fees and costs.

Financial planning representatives are available in Student Financial Services to help students and families satisfy the payment deadline requirement (see Financial Services for contact information). One, or a combination, of the following options constitutes an appropriate payment plan:

  • Pay the entire annual balance due to Johnson & Wales University.
  • Make a semester payment in full to Johnson & Wales University.
  • Pay the enrollment fee and first installment to Nelnet Campus Commerce, the university’s monthly payment plan company.
  • Apply for and receive approval for a loan that covers the entire annual balance due to Johnson & Wales University.
  • Submit company authorization for tuition reimbursement.

Financial Aid Requirement

To receive financial aid, students must first complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) with the U.S. Department of Education as soon as possible after October 1; the completed FAFSA must then be on file with Student Financial Services. If selected for verification, all requested documentation must be received in Student Financial Services by the posted semester’s deadline for completing semester start requirements. Failure to satisfy this requirement will result in the placement of holds on the student’s account and will prohibit the student from entering class or changing their schedule.