Student Accounts Policy

Current Student Receivables

Upon Registration – Students are responsible for paying their tuition account balances in full by the specified semester due date or be current in a payment plan by no later than the first day of classes.

• Non-resident students (students who do not live on campus) are required to pay in full for each semester or be current with a payment plan by the first day of classes. Anyone who has not paid in full or is not current on the payment plan will be dropped from classes.
• Resident students (students who live on campus) are required to pay in full for each semester or be current with a payment plan prior to moving onto campus.  Anyone who has not paid in full or is not current on the payment plan will NOT be allowed to move onto campus. *International students are subject to additional restrictions; see below.

Outstanding Accounts Prior to the Start of Classes – Students with partial payments, partial scholarships, and/or partial financial aid may be exempt from the initial payment plan due date, but will be required to make full payment or be current by the first day of class. Students should have their financial aid in place before move-in day (for resident students) or the 1st day of class (for non-resident students).

Verification Grace Period – Students who have completed all initial Financial Aid Paperwork (including, but not limited to, the FAFSA, online entrance counseling, and the MPN), but are subject to verification by the Department of Education, may remain enrolled in classes with an outstanding balance of no more than the amount that is expected to be covered by financial aid. This grace period will extend to 45 calendar days into the semester.  If the student does not meet verification requirements and cannot receive financial aid, then the balance must be immediately paid in full, or the student will be administratively withdrawn from classes on or after the 50th calendar day of the semester.

Past Due – Balance is considered past due on the first day of class.

• Students who fall behind in their payments and are therefore not current on their account balance at each of the 30, 60, or 90 calendar day marks (from the beginning of the semester) will be removed from classes and withdrawn from Bluefield University unless an exception for extenuating circumstances is approved by the Vice President of Finance & Administration. These exceptions would typically be approved only for processing delays caused by Bluefield University or the Department of Education.
• Any student with an outstanding balance will have a Student Accounts hold placed on their account which will prevent the student from registering for classes, enrolling in future semesters, receiving diplomas, and/or receiving/sending official/unofficial transcripts.

Special Restrictions for International Students: International students do not have access to BU payment plans and therefore are required to pay in full each semester by the first day of classes (incoming students are required to pay 50% prior to arrival).  All international students must pay the entire balance of each semester by the first day of the semester (including Fall Term 3 and the Summer Terms, as applicable).  International students who do not pay the semester in full by the first day of the semester: 1) will be dropped from classes on the second day of the semester; 2) will NOT be allowed to be registered in SEVIS (for the fall and spring semesters); 3) will have their I-20 will be canceled (Cancel Initial Record)/terminated (Fail to Enroll) on the 7th calendar day of the semester (for the fall and spring semesters).

Collection Process for Current Students – All students are mailed monthly statements, and their accounts are also available for them to review 24/7 through their myBU account. Students who fall behind on payments are additionally contacted by email, phone calls, and text messages.

If students do not make payment and/or do not respond to the efforts of the Student Accounts staff, additional personnel may be used to assist with collection efforts. Students may be informed to contact Student Accounts by any of the following: individuals on their FERPA form, faculty, advisors, Resident Life staff, or athletic coaches.

Additional charges will be added to past-due account balances, and a past-due payment penalty will be assessed in the amount of $75. Interest will also be added to a past-due student account in the amount of 1.5% a month, up to 15% annually.

Deferred tuition – Students participating in the deferred tuition program with their employer must pay for the semester in full by the first day of class (using financial aid and/or a payment plan).  Any student who has not paid in full or is not current on a payment plan will be withdrawn per the policy above.

Bluefield University Employees – Employees of Bluefield University with a Student Account balance may set up a payment plan through Human Resources to have pay deducted from their paycheck each month. This payment plan must be finalized with HR by the first day of classes.

Optional Semester/Courses – Students enrolling in summer courses, Fall Term III courses, Early College, certificate programs, non-degree seeking, audit, or senior tuition programs must pay their tuition and fees by the first day of classes.

Student Payment Plan Restrictions – Students enrolled and current in the payment plan will have a payment plan warning placed on their account. Students who are no longer current on their payment plan and have a balance of any amount will have a Student Account Hold placed on their account. This hold will prevent the student from receiving an official transcript or registering for classes.

Collection Process

1. At the beginning of each semester, former students with an account balance will be subject to the collections process. Confirmation will be made that the student has a Student Account Hold, BU Hold and that the student’s subsidiary is updated to the correct former status.
2. Former students with a balance will be mailed a statement that is stamped past due/litigation pending. They will not be allowed to receive an official transcript from Bluefield University until the account is at zero balance unless special permission is obtained from the Vice President for Finance & Administration. In addition to the past due statement, attempts will be made to contact the student using any valid email address or phone number on file in Jenzabar.
3. If payment is not received after the past due statement is mailed (60 days from the beginning of the new semester), the letter indicates the student’s account must be paid in full or to contact the Business Office to set up a payment plan for (a term of no longer than 12 months unless approved by the Vice President of Finance & Administration). If a payment plan is not initiated with payment being made within these 30 days, the account will be turned over to a collection agency.
4. The University is no longer allowed to accept payments directly from the student once the student has been sent to collections. The student will need to pay the collection agency directly. The Information Services & Technology Department (IST) is to be contacted to block any student who has been placed for collections. This will prevent the student from making payments through myBU online.
5. If a former student has a past due balance that has been sent to collections and indicates a desire to return to Bluefield University, the past due balance must be paid according to the balance agreed upon by the Business Office and Student Accounts before the student is approved readmission. Once the student is approved to return, IST will be contacted to allow the student access to myBU.
6. If the University receives a letter documenting that a former student has declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the University will contact the collections agency to remove the student from Collections. The account balance will be written off to bad debt expense. The letter documenting the bankruptcy will be added to the student’s file. If a student who had their account removed from collections due to Chapter 7 wishes to return to the University, the University is not permitted to request payment for the former balance. However, the University is permitted to deny the admission request. If the student is approved to return, IST will need to be notified to remove the hold from the student’s myBU account.

Last Updated: 2/24/2023