Billing/Pay Plans/Collections
124 Welcome Center
Billing: Enrolled students statement of account will only be posted electronically in the Student Self Service online at website: http://myuh.uh.edu. Payment due dates and billing processes are explained in each semester’s Class Schedule. All bills are issued through the Student Business Services Department and reflect charges posted to the centralized billing system by the various service providing departments across campus. The Student Business Services Department will not reinstate a student into course(s) or remove late fees from a student’s account in cases where a student claims not to have seen a statement as all bills are available online 24/7/365. Payment due dates are published in a variety of campus publications and it is each student’s responsibility to make himself/herself aware of those dates. It is the student’s responsibility to know the due dates for all payments.
Payment Plans: Beginning with the fall semester of 2008, the university, pursuant to Texas state law, is requiring that all students must complete their arrangement to pay for the semester prior to the first day of classes. This means the student must either pay 100% of all tuition and fees due, or sign an Installment Pay Plan, or select either an Emergency Loan or Short Term Tuition Loan. Any student who fails to select one of these payment plan arrangements by the due date for billing may be disenrolled from all classes and, should they choose to reenroll (late registration) will be charged a $20 Late Registration Fee, which must be paid prior to being allowed to reenroll. A brief explanation of the different Pay Plans follows; for more detailed information, please contact the Customer Service area of Student Business Services located in the University Welcome Center:
- Pay 100% of all tuition, fees, and/or housing/board;
- If prepared to pay at least 25% of all current semester charges and signs an installment agreement to pay the remaining charges in accordance with state law governing the Installment Pay Plan.
- Select an Emergency Loan wherein all tuition and mandatory fees are deferred for payment until the 90th calendar of the semester. (Interest calculated on 5% APR)
- Select a Short Term Tuition Loan, which defers the payment of tuition, fees, room and board until the 45th calendar day of the semester. (Interest calculated on a 12% APR)
- Accepted financial aid funds that appear as ‘Pending Financial Aid’ in your account summary that cover 100% of your tuition and fees. If so, your Total Due should be zero.
In no case will any of the above plans cover prior semester charges. Any prior charges must be paid in full.
Students who enter into a Pay Plan agreement and find that more charges are added to their account afterward will have the additional charges billed in total along with the bills for the second/third installment.
For more detailed information, either visit the following website: www.uh.edu/sfs and read Payment Plans; or, visit the University Welcome Center and speak with a representative.
Students who believe they have been charged fees erroneously should first verify with the department responsible for those charges their accuracy. Following that, the student must submit, in writing, their request and reasons for removal of the charge in question.
Students who provide checks for payment (whether electronic or paper) that are returned by the bank will have 10 calendar days or by the 20th class day, whichever comes first, from notification to provide payment by cash or certified check.
Failure to legitimize payment within the time allotted may result in financial disenrollment, loss of check writing privileges and/or referral for prosecution.
NOTE: A processing fee will be assessed on all credit and debit card payments for tuition, fees and other charges initiated through the Self Services Online website. The university only accepts MasterCard, American Express and Discover Cards. VISA debit, credit, or check cards are no longer accepted as payment options. There is no charge for using E Check as a means of payment.
Students who have an unpaid balance after a due date will have a financial stop/service indicator placed on their student record. This stop will prohibit the student from registering and requesting transcripts. Failure of a student to respond to courtesy notices of a past-due balance by the deadline indicated will result in the loss of university services. At the end of the semester, any student with a balance of $200 or more will be assessed a $50 severance of service fee. A financial service indicator will be placed on the account, which will result in the denial of further university services. Services that may be denied include: release of transcript, room and board services, and future enrollment.
Collections: Non-payment by the end of the semester will result in transfer of the student’s account from the Student Business Services Department to the Student Financial Service’s Collections Office, or to a contracted collection agency, and assessment of a collection fee of at least 25% of the outstanding balance. University collections may also choose to litigate an account on advice of university legal counsel. Should an account be litigated, the student will be responsible for all litigation expenses including attorney’s fees and court costs. Accounts that are referred to a contracted collection agency may also be reported to credit bureaus.
Book Loan
Students enrolled in at least six hours with financial need may apply for a book loan (maximum of $400) during each fall and spring semester and one loan ($200) for the entire summer session to use toward the purchase of books and supplies from the bookstore. There is a $5.00 service charge and 12 percent per annum interest charge. Book loans may be obtained only after the current semesters’ enrollment has been activated and must be used by the 20th calendar day of the semester. Book loans may be obtained through Self Services Online. Student accounts will be charged immediately upon issuance of a book loan with payment deferred. Unused amounts will be credited back to student accounts shortly after the 20th class day each fall and spring semester and shortly after the 12th class day in the Summer IV session. Students should allow up to 72 hours for the loan to appear on their Cougar card account.
Collection Office
Room 6 E Cullen Building
832-842-8894
The Collections Office is responsible for the collection of delinquent faculty, staff and student charges. This includes institutional debts (tuition, fees, parking, etc.) as well as federal programs (Perkins Loan Program, Health Profession Student Loans and others). In addition, the office is responsible for student loan servicing, reporting of federal loans to the credit bureaus, accounting for funds and required federal reporting.
Note: Students should read the section on Financial Responsibility Policy .
Dean of Student’s Cash Loan
Students enrolled in at least six hours who demonstrate a financial need due to an emergency may apply for a 45-day loan (maximum $500) to use towards personal and school related expenses (not tuition and fees). There is a $5 service charge and 12 percent per annum interest charge. Applications are available in the Dean of Students Office, Room 252, University Center, beginning on the first day of classes.
Refunds
If you drop a course or withdraw from the university, you may be entitled to a refund. The amount of the refund depends upon when you drop or withdraw. To determine if you are entitled to a refund, refer to your class schedule. All refunds must be requested online through self service. Please note that refunds due to withdrawal are determined by state law. Refunds are based on the amount billed not what has been paid. If you are a financial aid recipient, visit with a financial aid office prior to dropping a course, as your eligibility may be negatively impacted and/or your awards cancelled or reduced.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
120 Welcome Center
713-743-1010
www.uh.edu/finaid
Planning ahead is essential when applying for financial aid. The entire financial aid process can take up to eight weeks. It is important for you to get started as soon as possible after January 1 to ensure you receive your award in time to pay tuition and fees. We know that the financial aid process can be confusing. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is available to help answer your questions on a walk-in basis or by appointment.
How to Apply
To apply for federal, state, or university funding, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The University of Houston Federal School Code is 003652. Awards may range from scholarships and grants to work-study jobs and student loans. Most, but not all, programs require a student to demonstrate financial need. You must have your FAFSA and all required documents submitted to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid by the priority deadline of April 1, to receive the maximum consideration for limited financial aid resources. Please visit our website at www.uh.edu/finaid for the Six Steps to Financial Aid and for more details on all the financial aid programs available at the University of Houston.
Disbursement of Aid
Each semester, financial aid disbursement begins no earlier than the first day of classes. If you have satisfied all application and disbursement requirements and met the conditions of the award, your financial aid will be automatically credited to your UH student account as payment. If you have financial aid remaining after your tuition is fully paid, you will receive a refund that will be processed by the office of Student Business Services.
Revisions and Cancellation of Aid
The university reserves the right to review, revise, or cancel all financial aid at any time due to changes in your financial and/or academic status or failure to comply with federal or state laws and regulations, including financial verification, audit procedures, and university policies. In addition, all financial aid is subject to revision based on the funds received by the university from the federal or state government and any changes to federal or state laws, regulations, or policies.
Aid Revisions After Drop/Add Period
If your financial aid is disbursed at the beginning of the semester and you reduce your number of enrolled hours within the drop/add period, your aid will be adjusted to reflect your semester registration. If your reduced enrollment results in less eligibility for aid, you will be charged for the overpayment of financial aid - creating a balance due on your UH student account.
Maintaining Financial Aid Eligibility
The various federal and state regulations governing student financial assistance programs require that an institution develop a standard to measure students’ reasonable progress towards a degree objective - Satisfactory Academic Progress. Academic progress is reviewed at the conclusion of each academic year. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress will result in the denial or cancellation of your financial aid. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid may administratively grant one probationary year of assistance for students whose academic progress does not meet the minimum standards at the conclusion of their first academic year of enrollment at UH. The following qualitative and quantitative standards must be met to remain eligible for financial aid at the University of Houston. Certain programs, including Texas Competitiveness Grant, National SMART Grant and B-On-Time Loan, may have higher standards than those listed below.
Qualitative Measure of Academic Progress
The qualitative measure of academic progress is a grading scale of 0.00 to 4.00, based on a student’s enrollment classification.
| Classification |
GPA Minimum Requirement |
| Undergraduate |
2.00 |
| Post-baccalaureate |
2.00 |
| Graduate |
3.00 |
| Optometry |
2.00 |
| Law |
2.50 |
Quantitative Measure of Academic Progress
Students cannot receive financial aid beyond a specified total of attempted credit hours, and they must complete a certain percentage of the credit hours for which they are enrolled.
| Classification |
Maximum Attempted hours (Transfer hours) |
Ratio of Completed vs. Attempted hours |
| Undergraduate |
190 credit hours |
75% |
| Post-baccalaureate |
100 hours beyond bachelor’s |
75% |
| Graduate and Professional |
100 hours beyond bachelor’s |
75% |
| Law & Optometry |
200 hours beyond bachelor’s |
75% |
Note: Hours completed DO NOT include grades of I (incomplete), U (unsatisfactory), F (Failed, Q or W (withdraw, or repeated courses); however, these hours are included in hours attempted.
Student Business Services
124 Welcome Center
Office hours: Monday and Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Wednesday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
713-743-1010
Website: http://www.uh.edu/about/offices/enrollment-services/student-business-services/
The Student Business Services Department is responsible for maintaining financial records for all students through the use of a centralized billing system and acts as a billing agent for various departments. A computerized system posts library fines, parking violation fines, and other miscellaneous fee charges, as well as tuition and major fees, and room and board charges to individual accounts. This provides students with a centralized billing system. This department is also responsible for processing refunds and providing payment plans to any student who wishes to utilize this method of payment.
Questions regarding a specific charge(s) should be directed to the office that originated the charge(s). Telephone numbers for all offices that originate charges are listed at the following website: www.uh.edu/sfs. For information on your account, see your myUH self-service account; then, if you need to speak with someone about your account please visit our customer service area in the Welcome Center, or contact the Enrollment Services Call Center at 713-743-1010.
Tuition and Fee Schedule
The schedule of charges reflects tuition as determined by residence status and number of hours taken. Students should be aware that this is only a minimum figure; certain miscellaneous fees, such as laboratory fees, parking decals, etc., are not included. The university reserves the right to change tuition and other charges without notice as necessitated by university or legislative action. Refer to the current class schedule for exact costs or visit the department website: www.uh.edu/sfs. Parking, locker rental, special lab or incidental fees, and cost of books and supplies are examples of additional fees other than the mandatory fees listed. All tuition and fees are subject to change by the Texas Legislature and/or the University of Houston System Board of Regents.
Law, Optometry, Pharmacy and graduate school tuition are higher than undergraduate tuition.
Withdrawal Policy
For any student receiving Federal Title IV Funds that officially or unofficially withdraws from the university or fails to earn a passing grade in all courses, federal regulations require a refund calculation to be performed. The calculation of the return of these funds may result in your owing a balance to the university. In addition, any future aid will be canceled. For any withdrawal prior to the 12th class day, all state and institutional aid will be canceled. Withdrawing from classes will impact your Satisfactory Academic Progress and may cause you to be ineligible for future financial aid. All students should visit with a financial aid advisor prior to withdrawing.
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