Statement of Financial Responsibility – Self-Service Portal

The Statement of Financial Responsibility is agreed to on a semester basis online in myZou or by signing a hard copy in the Registrar’s Office.

The student must agree before class registration can be finalized. If the student has not agreed yet for the semester, the student will be prompted at the time of class registration in myZou and will not be able to finalize class registration without agreeing.

The Statement of Financial Responsibility is an acknowledgement of debt incurred when conducting registration activity. Regardless of how or when a student becomes registered for coursework, it is understood that they agree to the financial terms and conditions found in the University’s Statement of Financial Responsibility.

The statement below will display in myZou when you log in and you will be required to complete the Statement in order to conduct registration activity.

“I understand and agree that this Statement of Financial Responsibility constitutes a promissory note (i.e. a financial obligation in the form of an educational loan as defined by the U.S. Bankruptcy Code at 11 U.S.C. §523(a)(8)) by and between the University of Missouri – Columbia, which agrees to provide me with educational services, , and I, the undersigned, who promises to pay for all assessed tuition, fees, and other associated costs by the applicable due date. I understand that this Promissory Note is effective when I agree to the terms by clicking online in myZou, or by signing a hard copy in the Registrar’s Office. I understand that by clicking online in myZou that this constitutes my legal, binding signature on this Promissory Note. The amount due under this Promissory Note is set forth in the monthly billing statements sent to me, and all such billing statements are incorporated herein by reference. I may pay the amount owed in full at any time, or I may enter into a payment arrangement as set forth in this document. This Promissory Note will end on the date that I have paid my obligation to the University in full, including any interest or other financial charge(s) owed hereunder.”

Sections:

Payment of Fees/Promise to Pay

You understand that when you register for any class at the University or receive any service from the University, you accept full responsibility to pay all tuition, fees, and other associated costs assessed as a result of registration and/or receipt of services. You further understand that by requesting a transcript, or your failure to attend classes or view a billing statement does not absolve you of your financial responsibility agreed to herein.

All fees are due and payable to the University and are your responsibility to pay as the result of registration or other activity that incurred as charges to the you, the student. Students with delinquent accounts will NOT be allowed to register in subsequent semesters. All payments received are final, no changes or adjustments will be allowed to the payment amount once the payment has been processed. Reassessment of fees will still occur based on the established reassessment schedule. Failure to pay will also result in denial of future registration access and withholding of diplomas. Past due amounts owed the University must be satisfied by payment in full. If necessary, the University will pursue appropriate collections practices, which may include referrals to a collection agency for accounts that remain past due. Additional collection fees totaling 25% of your student account balance will be added. This one-time fee is used to offset any and all costs of collection, including reasonable attorney’s fees and collection agency commission fee(s).

All communications concerning disputed debts, including a check or other financial instrument tendered as full satisfaction of a debt, must be sent to MU Division of Finance Attn: Collections | 319 Jesse Hall | Columbia, MO | 65211.

Use of Title IV Federal Aid Funds

You understand that any financial aid that you receive pursuant to Title IV of the Higher Education Act (including, for example, but not limited to, Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans, Subsidized Direct Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), and TEACH Grants) (referred to herein as “Title IV Financial Aid”), except for Federal Work Study wages, will first be applied to any outstanding balance on your account for tuition, fees, room and board. Any remaining Title IV Financial Aid will be applied to other charges assessed to your student account such as student health insurance, parking permits, bookstore charges, service fees, fines and any other education related charges but only if you have opted to authorize such application in the myZou and such authorization has not been rescinded.

Cancellation or Withdrawal from school

Fees will be reassessed for students who officially withdraw from the University or drop classes. Fees included in this reassessment are Tuition; Nonresident Tuition; Student Activity Fee; Recreation Center Fee; Student Health Fee; Course Fee(s) (if applicable). Such fees are reassessed and reduced in accordance with the reassessment schedule for each term found on the Cashier’s website at Reassessment Schedules.

If you have received or will receive Title IV Financial Aid (described above) and you withdraw (officially or unofficially [by failing to earn a passing grade in at least one course]) prior to completion of 60% of the semester, the University is required to return a portion of the Title IV funds paid to the University by the Title IV programs on your behalf, because such funds are considered “unearned” under Title IV. The Refunds and the Return of Title IV Funds Policy (website link above) provides an explanation of how this calculation of “unearned” Title IV funds is to be made upon an official or unofficial withdrawal from the University. By clicking on this document, you acknowledge, that you have read the terms and conditions of the Refunds and the Return of Title IV Funds Policy and understand that those terms are incorporated herein by reference. Upon your withdrawal from school, the University will conduct the calculations required to determine the portion of the Title IV funds received on your behalf that are considered to be unearned under Title IV . If so funds have been paid to you and are subsequently determined to be unearned you must immediately repay all such funds to the University.

Obligation for Installment Payment Plans

You understand and agree that, unless you immediately pay the amount owed hereunder in full, you must enroll in a payment plan every semester by signing an agreement. The agreement states you will pay your tuition and fees in installments. If a balance remains on the account when registration for the next semester of classes opens, you will not be allowed to register for classes unless and until you have agreed to a separate installment agreement. Any installment agreement between you and the University is incorporated herein by reference.

Financial Aid

Financial aid (grants, loans and scholarships) that have been approved but have not yet paid to the student account are considered to be “anticipated”. Anticipated aid is deducted from the current term balance. When the aid is disbursed, it will be applied to the student account paying down any applicable charge. Current term federally funded financial aid cannot be used to pay balances due from a previous aid year. Private loans and scholarships will pay toward any balance remaining on the account, including past aid year amounts.

Third Party Sponsorship

If part or all of your educational expenses are paid by an embassy, agency or company, you may be able to elect to have them billed through our Sponsor Billing process. Written authorization from your sponsor is required and should be directed to Cashiers Office, University of Missouri- Columbia, 325 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211; Attn: Sponsor Billing; If the sponsor is authorized, then upon receipt of a completed billing authorization, a credit will be posted to your student fee account for the amount authorized. The University will bill the sponsor directly on your behalf. If the sponsor does not pay in a timely manner, the third party credit will be removed from your account and you will be responsible for payment. Failure to turn in third-party authorizations in a timely manner may result in fees that you remain responsible for paying. The University reserves the right to require payment to be received from a sponsor before any credit is given and to apply holds preventing diploma release or to prevent future enrollment to student accounts if payment has not been received from a sponsor by the end of the term for which authorization is received.

Bankruptcy

Educational and related fees are generally non-dischargeable in bankruptcy and will survive after the bankruptcy has closed. Except in certain limited situations, this means that a student will still owe the debt to the University after the bankruptcy.

Late Payment Fees

Currently enrolled students on a payment plan will be assessed a late fee of 1% of the remaining account balance if/when payment is not made by the due date. Student accounts not enrolled in a payment plan will be subject to a late fee of $25 when the amount due listed on the monthly billing statement is not received and processed by the payment due date.

Finance Charges

The University will assess a monthly 1% finance charge on any student account that is not enrolled in a payment plan and has not paid their statement balance by the payment due date.

Electronic Billing

Electronic billing is the official method for billing all enrolled students. On-Demand billing statements are available within TouchNet. Static billing statements are updated monthly. Students are notified at their MU e- mail address when the statement is available for viewing. Electronic billing statements can be viewed within TouchNet. For students who are no longer enrolled and have a past due balance, a billing statement will be mailed to their permanent address on file.

E- mail and Online Statements

MU e-mail is the official University method of communicating with students. It is the student’s responsibility to check and responsibly manage their MU e-mail account so that important information can be received. As billing statements are available online, failure to receive a billing statement does not constitute a valid reason for not paying a bill in a timely manner. Actions and charges that result from failure to pay charges on time or to respond to a message from the Cashiers Office regarding a student account is the student’s responsibility.

Communication

You understand that at times, it may be necessary to contact you in regards to your student financial information. Because email is the official method of communication, the MU Cashiers Office will attempt to contact students via email. If email communication is deemed to be unsuccessful or the information to be communicated is of high importance or urgency, other methods of communication may be used. Agreement to this Statement of Financial Responsibility authorizes the Cashiers Office to utilize any and all addresses, electronic addresses, and phone numbers (including cellular phone numbers) when attempting to contact students in regards to financial information. It is also agreed that the Cashiers Office may disclose all contact information along with other relevant information to any outside collection agency used for the collection of student account fees.

Drop for Non-Payment

Students are responsible for withdrawing from courses using University-approved methods. However, the University reserves the right to drop a student’s courses for non-payment. Reduction of fees for courses dropped for non-payment will be made according to the established reassessment schedule for a given semester.

Fee reassessment for Adding Classes, Dropping classes, Withdrawal

You understand that it is the student’s responsibility to formally notify the Registrar’s Office and to follow proper procedures when withdrawing from the University. Failure to pay fees, failure to receive financial aid, failure to attend class or refusing financial aid does NOT constitute an official withdrawal from the University of Missouri.

Financial Hold

You understand and agree that if you fail to pay your student account bill or any monies due and owing to the University by the scheduled due date, the University will place a financial hold on your student account, preventing you from registering for future classes, and/or receiving your diploma. The financial hold will also impact a student’s ability to start a new housing contract for future semesters.

Delinquent Indebtedness

In addition to assessing a monthly late fees and/or finance charges the University will pursue all collection efforts and practices in collecting any unpaid balance. These practices include placing phone calls, mailing/emailing invoices and collection notices, utilizing the Missouri Department of Revenue’s Debt Offset Program to intercept state tax refunds, referring the account to a collection agency and having the debt reported on your credit bureau reports, and referring the balance to an attorney to pursue the balance via litigation. If your account balance is referred to an outside collection agency your account may be assessed an additional collection fee up to 25 percent of your outstanding balance. This one-time fee would be used to offset any and all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees and collection agency commission that the University may incur in such collection efforts. The University will also assess any additional expenses incurred in collecting the debt as allowed by law.

Returned Checks

You understand that any check not honored by your bank will result in a $20 returned check fee. If the returned check, including e-check payments, was written to pay a prior term balance, your classes may be subject to cancellation. Any checks written to MU for other departments may be charged to your student account and billed by the Cashiers Office. Such charges will incur all related billing fees. Returned checks that remain unpaid for greater than 30 days may be referred to the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office for collection. The University reserves the right to deny any student check-writing privileges with repeated or egregious attempts to pass a bad check.

Student Charge

The University may elect to allow certain auxiliary services to add charges to the student account for billing and payment purposes. Any charges added to the student account for benefit of a department become subject to the policies of the Cashiers Office. In addition, certain financial holds will prohibit a student from being able to utilize the student charging privilege.

Billing Errors

You understand that administrative, clerical, or technical billing errors do not absolve you of your financial responsibility to pay the correct amount of tuition, fees, and other associated financial obligations to the University.

Right to Modify

The University reserves the right to make changes at any time in any or all tuition and fees without advance notice, with all modification of fees to be effective irrespective as to whether fees have or have not been paid by or on behalf of a student prior to the effective date of the modification.

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