Test Fees and Payment Policies

GACE Fees

Payment Methods

The fees for Internet registration, telephone registration, and changes to registration made on the Internet must be paid using a credit card (VISA or MasterCard only) or a debit or check card that carries the VISA or MasterCard logo and that can be used without the entry of a personal identification number (PIN). Bank cards without a VISA or MasterCard logo cannot be accepted. The merchant name that will appear on your credit card statement is "NES—Test Fee."

The fees for registration by U.S. mail and changes to registration submitted by mail must be paid by personal check; cashier’s check; money order; or credit, debit, or check card (VISA or MasterCard only). Fees for rescoring a test and for additional copies of test results must be paid by personal check, cashier’s check, or money order. Checks and money orders should be made payable to National Evaluation Systems in U.S. dollars. Please write the last five digits of your social security number on your payment. Do not send cash.

Payment Policies

If you register to take the same test on multiple test dates and pass the test on the first test date, you will not be issued a refund for your additional registrations on the basis of your passing performance.

In order to withdraw from one or more tests and receive a partial refund, a completed Withdrawal/Refund Request Form must be received by the late registration deadline. Requests received after the late registration deadline will not be processed and you will not receive a refund or credit of any kind. Refer to "Changing Your Registration" for more information.

If, for any reason, your payment for a test date or test service does not clear (for example, if your personal check is returned by the bank or if you dispute a credit card charge), you will have an outstanding balance with NES. In this case

• you will be assessed an additional fee by NES to cover the processing required to clear your account;
• you will not be allowed to register for future test dates until your balance, which includes the additional fee, is paid in full;
• you must make your payment to clear your account by cashier’s check or money order only, unless you are making a subsequent credit card payment for additional services, in which case your credit card will be billed for both the outstanding balance and the additional requested services.

Additionally, if a personal check submitted by you is returned by the bank, you will not be allowed to make any future payments by personal check.

If you have any outstanding balance owed by you to NES 20 calendar days (12 calendar days for the May 2008 supplemental administration) after a test administration for which you were registered, all of your scores for that test date will be permanently voided and will not be reported to you, to the PSC, or to any institution or employing agency. It is your responsibility to ensure that your account with NES is paid in full and all payments have cleared by this deadline. Any payment received later than 20 calendar days (12 calendar days for the May 2008 supplemental administration) after the test date will be used to clear your account but will not alter the permanent voiding of your scores. You may wish to call NES prior to this deadline to confirm that your payment has been received and your account is clear.

The following additional policies apply to you when you have an outstanding balance with NES:

• If you attempt to pay for any further services by credit card, your credit card will be billed for the amount of all services you have requested, as well as the outstanding balance owed by you to NES. You agree to pay for all such services and outstanding balances in the event your credit card company does not.
• If you attempt to pay for any further services by check or money order, any payments received will be applied first to your outstanding debt, with any excess applied to the requested services.
• Any credits or refunds for which you may be eligible will be applied first to your outstanding debt, with any excess to be returned to you.

Testing on Consecutive Test Dates

If the score report date for a test administration falls after the regular or late registration deadline for the next test date, the GACE program offers a fee waiver provision for those examinees who fail a test and who wish to take the same test or tests on the next consecutive test date. The chart below describes the 2007–2008 fee waivers for the GACE program.

If you register on the Internet during the late or emergency registration period, or by phone during the emergency registration period, your status as a consecutive test date retaker will be confirmed and your late or emergency registration fee will be waived. If you register by mail during the late registration period and you qualify for the late registration fee waiver as outlined above, pay only the regular registration test fees—do not pay the late registration fee. When your registration is processed, your status as a consecutive test date retaker will be confirmed.

If you plan to register for consecutive test dates and require alternative testing arrangements, please call NES at (800) 523-7064 or (413) 256-2894 as soon as possible to discuss your request for alternative testing arrangements. This is necessary to allow the maximum amount of time to process your request. Because of time and logistical issues, it may not be possible to grant some requests for alternative testing arrangements made by individuals who register for a consecutive test date during the late and emergency registration periods.