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Frequently Asked Questions by Parents
Some of the more frequently asked questions are listed below. Click on the question to see the answer:
How can I get copies of the student’s bill sent to me?
Electronic billing is the official means of generating tuition bills to all University of Minnesota students. The UM Pay electronic billing and payment system automatically sends an e-mail notification to the student's U of M e-mail address when the bill is ready to be viewed online. Students can download and print a copy of the bill to send to their parents, forward an e-mail copy of the bill to parents, or set up parents and other authorized payers to view and pay the bills online. As an authorized payer, parents can view their student's tuition bills online, view the student's billing and payment history online, pay the tuition bills online by automatically deducting the amount from a checking or savings account, or download and print a copy of the bill for sending check payments via U.S. mail.
Exemptions to electronic billing may be allowed by appeal only. Students must complete the Electronic Billing Exemption Appeal form available in a PDF file at http://process.umn.edu/groups/ppd/documents/form/fa943.pdf.
Also, please note that the University is unable to accept credit cards for tuition payments.
What do you mean you can't give me information? I pay the bills!
Information on a student’s account, including how much they owe, can only be given out if the student has completed and submitted a Student Information Release Authorization (SIRA) form. If we are unable to see that a completed form is on file, by policy and law, we are not able to provide information on the student’s account, even if the parent or third party is paying the bills.
Visit the "Student Account and Record Information" page for additional information on the privacy policies, laws, and the SIRA form.
Where can I find out more about FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)?
The U.S. Department of Education is responsible for overseeing FERPA. See the Department’s Web site for additional information: www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/.
Can I make a payment over the phone?
Payments cannot be made over the telephone. Payments may be made in a variety of ways:
- In-person at any of the three Bursar Offices
- In one of the Bursar Office drop boxes located around campus
- By U. S. Mail
- Electronically via the internet using UM Pay
Visit the "Where and How to Pay" page for more information.
Can I pay by credit card?
Yes, but only as an online service of UM Pay. The University will not accept credit card payments through the mail, in person, or over the phone. You or your authorized payer may make student account payments with a MasterCard, DISCOVER, or American Express credit card (VISA is not a participant). You will be required to pay a separate, non-refundable service charge - 2.75% of the payment amount - at the time of each credit card payment. The non-refundable service charge, assessed by our vendor, Nelnet Business Solutions (infiNET), will appear as a separate line item on your (or the payer’s) credit card statement.
The University is not accepting credit card payments directly. Credit cards are being accepted by Nelnet Business Solutions (infiNET), a vendor contracted by the University that is charging a fee for their service. The 2.75% rate based on the payment amount for each transaction was determined by our vendor. The University of Minnesota will not receive any part of the service charge. While credit card payments offer convenience, the cost to the University was estimated to be approximately $2 million annually. Therefore, the University decided to require those who use this convenience to cover its cost.
What address should I mail my payment to?
You can mail your payment directly to our lockbox for processing:
Bursar Office
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
P. O. Box 88
Minneapolis, MN 55440-0088
Payments mailed to the P.O. Box address are processed by an outside lockbox company. Be sure to include your student’s ID number (7 digit number) on the check and a copy of the payment portion of the bill (if available).
However, if there are special circumstances regarding the payment (e.g. paying for multiple students on the same check, no billing statement or ID number, etc.) please mail it directly to the Bursar office for processing:
Bursar Office
University of Minnesota
145 Williamson Hall
231 Pillsbury Dr. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
My Son/Daughter needs to register and they have a hold on their record, how can I get that hold off so they can register?
First of all, it depends on the reason for the hold. If the hold on the student’s record is due to non-payment (an AU hold), once the past due balance is paid, the cashier can enter a hold release online. It takes a few minutes for the hold release to register in the system. If that was the only hold on the student’s account, it would then show as released and the student could try their registration again.
However, if the student’s account is in collection status, the student should contact their collector in Student Financial Collections to obtain the balance that must be paid in order for the hold to be released (612-625-8007.)
I see a charge for an "installment fee" on the bill, what is an "installment fee"?
The University of Minnesota offers a three-payment, installment plan for fall and spring semesters only-the installment plan is NOT available over the summer. ** Please note: Non-degree students are required to pay their tuition and other charges in full by the billing due date and are not eligible for the installment plan.
You can elect to pay by installments simply by paying at least the minimum amount due listed on the bill for receipt by the due date. If you pay by installments, you will be charged a $35 installment fee per semester and it will be added to your balance on the next bill. No application form is required to sign up for the installment plan.
If you pay less than the "Total Amount due" by the due date, it is assumed that you will be paying by installments and therefore, you will be placed on the installment payment plan and be charged the one time, per semester $35 installment fee, which will be added to the balance due on your next billing statement.
NOTE: The payment must be received by the due date in order to be considered on time and to avoid being charge an installment fee and/or a late payment fee.
Visit the "Student Account and Billing Statements" page for further information on Installment and Late fees.
Where can I obtain my student’s tax information?
Information on education tax benefits and the University’s responsibilities pertaining to education tax reporting can be found at the One Stop website for Education Tax Benefits.
Who can we talk to about an error on the bill?
You should first check with the student. Find out whether he/she has completed and submitted a Student Information Release Authorization form so that we can talk to you about their account. If so, you should contact the One Stop Student Services Center at helpingu@umn.edu or (612) 624-1111. A One Stop counselor may refer you to the department that placed the fee in question in order to resolve any dispute. If you are disputing a charge, you must pay all the other charges on your bill.
If the student has not completed and submitted a Student Information Release Authorization form, the student will need to contact the One Stop Student Services Center themselves in order to obtain the information.
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