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WSU Policies and Procedures

13.05 / Tuition and Fees Payment Plan

Effective
July 1, 1997
Last revised
March 26, 2024

  1. Initiating Authority

    Financial Services serves as the initiating authority for this policy.

  2. Purpose

    The Payment Plan Program is intended to assist students in making tuition payments for a current semester through a payment plan.

  3. Policy

    1. Payment Plan Program

      1. Students whose financial circumstances are such that a payment plan is necessary will qualify for a payment plan. Students receiving financial aid from other sources sufficient to pay tuition and fees in full do not qualify for a payment plan.
      2. The Payment Plan Program is to provide limited, short-term tuition and fee assistance to students. Payment plans are to only be used for payment of tuition and fees at the University. Tuition and fees are defined in the Comprehensive Fee Schedule.
      3. Payment plans require a minimum non-refundable down payment of $100 and a non-refundable $30 setup fee.
      4. Payment plans made during the regular academic year must be repaid in three monthly installments: for fall semester, payment due dates are September 15, October 15 and November 15; for spring semester, payment due dates are February 15, March 15 and April 15. Summer session payment plans must be repaid in two equal payments due on June 15 and July 15. Exceptions to the payment dates are for the concurrent high school and second half Intensive English programs. Installments for fall semester are October 15, November 15 and December 15. Spring semester installments are March 15, April 15 and May 15.
      5. Any refunds due students for dropping or withdrawal of classes will be applied to a student's payment plan balance.
      6. No interest shall be charged to students.
      7. Late fees are applied according to the Comprehensive Fee Schedule.
      8. A payment plan represents a contract liability and must be paid in full. All payments that have not been made by the due dates shall be considered delinquent.
      9. Holds on further enrollment and release of diplomas will be put in place for students with delinquent accounts. Such holds will remain in place until the hold has been resolved through the office of Financial Services, which is located at Jardine Hall, room 201, and can also be reached at (316) 978-3333.

  4. Applicable Laws And Additional Resources

    1. U.S. Federal Title IV Regulations, 34 CFR 668
    2. Supervisory Highlights, Student Loan Servicing, Special Edition (Issue 27, Fall 2022)
    3. WSU Policy 13.04 / Tuition and Fees Refunds

  5. Revision Dates

    1. March 31, 1999
    2. January 1, 2010
    3. June 03, 2016
    4. March 26, 2024
About this policy version

New or Existing Policy

This is a change to an existing policy.

Current Policy Title

13.05 / Tuition and Fees Payment Plan

Revised Policy Title

N/A

Last Revised Date of Policy

June 30, 2016

Initiating Authority

Financial Services

Summary of Policy or Policy Change

This policy is being revised to ensure compliance with federal laws regarding the withholding of student transcripts in connection with unpaid balances owed to the University. Specifically, the language stating that transcripts will not be released to students with unpaid balances under Section II.B of the current policy is being removed. In addition, revisions were made to clarify the University's practice of placing holds on diplomas and enrollment in connection with unpaid balances, and directions to contact Financial Operations to resolve such holds was added. Finally, minor updates were made to conform with the University's standard policy format.

Reason or Need for Policy

In the fall of 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued supervisory guidance, explaining that institutions that provide private educational loans, including institutions of higher education offering tuition payment plans, fall under the authority of the CFPB. The CFPB further directed that blanket policies to withhold transcripts in connection with an extension of credit by these institutions are abusive under the Consumer Financial Protection Act.

Subsequently, in the fall of 2023, the Department of Education (DOE) issued new regulations (effective July 1, 2024) that require the release of official transcripts for payment periods that the student received Title IV financial aid and all institutional charges for that payment period were paid or included in an agreement to pay.

After careful consideration and consultation with University partners that are involved in the process for withholding transcripts in connection with unpaid balances owed to the University, Financial Operations has determined that the best course of action is to discontinue the withholding of transcripts in connection with unpaid institutional charges. The current policy revisions are being made to reflect this decision.

Other Notes for Consideration

Policy 13.04 / Tuition and Fees Refunds is also being revised for the same purpose as the present policy.

Date Policy Request to PET

March 26, 2024

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