GatewayPlus
Welcome to the Gateway Plus Card!
Gateway Technical College is offering the Gateway Plus Card, a quick and easy way of delivering financial aid disbursements to students. Gateway has partnered with the financial services company Higher One in this effort.
A Gateway Plus Card debit card will be mailed to eligible Gateway Technical College financial aid applicants starting mid-September. Those applicants need to activate their card NOW. DO NOT THROW AWAY THE CARD, even if you do not receive a financial aid disbursement award this semester. You will be charged $10 if it needs to be replaced if you receive a disbursement in the future.
The card will be used for financial aid disbursements only, and only works as a debit card. Visit www.gatewaypluscard.com to learn more about the benefits that accompany your new Gateway Plus Card.
In order to receive your financial aid disbursement (refund) from Gateway, you must activate your card and then choose how you will receive it. Both ways involve an electronic transfer – no paper checks! There are two options:
- Disbursement (refund) deposited directly into your Gateway Plus Card through Higher One.
- Disbursement (refund) deposited into a bank account of your choice.
No matter which option you choose, if you are an enrolled student applying for financial aid, you will receive the Gateway Plus Card in the mail.
Please activate your card as soon as you receive it. Remember, even if you are expecting no financial aid disbursement from Gateway Technical College, we may have one for you in the future. Verify your address on WebAdvisor or at Registration today! Your new Gateway Plus Card will be mailed to the address on file.
To learn more about Gateway’s new Gateway Plus Card, please visit www.gatewaypluscard.com
Benefits
The card will benefit you in many ways.
- No paper checks – your disbursement (refund) is deposited into your bank or your Gateway Plus Card account.
- You don’t have to wait for the checks to arrive in the mail – direct deposit means your disbursement is deposited swiftly.
- There will be several quick ways to inform you your financial aid disbursement money has arrived, including e-mail and by text message.
- You know quickly whether your financial aid disbursement has been processed.
- There’s no screening to receive a Higher One account – it’s a way to create an account.
- Parents and other family members can electronically send money to be deposited in your account.
- Your Gateway Plus Card can be used in stores and online to make purchases wherever Master Card is accepted.
Signing Up
If you are a financial aid applicant, it’s critical you verify your mailing address as soon as possible. You need to sign up to be able to receive your disbursement, even if you decide against opening a Gateway Plus Card account.
If you’re unsure whether Gateway has your current mailing address, please take a moment to update your address information. You can download the data change form, fill it out, and drop it off in Student Services or update it in WebAdvisor. Your new Gateway Plus Card will be mailed to your address on file with Gateway Technical College.
Visit www.gatewaypluscard.com to learn more about the benefits that accompany your new Gateway Plus Card. For this option, you will need to complete, print and mail the third party form to the designated address. The form is available on that Web site.
Financial Aid Disbursements
The Gateway Plus Card is designed to provide you with increased choices when it comes to receiving your financial aid disbursement – including the “Easy Disbursement” method. Easy Disbursement is by far the fastest and easiest way to gain access to your financial aid disbursement money – literally the same day Higher One releases it.
Enrolled financial aid applicants will receive a card. Please activate your card as soon as you receive it. Remember, even if you are not currently expecting a financial aid disbursement from Gateway Technical College, we may have one for you in the future.
There are no paper checks. Only electronic transfer to your bank or automatic deposit into your Gateway Plus Card.
Activating Your Card
To activete your card, go to www.gatewaypluscard.com. You will need:
- Your Gateway Plus card
- An email address
- Social Security number
- Driver's license information (optional)
- Routing number and bank account number (optional)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gateway Plus Card?
The Gateway Plus Card is a debit card. With it, you can make online or retail purchases at any business accepting Master Card. It is also a FDIC insured free checking account that allows you to access your financial aid disbursement quickly and easily. The Gateway Plus Card has no minimum balance, no monthly fees and free Internet banking features. You can also get cash with no fee at a Higher One ATM located on the Racine, Kenosha, and Elkhorn campuses.
What are the advantages of having my disbursements deposited into an account?
There are several advantages. The two biggest:
- No more waiting for the mail to deliver a paper check – and then going to the bank to deposit it.
- You don’t have to wait for that disbursement (refund). As soon as it’s ready, your disbursement is deposited into your bank or your Gateway Plus Card account. Even if you choose to have that disbursement deposited into your own bank account, it still only takes about two days to clear – still less time and hassle than a paper check delivered through the mail.
How are financial aid disbursements (refunds) delivered to Gateway Plus Card students?
They are deposited directly into your Gateway Plus Card account or sent electronically to a bank of your choice.
What are my options for receiving my financial aid disbursement (refund)?
There are two options:
- Disbursement deposited directly into your Gateway Plus Card through Higher One.
- Disbursement deposited into a bank account of your choice.
Can I have my financial aid disbursement deposited into my bank account?
Yes. There is no obligation for you to have a Gateway Plus Card account. You can still opt to have your financial aid disbursement money sent to a bank of your choice. However, to receive your disbursement, you must first activate your Gateway Plus Card as soon as you receive it at www.gatewaypluscard.com
How will I know when I receive my financial aid disbursement?
You will know very quickly. You will be sent an e-mail when your financial aid disbursement has been deposited into your Gateway Plus Card account or electronically transferred to your own bank. You can also see your Gateway Plus Card account history online. In addition, you will now be able to receive notification by text mail on your cell phone that your disbursement is has been deposited.
What if I have more questions?
Many of the questions can be answered at www.gatewaypluscard.com including customer service contact information.