Title: Student Accounts Past Due Policy
Responsible Official: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Responsible University Office: Student Financial Services
Date of last review: June 1, 2024
Review Period: 5 years
Relates to: Students
I. Student Accounts Past Due
The university expects payment for all services or transactions by the stated due date. These services or transactions may be billed to a student’s account using the Student Information System (SIS) in the form of tuition, student fees, or other charges, such as room and board. When payment is not made by the due date or requirements are not completed, university departments and offices may place administrative holds on current registration (that is, the inability to add courses for the current term), future registration, and diplomas/certificates, on a student’s account in SIS.
Student Financial Services (SFS) may place a hold on a student’s account and records, referred to as a financial hold, in the following situations:
- Unsigned Student Financial Responsibility Agreement
- Unpaid tuition, fees, or other charges that are 1 or more days past due and the balance is $100 or more, or as appropriate, due to a returned payment
- Past due ǿմý-held student loan (Perkins Loan, Health Profession Loan, and/or University Loan) that is 15 or more days past due with no minimum amount
A list of holds that SFS may use to indicate issues with a student’s account is available at the SFS website []. Students may also view holds, including financial holds, on their account by logging into SIS.
A. Late Payments and Fees
In addition to a financial hold, any accounts billed through SIS with a past due balance of $100 or more that remain unpaid after the due date may be charged a late fee as described below:
- $50.00 on the first billing cycle after the term due date
- $100.00 for each subsequent billing cycle or for unpaid prior term charges
- Not to exceed $100.00 for each billing cycle
When late fees are a result of a delay in disbursement of financial aid and the university is responsible for the delay, the financial aid office or department administrator will send an email to SFS with a request to waive any late fees associated with the delay and SFS will waive the applicable late fees.
A payment may be delayed for other unforeseen reasons. In such situations, a student may appeal for a waiver of a late fee by completing the available at the Student Financial Services website [] after all other charges are paid. The petition must be submitted no later than 30 calendar days after the late fee assessment. Late and recurring petitions may be denied. The will request information from the student, such as the reason they are unable to make payment in full by the due date. SFS Staff will review the information on the form, in addition to the student’s account history, which includes but is not limited to payment and late fee petition history. Decisions are made within a reasonable period, usually within five (5) business days, and communicated to the student.
A SIS account with a past due balance totaling $100 or more and at least 5 months past due may be referred to a third-party billing servicer or an outside collection agency for further billing and collection efforts. Billing cycles will cease in SIS and resume with a third-party billing servicer or outside collection agency. Late fees will no longer be assessed by ǿմý; however, the third-party billing servicer or outside collection agency, on ǿմý’s behalf, may begin reporting to the major credit bureaus. SFS will communicate (via email, phone, or mailed letter) with the student prior to the account being referred to a third-party billing servicer or an outside collection agency.
B. Release of Holds
Financial holds may be released (referred to as “holding period”) based on the method of payment clearing the entire outstanding balance. If there are multiple methods of payment clearing the entire outstanding balance, the highest holding period will be used.
- Guaranteed funds (cash, cashier’s check, money order, bank wire) or credit card via ǿմýpay: Holds may be released the same business day as when the payment is posted to the student account. Students should email SFS if a payment has been made with guaranteed funds so the hold can be released immediately.
- Electronic Check via ǿմýpay (E-check): Holds will be released usually in five (5) business days after the payment is posted to the student account.
- Personal Check: Holds will be released usually in ten (10) business days after payment is posted to the student account.
- Financial Aid, including student loans: Holds may be released the same business day as when the aid is disbursed (posted) to the student account. Students or the financial aid office should email SFS to request the hold be released immediately.
II. Holds Appeal
A. Holds Appeal - Currently Enrolled Students
Currently enrolled students who are unable to pay for the entire outstanding balance and want to appeal to register for the current or future term should discuss their financial aid options with the financial aid office before contacting SFS.
When a student has pending financial aid (meaning funds are expected or scheduled for disbursement) that will satisfy the entire outstanding balance on their student account, the financial aid office may appeal for the financial hold to be temporarily released for the student to register for the current or future term. The financial aid office will send an email to SFS with pending financial aid information and request a temporary release of the financial hold for registration.
When a student has partial or no pending financial aid and there was an extenuating unforeseen event that will delay a payment of the entire outstanding balance, the student may appeal for a temporary release of the financial hold to register for the current or future term using the available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts]. The student will be required to provide appropriate evidence of an initial payment at the time of the appeal, normally at fifty (50) percent of the outstanding balance on the student account, and agree that any remaining balance, including late fees, will be paid within 30 days of the appeal being approved. The student is responsible for all late fees. The Release of Financial Hold Petition Form must be submitted no later than the second day of when Classes Begin (per the Academic Calendar) for the term. Late petitions and recurring petitions will be denied and the student will be required to make a payment for the entire outstanding balance with guaranteed funds before the immediate release of the financial hold.
B. Holds Appeal - Non-Enrolled Students
Non-enrolled students are those student accounts that have been referred to a third-party billing servicer or an outside collection agency for further billing and collection efforts. A past due payment plan is available for non-enrolled students who are unable to pay for the entire outstanding balance.
For non-enrolled students who are unable to pay for the entire outstanding balance and want to appeal to register for the current or future term, the student may appeal for a temporary release of the financial hold to register for the current or future term using the available at the SFS website []. The student will be required to provide appropriate evidence of an initial payment at the time of the appeal, normally at fifty (50) percent of the outstanding balance, and agree that any remaining balance will be paid within 30 days of the appeal being approved. The Release of Financial Hold Petition Form must be submitted no later than the second day of when Classes Begin (per the Academic Calendar) for the term. Late petitions and recurring petitions will be denied and the student will be required to make a payment for the entire outstanding balance with guaranteed funds before the immediate release of the financial hold.
C. Holds Appeal – Past Due Student Loans (ǿմý-Held Student Loans)
Students with past due ǿմý-Held student loans may bring their account current by accessing their account at the third-party billing servicer to make a payment, view their entitlement eligibility (deferment/forbearance), or enter into a loan rehabilitation agreement (if the loan is eligible).
A loan rehabilitation agreement (if the loan is eligible) requires an initial payment normally at five (5) percent of the outstanding principal of the past due student loan, subject to additional documentation, and eight (8) monthly payments thereafter. After the successful completion of the loan rehabilitation agreement (that is, after the 9th on-time payment), SFS will bring the student loan status to current and forgive any remaining past due interest, late fees, and/or collection agency fees. The student will resume the payment schedule according to the original loan agreement and be eligible for entitlement (deferment/forbearance). A loan may only be rehabilitated once.
When a student with a past due ǿմý-Held student loan want to appeal to register for the current or future term, the student may appeal for the financial hold to be temporarily released for registration for the current or future term using the available at the SFS website [] after the required holding period of the initial payment and receipt of the signed loan rehabilitation agreement.
Students with an approved alternative repayment arrangement that is current (defined as eight (8) or more consecutive on-time monthly payments) may appeal to register for the current or future term using the available at the SFS website [].
D. Review and Approval of Hold Appeals
Student Financial Services and/or Provost or Provost Designee will review the in the order they are submitted and after the holding period of the initial payment. Decisions are made within a reasonable period, usually within five (5) business days after the holding period of the initial payment, and communicated by email to the student.
The will request information from the student, such as the reason they are unable to bring their account current, details of how the past due balance will be resolved, and for the student to provide a financial plan for the future term balance. Decisions are made based on a review of the information on the form, in addition to the student’s account and payment history and appeal history. A history of late payments or returned payments (2 or more late fees or returned payments) on the student account or prior approved appeal will result in a denial of the appeal and the student may be required to make payment in full with guaranteed funds before the immediate release of the financial hold.