Frequently Asked Questions

• What is this charge for? Who do I talk to?
• How much do I owe?
• Where do I make my payments?
• When is this due?
• What happens if I pay my bill late?
• Besides tuition, what fees do I have to pay?
• A third party will pay my tuition. How does this work?
• Where do I get my student I.D. card?
• I have a refund on my account. How do I get it?
• I have paid my tuition, but have cancelled my registration, withdrawn, or dropped classes. What kind of refund do I get?
• I have received financial aid. Where do I pick up my money?
• How does the Bursar's Office apply my Resident or Non-Resident tuition waivers or private scholarships?
• What are the government's education tax incentives?
• Any helpful hints to make things easier?

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  What is this charge for? Who do I talk to?

  At the end of each month, the Office of the Bursar will present an electronic online statement on pay.ou.edu. The charges and credits that appear on this statement originate from various departments on campus. These departments are responsible for maintaining detailed records concerning the items appearing on your statement. If you have a question about an item on your statement, please contact the originating department.

  How much do I owe?

  This information can be found in several places:

   

  • A paper summary, called the "Summary of Semester Charges," showing the current semester enrollment charges is mailed from the Office of the Bursar to the student's local and permanent addresses the week prior to the first official day of classes. Please note adding or dropping classes after the date of the summary will change the amount owed.

   

  • A electronic online statement of account is presented on pay.ou.edu by the Office of the Bursar at the beginning of each month. The online statement is easy for students to read. Please note that when looking at your online statement, you are looking at a snapshot of your account taken at a specific point in time, and while viewing your Bursar Balance you are looking at real-time information.  There may be instances when the information will differ.

   

  • Estimates for tuition and fees are located on your registration form at the time of pre-enrollment, or go to the Tuition Estimator . Please remember these provide estimates only and may differ from your actual enrollment charges.

   

  • The On-line Payment Web Site provides information about your balance and charges to your account.

   

  • Or you can contact our office directly at 405-325-3122 or 405-325- 3125.

  Where do I make my payments?

  Payments to students' accounts may be made on-line using checks and credit cards. Go to pay.ou.edu. You will need your student OU ID number, 4+4 and password to access the payment page. Parent/Authorized payer(s) may have access to your account. This access requires that the student designate an e-mail address and password for each authorized payer to receive access their account. Parents will receive an e-mail confirmation once this is completed. After that time parents/authorized payers may go to the web page and click on the parent log-in screen to make payments. Students may authorize more than one parent to have access to their account. Authorizing access to pay will not allow access to enrollment, grades or transcript information.

  Payments may be made in person at the Bursar's Office or mailed to the following address:

  Office of the Bursar
  1000 Asp Avenue, Rm. 105
  Buchanan Hall
  Norman, OK 73019-0430

  There is a drop box available for after hours payment (checks only) in the lobby of Buchanan Hall.

  When is this due?

  Payment deadlines are provided in three places:

  • Our Important Dates page.
  • The statement of account presented on pay.ou.edu by the Office of the Bursar at the beginning of each month.
  • The tuition and fees deadlines listed in the class schedule.

  What happens if I pay my bill late?

  Your online statement will provide the total amount you owe and the minimum amount due. The minimum amount due is part of the University of Oklahoma's Fee Payment Plan. If either or all payments are missed, the Office of the Bursar will assess a service charge of 1.5% of the total due per month (minimum of 50 cents). The service charge will be assessed on the first working day AFTER the 15th of each month. At the end of each semester an additional $50 will be assessed on tuition and fees not paid in full.

  Besides tuition, what fees do I have to pay?

  Mandatory enrollment fees are charges that fund the operation, maintenance and development of the University infrastructure.  These fees are designed to benefit students at the University level, not individual level.

  The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have authorized the following mandatory enrollment fees.

  Per Semester Charges

  Health & Wellness Center Fee: This fee supports access to the services at Goddard Health Center.

  Academic Advising Fee: This fee supports the academic advising services provided to students in all of the colleges. It will provide electronic access to advising and degree audit systems, and additional professional and peer advisors for students. Funds generated by this fee will also allow for new program initiatives and strategies aimed to increase the student graduation rate.

  Academic Records Service Fee: This fee supports the costs of no-charge transcripts, diplomas, class schedule changes, commencement activities, and other academic records services for the life of each student.

  International Student Maintenance Fee:  This fee supports the administrative services rendered by the University of Oklahoma. Services include processing, maintaining, and storing certificates of eligibility, work permits, practical training permits, transfer forms, Visa extensions and expirations, and other immigration papers for international students.

  Per-Credit Hour

  Cultural and Recreation Service Fee:  This fee supports recreational improvements, equipment and intramurals.

  Student Facility Fee: This fee supports the costs of student facilities including, for example, increased maintenance, staffing, and operational expenses for the Huston Huffman Student Recreation Center expansion and the Oklahoma Memorial Student Union.

  Student Activity Fee: This fee supports student organizations and services, counseling and testing, student media, career services, campus facilities, and transportation services.

  Library Excellence Fee: This fee supports library-staffing, acquisitions of books and documents, subscriptions to scholarly journals and traditional as well as electronic access to books and journals. This fee will ensure that the library services will continue to increase without cutting access to electronic journals, acquisitions, hours of operation and other services.

  College Technology Services Fee: This fee supports the enhancement of instructional technology in each college. This includes student computing labs, classroom technology, and technical support for students.

   

  Academic Excellence Fee: This fee supports the costs to recruit and retain excellent faculty, plus their scientific and academic research including laboratories, classroom renovations, equipment, publishing costs and research assistants.

  Academic Facility and Life Safety Fee: This fee supports maintenance of existing classrooms, as well as renovation and construction of additional academic facilities (such as business, journalism, and fine arts) necessary to ensure quality classroom settings. A major portion of this fee will also be used for resident hall improvements to ensure that campus housing meets the latest standards for fire and personal safety.

  Security Services Fee: This fee supports the costs of student related security services on campus. These services include improving campus lighting, providing emergency phones, and enhancing police and security services. This will enable OU to continue creating secure environments for students on our campus.

  Transit Fee: This fee supports the costs of maintaining and operating campus transit services. It will eliminate student fares, increase frequency of stops on all major routes, and will allow restoration of routes to areas such as apartments and South Greek.

  Special Event Fee: This fee supports the costs of special events, including visits by renowned speakers and lecturers from many fields as well as programs such as the annual foreign policy conference.

  Student Assessment Fee: This fee supports the university-wide assessment program, which provides an annual assessment of the university's academic and support programs. This program is required for the accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is mandated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

  Education Network Connectivity Fee: This fee supports the operation and maintenance of the university educational computer network services. Services include student help desk operation, lab and curriculum software licenses, lab printing services, off-campus access to on-line student services and course information, Sooner Information Network, computer security services, and email.

   

   

   

   

  Waiver of selected mandatory fee exception or options:

  • Full-time employees of the University who are students.
  • Concurrently enrolled students at HSC, Tulsa and/or Norman
  • Students enrolled only in courses (dissertation, thesis, independent study, directed reading, online, co-ops) where student is not physically located within the Norman proximity.
  • Students who are enrolled solely in programs sponsored by external agencies (such as NSF or OSLEP).

   

  As a guide, the following are the most common reasons given for requesting an exemption to fees. To date, no exemptions have been granted for these reasons:

  1. You do not wish to use a facility's services.
  2. You are taking only one course.
  3. You choose not to participate in functions funded by the fee.
  4. You are a member of the Military Services.
  5. You have other health coverage.
  6. A member of your family is a physician.
  7. You need specialty care from your own physician.

   

  A third party will pay my tuition. How does this work?

  A third party is someone, other than yourself (or your parents), who has agreed to pay part or all of your tuition. Often these third parties are companies or corporations (both U.S. and overseas), government entities, or scholastic programs separate from the University. Some third parties require a bill from the Office of the Bursar before they will make payment on tuition and fees. In such cases, the student should provide a letter from the sponsor, addressed to the University of Oklahoma, requesting us to bill them. If for any reason the University does not receive payment, the student is responsible for the charges. The following information must be included in the letter:

  • The name and address of the third party to whom the bill will be sent
  • Specific costs/dollar amounts the sponsor will pay
  • The semester(s) the award covers
  • Any other information required to ensure proper billing

  Students should check in with the Office of the Bursar to verify the remaining balance owed. The Office of the Bursar must be notified about third party billing each semester and any time there is a change in the amount of the award or the party to be billed.

  Where do I get my student I.D. card?

  Student ID cards may be purchased in the OneCard office, which is located in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. The cost for your initial student ID card is $15.

  I have a refund on my account. How do I get it?

  A refund must stay on the student account for ten working days after the last date of activity on the account. A refund list is then received by the Bursar's Office. Allow two weeks for the refund to be processed after the student's name appears on the refund list. Refunds will be mailed to the student's current billing address. Refunds for housing or telephone credits will not be made until the end of the academic year without special authorization from those departments.

  I have paid my tuition, but have cancelled my registration, withdrawn, or dropped classes. What kind of refund do I get?

  The refund policies listed below describe the financial obligation of students who withdraw from classes after the official beginning of a semester. Students are advised to read these refund policies carefully to determine which apply to their specific circumstances.

  All Title IV Aid recipients and the University will be required to return to the federal aid programs the amount of aid received that was in excess of the aid "earned" for the time period the student remained enrolled.

  The percentage of the semester completed is the percentage of aid earned: This is calculated by the number of days the student attended divided by the number of days in the payment period (i.e. semester). For example, if a student withdrew on the 20th day of a semester 114 days in length, the student would have earned only 17.5% of the aid he received (20 / 114 = 0.175).

  Students who remain enrolled through at least 60% of the payment period (semester) are considered to have earned 100% of the aid received and will not owe a repayment of Federal Title IV grant funds.

  If the University returns funds to the Title IV aid programs, it could result in the student owing OU charges that were originally paid at the time of disbursement. Students may also be required to return funds released to them for personal expenses.

  Monies will be returned to the Title IV programs and not to recipients. Monies returned to the Title IV aid programs will be applied first to loans to reduce the loan debt of the student and /or parent borrower.

  For all other students, the Oklahoma State Regents refund policy with respect to tuition and fees for complete withdrawal and change of enrollment is as follows: changes in schedules and complete withdrawals from the institution during the defined add/drop period (first ten days of classes in Fall and Spring semesters, first five days of classes in Summer Session) will result in full charges for courses added and full credit for courses dropped. No refund will be made after the add/drop period for the session except as stipulated for Title IV recipients.

  I have received financial aid. Where do I pick up my money?

   

  Financial aid is disbursed by the Office of the Bursar in Buchanan Hall, Room 105. The University of Oklahoma is pleased to be one of the few schools in the country that disburses financial aid funds to students before the beginning of classes. We offer disbursement early so that students can focus on their classes rather than taking care of financial matters. Students receiving financial aid that has been authorized and meet the eligibility requirements may have aid disbursed beginning one week prior to the first official day of the semester. Federal Family Education Loans can be disbursed at this time if the funds have been received from the lending institution, authorized by Financial Aid Services and meet disbursement requirements. Disbursement schedules are located on our Important Dates page and in the class schedule, or you can contact the Office of the Bursar or the Office of Financial Aid Services for more information. At the time funds are disbursed to the student, all enrollment fees, tuition, housing and other charges due the university will be deducted. Loans will be applied to tuition and fee accounts first unless otherwise directed by the student at the time of disbursement. All students requiring financial assistance with the payment of enrollment fees, tuition, and educational expenses should contact the Office of Financial Aid Services for assistance.

  For your convenience, the Office of the Bursar also offers Automatic Deposit of financial aid funds into your bank account. For more information, see our Automatic Deposit page or contact our office at 325-1434.

  How does the Bursar's Office apply my Resident or Non-Resident tuition waivers or private scholarships?

  Resident Tuition and Non-Resident Tuition waivers are awarded by University offices or academic departments and authorized by the Office of Financial Aid Services. Waivers may be applied to the student's account by the Office of the Bursar. Resident Tuition waivers can be used to reduce a student's Resident Tuition charged up to the total amount awarded for each semester. Resident Tuition waivers cannot be used to pay other fees or charges on a student's account. Non-Resident Tuition waivers can be used to reduce a student's Non-Resident Tuition charges up to the total amount awarded each semester. Non-Resident Tuition waivers can not be used to pay Resident Tuition or other charges on a student's account. These waivers cannot be converted into cash or held for another academic year.

  Other scholarships awarded by the University and cash scholarships sent to the University from outside sources will be held at the Office of the Bursar. These funds are received throughout the semester and each recipient must check with the Office of the Bursar to determine the application of these funds. It is the student's responsibility to verify that financial aid has been applied to their account prior to the deadlines to avoid service charges or other University sanctions.

  What are the government's education tax incentives?

  More information about the government's education incentives, such as the Hope Scholarship Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, can be found on the U.S Department of Education's web site. You can also view/download Publication 970.

  Any helpful hints to make things easier?

  • Sign up for automatic deposit! This authorizes the University to apply your Pell, Scholars,SEOG, OHLAP,OTAG, Perkins, Lew Wentz, Lew Wentz Computer, Robey, Clark, Sells, Deloe, and Stafford cash awards to all your current and prior Bursar charges, then send your refund directly to your bank account.
  • We know you've heard it before, but we will say it again: don't wait! Approaching payment due dates bring longer lines. If possible, make your payments before the deadlines, pay on-line, mail payments early, or use the drop boxlocated in the lobby of Buchanan Hall.
  • Staffing is reduced during lunch hours (11:30 AM to 1:45 PM), resulting in increased waiting periods.
  • Persons with disabilities needing service from the Office of the Bursar may be assisted without waiting in line by going to the information desk in our front lobby.
  • Students enrolled in unique programs (i.e. Study Abroad, Reciprocal Exchange, Advanced Programs, Liberal Studies) offered by the University and receiving financial aid need to contact the Office of the Bursar at 325-3123 for disbursement information.
  • Students may obtain a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from the Department of Education's web site, from their high-school or two-year college counselors, the Office of Financial Aid Services, or the Office of Prospective Student Services. Please note that a FAFSA must be completed for each and every year of anticipated enrollment.
  • Students looking for jobs (including work-study) may check OU's online job listings, call the Student Job Information Line at 325-2711, work study employment and off-campus jobs at 325-1826, or contact the Office of Personnel Services in the NEL building at 905 Asp Avenue, Room 205. In addition, the foyer of the NEL building, which contains bulletin boards listing on- and off-campus jobs for both non-students and students (work-study and non-work-study), is open 24 hours a day.
  • The Office of the Bursar web page and e-mail addresses are: http://www.ou.edu/bursar/, bursar@ou.edu, http://asksooner.custhelp.com.
  • asksooner.custhelp.com "Ask the Sooners" is a web site created to answer many of the most frequently asked questions regarding financial aid and bursar billing questions.
  • To clear Bursar enrollment stops or make payments on student accounts: pay.ou.edu (you will need your student ID#, 4+4 and password).
  • E-checks are an electronic debit from your bank account. Simply enter your information from your check to convert your paper check into the e-check. To finalize e-check payments the four digit number requested is the last four digit number of your OU student ID number.
  • OU-FAN must be electronically accepted by the student to initiate authorization and disbursement of financial aid.