Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual - Policy 8215: Bursar's Office Operations and Services

Date Originally Issued: 11-01-1991
Revised: 09-25-1992, 02-01-1993, 12-06-1993, 11-25-2014

Process Owner: Bursar

Note: This policy was renamed "Bursar's Office Operations and Services" in conjunction with substantive revisions dated November 25, 2014.  This new policy replaces former policy 8215 ("Tuition and Fee Payments") and rescinded policy 8240 ("Distribution of Tuition and Fee Revenue").

1. General

The Bursar's Office is responsible for the following functions:

• collecting tuition and fees and course fees
• charging tuition and fees
• processing staff tuition waivers
• billing outside organizations and agencies
• approving deferred payment agreements
• distributing tuition, fee, and course fee revenue
• billing students
• collecting any unpaid balances (including referral of accounts to a collection agency)

All tuition and fees information is published on the Bursar’s Office website.

2. Financial Responsibility

Students registered for the fall and spring semesters must pay tuition and fees, course fees, library fines, parking citations, and international student health insurance (if applicable) in full or make satisfactory financial arrangements with the University Bursar's Office on or before the payment deadline.

Students using tuition waivers or whose tuition is paid by an outside agency must submit waivers, contracts, or authorizations to the Bursar's Office on or before the Friday before the payment deadline.

3. Submitting Payment

Students pay tuition and related fees at the University Cashier Department and payment may be made online, in person, by mail, or by telephone. Payment plans may be set up online through the Bursar Account Suite.

Other forms of payment may include dependent education, tuition remission, financial aid and scholarships, assistantships, or third party.

3.1. Education Benefits for Employees and Dependents

The Tuition Remission and Dependent Education Programs are education benefit plans available to eligible staff and faculty members. Refer to UAP 3700 ("Education Benefits") for a complete description of the terms of the programs.

3.2. Graduate, Teaching, Research, and Project Assistants

Tuition assistance is provided to graduate, teaching, research, and project assistants as described in detail under “Benefits” on the Office of Graduate Studies’ website at http://grad.unm.edu/funding/assistantships.html.

3.3. Tuition Paid by Outside Agencies and Third Parties

Students whose tuition is paid by an outside agency or third party must submit an authorization letter to the Bursar’s Office every semester, and follow the guidelines for third party tuition payments as published on the Bursar’s Office website.

4. Distribution of Tuition and Fee Revenue

Tuition and fees, including special course fees, are recorded as revenue, regardless of whether the accounts are collected from the individual students. Revenues are distributed each semester. Summer session tuition revenue is split between the two fiscal years spanning the summer term.  Summer fees and special course fees are reported totally within the fiscal year which begins on July 1 during that summer session. 

In order to promote transparency, the Bursar’s Office will publish on their website a complete list of tuition and fee charges.  At the point of registration, a student should have complete information on the cost of tuition and fees for that semester.

4.1. Tuition

Tuition revenue is distributed to a set of instructional revenue accounts; the amount is based on the computation of twenty-one (21) day enrollment statistics at the tuition rates for each category of student.

4.1.1. Non-Degree Tuition

Non-degree tuition and fee rates will be equal to the undergraduate rates, respective to residency status for a student who does not have a baccalaureate or higher degree.  Non-degree tuition and fee rates will be equal to graduate rates, respective to residency status, for a student who has a baccalaureate or higher degree.

4.1.2. Enrollment at Multiple Campuses

If a student takes courses both at the Albuquerque campus and a branch campus, the student will be charged the applicable rate for courses taken at each campus.  This may result in a total tuition charge that exceeds the rate that would be charged if all courses were taken at one campus.

4.2. Mandatory Fees

Mandatory recurring fees, including the student activity fee, student government fee, and facility/information technology debt service fee, are distributed each fall and spring semester, based on annual operating budgets.

4.3. Course Fees

Course fee revenue is distributed to the department after the effective date of registration if registering prior to the semester or upon registration if the effective date has passed.

5. Refunds

It is the student's responsibility to drop a class by its refund deadline to receive financial credit or a refund for that class. The exact dates for the current semester can be on the website of the Office of the Registrar, under the menu item "Deadline Dates."

To receive a refund of paid tuition and fees, students must follow LoboWeb drop procedures for their courses.  Credit balances will be automatically refunded.  Students are encouraged to set up direct deposit through the Bursar Account Suite via LoboWeb.  If direct deposit is not set up, a check will be mailed to the students’ mailing address.  Refunds of payments made by credit card are usually credited back to the credit card.

The Dean of Students’ Office may authorize a refund rate that does not coincide with the withdrawal date or drop date.