|
Billing & Financial Aid FAQs
|
|
 |
Billing and Fee/Tuition Payment
Where can I see what I owe the University for tuition/fees and housing?
Billing statements are mailed out in mid-July for students enrolled for the fall semester. Students can also log in to VandalWeb to see charges including tuition and fees (based on the number of credits for which a student is registered, wait-listed courses are not included) and housing charges (for those students who have contracted for a room with University Residences). There are no housing charges due to the university for students who plan to live in a sorority or fraternity or off-campus. Greek housing will bill students separately for sorority and fraternity housing.
In addition to university charges, bills will also show accepted financial aid awards for which the student is eligible.
Does the University of Idaho offer a payment plan for fees/tuition and housing charges?
U of I payment plans are administered by Tuition Management Systems (TMS). To enroll in TMS, call 1-888-713-7234, or enroll on the web at www.afford.com. Vandal Card deposits and dependent health insurance premiums are not eligible for TMS payment plans. Students owing a balance after September 14th for fees, tuition, or UI residence hall room and board charges will be automatically enrolled in TMS.
My Vandal Card
What is a Vandal Card, what is it used for, and where do I get one?
Your Vandal Card is your student ID card. The Vandal Card serves many purposes on campus. It provides access to numerous events and facilities including: athletic events, recreational facilities, the Student Health Center, and the library. Many locations use it for door access. It is the official university ID used to obtain payroll and financial aid checks. The Vandal Card can also be used as a debit card for purchasing university goods and services. Students who use the Vandal Card debit account receive numerous discounts including: a 5% discount on used text books at the UI Bookstore, a 5% discount at all university dining locations, and a 10-30% discount on self-serve copiers with Vandal Card readers. See the information below on making a Vandal Card debit account deposit.
Vandal Card Debit Accounts:
You can make Vandal Card debit account deposits at the Student Accounts/Cashier’s Office in the SUB. You can also make deposits with your billing statement by writing in the amount of the deposit on the back of the form. Include the amount of the deposit with your payment. You may also use financial aid and/or scholarships to make deposits with your billing statement. Deposits made with financial aid/scholarships are available as early as August 14th; so that you may use your Vandal Card account to make purchases at the Bookstore or other campus vendors after this date. Note that you can participate in the Bookstore’s Textbook Pre-Order program by indicating that payment will be available from financial aid and scholarships by the necessary date. There is also an option to make payment online. This option is located in your VandalWeb. Under the Student Account Information tab, you will see “Confirm Registration/Pay Fees”. You can also make payments or Vandal Card deposits at www.students.uidaho.edu/studentaccounts by selecting “Vandal Card Reports – Account Balances”.
Once you arrive on campus, get your Vandal Card by visiting the Vandal Card Office in the Student Union Building (SUB) behind the Information Desk. Bring your driver’s license and student ID number so that we may properly identify you. We will not process your card without picture identification. Once the card is issued, it can be used as your student identification and as a debit card on campus only. Note: you may deposit funds to your Vandal Card Account as noted above even before you receive the physical card!
Textbook Pre-Order Program
How do I participate in the Textbook Pre-Order Program?
U of I Students can get in front of the line with this program. Now you can prepay (with personal funds or financial aid and scholarships) for your textbooks and have them picked, charged out, packed and waiting for you when you get to campus. Save money by getting first crack at used books. The bookstore will pick your order before students arrive on campus, when the used book inventory is the greatest. Deadline to participate is August 7, 2009.
To purchase books after August 7th, for more information, and to sign up for our textbook program, visit: http://www.uidahobookstore.com .
Make payments or Vandal Card deposits at www.students.uidaho.edu/studentaccounts by selecting “Vandal Card Reports – Account Balances”.
Student Health Insurance
Do I have to purchase health insurance through the University?
The Idaho State Board of Education requires health insurance as a condition of enrollment for all degree-seeking students physically enrolled for classes or completing other required degree requirements within the state of Idaho. University of Idaho students who are enrolled for four or more credit hours at the Moscow campus or eight or more credit hours at the other UI locations are required to have health insurance. Students required to have health insurance will be automatically enrolled in the UI’s Comprehensive Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) unless they specifically opt out of it by providing proof of other insurance that meets the university’s requirements by September 8 for fall semester or February 7th for spring semester. After these dates, insurance cannot be waived or dependents added. The student premium is $694.25 per semester.
How do I opt-out of the University’s Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP)?
• Go to www.vandalweb.uidaho.edu
• Log in with your ID and PIN
• Go to the “Student Information/Registration” menu
• Go to the “Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP)” menu
• Select “SHIP Enrollment/Waiver Form”
• Select the term from the drop down menu
• Provide the requested insurance information and Submit
Direct Deposit
How do I arrange for direct deposit of my financial aid and scholarships?
All students are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit of their residual financial aid to their bank accounts. Residual financial aid is the aid that is left over after the billing statement has been paid in full. It is particularly important for students who are not on the Moscow campus (those at the off-campus sites, on national student exchange or study abroad) to arrange for direct deposit each academic year. The alternative is to make arrangements to have a check mailed.
To sign up for direct deposit of financial aid:
• Go to www.vandalweb.uidaho.edu
• Log in with your ID and PIN
• Go to the “Student Account Information” menu
• Go to the “Direct Deposit Information” menu
• Have your bank account and routing numbers ready
Financial Aid and Scholarships Basics
The Overview:
Disbursement or delivery of financial aid funds is the last step in the application process. Funds are not disbursed until all necessary documents have been received and processed by Student Financial Aid Services. Students may check online to see if all required documents (including FAFSA) have been received. They may also check online to see if/when funds have been applied to UI charges starting August 14th.
How many credits are required for full-time enrollment for financial aid?
All financial aid, including scholarships, unless otherwise indicated, is awarded on the basis of full-time enrollment (12 credits per semester for undergraduates, 10 credits per semester for law, and 9 credits per semester for graduates).
What if I’m wait-listed for classes but intend to be fulltime?
Wait-listed classes are not included in the number of credits. You need to be registered, not wait-listed, for the credits in order for them to count.
How and when will I get my financial aid and scholarships?
How?
Financial aid is first used to pay for UI charges (fees, residence halls, etc.). If financial aid has not paid all UI charges, students must make arrangements with Student Accounts to pay the remaining balance. If financial aid has paid all UI charges and there are leftover funds (residual funds), students can opt for a direct deposit to their specified savings or checking account. Students may also use residual financial aid and/or scholarships to make deposits on their UI Vandal Card with their billing statement.
When?
Vandal Card deposits made with financial aid/scholarships are available as early as 10 days prior to the start of classes for use only at the Bookstore or other on-campus vendors. Initial direct deposits to bank accounts will begin on the first day of class. Residual funds may be picked up from Student Accounts on or after the first day of classes if the student has not selected direct deposit for the current academic year.
College Work-Study
Why don’t I see my work-study award listed on the billing statement?
College Work-Study awards are not paid at the start of each semester. Instead, recipients receive a paycheck every two weeks for work performed and can earn up to the amount of their award over the course of the academic year. New students should attend a Work Study Orientation Session at the beginning of the term to complete the appropriate paperwork for their job.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
Why don’t I see my WUE award on the bill listed as a scholarship credit?
The WUE program is given to students in the form of reduction in tuition. WUE recipients are charged 150% of the fulltime student fee or $3,699 for fall instead of the full tuition and fees of $7,398. The award (which is not shown as a scholarship credit) is a tuition savings of $3,807 per semester for recipients.
Parent PLUS Loan
How do my parents access a loan?
Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) Loans enables parents with good credit histories to borrow to help pay the education expenses of each child who is a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half-time (6 credits per semester). To access this loan, parents must submit an application, pass a federal credit check, and sign a promissory note.
Click here for link to the Parent PLUS Loan application.
Student Loans
How do I access my loan(s)?
Students who have a processed FAFSA at the University of Idaho will receive notice of their student loans in their award notification. Students will be offered direct loans based on their year in college (e.g., freshman can borrow up to $5,500 in a Direct Loan for the academic year).
Master Promissory Notes are Required for student and parent loans
In order to receive funds through the federal loan programs for students (Direct Stafford Loans) and parents (PLUS), a Master Promissory note (MPN) must be completed. The MPN is available to complete at http://dlenote.ed.gov with a federal PIN. To retrieve or apply for a federal pin, go to http://www.pin.ed.gov.
Perkins loan promissory notes will be sent from the from the UI Student Accounts/Student Loan Office beginning in mid-July.
Outside (agency) Scholarships
How do I make sure that my outside scholarships get credited to my Student Account?
If you are receiving scholarships from outside UI, please instruct the agency to send funds to the UI Office of Student Financial Aid by August 1st. Please be sure the agency includes your full name and UI student identification number with the check. Once our office receives the check, we will apply the funds as a credit to your UI Student Account to help offset any balance due. If you do not have an account balance, then the residual, or refund, will be provided to you either as a check or in a direct deposit if you have your personal bank account information on file with the university.
You may use the expected outside scholarship funds to help pay your account balance even if they are not listed on the bill. Just indicate the scholarship name and amount on the billing statement and return it to the UI Student Accounts Office.
Mail scholarship checks to:
Student Financial Aid Services
University of Idaho
PO BOX 444291
Moscow, ID 83844-4291
|