Installment Payment Plan
Students are officially enrolled and financially responsible for the payment of tuition and fees upon registration. Students are not relieved of their financial responsibility unless they officially withdraw from classes by the published deadline at the Registrar, under 'Key Dates and Deadlines' select the term. If you are in a Special Format Class (not the typical start/end date) then review the 'Withdrawal deadlines for special format courses' for the term (this is on the left side of the page).
Students may pay their tuition, fees, housing and meal plan charges in full by the first payment due date for the semester or may choose to follow the Installment Payment Plan. The University automatically enrolls students in the Installment Payment Plan if tuition, fees, housing and meal plan charges are not paid in full by the first payment due date of the semester. There is a $30 charge per semester for use of the Installment Payment Plan.
The Installment Payment Plan is not available for the School of Dental Medicine students. Dental Students, please call 618-474-7100 for payment policies and procedures or 618-474-7175 for financial aid information.
How the Installment Payment Plan Works
Tuition, fees, housing and meal plan charges are divided into four equal payments (two payments in the summer semester).
If the first installment payment is late or missed the student's registration is canceled. A late payment assessment of 1% per month of the payment due as a service charge is assessed on the next billing cycle.
If the 2nd, 3rd or 4th installment payments are late or missed, the student's registration will not be canceled; however, a 1% late fee will be added to the student's account on the next billing cycle.
Financial aid reduces the student's account balance and the amount of their installment payments. Current semester charges that remain unpaid after financial aid pays on the student's account is divided into four equal installments (three installments in the summer semester). Unless financial aid covers the entire account balance, a payment will be required by the first payment due date to avoid having the student's registration canceled.
Financial Clearance - Don't Get Dropped!
What is financial clearance? Financial clearance means you are officially enrolled for the semester and given access to University services including classroom attendance, fitness center, Blackboard, housing, meal plan, library, computer labs and Student Job Finder. Financial Clearance means you have met your obligation by making your first installment or have enough financial aid to pay your charges in full, it does not mean your balance is paid in full.
How do I get financially cleared? All previous semester charges must be paid in full and at a minimum, the first installment for the current semester must be paid, or you must have enough financial aid to cover the entire balance.
How can I tell if I am financially cleared? Your financial clearance status appears on Cougarnet (login and select Student, Student Account, Student Bill). The financial clearance status is updated nightly.
Does financially cleared mean I am paid in full? No, it means you have made the minimum payment to be officially enrolled and will not have your classes dropped.
Can I be financially cleared based on my financial aid? Yes, if your aid is enough to cover your entire balance. If your aid does not cover your entire balance, then you will need to make a payment.
Will my classes get dropped if I am not financially cleared? Yes, students who are not financially cleared by 4:30 p.m. CST on the first payment due date of the fall and spring semesters will have their classes dropped.
What if I add a class after I paid my first installment? Adding a class after you are financially cleared will not affect your financial clearance status. However, be careful if you make a payment and add a class the same day. If the financial clearance status wasn't updated by the system before you added a class, then your payment may not have been sufficient. Check your financial clearance status on Cougarnet.
Does the Bursar's office ever unclear a student who had been financially cleared? Only if a student's check or eCheck payment bounces, then we would contact the student and inform them that they must make another form of payment or their financial clearance may be removed.
Past-Due Debt
Students at SIUE will incur certain financial obligations. Although students may be eligible for various forms of financial aid, the final responsibility for those financial obligations will be the student's. These financial responsibilities constitute an educational loan to assist in financing student's education and may not be dischargeable under the United States Bankruptcy Court.
Students owing past-due debt will have a hold placed on their account blocking the release of diplomas. Future registrations will not be permitted until the past-due debt is paid in full. A late fee of 1% per billing will be assessed on past-due debt. Failure to pay or make satisfactory payment arrangements may result in the account being referred to a collection agency with collection fees of up to 40% being added to the student's account. In addition, a claim for the debt will be submitted to the State of Illinois under section 10.05 of the State Comptroller Act. This act authorizes the comptroller to satisfy the debt by withholding any personal warrants (such as income tax refunds) issued to the student.
