Office of Student Aid : Parents of Students : Parent Newsletter

Volume 5, Issue 6--October 2007

Fall Bill Follow-Up and Spring Bill Updates

The Office of the Bursar began to send general bill notices to students with outstanding charges via e-mail in September. If your student received an unexpected bill, and you had anticipated that student financial aid would cover the outstanding fall charges, please contact our office.

Additionally, deferment bill notifications were issued to students via e-mail on September 22 for second installment payments (for those students who elected to use the deferment plan to pay their fall semester charges). The second payment is due October 12. The final deferment billing for fall semester will be issued mid-October with a November 6 due date.

If you and your student have not yet addressed the fall tuition bill, please don't wait any longer!

Spring Tuition Bills

The Bursar will begin to prepare and send out spring tuition bill notifications via e-mail in mid-November. These bills will have an early December due date. If you and/or your student applied for fall/spring loans, the spring portions of your loans will be in place as long as your student finalizes his or her spring registration by responding to the tuition bill. Spring loans will be listed on the tuition bill as credits toward the amount owed.

If your student receives a spring bill, and no loans are indicated, or loan changes are desired, the course of action will depend upon the circumstances and the type of loan being requested.

Federal Stafford Loans: If there is no spring semester Federal Stafford Loan showing on the bill, students will need to contact our office so we may determine their loan eligibility.

Federal Parent PLUS Loan: If you have already applied for a PLUS Loan, and no loan is reflected on the bill, please contact our office. If you have not applied, and you wish to do so, you may apply using the link on our Web site or by contacting your current lender for application steps.

Alternative Student Loans: Students who want private or alternative student loans can review the information on our site or contact their current lender directly for application steps.

Changes to existing loans: Federal Parent PLUS Loan increases (or decreases) can be handled through our office. Please contact us to inquire about changing the amount of an existing PLUS Loan. Students can request Stafford Loan decreases on eLion by selecting the Loan Decrease option from the Students menu.

Regardless of the balance due, a student's registration will be complete only upon receipt of payment for tuition and fees or by processing a "zero bill" if applicable. A zero bill results when financial credits, such as scholarships, loans, grants, or other forms of financial assistance meet or exceed the charges. Keep in mind that students must confirm their registration by responding to their tuition bills even if financial aid fully covers the bill.