Paying the Bill

How the Bill is Calculated:

The bill is calculated as your charges minus your aid. Your charges are considered direct costs and include:

  1. Tuition
  2. Fees
  3. Room (on-campus)
  4. Board (on-campus)

You will also have indirect costs to consider that do not show up as part of your bill, such as books and supplies.

Checking to See if All Financial Aid has Disbursed to Your Account:

Your financial aid will appear as a credit to your account as soon as it is disbursed.  It will appear as Anticipated Aid until this point.  It is possible to not have all your aid disburse at the same time.  If this happens, check the item summary on your account on MaineStreet to see what has disbursed and what hasn’t.

When Financial Aid is Disbursed to Accounts:

During the Fall and Spring Semesters, aid will disburse no sooner than 10 days before the start of the semester (first day of classes).  During the Summer Semester, aid will not be available until the first day of your first summer course.

When You have a Negative Balance on Your Account:

If you have a negative balance you will be issued a refund.

Alternative Sources of Funding:

Many times the Financial Aid awarded may not cover the full balance due.  If you have a positive balance (a balance due), you need to make arrangements to pay your bill. Alternative source of funding include:

  1. Payment Plans – For those who find it convenient to make monthly payments, the University of Maine is pleased to offer an integrated 5-payment plan.  Enrolling in the payment plan is easily done by self-service through the MaineStreet Student Center or TouchNet authorized user access. Enrolling in the payment plan requires payment of an enrollment setup fee and the initial payment (20% down payment) at the time of enrollment.  Subsequent payments will be due on the 15th of each month from September through December.  The Fall payment plan will be available for self-service enrollment after July 15.  Please review the information on the Bursar’s Office website for more information, once available.
  2. Work Options – Employment during the summer and winter breaks can build up savings to meet expenses in September and January. Once enrolled, the University of Maine Office of Student Employment can assist students in locating both work study and non-work study jobs, either on or off campus.
  3. Loan Options – There are a variety of loan programs available to help finance a college education, all of which will have to be repaid either upon disbursement of the loan funds or once the student leaves school. Before applying for any loan, ask questions and evaluate each loan program carefully to choose the one which is best for you. Some options include:

    Federal Direct PLUS Loans allow graduate students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to borrow up to the annual cost of education minus any financial aid. If a parent is denied a Parent Direct PLUS Loan based on credit, the student may be eligible for additional Direct Unsubsidized Loans.

    Alternative Loans from private lenders are mostly credit-based loans and most will require periodic payments of principal and interest once disbursed. Interest rates vary, and a separate application is usually sent directly to the lender, which is then forwarded to our office for certification of the student’s status.

  4. Exploring options through the Armed Forces – If you are a member of the Armed Forces, or a dependent or spouse of one, you may be eligible for benefits through programs offered by the specific branch of the service with which your are affiliated. Talk with the Veterans Affairs Office on campus, the campus ARMY or NAVY ROTC offices and with Armed Forces recruitment officers.
  5. Talking with an expert- Your lender, accountant or a financial planner may be able to give you specific advice relative to your own particular financial situation and provide suggestions as to how to tap into other resources.