Lipscomb University

External Payments Portal

Pay Tuition with your 529 Plan

Lipscomb University uses Backpack to receive 529 payments electronically. The platform is free to families and integrated with Lipscomb's Business Office.
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Outside Scholarship
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529 Payments

For Student Families

Pay online using your 529 Plan

Backpack’s student family platform is free to setup & use, and directly integrated into our Business Office so we know as soon as you make a payment.

Make a Payment

Secure enrollment for 20 days

Initiating a Backpack payment gives you time to withdraw from your 529 without worry.

Pay tuition with 529 for free

Backpack does not charge any fees. Ever.

Get real-time payment updates

Email notifications to keep you in the know.

Tax and IRS Audit Support

Guidance and resources to help you through.

Questions? We have answers...

What do you mean by “secure your enrollment”?
Initiating a tuition payment through Backpack immediately alerts the University that you are planning to pay the amount via 529. The University will then apply a temporary credit to your students account to reflect this so that your student can get on with the important parts of their education experience without the risk of late fees or being dropped.
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The reason we do this is that we understand that withdrawing from a 529 can involve a number of administrative steps that take time. We also know that any expedited payment methods offered by 529 plans often come with fees associated. This is our way of helping you make payments via 529 without that added stress or fees.
How do I create a Backpack account?
Creating a Backpack account allows you to withdraw funds from your 529 and pay your University online. Backpack will always be available to walk you through how to setup your account and make payments (simply start a chat with us below). If you prefer step through the setup yourself, you can read this step-by-step guide in our Help Center
Where can I find step-by-step instructions on how to make a payment with my specific 529 plan?
Backpack has a complete library of step-by-step instructions on how you can connect your 529 plan to Backpack and make a payment. You can find it here and search for the 529 plan that is relevant for you.
How does Backpack know where to send my payment?
Backpack sends your payment directly to the right place thanks to our partnership with your University, ensuring we always have the most up-to-date payment details for hassle-free transactions.

Outside Scholarships

For Students and Scholarship Providers
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Submit a scholarship online

Forget paper forms and email! You can now submit an Outside Scholarship, including attaching an Award Letter, through our Scholarship Submission Portal.
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Withdraw money with coins coming out of mobile

Make payment online

Scholarship Providers can make payment through the portal via Direct Debit, or request a payment link to send on to the finance department.
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University is alerted instantly

The University is alerted instantly to your submitted Outside Scholarship. This drastically reduces the time it takes to appear on the student account!

Submit an Outside Scholarship

St. Edward’s has partnered with Backpack to digitize the outside scholarship process!

Have questions? Scroll down for more information and FAQs.
Submit Scholarship

Questions? We have answers...

What is considered an Outside Scholarship?
Outside Scholarships are funds received from sources outside the University such as high schools, local community organizations, booster clubs, scholarship foundations and local businesses. Generally, these are awards that do not require invoices from the University for payment and are for a specified dollar amount.
What are the payment options available through the submission portal?

We provide two online payment options via our submission portal:

  1. Online: Input your bank details directly to initiate a direct debit (like checking out at Amazon)
  2. Payment Link: You may request a payment link that will be sent to the provider contact email
Is there a way to bulk submit and pay for large Scholarship Providers?
Yes. Scholarship providers are able to submit multiple scholarships at once, and make a single payment to fulfill those scholarships. To get set up for this arrangement, providers should email lipscomb@backpackpay.com.
Can I submit an Outside Scholarship as a student?
Yes. Our submission portal allows students to submit the scholarship information. Once the student gets to payment options, they are able to either pay from a personal bank account or request that a payment link be emailed to the primary contact of the scholarship provider.
Who should I contact if I have a question or issue?
If you have an issue with the submission portal, or need a scholarship amended/cancelled, please email lipscomb@backpackpay.com.
Who should I contact if I have questions about the scholarship itself?
Please contact the Bursar / Student Accounts team.
Why are paper check payments risky and not encouraged?
Check fraud is the largest source of payment fraud in the US - and it is growing. 80% of organizations reported having been targets of payments fraud activity in 2023, an increase from 65% in 2022. Digitizing our scholarship intake and payments process provides security for us, our students and our scholarship providers.
What happens if I have no other way of paying other than by sending a paper check?
As an absolute last resort we will accept a paper check payment. The provider should still submit the scholarship through the portal and selecting ‘Paper Check’ as the payment option.
Why is Backpack involved?
Backpack is a financial technology company that specializes in digitizing complex payment types for Universities. Our partnership with Backpack allows us to provide a modern, efficient and more secure payment experience for all stakeholders.

Third Party Payments

For Sponsors

Already a Partner?

Sponsors can email authorization letters, receive invoices and make payments online through our Third-Party Portal.

👉 Simply email your authorization letter to lipscomb@backpackpay.com

Not a partner yet?
‍Reach out to lipscomb@backpackpay.com to register.

We have digitized the Third-Party Payment experience!

Submit your Authorization Letter via email
Receive invoices
Make payments online
Receive updates and confirmations

Questions? We have answers...

What is considered a Third-Party or Sponsored payment?
Third-party billing, also known as sponsored billing, is a process where a University bills an external organization - such as an employer, government agency, or scholarship provider - on behalf of a student for tuition and fees. Instead of the student paying upfront, the third party agrees to cover some or all of the charges, and the university manages the invoicing and payment directly with the sponsor. Personal sponsors or sponsors that pay based on the student’s grades are not eligible.
How do I submit an Authorization Letter?
Authorization Letters can be submitted to the University by emailing lipscomb@backpackpay.com.  If you have not submitted an authorization previously, you will need to be formally onboarded as a registered third-party sponsor for the University. We may require additional information to verify you, and set up online payments.
Can I make payment via paper check?
No. Third-party payments need to be made electronically. While we prefer that sponsors make payment using the payment links attached to our invoices, we are also able to receive ACH payments (where you manually initiate the ACH from your side). We prefer not to receive wire payments where possible.
Who should I contact if I am having an issue using the submission portal?
If you have an issue with the submission portal please email lipscomb@backpackpay.com.
Who should I contact if I have questions about the third-party payment itself?
Please contact the Bursar / Student Accounts team.
Can I submit an Authorization Letter as a student?
No. Authorization Letters must be submitted by the sponsor.
Why is Backpack involved?
Backpack is a financial technology company that specializes in digitizing complex payment types for Universities. Our partnership with Backpack allows us to provide a modern, efficient and more secure payment experience for all stakeholders.

Reach out if you have any questions

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Email us at
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Visit our Help Center
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Backpack Payment Technologies, Inc. is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by OMB Bank, Member FDIC. Consult your tax professional for any tax-related questions.
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