Student Account Information

• Late Fee Waiver Form (PDF)
• Retroactive Refund Appeal Form (PDF
• Retroactive Appeal Process and Instructions
• Student Request for Financial Adjustment  for Medical Reasons Form (PDF)
• Student Request for Financial Adjustment  for Medical Reasons Process and Instructions
• Away/Multi-Campus Students
• Billing Information for Financial Aid Recipients
• General Student Account Billing Information
• Hope, Lifetime Learning and American Opportunity Tax Credit Information
• Invoices and Due Dates
• Native American Student Information
• Refund Policy for Adds/Drops
• Refund Policy for Withdrawals
• Student Financial Appeal Process

Away/Multi-Campus Students

For questions pertaining to multi-campus and away students, please call (207) 581-1526.

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Billing Information for Financial Aid Recipients

As it becomes available each semester, financial aid is disbursed (applied) to your student account. At the time of disbursement, you must meet all eligibility requirements for each type of aid or the aid will be delayed and/or canceled. Due to federal financial aid regulations, some types of aid take longer to process than others. Any credit balance created by the disbursement of financial aid is normally mailed to you by the start of each semester, unless you have requested that funds be held on your account.

Disbursed aid is listed on your University of Maine bill. If all of your aid has not disbursed by the time you receive your bill, use the Anticipated Resources area of Student Self-Service on MaineStreet (Path: Student Self-Service / Self Service / Campus Finances /Anticipated Resources) to let the Bursar’s Office know the amount and type of assistance you still expect to receive. Charges covered by “anticipated aid” will be deferred, but you are expected to pay any remainder by the due date. If your anticipated aid includes a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, reduce the amount by .5% for the origination fee.  List this amount on your anticipated resources screen.

Failure to notify the Bursar’s Office of any anticipated aid – and to provide the payment of any amount due after accounting for anticipated aid – by the due date will result in assessment of a late fee and could eventually result in cancellation of your registration for the semester.

Federal Perkins Loan borrowers: A Federal Perkins Loan Master Promissory Note must be completed every year in order to receive this loan.  The Master Promissory Note can be completed on MaineStreet when you accept your loan and must be completed every year.

Federal Stafford Loan borrowers: In order to receive your Federal Direct Stafford Loan funds you must accept them on MaineStreet.  All first-time Federal Direct Stafford Loan borrowers must complete Direct Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling and a Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note in order for these funds to disburse.  Both of these requirements can be completed at www.studentloans.gov.  Single semester loans must be accepted and certified by the Office of Student Financial Aid by the last date of the specified semester in order to receive the funds.  If you have a question regarding disbursement contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at 207-581-1324..

Federal Work-Study recipients: your award represents potential earnings, which you receive in a bi-weekly paycheck for hours worked under the Work-Study program. This award is not reflected on your bill and the Bursar’s Office cannot extend any credit against Work-Study. Do not count Work-Study as anticipated aid.

Scholarships, Assistantships & other 3rd-Party Assistance recipients: Please indicate in the Anticipated Resources area of Student Self-Service on MaineStreet (Path: Student Self-Service / Self Service / Campus Finances /Anticipated Resources) the amount and nature of the assistance you anticipate. Any remaining amount due must be paid by the due date on the bill to avoid being assessed a late fee. Please refer to any instructions provided by the awarding organization or agency in order to facilitate the receipt of your outside assistance.

Changes to Your Financial Aid Award: your award can be revised at any time during the year and may result in changes to the amount due on your student account. Adjustments to your financial aid award can result from receipt of additional assistance not already included in your financial aid award; or changes in your/your parents’ financial situation, your residency status (tuition rate), enrollment status, and/or housing plans. To discuss the impact of such changes, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at (207) 581-1324.

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General Student Account Billing Information

The University expects the student to be financially responsible. All accounts are carried in the name of the student, regardless of the source of payment. Invoices are mailed to the student, not the parent. All charges are payable in full by the due date on the Invoice. After that, a $100.00 late payment fee may be assessed. For the Fall and Spring semesters, students with accounts that have not been paid or deferred to financial aid will have their class registrations reviewed for possible cancellation.

Reinstatement of registration after cancellation will be allowed only upon prepayment of all charges, including a $100.00 reinstatement fee. Failure to be reinstated after cancellation will result in a one semester prohibition of registration.

Financially delinquent students will be subject to the following administrative sanctions:

a. They are prevented from receiving an official certified copy of their transcript and diploma.

b. They are prevented from registration or pre-registration at any campus in the University of Maine System.

c. The University of Maine System or its campuses may disclose (directly or through its collection agencies) to a credit bureau organization that the student has failed to pay an assessed charge.

d. The University of Maine System or its campuses may use in-house collection efforts, commercial firms, legal services, and the State of Maine Bureau of Taxation for collection on the accounts.

The financial requirements of the University, changing costs, state and legislative action and other matters may require an adjustment of these charges and expenses. The University reserves the right to make such adjustments to the estimated charges and expenses as may from time to time be necessary in the opinion of the Board of Trustees up to the date of final registration for a given academic term. The applicant acknowledges this reservation and agrees to the financial terms and conditions of the University by the submission of an application or by registration.

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Hope, Lifetime Learning and American Opportunity Tax Credit Information

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (“Act”) provides taxpayers with higher education tax incentives, including two new nonrefundable tax credits for payments made for qualified tuition and related expenses (not including activities fees, books, or room and board) for post-secondary education. The Act permits a taxpayer to claim the Hope Scholarship Credit to a maximum credit of $1,800 of qualified tuition and related expenses paid on behalf of a person claimed as a taxpayer’s dependent for the first two years of post-secondary education at an eligible institution, provided the student and the taxpayer claiming the credit meet certain eligibility requirements. Fees paid for tuition after the first two years of post-secondary education are eligible for the  “Lifetime Learning Credit” and or the “American Opportunity Credit.” For the  “Lifetime Learning Credit.” a taxpayer may claim up to $2,000 per return. For the “American Opportunity Credit”  a taxpayer may claim up to  $2,500 per student claimed as a taxpayer’s dependent. A full explanation of the these tax benefits can be found in the IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education, which is also available on the Internet at www.irs.gov/publications/p970.

The act imposes a reporting obligation on all educational organizations that receive qualified tuition and related expense payments. The University of Maine System has contracted the services of Educational Computer Systems, Inc. (“ECSI”) to maintain and distribute information consistent with the Act and the format required by the IRS. For each tax year, the University of Maine System will mail the IRS Form 1098-T by February 1st of the next calendar year, reflecting the following information:

• Name, address, and Social Security Number of the student
• Name, address, contact name and telephone number, and employer ID of the College
• Indication whether the student attended more or less than half time during the year
• Indication whether the student was enrolled exclusively in graduate level courses
• The same information will also be provided to the IRS by March 31st of the next calendar year.

Additional information about your tuition and fee payments may be obtained by calling the Bursar’s Office at 207-581-1521.

Whether a taxpayer may take advantage of these benefits depends on the taxpayer’s individual facts and circumstances.

The preceding summary is for informational use only and should not be relied upon for tax planning purposes. Neither ECSI or the University of Maine System can provide legal or tax advice on this matter. Again, please refer to IRS Publication 970 or consult with your own personal tax advisor.

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Invoices and Due Dates

One paper bill is mailed to the student’s home address each semester. Charges are calculated using pre-registrations, room sign-up information, and data supplied by the Admissions Office. Email notifications concerning student accounts will be sent periodically until the bill is paid in full. Students may view their accounts on Student Self-Service on MaineStreet.

The student receives a billing statement and packet of information from the University. With the first bill for the fall, spring and summer semesters, the student will use the Anticipated Resources area of Student Self-Service on MaineStreet (Path: Student Self-Service / Self Service / Campus Finances /Anticipated Resources) to notify the University of any credits from other sources that are not shown on the billing statement (i.e. scholarships, Perkins/Stafford Loans).

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Native American Student Information

For questions pertaining to Native American Student Charges and account status, please call (207) 581-1526

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Fall & Spring Add/Drop Refund Policy

Students will be given financial credit for courses which are dropped during the Add/Drop period. The Add/Drop period is only the first two weeks of the semester. Please note that the Add/Drop policy of two weeks is for courses that are 11 weeks or longer in duration. For Add/Drop policy regarding courses that are less than 11 weeks in duration please see the chart below for Sessions less than 11 weeks. No financial adjustment will be made to students’ accounts for courses dropped after this period.

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The University of Maine Refund Policy

Tuition, Fee, Room and Board Refunds

Student charges will be refunded to students who are voluntarily withdrawing or dropping courses from the University of Maine System institutions in accordance with the schedule and provisions set forth below. For purposes of these procedures, withdrawal is defined as students who give official notification of their withdrawal to the university after a semester/session begins. Dropping courses is defined as a reduction in course load while remaining enrolled in the university. Refunds for drops are issued during the first two weeks only. Some fees are not refundable and they include application, matriculation and new student program fees. If a student leaves the university without official notification (dropout), these procedures do not apply and thus dropouts are not entitled to refunds.

Determination of Attendance: For purposes of calculating refunds, the attendance period begins on the opening day of scheduled university classes, included weekends and holidays, and ends on the date the student notifies the registrar/records office (or designated office) in writing, that (s)he is withdrawing.

Board Refunds: Students who withdraw from the university will be charged for board funds expended and/or for meals at the daily established rate through the date of clearance. Any remaining balance will be refunded in accordance with the residence hall contract.

Room Refunds for Sessions Less Than 11 Weeks, and Other Situations: All room refunds will be governed by the terms and conditions of the residence hall contract. The room and board contract is for the academic year or the balance of the academic year if entering after the start of the fall semester. If an occupant leaves the residence hall and does not withdraw from the University, the charges for room and board will be through the end of the academic year. Exceptions will be made only in cases of illness, extreme hardship or when an occupant leaves for the convenience of the University. The charges in these cases will be determined by Student Auxiliary Services according to the circumstances of each case.

Students applying for an exception to the above must complete an exception request form available at the Office of Housing Services. Additional medical or financial documentation may be requested and should be submitted with the completed form. Upon completion, a meeting may be scheduled with the Assistant Director for Residents’ Retention to review and discuss the request. If the decision of the Assistant Director is unsatisfactory to the student, he/she may make a final appeal to the Executive Director of Student Auxiliary Services. If the request is denied the terms of the contract remain in force. If an exception is granted, the student must move out by the date indicated on the exception form. Failure to move out by this date shall render the exception null and void.

*See Add/Drop Refund Policy above

Advance Deposits: No part of an advance deposit is refundable after May 1 (January 1 for Spring) for tuition and fees and after June 1 (January 1 for Spring) for room charges for students withdrawing from a University of Maine System institution. Although such deposits are applicable to tuition and room charges for students who remain enrolled, students who withdraw forfeit them.

Involuntary Withdrawals: Consideration for retroactive refunds of tuition and fees for involuntary withdrawals, e.g., extended illness or military service, will be considered by the university on a case-by-case basis. Administrative dismissals are not covered by these procedures and thus are not entitled to refunds of institutional charges.

Statute of Limitations: Appeals for the exception to the established refund practice may be made to the designated university official. Normally, appeals will be considered up to 90 days after the close of the semester/session for which the student is claiming a refund. For a typical semester/session the dates are no later then March 31 (Fall ), August 31 (Spring) and November 30 (Summer). University academic appeals committees hear appeals on academic matters and have no authority to authorize refunds.

I. Definitions and Guidelines for Involuntary and Voluntary Withdrawals:

Involuntary Withdrawal – In order to be eligible for a refund under the conditions below, the student must submit the required notification of withdrawal and the appropriate substantiating data that supports the withdrawal to the appropriate university office. The university official makes a decision based on the documentation and/or conditions presented. Involuntary withdrawals may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Involuntary active duty in the armed forces – The request for withdrawal must be substantiated with copies of military orders that show proof of date of entry. The individual’s commanding officer or another appropriate official must sign the orders.
2. Illness of the student or an immediate family member – A physician’s certification must be provided stating the student’s or family member’s illness that required the student’s withdrawal.
3. Death of the student or an immediate member of the family – Appropriate documentation must accompany the request for withdrawal.
4. Involuntary transfer by the student’s employer that precluded continued enrollment (armed services are considered employers under this section – The request for withdrawal must be substantiated by appropriate documentation from the employer.

Please contact the Associate Dean of the college enrolled in, to obtain more information concerning Retroactive Withdrawals.

Voluntary Withdrawal – Voluntary withdrawal results from students who give official notification of their withdrawal to the university after a semester/session begins.

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Student Financial Appeal Process

The following is an appeal process for students who dispute financial claims by the University of Maine System or one of its campuses; i.e., tuition, fees, room and board, and amounts due on outstanding student loans.

1. Students should submit a written statement to the campus business officer or other designated campus official stating the amount and nature of the disagreement and why he or she feels the charge is incorrect.
2. Students should submit their written appeal within thirty (30) days of the initial billing of a disputed charge. The campus business officer or other designated official should respond in writing to the student’s complaint within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the appeal.
3. If the campus business officer or other designated official’s decision is considered incorrect by the student, the student may appeal that decision (within 30 days) in the following order:
   1. To the Chief Financial Officer or equivalent official as designated by the campus.
   2. To the President of the campus, whose decision shall be final.

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