Money Matters: Quick Tips for Billing, Financial Aid, and Health Insurance

• The Office of the Bursar manages student bill payment.
• Student bills are due 5 days before the start of term.
• Bills are available online through Catalyst and are not sent in the mail.
• There are two methods of payment: eCheck/ACH or credit card. There is a non-refundable service fee of 2.75% when using a U.S. credit card and 4.25% when using an international credit card. There is no service fee when paying by eCheck/ACH. Family members may pay their student’s bill with their delegated access account via Catalyst.
• Late fees are a combination of a flat $50 late payment fee and 1.5% interest charged per month on balances greater than $200.

Tuition Payment Plan

• UC offers a 3-pay tuition payment plan to allow students to make three payments across the term.
• There is a $35 enrollment fee for each semester.
• Only students can sign up for a payment plan; however, family members may make monthly payments through their own Catalyst accounts.
• Students must enroll in the payment plan for each semester they intend to utilize the plan. There are no automatic payment deductions, so users must log into Catalyst to make monthly payments.
• The enrollment dates are: Fall 2018 Semester Plan (8/1/18 to 9/12/2018), Spring 2019 Semester Plan (12/1/2018 to 1/30/2019), and Summer 2019 Semester Plan (4/1/2019 to 5/29/2019).

Direct Deposit for Student Refunds

• If your student is getting a refund, direct deposit is safe, secure, and quicker than waiting to receive a paper check.
• Students without bank accounts have the option to sign up for one through our campus banking partner, PNC Bank (located in the Tangeman University Center).
• Notification will be sent to your student’s UC email account when the funds have been direct deposited.
• Family members who have Federal Parent PLUS Loans can also sign up to have their refunds direct deposited. Once your student has granted you delegated access, you can sign-up in your Catalyst account.

• Full-time and part-time students and students on co-op are required to have health insurance coverage when enrolled for at least six credit hours.
• Students are automatically charged for university health insurance, but this coverage can be waived if you are currently enrolled in a qualified health insurance plan.
• Your student can complete the UC health insurance waiver listed on their To Do List in Catalyst. Waivers must be completed by the waiver deadline and are required for each academic year. The deadline dates to waive for Fall Semester is September 11. Waiver instructions are available on the health insurance website.

Financial Aid

• The Student Financial Aid Office (SFAO) uses the information from your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to determine your student’s eligibility for federal and state financial aid programs. These include grants, which are typically need-based, student loans, parent loans and work-study programs.
• A new FAFSA will need to be completed each school year. The further in advance your student completes, the better! You can complete your FAFSA for the 2019-20 academic year as early as October 1, 2018.
• Your student may be selected for a process called verification. Students may be asked to submit additional forms or documentation. The additional request for information will be listed in the Catalyst system on your student’s To Do List. Please encourage your students to complete all requests as soon as possible and to read all emails sent to their UC email account—respond quickly.
• If you intend to apply for the Parent PLUS loan, which is a credit-based loan option offered by the federal government to parents of students attending college, the parent borrower must complete the PLUS Application and PLUS MPN using their own FSA ID and password.
• Adding and dropping classes can impact your student’s financial aid eligibility and/or financial aid awards. Please encourage your student to contact the One Stop Center before they add or drop classes.

Financial Literacy

• College is often the first time many students begin to take an active role in their financial planning. The responsibility of having to make financial decisions can be overwhelming. Studies show that nearly half of all students agree they have felt stressed about their personal finances as they relate to affording college or managing their cost-of-living now that they have graduated high school.
• College doesn’t have to mean automatic financial stress. UC offers multiple resources to help provide free advice and tools to help manage your finances.
  • One Stop Student Services offers a financial literacy program which offers guidance on an array of topics such as student loan repayment, budgeting, and debt management.
  • The Student Wellness Center is another on-campus resource for students offering general information and education regarding various health and financial topics. Peer financial coaching is available through the Student Wellness Center, located in 675 Steger Student Life Center, as well as financial programming and workshops.
  • Be sure to check out 15tofinish for information to help your student make a plan and graduate on time! Taking 15 credits each semester will amount to completing 30 credits per year.

Whether students need more information on student loan management or overall financial knowledge, UC has tools to help. Detailed information regarding financial literacy can be found at www.onestop.uc.edu.