Financial Services

CARS Bills and Payment Options Available Online

By Joyce Sturm and Nancy Chapman

Fall 2005 | Did you know that students and parents (i.e., authorized “other payers”) can view the CARS billing statements and pay registration fees online? Since the new system’s implementation in May 2005, more than 14,500 students (44 percent) have activated their e-Bill profiles. Many of these students have shared the access with their parents, who are enjoying the convenience of online billing and payment. The campus is making plans to phase out paper statements, so if you’re interested in receiving the bills, we encourage you to set up your online access now.

Below are some frequently asked questions about this new service – and the answers:

Q: How can parents get access to the CARS bills?

A: Even though many parents foot the college bills, students are ultimately responsible for their payment. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents can’t see the bills without authorization from their students. To begin the process, students activate an e-Bill profile beginning at http://bearfacts.berkeley.edu. Once the profile has been activated, the system will assign a Net.Pay PIN. The student then gives the PIN and student ID number to the desired “other payer,” probably you.

As the “other payer,” go to http://bearfacts.berkeley.edu and select “Bear Facts for Students/Student Resources,” then “Other Payer Access to e-Bill/e-Check,” then “e-Bill/e-Check for Other Payers.” That will take you to a log-on page at which you will create a user name and password by selecting “Sign Up.” Follow the prompts to activate your “other payer” e-Bill profile. During the activation process, you will create a unique logon and password for future use.

Q: My son activated his e-Bill profile but didn’t write down the PIN. What do we do?

A: Your son should retrace the steps he took to activate his e-Bill profile. Once he’s at the e-Bill menu, he can view his PIN by selecting “Update Information.”

Q: Will “other payers” be notified when a bill is issued?

A: Yes. The Net.Pay system sends e-mail notifications when a new billing statement is available. To cover all bases for notification purposes, you may provide up to three e-mail addresses in your profile.

Q: Why doesn’t the e-Bill reflect recent account activity?

A: The CARS e-Bill is generated once each month, as long as there is activity on the account. Activity that occurs after the billing cycle cut-off date will be displayed on the next monthly statement. You can’t access activity between statements because of FERPA restrictions, but your student can. Using their CalNet authentication, students can find up-to-date account balances, payment history, refund activity, and award credits at the CARS site, accessible from http://bearfacts.berkeley.edu. The site is updated nightly.

Q: How can I pay online?

A: There are two convenient ways to pay. If you have created an “other payer” profile, select the “$” icon from the Statement Summary screen. You may also make an online payment via the One Time Payment Gateway. Start at http://bearfacts.berkeley.edu. Select “Bear Facts for Students/Student Resources,” then “Other Payer for e-Bill,” and then “CARS One Time Payment.” You’ll need to provide your student’s ID number, last name, and the amount you wish to pay.

Q: Can I pay by credit card?

A: No. Online payment must be made via e-Check (for a fee of 50 cents). You’ll be prompted to provide banking information for a checking or savings account. (You may wish to confirm with your bank the proper way to format this information before submitting your payment.) Accounts held by investment firms or checks drawn against credit card limits are not eligible for e-Check.

Q: Is it safe to pay online?

A: Absolutely! Our vendor, Sallie Mae Business Office Solutions, is a leader in the student loan and educational finance industry. Used by more than 350 schools, Sallie Mae sites and systems meet the highest security standards for personal data management.

Q: How can I get more information?

A: You can start by reviewing the Billing and Payment Services web site at http://billingservices.vcbf.berkeley.edu. If you would like to contact the office, telephone service hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.; call 510/642-3190.