Expenses and Financial Assistance

II. Student Accounts

1. Payment Options

Payment of Fall 2011 tuition and fees must be received in the Office of Student Accounts no later than Friday, August 26, 2011. If you wait until registration to settle your account (August 29–30) you will be assessed a late registration fee of $100. Your registration is not complete unless you settle your account. If you remit payment with a check that is not cleared by the bank, you will be assessed an $80 returned check fee and subject to a $500 non-payment fee.

Payment Options

• Check, Electronic Check, or Wire
• GU Monthly Payment Plan
• Third Party Billing
• Financial Aid
• Credit Card (School of Summer & Continuing Education ONLY)

Electronic check payments are accepted on-line through MyAccess. Only US dollar accounts drawn on US dollar banks are accepted.

Due to the Privacy Act, parents can only gain access to the MyAccess System by authorization from the student.

If you remit payment with a check, please write your student identification number on the check to ensure timely and proper posting of the payment.

Wire transfer of funds is an acceptable form of payment however; you must include your name and student identification number in the wire instructions to your bank. You should also fax a copy of your wire confirmation to the Office of Student Accounts to ensure prompt and proper posting. For wire instructions, please contact the Office of Student Accounts.

GU Monthly Payment Plan

The Office of Student Accounts offers three Monthly Payment Plans that are designed to assist students in paying tuition and fees over a period of time.

You must complete a GU Monthly Payment Plan Contract to enroll in the plan.

Third Party Billing

Your contract/voucher is due to Student Accounts by the close of registration. If your contract/voucher is received after the close of registration, your account is subject to a non-payment fee and service charges. Your agency will be billed within 48 hours of receipt of the contract/voucher. They will have 60 days to pay the invoice from the University. If the third party does not pay you are responsible for payment.

The University reserves the right to decline acceptance of any third party coverage. If your agency is declined, you will be held responsible for the amount due.

Please direct your questions to the Third Party Coordinator in the Office of Student Accounts at (202) 687-3696.

Note: Georgetown University staff/dependent tuition benefits are processed in the Department of Human Resources.

Financial Aid

If you submitted a complete financial aid application by June 30th then most of the financial aid that you have been awarded will appear on your bill as either received/paid or “memo.” Some credits for your financial aid awards may appear as “memo” if additional actions by you or the sponsor of your aid are required before the funds can actually be disbursed to your student billing account.

Typical examples of aid of this type are federal student loans, state grants, and outside grants. “Memo” financial aid awards will reduce the amount you must pay by the payment deadline, but will not be credited in full to your account until all requirements for disbursement have been met.

Examples of typical disbursement requirements include completion of a loan application and entrance counseling for federal student loans, or confirmation of enrollment for state and outside grants.

Expected earnings from part-time employment through the Federal Work-Study program, and some pending private supplemental loan payments will not appear as credits against the balance due on your bill and you may not subtract these expected resources when computing the amount you must pay by the due date. These sources of funding are not allowed against the amount due because student employment earnings are paid directly to you on a bi-weekly basis as earned, and some private loan disbursements are not guaranteed until paid by the lender.

If your financial aid does not cover the total costs on your bill then you must pay the difference by August 26. If your expected financial aid funds are not reflected on your bill as either received or memo by August 26, then you must pay the balance due. For information about financial aid visit the GU Office of Student Financial Services website at http://www.georgetown.edu/students/student-aid.

Credit Card Payment

Payment by MasterCard, VISA, and American Express is accepted for the School of Continuing Studies (SCS) students only. The following information is needed to complete payment by credit card:

• Credit card number
• Expiration date of the card
• Amount to be charged
• Type of credit card
• Name of Cardholder
• Signature of Cardholder and date

2. Refunds

Once the fall semester begins, students with a credit balance on their account may request a refund. The request must be be completed by the student on-line through MyAccess.

You can transfer all or a portion of your refund to your GOCard Debit Dollars Account. The total amount that you are allowed to transfer cannot exceed $1,500 for the semester. The funds are available for immediate use with your GOCard. You must have a credit balance on your Student Account and complete a Transfer Refund Authorization Form.

A refund can also be issued by direct deposit (ACH) to your checking account.

3. Refunds – Title IV Funds

Federal regulations prevent the University from automatically deducting any fees, other than tuition, room, and board charges, from your federal loan check without your prior written consent.

This means that if you want the University to deduct your insurance charges, immunizations charges, library fines, etc., from your account before your refund is calculated, you must give the Office of Student Financial Services (Financial Aid Office) advanced written approval to do so. If you do not submit written approval, then you must pay any miscellaneous charges before the refund is calculated. If you do not submit written approval and you do not pay the charges, you will be refunded any overpayment of federal loan proceeds. However, your account will be charged late fees on any outstanding balance that is not covered under federal regulations.

4. On-Line Payment with an Electronic Check

You can now pay your tuition and fee bill or your payment plan account on line with an electronic check. For instruction please go to the student account web site: studentaccounts@georgetown.edu.

5. Penalties, Fees, and Refunds

a. Late Fee Policy

Tuition and fees are due in full by the published due date. Tuition and fees incurred after the registration period are due at the time the student signs up for the service (i.e., board, housing).

A service charge of 1.75% per month is charged on the outstanding account balance as of the last working day of the month. In arriving at the account balance subject to the service charge, pending financial aid, the monthly payment plan, and outside billing are exempt from receiving a service charge. If a student applies for financial aid, for the monthly payment plan, or submits a voucher/contract to the Outside Billing Representative after the registration period, the account is subject to service charges.

b. Late Registration Fee

A Late Registration Fee will be assessed in the case of any student who does not complete course registration by the close of the regular registration period. This fee will be charged in all cases of late registration.

A Late Payment Fee can be assessed in the case of any student who does not complete payment in full by the close of the registration period. This fee can be charged in all cases of late payment, except when late payment is due to the delayed receipt of financial aid or funds from an external agency or University Department.

Specifically, the Late Registration Fee will be assessed to students in the following categories: (1) students who initiate registration after the regular registration period (pre-registration for continuing students), and (2) students who complete payment after the due date.

c. Withdrawals/Tuition-Fee Refunds

By act of Registration, students accept the responsibility for charges of the entire semester, regardless of attendance in class and regardless of the method of payment used; “registration” includes pre-registration, registration, and all courses added after the student’s initial registration. Cancellation of registration must be made through written withdrawal from the University or from individual courses. Official voluntary withdrawal from the University is done through written notice to the Office of the Dean; a drop-slip processed through the Dean’s Office is the only official procedure for withdrawal from individual courses. Discontinuance by notifying anyone else is not considered official notice of discontinuance.

Students registering for more than twenty credits will be charged and will be responsible for payment of the extra tuition, regardless of attendance in class.

Should a student voluntarily withdraw from school, credit for tuition will be calculated from the date the Office of the Dean is notified according to the following percentages:

No credit is given for fees, including the Yates Field House , regardless of date of withdrawal. However, refunds for voluntary withdrawal from Board Plans follow the tuition refund schedule. A 100% refund for Board Plans is available only through cancellation by the close of regular semester registration.

Any credit balance remaining after these adjustments is refunded.

Students who voluntarily withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University may obtain a refund of housing charges from the date the Office of Housing and Conference Services receives written notification, according to the percentages listed below.

The refund policy is outlined in detail in the Residence Hall Occupancy Agreement given to each student.

It is the policy of the Student Accounts Office to issue refunds after receiving a request from the parent or student and after all charges and adjustments have been cleared by the following offices where appropriate.

The refund of tuition and fees shall be made in accordance with the policies previously mentioned. Students who feel that individual circumstances warrant an exception from the published policy should make a written request for an exception. This should be directed to the appropriate Dean’s Office in the case of tuition and the appropriate office mentioned above for other fees.

d. Withdrawals/Refunds for GU Programs Abroad

An exception to the Georgetown refund/withdrawal policy is made for students on Georgetown University approved study abroad programs. Students who are registered to participate in an approved study abroad program and who wish to voluntarily withdraw must notify the Office of International Programs (OIP) in writing of their intention to withdraw. Refunds will be calculated from the date OIP is notified. For semester and full-year programs, students who withdraw from an approved study abroad program after accepting nomination in writing and before the beginning of their overseas program will be assessed a $300 OIP administrative fee. Summer program participants are required to pay a non-refundable $500 deposit and will be charged for any additional non-recoverable costs incurred on their behalf and any non-recoverable expenses incurred for the student. Students who withdraw after the beginning of their overseas program will be refunded a percentage of the Georgetown tuition charge, based on the Georgetown refund schedule, less non-recoverable costs as determined by the partner institution. Georgetown University is not responsible for costs paid directly by the student to partner institutions or third-party providers.

When the OIP declares that a “crisis” exists affecting a study abroad program, the following Crisis Refund Policy will go into effect for relevant students from the Main Campus:

If GU directs students to leave a particular program abroad, Georgetown University will refund 100% of recoverable fixed costs billed through Georgetown University. Recoverable fixed costs will be determined by GU partner institutions or third party providers. Georgetown University is not responsible for costs paid by the students directly to partner institutions or third-party providers. Georgetown University will assist students, to the extent possible, to transfer credit for coursework completed prior to the declaration of a “crisis” or to facilitate special courses for those graduation requirements affected by Georgetown’s declaration of “crisis” and suspension of the student’s program-in-progress. The need for special courses will be determined on an individual basis by the Main Campus Deans Office in consultation with the Office of International Programs.

6. Student Accounts Policies

a. Student Accounts Records

Student Accounts records are comprised of computer reports and individual student files containing the transaction and adjustment form copies, correspondence to and from the debtor, and other acknowledgments of debt. The computer reports contain the amount of tuition, other fee charges and payments, and date of each transaction for each student. This information is secured in the Student Accounts Office, and is retained for a period of seven years following graduation or withdrawal from the University.

It is the responsibility of the student to maintain a current billing address with the Office of Student Accounts.

University policy and federal law prohibit the release of information from Student Accounts records to any third parties without the written permission of the student. Student Accounts records are included within the scope of the University’s official student records policy developed under the guidelines of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Therefore, the information contained in the various catalogs under the section “Policy on the Disposition of Official Records” also applies to Student Accounts records, with the following additions:

1. Student Accounts records are not released to any party seeking information about the payment promptness of the student or parent.
2. The financial records of former students still in debt to Georgetown University may be provided on a confidential basis to a credit bureau, collection agency and/or an attorney selected to assist the University in the collection of the debt.
3. Students have the right to inspect and review their Student Accounts records maintained in the Student Accounts Office. The student must show adequate identification before being given access to his or her file.

b. Student Accounts Collections

A student who leaves the University, for any reason, with an outstanding debit balance must immediately contact the Office of Student Accounts Collections to arrange for payment of the balance. The phone number is (202) 687-4123. Students who fail to contact the Collection Department will receive one reminder notice mailed to their last billing address. Failure to respond will necessitate the forwarding of the account to a credit bureau, collection agency or an attorney.

The Office of Student Accounts does not release any transcripts or diplomas until all financial obligations have been paid in full. There is a 1.75% per month service charge on all overdue accounts.

c. Preregistration/Registration

Students with overdue accounts are ineligible to preregister or register for the following semester.

Summer and Fall Semesters To preregister and to register, the balance on a student’s account must be less than $100.

Spring Semester To preregister and to register, the balance on a student’s account must be less than $2,000 if the student was matriculated for the fall semester. The account balance for a student returning from a leave of absence must be less than $100. However, students with outstanding financial aid for the Fall semester may register for the Spring semester only if the aid was applied for on time and confirmed by the appropriate Financial Aid officer.

Georgetown University reserves the right to cancel the registration of a student who pays a prior balance with a check that is returned for insufficient funds. Withdrawal will be effective on the date the check is returned to the University. All future payments made to the University must be in the form of a certified check. No personal checks will be accepted. The student will be responsible for payment of tuition and fees in accordance with the voluntary withdrawal schedule (see Withdrawals/Refunds).

d. Transcript of Record

Each degree candidate is charged a $50 life-time transcript fee at matriculation. Each non-degree student is charged $20.

Special forms for requesting transcripts are available in the Office of the University Registrar.

For further information see the section on Academic Regulations.

Undergraduate Bulletin 2011-2012 Table of Contents
Copyright 2011, Georgetown University.