Office of Student Accounts Policies

Please review the Office of Student Accounts' policies below.

A Business hold on your account prevents registration for a future semester, making changes to your schedule, and moving into a residence hall.

Tuition and Fees are due in full by the published due dates each semester. If your account is not financially cleared with payment, financial aid(disbursed or anticipated status) or a payment plan, a business hold may be placed on your account after the add/drop date for the semester.

Account balances over $200 within the current semester will be placed on a business hold. Once a semester ends, an account may have a business hold for any past due amount.

Any past semester balance will be required to be paid in full for readmission and registration.

Official transcripts are not withheld for outstanding balances. A transcript may be requested at anytime through Transcript Services.

A student may submit a Financial Hardship Withdrawal Appeal when the extenuating financial or physical hardship circumstance shown below caused a late withdrawal from one or multiple courses. The financial appeal process is only for appeal and review of tuition charges due to these circumstances.

The extenuating circumstance must have prevented the student from meeting the academic and social demands of their course(s) in the current or most recently concluded academic term for more than two weeks. The circumstance must have begun or unexpectedly worsened during the current academic term. Appeals must be received no later than 30 days from the end of the term. Appeals received after the deadline will not be reviewed.

Extenuating Circumstances for an Appeal

The following circumstances are valid for an Appeal:

• Significant illness or injury.
• Chronic illness.
• Medical issue of a family member in which the student has to become a part-time or full-time caretaker
  of that family member
• Mental health condition.
• Death in the immediate family.
• Sudden or consistent lack of transportation for commuter status student.
• Significant increase in living expenses for commuter status student.

The follow circumstances are NOT valid for an Appeal:

• Transferring to another university.
• Advising or academic processing issues or errors.
• Academic standing and course grades
• Unaware of deadlines or not knowing you were registered.
• Unable to login or access mySXU portal.
• Insufficient financial aid.
• Dissatisfaction with the course content, instructor, or grade.
• Disciplinary reasons.

A committee of staff who provide direct service to students will determine the appropriateness of the financial appeal request. Members of this committee will include representatives from the Office of Student Accounts, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Financial Aid, and the Office of Records and Registration. Requests are reviewed on an as-needed basis. Once a decision regarding the financial appeal is made, the student will be notified, and documentation will be forwarded to the appropriate offices. An approved financial appeal will be granted for a maximum of one (1) term per submission.

Students who have received federal financial aid should be aware that approval of your appeal may affect your financial aid status or eligibility and may not necessarily relieve all financial obligation to the University. If an appeal results in a return of funds to the federal government, the student may be responsible for repaying the balance created by returned funds. This may require return of financial aid refunds or book voucher funds issued to the student during the academic year.

A student is encouraged to take the needed time off to address their circumstance before enrolling in future terms, as a second financial hardship appeal will not be granted within any 12-month period. Removal of an administrative hold on a student's account must be authorized by a committee designee before the student can register for a future academic term or be readmitted to the University.

Submitting this request does not guarantee the adjustment or reduction of charges. In the case that an appeal is denied, the student will be sent a notification by email and mailed letter. They should consult with their academic advisor, financial aid counselor and/or the Office of Student Accounts to determine and plan other options and payment arrangements.

Appeals must be submitted from the student and must include a personal letter explaining the circumstance with detailed supporting documentation. The burden of proof shall be upon the student to prove his or her case by a preponderance of evidence in the documentation. Incomplete appeal submissions will not be reviewed. If a submitted appeal is incomplete, the student will have 30 days to submit the additional documentation or the appeal will be denied.

Complaints may be sent to the Director of Student Accounts, Deborah Wildman at wildmanFREESXU and/or with the Attorney General's student loan ombudsperson through the Office of the Attorney General.