TUITION AND FEES

RESIDENCE CLASSIFICATION FOR TUITION PURPOSES

The Texas Legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board establish the Rules and Regulations for determining residence classification. Texas residency for tuition purposes is generally obtained by residing and/or being gainfully employed in Texas for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to enrollment in any college or university, by being a dependent of a Texas resident (individual who is claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes by the individual’s parent or legal guardian at the time of registration and for the tax year preceding the year in which the individual registers), or by being classified as a Texas Resident for the first five of the six years immediately preceding registration (not living out of the state more than 12 months immediately prior to registration).

A nonresident student may qualify to pay in-state tuition by meeting the requirements of a tuition waiver. Current tuition waiver options include but are not limited to: 1) the student or his/her spouse or parent is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and is stationed in Texas; 2) the student or his/her spouse or parent is employed at least half-time by an institution of higher education in Texas as a teacher or professor; 3) the student or his/her spouse or parent has a teaching or research assistantship at any Texas institution of higher education on at least a half-time basis; 4) the student holds a competitive scholarship awarded by the university of at least $1,000 for the academic year or summer; or 5) is a student whose family has been transferred to Texas by a company in keeping with the state’s Economic Development and Diversification Program.

By state law, the student has the responsibility of registering under the proper residence classification. If a student has knowledge of an error in his/her residence classification for tuition purposes, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Residence Classification Officer immediately. For more information concerning the Rules and Regulations for determining Texas residence classification, please contact the Residence Classification Officer, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Sam Houston State University, Box 2418, Huntsville, Texas 77341-2418, or by calling (936) 294-3783 or 294-1828.

PAYMENTS

The Texas Legislature has authorized collection of tuition and fees during a fall or spring semester by one of two methods: payment in full or in an installment plan (one-half payment of the tuition and fees at registration and separate one-quarter payments due prior to the sixth and eleventh class weeks). Parking permits and late registration fees are examples of charges which must be paid in full and are not eligible for installment payment. There is an additional processing fee for administration of the installment payment plan. Failure to make timely installment payments will cause accrual of late charges. There is no installment payment plan during the summer sessions; payment in full is due at registration.

Payments made for registration purposes may be made by cash, cashier’s check, personal check, money order, or credit card (VISA or MasterCard only). All checks and money orders are accepted subject to final payment. Students may access their account balances online. For additional information, see https://www.shsu.edu/saminfo/financial-menu. html. To make credit card payments online, visit https://www.shsu.edu/saminfo/credit.cgi.

Payments may be mailed to the Cashier’s Office, Sam Houston State University, Box 2273, Huntsville, TX 77341-2273 or paid in person in the Cashier’s Office, Estill Building, Suite 103, 1903 University Avenue, Huntsville, TX 77341.

PAYMENT DEADLINES

To avoid loss of classes, students should refer to the payment deadlines listed in the online Schedule of Classes. The student who does not make a payment by the specified payment deadline will have his/her schedule deleted; the student must then repeat the registration process for re-enrollment in his/her classes.

A student who fails to make full payment of tuition and fees, excluding that portion of the registration fee that may be temporarily deferred, but payable later in the scheduled payments as part of an installment payment agreement, and including any incidental fees by the due date, may be prohibited form registering for classes until payment is made. A student who fails to make full payment prior to the end of the semester may be denied credit for work done that semester.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Students are expected to meet financial obligations to the University within the designated time allowed. Registration fees are payable at registration, except for that portion of the registration fee that may be temporarily deferred, but payable later in scheduled payments as part of an installment payment agreement. Students are not entitled to enter classes or laboratories until their appropriate fees and deposits have been paid. Other charges are due according to special payment instructions printed on the bill or agreement.

Failure to pay the amount owed in full, including appropriate penalty and late fee charges, prior to registration for a future semester or prior to the last class day for the current semester or summer session can result in any or all of the following sanctions: 1) withholding of future registration privileges; 2) withholding award of degree; and 3) withholding of an official transcript.

Students who pay fees with a returned check may suffer the above sanctions as well as those shown in the Returned Check Policy section of this catalog.

COLLECTIONS FOR NONPAYMENT

Nonpayment by the end of the semester may result in transfer of the student’s account to a contracted collection agency and assessment of a collection fee of at least 25 percent of the outstanding balance. The University may also choose to litigate an account on advice of University legal counsel. Should an account be litigated, the student will be responsible for all litigation expenses including attorney’s fees and court costs. Accounts that are referred to a contracted collection agency may also be reported to credit bureaus.

RETURNED CHECK POLICY

A returned check is defined as one returned to the University rightfully unpaid due to no fault of the bank or the University. The check may be written by the student or the check may be written on his/her behalf by a spouse, guardian, friend or sponsor. The University reserves the right to refuse personal checks of any student who previously has had checks returned.

Each returned check is subject to a $25 check processing fee. Students have 10 days from the date on which notice is sent from the Business Office in which to pay the returned check and the returned check processing fee or inform the Business Office of their intent. Thereafter, the student may be resigned from the University. (The student should not assume that the University is resigning him/her. If the student discontinues going to class without officially resigning from school, he/she will be subject to the grade of “F.”) Students who have been resigned are eligible for reinstatement upon redemption of such check or checks, plus the returned check processing fee and the payment of a reinstatement charge of $50. A student who fails to make payment prior to the first day of final exams may not receive credit for the work done that semester and will not be allowed to register for future semesters until the delinquent amount is paid. In addition, unpaid returned checks may be turned over to other agencies for prosecution and collection.

Students will be given the opportunity to be heard regarding any special circumstances. Such circumstances will be given full and fair consideration, and exceptions to the returned check policy may be granted by the Director of the Business Office or a delegated employee, based on the evidence presented.