Trinity Business Office

Making Payments on Your Student Account

The Business Office accepts payments via mail, in person, online, and over the phone.  In addition, Trinity is proud to offer an online payment plan option at the start of each semester.

Mail Payments

Checks or money orders may be mailed to the Business Office at the main Trinity address.  Please be sure to put “Attention Business Office” on the envelope.

To ensure that payments are correctly applied, please put the student’s full name and student ID on the check or supporting material.

Receipts for payments received by mail are not typically generated; however, students can verify that the payment was applied to their account through logging in to Self-Service and looking under their account details.

In-Person Payments

The Business Office accepts cash, checks, money orders, debit card, and credit card payments (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express) in person at the Cashier Window in Main 114.

Please note that to receive any detailed information regarding your balance or account details, you must show a Photo ID at the Business Office.

Our hours are 9 AM – 7 PM Monday – Friday and 8 AM – 2 PM on Saturday. Please note that any payments made after 4:00pm or on a Saturday may not be posted until the following business day.

Online Payments

Students can make payments through logging into Self-Service 24 hours a day.  Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express are accepted through Self-Service, as well as e-check, where students pay using their routing number and checking account information. This video will walk you through the process, step-by-step.

Prior to making an online payment, the Business Office requires that all students review the following policies.

• Student Financial Responsibilities Policy
• Deposits and Refunds Policy
• Privacy and Online Confirmation Policy

When you make a payment through Self-Service your credit card information will be securely encrypted.  You will need to enter a valid credit card security code each time you make an online payment.

All credit card information is securely encrypted through Self-Service. Within Self-Service, students are also able to create an “Authorized Payer” who can see their bill and make payments on the student’s behalf.  Authorized Payers can be set up through clicking on “Payments & Refunds” under “My Finances.”

Phone Payments

The Business Office accepts credit card and debit card payments over the phone at 202-884-9527.  Payments can be made by students, parents or employers.

For verification purposes, a parent or employer must know the student’s ID number or their full name and date of birth.  No information can be given over the phone to parents or employers concerning the balance on the account without the express written consent of the student.

In the event that no one is able to take the payment at the time you call, please do not leave the credit card information on the voicemail.  We will return all calls within 24 hours, and we greatly appreciate your patience.  Credit card receipts for phone transactions are faxed or emailed per individual request only.

Other Payment Methods (Fax Authorizations and Payment Plans)

In addition to the methods described above, credit card authorizations can be faxed to 202-884-9029.  Please include the student’s full name and date of birth on the credit card authorization, along with the amount to be charged.

Trinity also offers an online payment plan option through NelNet, which is available at the start of each semester.  Please click here to sign up for the payment plan.   Any questions on the payment plan or help signing in should be directed to Nelnet Business Solutions at 1-800-609-8056.

There is a fee of $25 for participation in the payment plan, but there are no interest charges. The plan is not available for the summer, May term, winter term, or accelerated sessions. Students enrolled in a Continuing Education course are not eligible for payment plans.

Getting Your Refund

Trinity issues student refunds by direct deposit and paper check. Trinity partners with Nelnet, an outside processor, to issue refunds.

Selecting your Refund Option

Students can select their refund options through logging into Self-Service.  Click on the “Finances” tab, then choose ‘Make a Payment’. You will be asked to sign in again, then redirected to “Quikpay Payments and Refunds”. Click on “Manage Refunds”, then click on “Edit Refund Method”.

Once there, follow the on-screen prompts to update your refund information.  Students may select to have their refunds direct deposited into their checking or savings account, or to receive a paper check mailed to their address on record or another address that they enter. Once your refund method has been updated, you should receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, go back to the “Manage Refunds” page to confirm the change or contact QuikPay customer service at 1-888-470-6014 for assistance. If you have any questions on how to access your profile or make changes to your refund method, please contact the Trinity Business Office at BusinessOffice@trinitydc.edu.

Direct Deposit

The easiest and most efficient way to receive your student refund is to sign up for direct deposit within Self-Service.  Please be sure that you correctly enter your routing and account number into the system.  If the information is incorrect, a direct deposit cannot be processed for you, and you will instead be mailed a paper check.

Direct deposits are typically in your bank account within 3 business days of the refund date shown in your Self-Service account.  You will also receive an email to your Trinity student email address that shows the date the refund was processed by Trinity.

Paper Checks

If you do not log into Self-Service to make a refund option, the default option is that the refund will be mailed to the address that is listed within Self-Service.  You can also log into Self-Service and select the paper check option, and change the address that you want the check to be mailed to.

Checks typically arrive within 7-10 business days of the refund date shown in Self-Service.  You will also receive an email from Trinity stating the date that your refund was processed.  Please note that checks are not able to be picked up at Trinity.

If it has been longer than the time period specified above, please contact the Trinity Business Office at (202) 884-9527.

Student Refund Reissue Form

General Questions

1. When will my refund be available?

2. How will I be notified that I have been issued a refund?

3. Are there any rules as to what I can spend my refund on?

Refund Checks

1. Can I cash my refund check anywhere?

2. I have not received my refund check.  What do I need to do?

3. I think I lost my refund check.  What do I need to do?

Direct Deposits

1. Why should I sign up for direct deposit?  How do I sign up if I’m interested?

2. I signed up for direct deposit, but the money is not in my bank account.  What should I do?

Answers!

• Refund checks are generated by the Business Office every week.  Accounts are updated within Self-Service throughout the week, and an email will be sent to students once refunds are processed.  The refund option you select determines when you will receive your refunds:
  • Direct Deposit — approximately 3 business days from the refund date in Self-Service.
  • Checks — approximately 7-10 business days from the refund date in Self-Service.
• The best way to determine if a refund has been generated for you is to log into Self-Service.  By clicking on Finances, then Balance, then Charge/Credit Details, you will be able to see if there is a Student Refund on your account.  In addition, you will receive an email from Trinity at approximately 2 PM on the date that your refund is processed.  If your account does not show a Student Refund, but you feel that you should be getting a refund, please contact Enrollment Services at enrollmentservices@trinitydc.edu.  Please note that if your student accounts shows “Refund Third Party,” the refund will not be made payable to you, and will instead be mailed to the payee by Trinity. 
• According to the Department of Education regulations, you may use the money you receive only to pay for education expenses at Trinity.  Education expenses include school charges such as tuition, room and board, fees, books, supplies, equipment, dependent childcare expenses, transportation, and rental or purchase of a personal computer.  For more details, please contact Enrollment Services at enrollmentservices@trinitydc.edu.
• With the prevalence of check fraud in today’s environment, many banks are hesitant to cash any checks unless you have an account with them and are able to show multiple forms of ID.  Trinity does not recommend cashing your refund check, as it is unsafe to carry around great sums of cash.  Instead, we recommend that you open up a free bank account at a local bank to deposit your refund check.  A list of local banks and their student bank account programs can be found here.  Please note that Trinity does not recommend or endorse any specific bank, and receives no compensation from listing the banks on the attached list.  Choosing a bank is your personal decision.
• If you have not received your refund and it has been 10 business days from the date that the refund was issued in Self-Service, please contact the Business Office at 202-884-9527 to inquire about the status of your refund.  We will be able to help you further.
• If you have received your refund check, and have lost the refund check, please contact the Business Office at 202-884-9527 to request that a stop payment be placed on your check and a replacement be reissued.  A stop payment fee may apply. 
• All direct deposit recipients will receive an email to their Trinity student email address at least one day prior to the direct deposit being initiated.  If you have not received your refund, please check to see if you have received an email from us.  Please also check to be sure that you are scheduled to receive a refund check through logging into Self-Service.  If you have received the email from us, and show a refund check in Self-Service, please first contact your financial institution to inquire about the direct deposit.  At this point, if you still have an unresolved issue, please call the Business Office at 202-884-9527 and have your account number and routing number available.  A Business Office staff member will investigate the issue further.  If you have provided an incorrect account or routing number, we must wait to obtain notification from our bank that the funds have been returned.  This can take up to 3-5 days.  At the point that the funds are returned, a paper check will automatically be generated and will be mailed to the address on file.  You will receive an email when this occurs.  Please allow 7-10 business days from the date of this email to receive your refunds.  Please be sure that the refund information you are entering is correct!!!
• Signing up for direct deposit means that you get your money sooner!  You don’t need to wait to get the check mailed to you, and you don’t need to take the check to the bank to have it added to your account.  You won’t have to worry about your check getting misplaced before you get to cash it.  It’s more environmentally friendly, as well, since most of the work is able to be done through a paperless system.  If you’re interested in signing up for direct deposit, you just need to log into Self-Service to select your refund option.

Claiming Your Education Tax Benefits

Higher education costs may be eligible for tax benefits, and students are provided with the 1098-T form to assist in the preparation of annual tax returns. The 1098-T form is a “Tuition Payment Statement” that all higher educational institutions are required to provide to eligible students and to the IRS.

1098-T forms are mailed by the end of January each year to the permanent address on your student account.  This is the same address that you receive other Trinity mailings, such as statements and payment arrangements information.

Effective January 2017, Heartland ECSI has updated how students may access their tax documents. For students wanting to access current year forms only:

1. Go to https://heartland.ecsi.net.
2. Select “Access Your 1098 Tax Documents”.
3. Select “Want to look up your 1098-T or 1098-E tax form? Click here to start your search.”
4. Select “I need my 1098-T Tuition tax statement”.
5. Select ‘Trinity Washington University’ from the dropdown list and click ‘Submit’.
6. Students will need to verify their first & last name, SSN, and zip code to proceed, which must match information on file with Trinity.
7. The tax documentation information screen will appear next. Students have the ability to see how the form was delivered (US mail or electronic) and may view/print their statement.

For students wanting to view prior year forms (beginning in 2013), an account will need to be created:

1. Students must first have their login credentials from the previous ECSI website on hand (school code, account number and PIN) if you have not received a Heartland Key from ECSI. The account number is the same as your SSN, and the school code is XO. Their PIN can be retrieved here.
2. Go to https://heartland.ecsi.net and click ‘Sign in or Register’.
3. Register for a new profile if you do not currently have an ECSI profile set up.
4. Once your profile has been registered, click on ‘Connect an account’ to add Trinity Washington University to your profile. If you do not have a Heartland key, you may search by school. You will need school code, account number, and PIN for this step.
5. Once your account has been connected, click on the Trinity University tile, then click on ‘View Account’.
6. Click on the ‘History’ tab to view past 1098-t statements.

Frequently Asked Questions

If your question regarding your 1098-T form is not answered here, please contact Heartland ECSI by e-mail (cservice@ecsi.net) or phone (1-866-428-1098).

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide instantaneous responses to 1098-T questions, so please ensure that you have your questions answered prior to your appointment with your tax preparer.

1. What is the 1098-T form?
2. How will I know when the 1098-T form is ready?
3. If I log in to the website, will I still receive a 1098-T form in the mail?
4. I forgot my password. How can I reset it?
5. How can I get a new/duplicate copy of my 1098-T?
6. My name or social security number are incorrect on my 1098-T.  How can I have this corrected?
7. Why is box 2 blank on my 1098-T form?
8. Why isn’t the amount in Box 1 equal to the amounts I paid to Trinity during the year?
9. What does an amount in box 4 mean?
10. What does an amount in box 5 mean?
11. What does an amount in box 6 mean?
12. Why are my Spring charges not showing up on my 1098-T?
13. I graduated in May 2019, do I have a Form 1098-T for the year?
14. I am a parent.  Can I receive a copy of my child’s 1098-T form?
15. My accountant says the University must provide a Form 1098-T.
16. My tax preparer and I have questions regarding how to use the 1098-T form in preparing my tax return.  Who can I contact for assistance with completing my tax return?

Question: What is the 1098-T form?

Answer: The 1098-T is a form designed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and used by colleges and universities to report tax-related information concerning educational expenses, pursuant to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Trinity is required to report information including the student’s name, address, taxpayer’s identification number (TIN) academic/enrollment status and (since 2003) any amount of qualified tuition payments or scholarships/grants (found in boxes 1 and 5, respectively). These forms are intended to be used by students as a guide while completing their individual federal tax returns, and should not be taken as any tax advice given by the University. It is a helpful step in applying for the federal income tax education credits, however, it does not contain all of the information necessary to apply, requiring additional information that must be researched and obtained by the student and their tax preparer.

Question: How will I know when the 1098-T form is ready?

Answer:  You will receive an email at the address provided to Heartland ECSI when 1098-T forms are available to be viewed online, typically in early January. Any student who has not chosen to receive their 1098-T electronically will receive a paper copy via mail, which will be sent to the address on record with the University by January 31. The email sent by Heartland ECSI will specify the Heartland Key needed to access your form. To opt-in to receive your 1098-T form electronically, please click here and have your student ID number (beginning with P) ready.

Question: If I log in to the website, will I still receive a 1098-T form in the mail?

Answer:  If you have given consent to receive your 1098-T form electronically, a paper form will not be mailed to you.  However, you will be able to log in as often as you wish to print out copies of your form.

Question: I forgot my password. How can I reset it?

Answer: Students can reset their ECSI account password by visiting here.

Question: How can I get a new/duplicate copy of my 1098-T?

Answer:  If you did not receive the 1098-T form, or need a duplicate form, please go to the website of our service provider. If you have not received a Heartland Key from ECSI, you will need to obtain your previous account PIN here. Trinity’s school code is XO, and your account number is your full social security number.

Please note that 1098-T forms for prior years starting with 2013 will be available through ECSI, if you need them for your records.  There is a year drop-down menu within the service provider website. If you need a 1098-T form for a year prior to 2013, please contact the Business Office.

Question: My name or social security number are incorrect on my 1098-T.  How can I have this corrected?

Answer: Contact the Business Office via email with a completed W-9s form.  The Business Office will correct your information online within 48 hours of your request, and you will receive an e-mail from Heartland ECSI when your corrected form is available.

Question: Why is box 2 blank on my 1098-T form?

Answer: In previous years, Form 1098-T has included a dollar amount in Box 2 that represented the qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) the University billed to your student account for the calendar year. Due to a change in institutional reporting requirements under federal law, beginning with tax year 2018, the University must report in Box 1 the amount of QTRE paid during the year. Qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) include any tuition charges plus the student activity fees, laboratory fees, graduation fees, and enrollment fees. All other charges to your student account, including room and board, are not considered eligible charges. A statement of account activity for tax purposes can be provided upon demand, and may be requested from the Business Office by e-mail at BusinessOffice@trinitydc.edu.

Question: Why isn’t the amount in Box 1 equal to the amounts I paid to Trinity during the year?

Answer: There are various reasons why the amounts paid to Trinity does not equal the amount reported in Box 1. One reason is that the amount of payments reported does not include payments for room and board, health service and insurance fees, parking or other expenses not considered mandatory education expenses for tax purposes. Secondly, Form 1098-T reports the amount that the student paid in a certain year, and the pay date does not necessarily correspond to the dates that the classes were attended. For example, tuition for the Spring semester is typically billed in November, and a student may have paid tuition for the Spring semester in 2018 despite the fact that classes didn’t start until 2019. Information about the amounts that you paid for qualified tuition and related expenses can be viewed in Self-Service.

Question: What does an amount in box 4 mean?

Answer: Box 4, “Adjustments made for a prior year” shows an amount if qualified tuition and related expenses that were reported on a 1098-T form for a prior year were subsequently adjusted or reduced during the current tax year.

Question: What does an amount in box 5 mean?

Answer: Box 5, “Scholarships or grants” shows the net amount of certain forms of educational assistance that was received or applied to your student account between January and December of the current tax year, regardless of the term for which the funds were originally intended.

Question: What does an amount in box 6 mean?

Answer: Box 6, “Adjustments to Scholarships or Grants for a Prior Year” shows an amount if scholarships or grants that were reported on a 1098-T for a prior year year were subsequently adjusted or reduced in in the current tax year.

Question: What charges are considered “qualified” or “eligible” for reporting?

Answer: Eligible or qualified charges are any tuition charges plus the student activity fees, laboratory fees, graduation fees, and enrollment fees.  All other charges to your student account, including room and board, are not considered eligible charges.

Question: Why are my Spring charges not showing up on my 1098-T? (Applicable for 1098-Ts issued prior to 2018)

Answer: Students automatically charge their accounts by registering for classes.  If you registered for Spring classes during the regular registration period (typically November and December), you charged your account at that time, making those charges eligible to claim in the year of registration.  These would have been reflected on that year’s 1098-T.  Similarly, if you have already registered for this coming Spring, these charges will be included on this year’s 1098-T form.

Question: I graduated in May 2019, do I have a Form 1098-T for the year?

Answer: Some May 2019 graduates will not be issued a Form 1098-T for 2019 depending on the date their account was billed for the Spring semester. For most students, tuition charges for Spring 2019 were billed in November 2018 and included as QTRE for the 2018 tax year. If a student had no reportable tuition charges for 2019, then the student would not receive a 2019 Form 1098-T.

Question: I am a parent. Can I receive a copy of my child’s 1098-T form?

Answer: Students must make all information requests.  The student is responsible for providing information to other parties in accordance with the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).

Question: My accountant says the University must provide a Form 1098-T.

Answer: The University is not required, by the IRS, to furnish a Form 1098-T in the following instances:

1. Payments for courses for which no academic credit is offered, even if the student is otherwise enrolled in a degree program,
2. Enrolled student is a nonresident alien, unless requested by the student,
3. Students whose qualified tuition and related expenses are entirely waived or paid entirely with grants/scholarships,
4. Students for whom you do not maintain a separate financial account and whose qualified tuition and related expenses are covered by a formal billing arrangement between an institution and the student’s employer or governmental entity, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense.

Question: My tax preparer and I have questions regarding how to use the 1098-T form in preparing my tax return.  Who can I contact for assistance with completing my tax return?

Answer: Trinity employees are not authorized to offer any personal tax advice.  Please address all questions and concerns regarding personal tax matters to a tax consultant/advisor or the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.  Alternatively, you may want to consult the following websites before calling the IRS:

• www.irs.gov (Type 1098-T in search box)
• Federal Education Tax Benefits Guide
• Various Federal Tax Cuts and Credits