Title: Student Accounts Past Due Policy
Approved by: Office of the President
Date approved by President: March 28, 2023
Effective date: March 28, 2023
Responsible Official: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Responsible University Office: Student Financial Services
Revision History: None
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 future registration, diplomas, and official transcripts on a student’s account in SIS. Regardless of holds or payment status, an unofficial transcript is available through 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
- Incomplete student loan exit counseling session(s)
- 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 multiple returned payments
- Past due 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 [case.edu/studentaccounts]. Students may also view holds on their account by logging into SIS.
A. Late Payments and Fees
In addition to a financial hold, any accounts billed through SIS that remain unpaid after each semester's due date will be charged a monthly late fee, equal to 1.5% of the past due balance, starting with the first billing cycle after the semester due date. 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 to waive a late fee by completing the Late Fee Petition Form available at the Student Financial Services website [case.edu/studentaccounts] after all other charges are paid. The Late Fee Petition Form 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 and payment history. A history of late payments (3 or more late fees) on a student’s account may result in a denial of the late fee waiver appeal and the student is responsible for the associated late fees. Decisions are made 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 third-party billing servicer or the outside collection agency. Late fees will no longer be assessed by CWRU; however, the third-party billing servicer or outside collection agency, on CWRU’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
Past due holds may be released (referred to as “holding period”) based on the type of payment clearing the hold.
- Guaranteed funds (cash, cashier’s check, money order, bank wire) or credit card: Holds may be released the same business day as payment. Students should email SFS if a payment has been made with guaranteed funds so the hold can be released immediately.
- Electronic Check via CWRUpay (e-check): Holds will be released no later than five (5) business days after payment is made.
- Personal Check: Holds will be released no later than ten (10) business days after payment is made.
II. Holds Appeal
A. Holds Appeal - Currently Enrolled Students
Currently enrolled students who are unable to make a payment in full and want to appeal to register for the future semester or to obtain an official transcript should discuss their financial aid options with the financial aid office before contacting SFS.
A student with a hold on their registration may have their financial hold temporarily released to register for the future semester when pending financial aid is expected to cover the unpaid balance. 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. Financial aid must be disbursed to the student’s account and the past due balance must be less than $100 after the financial aid disbursement for a student to obtain an official transcript. If an outside organization requires a student to provide an official transcript to the organization before the financial aid payment, the student may submit an appeal to obtain an official transcript using the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts].
A student who needs additional time for payment of a past due balance may submit an appeal to register for the future semester or to obtain an official transcript using the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts]. The student is responsible for all late fees.
B. Holds Appeal - Non-Enrolled Students
A past due payment plan is available for non-enrolled students who are unable to make a payment in full. For those non-enrolled students enrolled in a past due payment plan that is current (defined as five (5) or more consecutive on-time monthly payments), the student may appeal to register for the future semester or to obtain an official transcript using the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts]. For those non-enrolled students who are unable to become current, SFS will provide an alternative payment arrangement that may require enrollment or re-enrollment in a past due payment plan and an initial payment normally twenty (20) percent of the past due balance, subject to additional documentation. After enrollment or re-enrollment in a past due payment plan and an initial payment, the student may appeal to register for the future semester or to obtain an official transcript using the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts].
C. Holds Appeal – Past Due Student Loans (CWRU-Held Student Loans)
Students with past due 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 loan is eligible).
A loan rehabilitation agreement requires an initial payment normally 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 payment schedule according to the original loan agreement and be eligible for entitlement (deferment/forbearance). A loan may only be rehabilitated once. After the required holding period of the initial payment and receipt of the signed loan rehabilitation agreement, the student may appeal to register for the subsequent semester or to obtain an official transcript using the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts].
Students with an approved alternative repayment arrangement that is current (defined as five (5) or more consecutive on-time monthly payments) may appeal to register for the future semester or to obtain an official transcript using the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form available at the SFS website [case.edu/studentaccounts].
D. Review and Approval of Hold Appeals
Student Financial Services and/or Provost or Provost Designee will review the Release of Financial Hold Petition Form in the order they are submitted. Decisions are made within five (5) business days and communicated to the student.
The Release of Financial Hold Petition Form will request information from the student, such as the reason they are unable to bring their account current, and how and when the past due balance will be resolved, and for the student to provide a financial plan for the future semester balance if appealing for registration (or indicate the intended purpose and recipient of the official transcript). Decisions are made based on a review of the information on the form, in addition to the student’s account and payment history. A history of late payments or returned payments (3 or more late fees or returned payments) on a student’s account may result in a denial of the release of a financial hold appeal and the student may be required to make payment in full with guaranteed funds before the release of the financial hold.