Below are common Financial Aid and Billing questions. We're here to help. If you don't find the answer to your question, contact yourStudent Financial Services Counselor.
Where do I start?
- Your first step is toapply for financial aid. You can also exploreoutside scholarshipDZپDzԲ.
Have I done everything I need to for my financial aid to be on time?
- Be sure to accept your financial aid award online through the myHilltop task,.
- Check theportal task, Resolve Outstanding Financial Aid Requirements to ensure you have completed all financial aid requirements.
What do I do if I have accepted all of my financial aid and it is still not enough to pay for school?
- If you donot have enough aid to cover all costs associated with attending ϲʿ's University we recommendspeaking directly with aStudent Financial Services Counselor. We are here to help! Review our financing options.
I declined a loan but now decided I need it?
- Please contact yourStudent Financial Services Advisordirectly via email and request we reoffer the loan. A revised award notification email will be sent once the loan has been reoffered.
When should I apply for the Parent loan?
- We recommend completing the Parent Plus loanapplicationonline after June 1. You can learn more and apply through .
My financial situation has changed since filing the FAFSA. What are my options?
- We recognize that the FAFSA may not always accurately reflect your financial situation. Considerationsfor specific situations are limited, but we may be able to give additional consideration for situations listed on our Types of Aid page.
How do I continue receiving financial aid annually?
- Not only must you apply for financial aid, but you also must meet specific requirements that may vary based on the source and type of aid received. ThePolicy requirementsinclude eligibility requirements like terms and conditions, students’ rights and responsibilities, enrollment status,satisfactory academic progress, appeals,maximum gift aid, consequences of withdrawing, refunds, study abroad, and summer aid. All can affect eligibility for aid.
Who is my Student Financial Services Advisor?
- Students are assigned an advisor by the first letter of their last name. A list of all advisors is on ourMeet Your Financial Services Counselor page, located on your financial aid award letter, and in the myHilltop portal. Student Financial Services counselors are happy to answer your questions.
I have GI Bill® benefits and I would like to use them at ϲʿ's University. Where do I start?
- Review ourVeterans Affairswebsite. Please contact the Military & Veterans Affairs Coordinator,Dustin Noll. Dustin would be glad to answer questions regarding GI Bill®education benefits and how they work at ϲʿ's University.
What is the Billing Center?
- The Billing Center is where you will go for anything related to student accounts, billing, and payment. In it, you can view account activity, set up a payment plan, pay a balance, specify a refund account, and several other tasks. The Billing Center is found on.
How do I access the Billing Center?
- Students have access to the Billing Center by signing into myHilltop and using the “View/Pay My Bill” task. Students can also enable access by setting up others as Authorized Users. Authorized Users will log in using the “Billing Center: Parent & Guest Login” task.Authorized Users will sign in using their email address.
What is the Comprehensive fee?
The university’s comprehensive fee is a consolidation of individual course and campus-required fee. This single fee replaces the prior fees for technology support, printing, labs, facilities, tutoring, student activities and other course fees. It does not replace individual on-demand and non-required service fees (i.e., private music lessons, transcript services, health insurance, and parking). All students at ϲʿ's University pay the Comprehensive Fee.
Why am I being charged for a commuter meal plan when I didn’t sign up for one?
All students must purchase a meal plan. Learn moreHilltop Card.
Why is my financial aid not on my bill?
If you haveall of your financial aid might not be showing towards your bill. Please check in myHilltop under "Resolve Outstanding Financial Aid Requirements" to complete anything that is missing. Once submitted, please allow a few days for our office to review the documents and to make any necessary updates to your FAFSA or student account.
Undergraduate students are required to enroll full time. Exceptions: graduating seniors in a final semester of a program and students with approved modified status through theOffice of Student Disability Services. Graduate Student are required to enroll at least half-time.Enrollment andDegree Verification, including Academic load details provided bytheRegistrar office.
Are you being charged for student health insurance but don't need it?
Please check in myHilltop under "" to select "waive" and input your current insurance info. The deadline to submit proof of insurance is September 7th. If you have already waived your insurance, but it still appears on the bill, please note that it takes the Health Center 5-7 business days to remove the charge. You can contact the Health Center at 512-448-8686 orinsure@stedwards.eduto check your status.**Students in one of the online graduate programs should not have been charged this fee and do not need to submit proof of Insurance.
By when does the bill need to be paid?
Your bill needs to be settled bythe following datesfor each term:
- Fall Term: August 1
- Spring Term: December 1
- Summer Term: May 1
By settled, we meant that it is paid in full, that you have signed up for a monthly payment plan, or that financial aid will cover the balance and all paperwork is turned in.
How do I set up a payment plan?
- Payment plans are available in the Billing Center. Balances can be split in up to four monthly payments, and can be paid on either the first or fifteenth of each month. Payment plans carry a $50 setup fee.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept the following forms of payment:
- Electronic check or ACH in the Billing Center
- Credit and debit cards in the Billing Center (2.85% processing fee for credit & debit)
- Bank wires in the Billing Center ($20 processing fee for bank wires)
- Paper checks in our office or by mail
- Money orders and cashier’s checks in our office or by mail
- Cash in our office
What is the E-Refund Authorization requirement and how do I complete it?
The E-Refund Authorization is for students to set up a bank account or add their own personal bank account information in the Billing Center, so that it can be used for refunds on financial aid.Parents choosing to receive a refund for a parent loan can also set up a refund account once they are set as an Authorized User. The E-Refund Authorization can be done on the myHilltop portal by searching the “” task.
How do I get a refund for excess financial aid?
- Students can set up a bank account in the Billing Center to be used for refunds on financial aid. Parents choosing to receive a refund for a parent loan can also set up a refund account once they are set as an Authorized User. Refunds are only issued electronically.
What happens when a student adds or drops a class?
- ϲʿ’s charges a flat rate for undergraduate students taking between 12 and 18 hours, so adding and dropping classes within that range has no impact on tuition charges. Students taking fewer than 12 hours will be charged an hourly rate. Taking over 18 hours will charge the flat rate, plus the hourly rate for every hour over 18. When dropping below 12 hours, students are subject to the university’srefund schedule. Dropping courses after the end of the 100% refund period will mean that tuition will still be due. Dropping can also affect financial aid, so we recommend talking to a financial advisor for any student dropping below 12 hours.
Why do you recommend getting tuition insurance?
- Tuition insuranceallows for a refund of tuition beyond the refund schedule when the student has to withdraw due to medical reasons. This includes both physical and mental health. Tuition insurance is customizable to the your actual out of pocket costs, so you control the level of coverage.
Do I have to report Federal Emergency Funds received due to COVID to the IRS?
Emergency aid granted to students due to COVIDis not taxable, view this link to official resources on
Why do I have a transcript hold?
A transcript hold is automatically added any time there is a balance on your student account. This hold is added even when the balance is not yet due, as with payment plans and before the payment deadline each semester.
If your account is up to date, and you require a transcript, you can contact our office to have the hold lifted. Note that the hold will be automatically re-added by the system overnight.