Statement of Student Responsibility

In order to attend Virginia Commonwealth University, students who register:

1. must assume the responsibility of full payment of tuition and fees generated from that registration;
2. must assume the responsibility of full payment of all housing and dining charges, and miscellaneous fee charges, if applicable;
3. must keep a current active mailing address on file with the Office of Records and Registration and check his or her VCU official e-mail on a frequent basis. Failure to receive a bill because of an incorrect or inactive address and failure to acknowledge emails and to review the electronic bill online does not relieve responsibility of timely payments.

The university reserves the right to revise or alter all tuition and fees, regulations pertaining to student tuition and fees, and tuition and fee collection procedures whenever such revisions or alterations are deemed necessary.

Any communication disputing an amount owed, including an instrument tendered as full satisfaction of debt, must be submitted to the Student Accounting Director, P.O. Box 843036, Richmond, VA 23284-3036.

Past Due Accounts

Until all balances owed to the university have been paid, students with past due accounts will have a hold placed on their account and will:

1. not be allowed to register for future classes;
2. not be allowed to receive their diplomas;
3. not be issued official transcripts of grades or grade reports.

Past due accounts will be referred to the VCU Collection Unit. Pursuant to sec. 2.2-4805 et seq., of the Code of Virginia, and in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Comptroller and Attorney General of the commonwealth of Virginia, VCU will charge interest, costs and fees on all past due accounts.

VCU Collection Unit Web site »

Under the provisions of this act, an individual's Virginia income tax refund will be subject to the university's claim for any unpaid balance of tuition and fees.

Payment Instructions

Payment is due by the start of the semester. Students whose payments are received after the payment deadline may be assessed a late fee. The date the payment is received will be used for assessing the late fee.

Students and authorized users are encouraged to pay online.

Online Payment Instructions For Students:

• Access eServices
• Select the "Student" tab
• Select the "Student Accounts" menu
• Select the "Make a Payment" option
• Select the "Payments" tab along the top of the payment site
• Select the "Pay" option under the Actions headine

Online Instructions For Students To Assign An Authorized User:

• Access eServices
• Select the "Student" tab
• Select the "Student Accounts" menu
• Select the "Make a Payment" option
• Select the "Authorized Users" tab along the top of the payment site
• Select the "Add an Authorized User" option

           Students make an online payment or assign an authorized user

    Online Payment Instructions For Authorized Users:     

• The student must first assign an authorized user through the billing and payment site (see instructions above)
• Once assigned, the authorized user accesses the site with his or her email address

          Authorized users make an online payment

To mail a payment, please complete the "payment coupon" on the bottom portion of the invoice, detach, and remit with payment in the return envelope enclosed with the invoice.

If you do not have the invoice with the "payment coupon," please send your payment to:

Virginia Commonwealth University
Student Accounting Department
P. O. Box 843036
827 West Franklin Street, Room 123
Richmond, VA 23284-3036

Please include the student's name and student V number with the payment.

Certified mail or express mail payments
Certified mail or express mail payments must be sent to the above address; do not send these payments to the address indicated on the invoice coupon.

Mailed payments should be in the form of check or money order. To avoid a late fee, payment must be received by the Student Accounting Department on or before the payment due date.

Tuition payment drop boxes are conveniently located on both campuses in:

• Founders Hall, 827 West Franklin St., Room 104
• VMI Building, 1000 East Marshall St., Room 323

These tuition payment drop boxes are emptied daily and processed by VCU Cashiering Operations.

Payment Methods

1. Personal Check or Money Order
   Checks should be made payable to Virginia Commonwealth University and include the student's name and student V number (indicated on invoice). Check payments may also be remitted through the online payment and billing site. Effective January 2010, all checks returned to the university for non-payment will be charged back to the student account and a $50 dishonored check fee will be assessed.
2. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express
   Credit card or check card payments must include the student's name and student V number, the credit card account number and expiration date, and the cardholder's name and telephone number. Credit card payments may also be remitted through the online payment and billing site. Credit card payments cannot be made via the telephone or by fax. In accordance with credit card regulations, the university will refund any credit card balance that results on an account as the outcome of a credit card payment to the credit card company. Any remaining credit balance will be refunded to the student.                                                                                                                                                             
3. Cash
   Cash is taken only at the Cashiering Operations Office located at 809 West Broad Street. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please do not mail cash.
4. Scholarship Checks
   Scholarship checks should be mailed to:
   
   VCU Student Accounting Department
   Attention: Scholarship Coordinator
   P.O. Box 843036
   Richmond, Va 23284-3036
   
   The checks should be made payable to "Viginia Commonwealth University" or to "VCU." Please include the student's name and the student V number on the scholarship check.
5. Third Party Payment Authorization
   The Student Accounting Department will bill a third party (an organization, business or agency) for any and all charges, if a valid authorization from the third party is received. The authorization must provide the amount, method of payment and approximate date the payment will be sent to the university. The award must be unconditionally guaranteed to the university.  Students may deduct award amounts from the total due on the invoice, providing the criteria are met. The student is financially responsible for the payment, should the third party default.
6. Electronic Payment
   Students may make wire transfers or ACH payments from their bank accounts directly to VCU's bank account.  The student's name and student V number must be included in the electronic transmission to ensure proper credit. 

Installment Payment Plan (IPP)

This plan assists students in meeting the cost of their higher education by offering a convenient payment option. The university administered IPP is offered only during the fall and spring semesters. The plan distributes the cost of the tuition, fees, housing, dining, and communications fee charges for a semester into four equal installments.

Eligibility
All students attending the university with current charges of $100 or greater are eligible to participate. All prior semester balances must be paid in full to be eligible.

Students who receive financial aid are also eligible for participation in the IPP. Students who are receiving financial aid may deduct their aid to determine the net total due. If it is $100 or greater, the remaining amount may be paid by installments.

In some cases, a student may receive a financial aid refund, and then subsequent charges for the semester are added to the student's account.  If the student has received a refund, he or she is ineligible to participate in the IPP, unless the refund has been repaid to the university in full.  The student must then pay the initial payment and follow the instructions to enroll on the IPP.  

Cost of Plan
There is a $25 nonrefundable application fee payable with the first installment of each semester. Interest is not assessed on the outstanding balance.

Participation
Students who have registered in advance will be mailed an invoice. The invoice coupon will have an application form on the back as well as a Payment Instructions section on the front to be completed for electing the installment plan option. Return the completed coupon along with the first installment payment of one-fourth (1/4) of the balance due plus the $25 application fee.

Students may remit credit card and check payments online through the myVCU portal on eServices. Students may also designate authorized payers through this site. The university will generate monthly invoices for the remaining three installments. Automatic payments for the remaining installment payments may also be scheduled through the online payment site.

After making the initial payment, students may enroll in the payment plan through eServices:

1. Select the "Personal Information" tab in eServices.
2. Select the "Answer a Survey" option.
3. Select the "Installment Payment Plan" option.
4. Answer "yes" and click "Survey Complete."

After making the initial payment, authorized payers may enroll in the payment plan by email to ipp@vcu.edu. The following information must be included in the email:

• the student's name
• the student number (the V number which is included on the invoice)
• a request stating: "I wish to enroll this student in the Installment Payment Plan"
• the authorized payer's name

Enrollment for the fall semester begins August 1st and enrollment for the spring semester begins December 15th. Enrollment is available during the first three weeks of classes in the fall and spring semesters only.

Students must make a personal payment within the enrollment period in order to participate. Scholarships and other payments from third party sources will reduce the student's overall balance. These payments should not be considered as the initial installment payment. Students receiving additional funds can expect to have these funds applied in full to their account, thereby reducing subsequent installment payment amounts.

The Installment Payment Plan option must be selected each semester regardless of whether the student participated during a previous semester.

Financial Aid Restrictions

Effective July 1, 2008, federal policy allows students to use no more than $200 of the current academic year's federal financial aid proceeds to pay a previous academic year's balance.  All previous semester balances should be paid in full prior to the start of the new semester.  If a student owes a balance from a previous academic year, Student Accounting is required to refund overpayments of federal financial aid funds from the current academic year to the student. It is strongly recommended that the student use the proceeds from the refund to pay the previous academic year's balance. A hold will be placed preventing the student from registering for classes or receiving transcripts until the balance is paid in full.