Students and organizations are expected to meet all financial obligations to the University. Officers of recognized student organizations are held responsible and accountable for the payment of the organization’s bills. Failure to comply with this regulation can lead to the closing of the student’s records and to disciplinary action.
Students, not parents, are responsible for their accounts and are expected to pay all bills by the appropriate due date. All financial obligations must be satisfied in order for a student to complete registration each semester.
Billing and Payment of Student Accounts
Semester Invoices for Tuition, Academic Fees, Housing & Meal Plans. Fall semester bills are mailed in mid July with payments due in early August. Spring semester bills are mailed the first week in December with payment due in early January. Summer semester bills are mailed in early May with payment due several days before the first day of classes. Students that register late may not receive an invoice before the applicable due date. Late registration does not excuse the student from satisfying financial obligations by the announced semester due dates. Students can review their Bursar account balance on-line 24/7. Students registering after the announced semester due date should be prepared to satisfy their financial obligations at the time of registration.
Payment of Semester Invoices
To clear registration, the student must make payment and/or submit a completed Bursar Payment Worksheet to the Bursar’s Office identifying approved, pending financial aid that equals or exceeds their student account balance. Student accounts that are not cleared in total by the announced due dates will be subject to a late payment fee. Students that have not satisfied their financial obligations by the first day of classes are subject to having their registration revoked. If you require an earlier billing to insure payment by the due date, you must notify the Bursar in writing each semester of the date on which the bill is needed.
Invoices for Miscellaneous Charges
Other charges, such as telephone, parking tickets, etc, are typically billed on a monthly basis with payment due the first week of the following month. Past due balances such as those from new miscellaneous charges or failure to complete the necessary requirements to receive pending financial aid, may result in the student’s academic records being closed and therefore prohibited from registering for future semesters.
Returned Check Policy
Personal checks are accepted in payment of all bills. Checks returned to Lehigh by the bank for any reason will be referred to the Lehigh Police unless they are cleared immediately. Additionally, the University may require certified checks or money orders for all future payments.
Closing of records
Failure to meet any financial or other obligation to the University will result in the closing of the student’s record. Such action can effectively bar the student from attending classes, obtaining grade transcripts or recommendations, registering for the following semester, or receiving a diploma or degree. This regulation applies also to Lehigh students incurring financial obligations at other Lehigh Valley colleges (e.g. library fines, etc.).
Organizational responsibility
Organizations are expected to meet all financial obligations to the University. This means that the organization, its officers and respective committee chairmen must pay all bills for normal expense or damages. Financial obligations incurred by a student for an organization becomes a personal responsibility if the organization, through its officers, does not assume official responsibility. Failure of officers to provide satisfactory accounting for organizational funds may lead to the closing of their University records as indicated above.
Refund of Tuition Charges
An undergraduate student in good standing who formally withdraws or reduces his or her course enrollment below twelve credit hours before 60% of the semester has been completed during the fall and spring semesters will be eligible for a tuition refund. An undergraduate student in good standing who formally withdraws or reduces his or her course enrollment before 60% of a session has been completed during the summer sessions will be eligible for a tuition refund.
A graduate student in good standing who formally withdraws or reduces his or her course enrollment before 60% of the semester has been completed during any semester will be eligible for a tuition refund.
The tuition refund for a student who withdraws or drops a course(s) is calculated on a daily basis. No refunds for tuition can be made for courses or workshops with five class sessions or less after the first day of class. Additional penalties may apply to withdraw from special programs or courses held at off-campus locations, such as Study Abroad or Geology Field Camp.
The date used to calculate refunds is based on when a properly authorized withdrawal or drop/add is received by the Registrar's Office.
Further information on Tuition Refunds can be found in the course catalog, available online at: http://catalog.lehigh.edu/pdf/2015-16.pdf
Tuition Credit/Refund for a Disciplinary Suspension or Expulsion
A student who is suspended from the University during the semester in which the incident occurred is eligible for a tuition credit that will be applied to the semester immediately following the period of suspension. The amount of tuition credited will be based upon the tuition refund schedule for a voluntary withdrawal and the tuition rate in effect during the semester in which the incident occurred less any required financial aid adjustments and any outstanding balance on the student’s account. The date used to calculate the tuition credit will be the date that the disciplinary process (including any appeals) is finalized and communicated in writing to the student. For cases in which a student is interimly suspended and prohibited from being on campus or attending classes, the tuition credit will be calculated using the interim suspension date Tuition credit not utilized in the semester immediately following the period of suspension is forfeited.
A student who is expelled from the University forfeits all payments for tuition and fees incurred for the semester the incident occurred.
If the decision to suspend or expel a student is made in a semester subsequent to the semester in which the incident occurred, the student is eligible to receive a 100% tuition refund less any required financial aid adjustments and less any other less any outstanding balance on the student’s account not related to the current semester of instruction. Refunds will not be distributed until all disciplinary procedures including the appeals process are complete.
The University may, in its sole discretion, place a hold on the student’s academic records at the time of the incident, which will limit access to transcripts and other educational records until the disciplinary process is complete.
Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed for students who exceed 8 semesters of enrollment because of a disciplinary suspension.
Collection Costs
In all cases where delinquent accounts are placed with a collection agency or attorney, all collection costs and attorney’s fees incurred by the University will become the additional responsibility of the party responsible for the account, and will be collected as part of the account.
Personal Property Insurance
The University assumes no responsibility for loss of or damage to personal property. Students should contact an insurance agent concerning possible protection against such losses or for coverage under a family homeowner’s policy.
FINANCIAL POLICIES RELATED TO UNIVERSITY HOUSING
Undergraduate Housing Refunds
Residence hall spaces are rented on an annual lease basis only. A student who signs a Housing and Meal Plan Contract is expected to reside in residence hall housing for the full academic year. A student who forfeits a housing reservation in the fall semester and who returns to the University at any time during the contracted academic year is still obligated for housing charges, if vacancy in the residence hall facilities exists and without regard to location.
Any student who signs a Housing and/or Meal Plan Contract is subject to the refund policies published herein.
Prior to Registration. A first year student who forfeits admission and does not attend the University will not receive a refund of the enrollment deposit, except in the case of illness or injury.
In the event a student does not register or withdraws from the University prior to registration day because of illness or injury, is dropped from the University due to academic reasons, attends a University approved study abroad or co-op program, or graduates, he or she is entitled to a full refund of housing charges.
In the event a student does not register or voluntarily withdraws from the University prior to registration day, he or she is entitled to a full refund of housing charges.
Housing Refund Schedule
After Registration In the event a student withdraws from the University because of illness or injury, he or she will receive a pro rata refund of housing charges.
In the event a student voluntarily withdraws from the University, he or she will receive a pro rata refund of housing ONLY if the residence hall lease can be transferred to another student for whom no other University accommodations exist. If this condition does not exist, the student will be held liable for the full amount of the housing charges contracted.
Any student suspended or expelled from University Housing or for University disciplinary reasons is not entitled to any refund of the housing deposit or housing charges.
Refund of housing charges will not be considered until the room is vacated and all residence hall keys issued have been returned to the Office of Housing Services. Calculation of any proportionate refund, if eligible, will be determined by such date. Any applicable refund shall be processed through the Bursar’s Office by the Office of Housing Services.
Contract Cancellation A student must petition for cancellation of the Residence Hall Housing and Meal Plan Contract obligation in order to be permitted to reside in non-University housing. If cancellation is approved, the student will be assessed a Contract Cancellation Fee. The amount of the fee will be based on an established fee schedule and the date the petition for cancellation is filed.
Contract Cancellation Fee Schedule. Signing of contract through May 31, $100; June 1 - June 30, $400; July 1 - July 30, $700; August 1 throughout entire academic year, $1000.
The student will not be liable for room charges unless the space has been occupied. If that is the case, a pro-rata refund will be determined based on the date the room is vacated and key(s) returned.
Refunds for University Meal Plans
University Meal Plan refunds are made in full in the event a student does not register and has not purchased any meals from the plan. After registration, a student who withdraws from the University will receive a pro-rated meal plan refund based on the number of unused days remaining on the plan. The Dining Dollar portion is non-refundable.
Any Student suspended or expelled from the University will not be granted a meal plan or Dining Dollar refund.
Meal plans may be changed within the requirements of the living area up to the tenth day of class each semester at the Bursar’s Office with charges assessed per an established pro-ration schedule.
After the tenth day of class, a student who wishes to change a meal plan must petition in writing and receive approval from the Executive Director of Student Auxiliary Services. If the change is approved, an adjustment will be processed on a pro-rated basis only to the meal plan portion of the plan.
Graduate Student and Non-Traditional Housing Deposit/Housing Refunds
230 West Packer Avenue Saucon Village, and Packer House spaces have rent due on the first of every month.
Prior to Contract Signing:
A security deposit of $600.00 must be paid to retain housing. This deposit is not refundable unless the person is denied admission. A student who forfeits admission and does not attend the University forfeits their housing reservation and their $600 security deposit.
After Contract Signing:
A resident who signs a housing contract is expected to reside in housing for the full term of the contract and is subject to the refund policies published herein.
Refund of housing charges will not be considered until the room is vacated and all keys issued have been returned to the Office of Housing Services. Calculation of any proportionate refund, if eligible, will be determined by such date.
Contract Cancellation:
A student must petition for cancellation of the Housing Contract obligation. All termination requests need to be received at least thirty (30) days prior to the requested termination date. If the University agrees to terminate the Contract, the Occupant will be assessed a Contract Termination Fee equivalent to one month’s rent and any sums that the Occupant currently owes to the University shall become immediately due. The Occupant’s security deposit will be forfeited. Under this provision, the contract termination fee and forfeited security deposit will not be assessed if the occupant is no longer eligible for housing.
Any student suspended or expelled for disciplinary reasons is not entitled to any refund of the housing deposit or housing charges. Any applicable refund shall be processed through the Bursars Office by the Office of Housing Services.