Financial Affairs FAQ's

Do you offer a payment plan?
Yes, you may contact Academic Management Systems (AMS) which is an outside agency used by the university. There are two (2) separate payment plan options you may choose. The five (5) month or the ten (10) month payment plan. Please contact AMS directly to discuss the options at 1-800-635-0120 or online at http://tuitionpay.salliemae.com/stthomas. There is an administrative fee of $75 to join either plan, this fee is non-refundable.

What methods of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, checks, money orders, travelers checks, wire transfers, or credit cards (Visa, Master Card, or Discover). We do not accept American Express.

Where can I make my payment(s)?
You may make your payment(s) online via the St. Thomas University website at www.stu.edu go to Jump to... and select "Make a Payment", or at https://bobcat.stu.edu with your user name and password. You may visit our Bobcat Enrollment Center on campus. Another payment method is to pay by wire transfer through any full service bank in your area. Direct your wire transfer to:

 SunTrust/Miami, N.A.

Please be sure to include your name, and/or ID number to assure credit to your student account.

May I pay with a post-dated check? 
We do not accept post-dated checks.

How can I keep track of my balance?
A monthly electronic statement is e-mailed to all students with outstanding balances to their St. Thomas University e-mail account until their student account balance is zero. Also, you may access your account balance online at https://bobcat.stu.edu with your user name and password. We encourage you to follow-up on all required financial aid documentation to avoid delays in receiving your aid, which pays your tuition and fee charges.

What happens if there is a credit balance on my student account?
This means you received financial aid (i.e., loans, grants, scholarships) in excess of your total tuition and fee charges or an overpayment was made on your student account. The credit amount is deposited directly into your bank account once the Direct Deposit application is completed. The direct deposit form is available online here. It will take up to ten (10) business days before the direct deposit status is in effect.

May I pick up my refund check, if there is one?
Credit amount is deposited directly into your bank account.

How do I find out when my loans are on my student account?
You may check in person at the Bobcat Enrollment Center, or by calling 305-474-6900, you may also check online at https://bobcat.stu.edu. If you do not have your user name and password, you may retrieve them from https://bobcat.stu.edu by clicking What's My User Name or ID from the left menu, to retrieve your password click  Forgot My Password or PIN,  you may also click here to access the PIN Number Request form.

If my student account reflects a credit balance after payments have been posted may I leave that credit on my account for the future term?
Yes, but you must complete a Credit Balance Hold Authorization Form here and submit it to the Bobcat Enrollment Cenrter. If the credit is in your account for more than 14 business days the funds will be deposited directly into your bank account. The direct deposit form is available online here. It will take up to ten (10) business days before the direct deposit status is in effect.

How are refunds processed?
We no longer issue paper checks, refunds are direct deposited into your bank account, you can retreive the direct deposit form online here.  Stop payments can be requested online at www.stu.edu/BobcatEnrollmentCenter click "forms" and access the Student Refund Stop-payment & Reissue Request. Please allow at least ten (10) business days for this entire process to be completed.

What can stop me from receiving transcripts?
Unpaid balances on your student account, owe books to the library, past due Perkins loan payments and incomplete exit counseling can be the reason for blocking the release of your transcript. You must make sure that your account reflects a zero balance before your transcript can be released.

How can I get credit to purchase my books?
Whenever you apply for financial aid, you can apply for additional funds for your books. Those additional funds will be issued to you upon your request in the form of Gift Cards. These gift cards are to be used at our campus bookstore only; you may visit the Bobcat Enrollment Center to request a gift card, from one of the Enrollment Service Specialist. We encourage all students to obtain an estimated value of their total cost of books and supplies directly from Follett’s Bookstore before requesting gift cards because they are not refundable.

May I use my St. Thomas Gift Cards anywhere else on campus?
Gift Cards are only accepted in the St. Thomas University- Follett’s Bookstore.

In order to receive Federal Aid, how many credits must I register for?
As an undergraduate or law student you must be registered for at least six (6) credits each semester in order to be eligible to receive Stafford loans. The exception to this rule is that law students are eligible to receive Stafford loans for at lease 3 credits during summer terms only. As a graduate student you must be registered for at least 3 credits each semester.

How do I obtain a copy of my current term’s tuition receipt?
You may request a copy of your receipt by completing an Invoice or Tuition Payment Receipt request form online here. Please allow 10 business days for your request to be processed. If you are a full-time teacher you need to complete a FT-1 request form online here. Please allow 3 weeks for this request to be processed.

I paid for my classes but then dropped them prior to the add/drop deadline. How and when will this money be refunded to me?
If your balance was paid by credit card, the credit balance is refunded to the credit card, all other forms of payment is direct deposited within ten (10) business days after the credit appears on the Student’s account. The direct deposit form is available online here. It will take up to ten (10) business days before the direct deposit status is in effect.

If I registered for class after the term begins, am responsible for a late registration fee? Students that have not completed registration by the 1st week of a session/term will be charged a $150 late registration fee.

What do I need to do to have Florida Prepaid College Program (FPCP) billed for my tuition?
Make sure you notify the Bobcat Enrollment Center of your participation in the Florida Prepaid College program. You need to bring your FPCP ID into the office or e-mail your name and social security number to BobcatEnrollmentCenter@stu.edu each semester, so that an invoice can be sent to the FPCP Finance Department on your behalf. If you are a freshman or first time participant in the FPCP you must complete a Transfer Authorization form here and mail it to the address on the form, or you may call 1-800-552-4723 for further instructions. Because the FPCP was initially designed to pay the tuition for State or public colleges the Transfer Authorization form authorizes payment of tuition to private institutions, such as St. Thomas.

If I received a Perkins loan and want to begin repaying it, what should I do?
A Perkins loan is a federally backed loan dispersed through St. Thomas University and may be repaid directly to St. Thomas University. You may make payments at the office of Financial Affairs, using cash, checks, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard & Discover only) or money order. You may also pay online by selecting the Perkins Loan option. Another repayment option is through our third party billing service, Educational Computer Service, Inc. (ECSI), in which you send payments directly to ECSI. Contact their office at 1-888-549-3274 for clarity on their payment process.

What if I do not attend classes and have Financial Aid and or Florida Prepaid, what happens with those dollars?