Return Payments and Chargebacks

If your payment is disputed or refused by our bank, the payment will be reversed from your account and you will be eligible for late penalties and holds until your account is paid in full. Additional penalties will apply depending on the nature of the return.

Returned ACH and Checks

If your ACH or check payment is returned, even if you are not the issuer of the check, a $35 Returned Payment Fee is automatically applied to your account. We also assess a financial hold on all returned payments. This hold can only be removed 10 business days after the outstanding balance has been paid in full. If two or more payments are returned, you will be restricted from making future ACH payments via the online system and will need to submit payment via certified funds (wire, credit card, cashier's check, money order, etc.).

Credit Card Disputes and Chargebacks

All credit card transaction disputes should be submitted in writing to the Student Accounts Office within 60 days of the transaction date. Our office will review your request and respond within 10 business days.

When a cardholder disputes a credit card transaction with their card-issuing institution, the University is notified of the chargeback case and presented with the details of the dispute. At that time, the University has the option to accept dispute or file a counter-claim against the chargeback case. The Student Accounts Office will automatically file a counter-claim against chargebacks cases for which written notice has not been given.

If GW receives notice of a dispute from your card-issuing institution, the option to make future payments online via the Student Account eBill will be restricted. All future payments will need to be submitted via certified funds (wire, cashier's check, money order, etc.).

Please note: 

• All disputed credit card payments will be removed from your student account pending the results of the chargeback case. This may result in the assessment of late payment fees and finance charges, financial holds, and other collection activity.
• Credit card transaction disputes should not be filed in lieu of submitting a refund request. 
• If a credit card payment associated with the monthly payment plan is disputed, your enrollment in the plan will be cancelled. 
• The PayPath Payment Service fee is non-refundable. If a dispute is filed for the PayPath Payment Service fee and the chargeback case is found in favor of the cardholder, then the amount of the PayPath Payment Service fee will be applied to your student account balance. 
• MasterCard has implemented a $15.00 chargeback fee per case, which may be applied to your student account balance.