Financial Holds
Students are expected to pay their term bills before the beginning of the term or to have satisfactory arrangements such as a payment plan in place at the start of the term. Tuition and fees are due by the Due Date as indicated on every ebill. If financial responsibilities have not been met, a student may be placed on financial hold. Students on financial hold are not eligible for registration for future terms and are also prevented from obtaining records such as transcripts and grades. In addition, students whose accounts are not paid in full at the time of graduation will not receive a diploma or any other certification of program completion.
Students who have unanticipated financial problems during a term should resolve them with the help of the Office of the Bursar and the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, as well as resources outside of Ohio University such as parents and relatives.
Registration Hold
Approximately one week before priority registration begins, the Office of the Bursar will identify students who have unpaid balances on their student account and who have not made satisfactory arrangements for payment of that balance. The Office of the Bursar will notify these students via email informing them of the registration hold.
Grade, Transcript, and Diploma Holds
Students will not be permitted to receive grades, transcripts or diplomas if their financial responsibilities have not been met. Approximately one week before the end of the term, the Office of the Bursar will identify students who have unpaid balances on their student account and who have not made satisfactory arrangements for payment of that balance. The Office of the Bursar will notify these students via email informing them of the financial hold.
Address Hold
Student mail returned to the Office of the Bursar due to an insufficient or invalid address will result in a Bad Address Hold on the student’s account. The Bad Address Hold will prevent the student from registering for classes, viewing grades, receiving a transcript and/or receiving a diploma. The student can correct his/her address by contacting the Office of the Bursar at 740.593.4130 or bursar@ohio.edu.
Loan Hold
Former students who have failed to honor the terms and conditions of either a Federal Perkins loan or a University long-term loan will have a loan hold placed on their records. These individuals will be unable to register, to receive transcripts, grades or their diploma. Once a hold is placed on a student's record all terms and conditions must be fulfilled before the hold is removed. Questions concerning Federal Perkins loan holds should be directed to Julie Champlin, champlin@ohio.edu, 740.593.9930. Questions concerning a University long-term loan should be directed to Denise Cunningham, cunningd@ohio.edu, 740.593.4075.
Account Collections
Delinquent accounts will be prepared for collection as defined in Ohio Revised Code. Collection is initiated when an account becomes delinquent and there are no satisfactory payment arrangements in place as determined by the Bursar. An account is delinquent when:
- A student is no longer enrolled and has a balance due, OR
- A non-student account has an account balance more than 90 days past due.
The collection process may be expedited or delayed as deemed necessary. The University will normally take the following actions to collect a delinquent account:
Courtesy Contacts
The University will make a reasonable effort to notify the account holder of the status of the account and of possible referral to the Ohio Attorney General. This warning will be in the form of a mailed collection notice which itemizes the balance due. All bills and written correspondence regarding a delinquent account will be mailed to the most recent active address on file for the individual. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain an accurate billing address with Ohio University.
Placement with the Ohio Attorney General
If the account holder fails to respond to the courtesy contacts, the debt will be referred to the Ohio Attorney General for further action as required in the Ohio Revised Code. Delinquent accounts will be referred to the Ohio Attorney General within 120 days of delinquency. Once the account is placed with the Ohio Attorney General, payments must be made directly to them.
Collection Cost
The Ohio Attorney General and/or their collection agencies will assess collection fees and interest to the account holder. The Ohio Attorney General reserves the right to employ legal counsel to handle litigation necessary to collect the debt. If litigation is filed, all costs associated with the litigation may be passed to the account holder. The Attorney General may not adjust or settle any debt so assigned without prior approval of the University. The Ohio Attorney General and his designees will at all times act in compliance with the provisions of the “Fair Debt Collection Practices Act” and any applicable Ohio statues.
