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Parent FAQ
At the One Stop Student Service Center, we understand parents play a vital role in helping chart the path of their students here at UC. Your students are our most important priority and parents are welcome to contact us (we will help you as much as the law allows; see FERPA below). Learn more about the One Stop Student Service Center.
The Parent FAQ contains frequently asked questions about bills, financial aid, registration and how record privacy affects parent access to information. If your student is new to UC, have them check out our New Student FAQ.
And whether you missed our Orientation presentation, or you want to revisit it, you can find the One Stop Orientation presentation here. It is a PDF file, which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download.
Help me with:
My Student's Bill
My Student's Financial Aid
My Student's Classes
My Student's Bill
- Whose bill is it?
The billing statement your student receives is in his or her name. Ultimately students are responsible for paying (or arranging payment for) their bill. - How are students notified of the bill?
The Student Accounts Office will send billing notifications to your student's UC student email account. UC communicates all important billing, financial aid, registration and other university related information to this account. Unfortunately the university cannot send these notifications to another email address (including a parent's email address). For this reason, we highly recommend for your student to check his or her UC email account often. Failure to check, receive or act upon a billing notification does not remove your student's financial obligation to the university. - How can my student view the bill?
Once posted on our website, your student can view and pay his or her bill by clicking on view/pay my bill, located under MY BILL on the left side of this page. Because the bill is always available online, it is expected your student will review and act upon the bill if needed. - What if a student's parent or another person wants to view or pay the bill?
Other parties, including parents, can view or make a payment towards a student's bill if the student grants them access. To gain access, have the student click on parent/friend access, located under MY BILL on the left side of this page, and follow the instructions. Once the parent/payer has is granted access, the Parent Portal is used to view and pay the bill. - When is my student's bill due? What if the bill isn't paid on the first day of classes?
Bills are due 10 days before each semester and are listed on your student's billing statement. The university will not remove your student from the current semester's classes if the bill is not paid. However, please be aware that if your student does not pay the bill, the university will charge your student a monthly late payment charge, which is a combination of a flat $50 late payment fee + 1.5% interest on balances greater than $200 . In addition, service blocks may be assessed which would block registration for future semesters, prevent printing of transcripts, and other services. - If parents pay a student's bill, can they also view their student's grades and other educational information?
Regardless of whether a parent pays tuition bills on the behalf of his or her student, UC cannot release education records to that parent, including grades. UC is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Under this federal law, record privacy rights transfer from the parent to the student once the student reaches 18 years of age or once he or she enrolls in an institution of higher learning. In either scenario, FERPA then regards the parents as “third parties.” Record release to all third parties requires the student’s prior written and signed consent. A parent may obtain education record information only if: a) the student provides the Registrar’s Office with his or her written, signed and dated consent (the student can rescind this authorization in writing at any time). Students should contact our office for details; or b) the parents can provide the Registrar’s Office with a copy of their most recently submitted federal tax return documents establishing the student as their financial dependent (family income amounts may be obscured). - Can you help me understand my student's bill?
To help students and parents understand the basic parts of their bill, our office created a publication called Understanding Your Bill (PDF). - Can parents or students pay a bill on installments?
An installment payment plan is available through our vendor, Educational Computer Systems, Inc. (ECSI). The university works with this service to provide students and parents this payment option. Be sure to enroll early; do not miss any enrollment deadlines. Get more payment plan details and enroll here. - Why is my student charged health insurance? Can it be waived if my student is already covered by another health plan?
The university must provide health services to its students. Students are charged for these services unless they have sufficient preexisting coverage. To inform the university of preexisting coverage, students can click on waive my health insurance, located under MY BILL on the left side of this page. Students may give parents/payers access to waive insurance when they create access privileges for the Parent Portal.
My Student's Financial Aid
- How does my student apply for financial aid?
To learn more about applying for financial aid, click on apply for aid, located under MY FINANCIAL AID on the left side of this page. - How do I know if my student has been awarded financial aid? How can we accept any aid offered?
If your student has applied for financial aid, the Student Financial Aid Office will review the submitted Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data and determine if any additional information is needed. If no additional information is needed, an aid award will be posted online. Simply click on check my aid, located under MY FINANCIAL AID on the left side of this page. If an award is available, you and your student will be able to accept any aid offered. If you and your student choose to accept any federal loans, the website will walk you through the loan acceptance process. - What if the Student Financial Aid Office requires additional information? What is verification?
Any additional documents needed will be listed online, when the student logs in to check my aid. We highly suggest for you and your student to provide this information as soon as possible. Approximately one-third of all federal aid applicants are selected by the federal government for verification. This process allows the university to compare your federal income tax returns to your student's FAFSA application. This helps ensure your student's aid application and financial aid award are correct. - Can you tell me more about the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan?
The university will award as much financial aid to your student as possible per his or her eligibility. To help fill the gap between your student's aid eligibility and the cost of attending UC, the university offers parents a loan they can borrow. Learn more about the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan. - Is a credit check required for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan?
Unlike most federal student loans, the approval of a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan is based on a credit check. The PLUS Loan offered on your student's aid award is the maximum amount you would be eligible for if you are approved for the loan. In accepting PLUS Loan online, the website will walk you through the Federal Direct Parent PLUS (credit check) process. - What if I'm credit denied for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan?
If you are credit denied for the PLUS Loan, your student may be eligible for additional student loans. In accepting the PLUS Loan online, the website will walk you through the Federal Direct Parent PLUS (application-credit check) process. If you are denied the PLUS Loan via this credit check, the university will be notified. Within two weeks your student's online aid award will adjust to show an increased unsubsidized loan offer. Your student may then accept this additional loan money online. - When does the financial aid appear on my student's bill? Why doesn't all the aid appear on the bill?
Once accepted, any federal or university grants and scholarships will post to your student's bill once the university is able to process the financial aid funding and the student's billing statement is available online. Due to federal regulations regarding when federal loans can be disbursed to the university, there may be a gap between when your student's bill is available online and when a federal loan can be posted to that bill. In general, federal loans can post to bills approximately one week prior to the start of an academic term. Learn more about financial aid and the billing process. - Can my student use financial aid to buy books or purchase a computer?
Yes, financial aid can be used indirectly for books and computer expenses. Federal aid, including loans, are first applied toward your student's university bill. If the amount of financial aid credited for that semester exceeds that term's charges, the overage is refunded to either you or your student. For example, if your student's semester charges were $5,000 and the amount of financial aid credited to their bill is $6,000, an overage of $1,000 will be refunded. You or your student can then choose to use that refund money toward books, a new computer, or other educational expenses. Learn more about credit balance refunds.
My Student's Registration, Grades and Academics
- Can I register my student for classes?
No. Only the student can register for classes. If your student is new to the university, our office can assist your student with any registration questions. - Can I view my student's class schedule or grades?
UC is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Under this federal law, record privacy rights transfer from the parents to the student once the student reaches 18 years of age or once he or she enrolls in an institution of higher learning. In either scenario, FERPA then regards the parents as “Third parties.” Record release to all third parties requires the student’s prior written and signed consent. Parents may obtain education record information only if: a) the student provide the Registrar’s Office with his or her written, signed and dated consent (the student can rescind this authorization in writing at any time). Students should contact our office for details; or b) the parents can provide the Registrar’s Office with a copy of their most recently submitted federal tax return documents establishing the student as their financial dependent (family income amounts may be obscured). - So even if I pay the bill, I can't view my student's grades?
That is correct. We certainly understand this news may be frustrating. Yet please understand that UC is obligated by The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) to protect your student’s records privacy according to the restrictions defined by this federal law. The restrictions for releasing academic information to parents are described above. - What can I do if my student is struggling with classes?
There are many resources your student can use if he or she is having difficulty with a specific class. You can learn more about these resources at the Learning Assistance Center. - What if my student wants to withdraw from a class or even leave UC?
Before your student withdraws from a class or UC, we would suggest for your student to contact our office. Whether it's difficulty with a class or even becoming home-sick, we realize there are many reasons a student may want to withdraw. We can help your student know his or her options and provide best advice regarding any consequences.
Helpful Contacts:
- UC Operator:
513-556-6000 - UCit Help Desk:
513-556-HELP (4357) - Parking Services:
513-556-2883
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