New Convenience Fee for online Credit, Debit Payments

Published: June 21, 2013 | Read Time: 2 minutes

Beginning July 1, the University's Cashier's Office will apply a convenience fee for all online student fee payments made by credit or debit card.

It is anticipated the convenience fee, which will add a 2.7-percent charge to online student tuition and fee payments, will save the University more than $500,000 per academic year. 

According to Michael Beach, SUU's financial controller, SUU is the last public university in the state to apply a convenience fee for online tuition payments. “We have put this off for some time but with recent budgetary constraints on many offices and departments across campus, it had to be done to continue to enhance the student experience.” 

In a time of budget cuts to higher education across the state, SUU administrators have made concerted efforts to adjust budgets across campus with the least possible impact to the student's campus experience—inside and outside of the classroom.

The new convenience fee will only be applied when credit or debit cards are used in online payments of tuition or other student fees and will not be employed for any other University service, no matter the form of payment.

Students who wish to continue paying for tuition online but would like to avoid the added fees may use an E-check free of charge in lieu of credit or debit cards.

Students may also pay with a debit card free of charge in person, at the Cashier’s Office. However, in-person credit card payments will still incur the additional convenience fee.

For students or parents worried about paying for tuition in one large lump sum, SUU offers the Pay Path Program that will be available through each student's MySUU account, allowing students to arrange equally divided tuition payments throughout the semester.

“Our hope is that students will find more efficient ways to pay for their tuition or other student fees," said Beach. “Even though all credit cards will incur this 2.7-percent charge, students still have the ability to pay online through an E-check, use a debit card at the Cashier’s office or employ the Pay Path Program, all free of charge.”

Students have until the end of June to use credit or debit cards to pay for tuition and other fees online free of charge before the convenience fee is in place July 1.

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