Academic Issues for Fall 2005
Frequently Asked Questions—Billing


Tuition, Accounts Receivable, and Financial Aid FAQ's
We are moving through an unprecedented period of adjustment and change as we complete the 2005-06 academic year. We know many of you have questions. While this FAQ will not answer all of your individual questions, it does attempt to answer the most common questions we have received. You will have ample opportunity to ask questions and request a review of your bill. A form has been provided for this purpose at https://clue.tcs.tulane.edu/billadjustreq.

Tuition Questions


Accounts Receivable Questions


Financial Aid Questions


Tuition Questions


What should I do if I have a block on my account for past balances?

Your account may be blocked because of previous balances due prior to Fall 2005 tuition charges. If you have a balance from the prior semester or other charges unrelated to Fall 2005 tuition, then you will need to pay these charges in order to unblock your account for spring registration. Fall 2005 tuition charges are not due until May 2006 and any unpaid tuition for that semester will NOT block you from registering for the Spring 2006 semester.

What is the rationale for paying Tulane tuition?

The current tuition policy was designed to allow our students the opportunity to continue their studies in the fall 2005 semester without interruption. To do so, the tuition policy was shaped, in part, by the nine leading higher education associations in the United States, to provide an extraordinarily generous form of assistance to Tulane students in a time of critical need. It was the intent of these associations for Tulane University and other affected universities and colleges to retain all tuition from their students regardless of where the students attended college in fall 2005 and in exchange, allow these students to take classes for credit as visitors. While some state statutes prohibit some schools from enrolling Tulane students without assessing some form of tuition, it was never the intent of the guidelines to provide lower cost alternatives or impose an added financial burden on students; rather, the intent was to provide immediate relief, on a temporary basis, during this challenging period.

If I am not attending Tulane University in New Orleans this fall and I am attending classes elsewhere, why am I being asked to pay my fall tuition to Tulane?

Your tuition should be paid to Tulane because you are a Tulane University student regardless of where you are attending classes this fall. In an extraordinary and unprecedented gesture of generosity, hundreds of colleges and universities around the country graciously opened their doors to you as visiting students.

Without their generosity, most of our students would have been unable to attend any college this fall. This arrangement allows affected colleges including Tulane to maintain their long-term viability without having to deplete their endowments and other resources. Regardless of an institution's insurance coverage or other resources, this tragedy will have a long-term financial impact.

Under this extraordinary visiting student arrangement, students will be able to obtain a Tulane degree with the least amount of disruption to their lives and graduate on time. It will also allow Tulane to retain the faculty and staff it needs to resume classes in the spring. In addition, Tulane is waiving its normal transfer credit policies and procedures and ensuring the continuation of financial aid for all students who meet aid requirements.

If you are not attending classes this fall and decide you do not want to return to Tulane for the spring semester, the university will refund all dollars that you may have paid for the fall semester, as soon as is practical.

We will later take steps to ensure that your total expenditures for tuition ultimately will not exceed the sum of what you were supposed to have paid at Tulane for the fall semester.

How is Tulane tuition calculated?


Tuition is the published tuition minus Tulane-funded grants and scholarships that you may have received for the fall term.

2005-2006 Tulane tuition, by College      
College Min # of hours to be considered full time Tuition per credit hour Full time tuition
Undergraduate Full Time: Includes Newcomb, Tulane College, Engineering, Architecture, University College Full Time, Business School, and Public Health 12 1,265.00 15,175.00
Architecture Grad 12 1,265.00 15,175.00
Architecture, Master of Architecture 12 948.00 11,381.00
Architecture, Master of Preservation Studies 12 513.00 6,158.00
Business Grad 15 1,065.00 per credit hour, no cap
Business EMBA     27,500.00
Engineering Grad 9 1,753.00 15,775.00
Grad School 9 1,753.00 15,775.00
Law 10 1,517.50 15,175.00
Medical     19,086.00
Public Health 9 754.00 per credit hour, no cap
Social Work, Masters 15 640.00 per credit hour, no cap
Social Work, PhD 12 640.00 per credit hour, no cap
University College MLA, Part Time Only   375.00 per credit hour, no cap
University College Part Time, undergrad 13 hours or less   250.00 per credit hour, no cap


I did not receive a tuition statement from Tulane. Have I been charged for the fall semester?

If you registered, Tulane charged you for the tuition even if you did not receive a tuition statement. Tulane will send a second series of tuition statements at the end of October. Please check your Tulane e-mail address for a copy of your billing statement if you did not receive a bill. Tulane Webmail can be found at https://webmail.tulane.edu/.

You can also check your account balance at the Accounts Receivable web page, http://aurora.tcs.tulane.edu/acctrec. You will need to know your Student ID and PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN, e-mail mypin@tulane.edu to request your PIN.

What about room and board and fees?

Returning students will not be charged for room and board or fees for the fall semester and those students who paid these charges will have those payments credited to their student account for the spring semester.

If you do not return to Tulane, we will in due course issue a refund of the amount paid.

If I paid my tuition by check and it has not cleared my bank yet, what should I do?

Please do not issue a stop payment order, since mail service to Tulane has been delayed.

If you have already placed a stop payment, please send a new check to:

Student Billing
Tulane University
6823 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118


More answers to questions regarding tuition can be found at http://www.tulane.edu/tuitionfaq.html.


Accounts Receivable Questions


When will I get my credit for tuition paid to another school?


Tuition paid to another school will be credited to your Tulane account in the Spring 2006 term upon verification from the host institution. Only tuition will be credited, not room and board or fees. Please fax a copy of the other school’s itemized tuition bill and proof of payment to: ATTENTION: Other School Credit at (866) 685-7417. Don’t forget to include your Tulane ID number.

I receive additional tuition assistance from a tuition pre-pay program in my home state, but it has not posted to my account. Will I get this assistance for the Fall 2005 semester?

The tuition assistance pre-pay programs (such as Texas Tomorrow, Alabama pre-pay, and Florida pre-pay) require that we invoice them AFTER the last day to add classes. We are in the process of contacting and submitting invoices for students who received tuition assistance from a pre-pay program. If you still have a copy of your award letter, please submit a copy to Accounts Receivable so that we can be sure to invoice your program. You may fax this information to (866) 685-7417.

A third-party sponsor pays my tuition and I do not see the payment posted on my account. Will I get this assistance for the Fall 2005 semester?

We are in the process of contacting and submitting invoices to sponsors of students who receive tuition assistance. If you still have a copy of your award letter, please submit a copy to Accounts Receivable so that we can be sure to invoice your sponsor. You may fax the award letter to (866) 685-7417.

I made a payment and it is not reflected on my account statement. What should I do?

If you had a payment posted to your account on August 25 or 26, these payments have been reversed.  Some of the checks were never deposited to the bank and were destroyed by the flood after Katrina.  Checks that were paid at the bursar's office on these dates were reversed in error.  The checks posted by the bursar's office were not damaged.  These payments are being credited back to your account; however, the credit will not appear on your account until next month's statement.  No further action is needed if your check was paid at the bursar's office on August 25 or 26. 

You should make sure that the payment in question has actually been withdrawn from your bank account. If so, please provide a copy of the front and back of the processed check so we can credit you for your payment.

If you paid by electronic transfer, please provide a copy of your bank statement showing the funds withdrawn from your bank.

If you paid with a credit card, please provide the confirmation number of your credit card payment made through Phonecharge.

Please fax the supporting documentation to: ATTENTION: Missing Payments at (866) 685-7417. Please include your Tulane ID with the information.


I pay my tuition through a tuition payment plan like AMS or TMS. All of the payments I made are not credited to my Tulane statement. Why?

Payments made to AMS and TMS as of October 22, 2005 have been applied to the student’s accounts. If your payment was made just before or after this date, it probably missed the cutoff date for posting. The payment should appear on next month's account statement. No further action is necessary.

When is my bill due?

Your bill states that it is due at the end of the month, November 30. This due date is applicable for all charges existing prior to the Fall 2005 semester and charges other than tuition for Fall 2005. You have until May 1, 2006 to pay your Fall 2005 tuition without incurring a finance charge.

Will finance charges be assessed to my account?


No finance charges have been assessed for this billing cycle. After the bill due date of November 30, 2005, finance charges will be assessed based on the following criteria:

  • No finance charge will be applied to student accounts for the Fall 2005 Tuition Charges until after May 1, 2006.
  • All balances prior to Fall 2005 and other charges, except Fall 2005 tuition, will accrue finance charges if NOT paid by November 30, 2005.
  • Finance Charges for the Spring 2006 term will accrue as normal, beginning on the last business day of January 2006. The Spring 2006 term finance charges will continue to ignore the Fall 2005 tuition charges in its calculation until May 1, 2006.

    I purchased books at the bookstore before the storm, can I be refunded for the textbooks I did not use?

    You will be able to obtain a full refund at any Barnes and Noble college bookstore location. For a list of Barnes and Noble college bookstore locations visit www.bkstore.com. To return your textbooks you will need to bring the textbooks and the receipt to a Barnes and Noble college store location. If you do not have a receipt you can present your Tulane class schedule. If you do not have a receipt or class schedule, seek the store manager for assistance.

    There is a charge for books on my account statement and I returned these directly to Barnes and Noble. How do I get this charge removed from my account?

    In order to receive a credit for books returned, please fax a copy of the return sales receipt obtained from Barnes and Noble to (866) 685-7417. Remember to provide your Tulane ID number and a credit will be processed based on the information provided.

    I need to change my address. Where can I do that?


    Address changes can be made on the Registrar's website, http://www.tulane.edu/~registra/index.shtml. Follow the link entitled Address Maintenance.

    How do I add additional e-mail addresses in order to receive my e-bill next month?


    Visit the web sitehttp://www2.tulane.edu/acctrec. Follow the link entitled Setup or Edit E-mail accounts. You can add up to five additional e-mail addresses to receive an electronic account statement each month.

    How do I find out my Tulane PIN?

    E-mail mypin@tulane.edu with your Tulane ID number and request your PIN.

    When will I get my refund?

    In order to receive your refund, you must complete the online survey from the Financial Aid department at http://clue.tcs.tulane.edu/projects/student_survey/.
    You will also need to make a request for refunds on the Accounts Receivable website at http://www2.tulane.edu/acctrec.

    The normal criteria for refunds will be used to determine your refund amount. As always, you will need to have a credit balance with Accounts Receivable to have refunds issued from your account. This means that credits made to your Spring 2006 bill for Fall 2005 tuition paid at another school will be applied to the expenses on your account first. Any remaining credit balance will be issued to you through a refund.


    Financial Aid Questions


    I am attending another school as a visiting student for the fall semester. Will I be able to receive the financial aid awarded to me to help cover my educational expenses?

    Yes. If the school you are attending reported your enrollment information, Tulane posted any pending financial aid credits to your account at Tulane. A revised bill was sent to you at the end of October. If your financial aid credits have not yet appeared, please inform the host school where you are attending that they must send us your enrollment information (number of credit hours for which you are enrolled). If your financial aid application was incomplete, a staff of financial aid professionals will be available to review your application and determine eligibility for funds.

    I need my student loan or other federal financial aid funds to cover living expenses at another school. What do I do?

    If you had received a financial aid award and completed the applicable promissory note and entrance interview requirements, Tulane will disburse your funds directly to your Tulane account once we receive your enrollment information from the host school. You can then request a refund of funds in excess of tuition charges at http://www2.tulane.edu/acctrec and use those funds for your living expenses.

    I have received a bill for the fall semester from Tulane, but my financial aid is not posted to my account. Why not?

    Financial aid will post to your account when the host school that you are attending this fall provides Tulane with your hours of enrollment. If your financial aid is not posted, it may be because we have not received this information from the host school. You must have also met all federal eligibility requirements before Tulane can release your federal funds. Federal financial aid funds cannot be released without official information from the host school. While we are working on contacting all host schools, please feel free to ask your host school to forward your enrollment information to Tulane.

    What information should I present to the financial aid office of my host school in order to expedite the releasing of my financial aid credits?

    Inform them that you are a Tulane student, and ask them to contact the Registrar or the Financial Aid Office at Tulane and report your Fall 2005 enrollment information, including the number of hours for which you are enrolled. There is a form that Tulane can provide the host school to facilitate this process. Ask them to contact the appropriate Tulane Financial Aid Office directly for information.

    My Federal Perkins Loan is not posted to my account. How can I receive my Perkins Loan?


    Before these funds can be credited to your Tulane Accounts Receivable account, you need to successfully e-sign and complete the required Perkins Loan master promissory note. Please visit the following web site to complete the necessary process:https://www.acs-education.com/bac/CBSLEsign/Welcome.html.

    My Federal Stafford Loan is not posted to my account. How can I receive my Stafford Loan?

    Contact your lender if you have not borrowed before and have not yet completed the Master Promissory Note. As a first time Federal Stafford Loan borrower at Tulane University, you also need to complete a loan entrance interview session to learn your rights and responsibilities under the Stafford program. Federal regulations prohibit us from disbursing your Stafford funds to you until the entrance interview requirement is met. You can complete the entrance interview online at http://www.mapping-your-future.org/.

    I am a Louisiana student. What happens to my TOPS award?


    If you are attending another Louisiana institution, you will receive your TOPS award from the host institution. TOPS regulations require students to be enrolled at a university or college located in Louisiana in order to receive TOPS. However, if you enroll out of state for the fall you will not lose future eligibility for TOPS. Due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the state of Louisiana has granted a blanket one-year exception to the Continuous Full-Time Enrollment Requirement. If you return to Tulane in the spring, you will be able to receive your TOPS scholarship as long as you continue to meet the other eligibility requirements.

    I am a recipient of a Founders Scholarship or a Distinguished Scholars Award with a housing waiver. What happens to the housing waiver portion of my merit award for the fall 2005 semester?

    The housing waiver will be posted toward your fall Tulane tuition charges as long as you are enrolled as a visiting student somewhere, and as long as you had met all of the requirements for maintaining the housing waiver portion of the scholarship at the time that Hurricane Katrina hit.

    I am the recipient of a full tuition scholarship (Dean’s Honor, Legislative, Mayoral Scholarship, or Urban Scholars Award) and I am also the recipient of a Valedictorian Scholarship. I am enrolled at a host school for the fall 2005 semester. Will I receive both scholarships for the fall semester?

    Tulane will bill you for tuition based on your enrollment at the host school, but you will not be billed for any university or mandatory fees. Therefore you will only receive the full tuition scholarship, which will fully cover your Tulane tuition expenses for the fall semester.

    I am receiving a full grant-in-aid athletic scholarship at Tulane. How is the scholarship reflected on my bill for the fall semester?


    Tulane will bill you for tuition based on your enrollment at the host school, but you will not be billed for any university or mandatory fees. Your athletic scholarship will reflect the amount of Tulane tuition you are being assessed. Housing and meal plan credits are not posted on your Tulane bill because Tulane is not billing you for these expenses. Since your scholarship covers housing and meals, you will not be responsible for these expenses at the host school. Tulane will make arrangements with the host school to cover these expenses for you.

    I was not able to secure full-time enrollment at the host school I am attending in the fall. What happens to my financial aid award?

    Your Tulane tuition will be pro-rated based on your enrollment for the fall. If you have been awarded a Tulane institutional scholarship (merit or need-based), that scholarship will be pro-rated as well. You will not have to pay any more tuition than you would have had to pay had you remained on campus for the fall. Your scholarship will be renewed for future semesters if you meet the grade point average requirement for your scholarship for the fall. Your federal financial aid for the fall will be based on the number of hours for which you enrolled at the host school this fall.

    My financial aid has already credited to my student account at Tulane. When can I receive a refund of aid funds in excess of Tulane tuition charges?

    Please update your direct deposit information on the Accounts Receivable website and request a refund. The Accounts Receivable website can be found at http://www2.tulane.edu/acctrec.

    If I am not enrolled in a school this fall, but have loans, what should I do?

    If you are not enrolled then you are not eligible for loans for the fall semester. If you have loan funds in your possession, Tulane is required to determine the amount of the loan proceeds that must be returned to the lender. In almost all cases, 100 percent of loan proceeds must be returned to the lender. Do not spend any of these loan funds, as your Tulane account will be charged for the amount of loan funds that must be returned.

    What happens if I applied for federal financial aid funds through the host institution before I knew that Tulane was going to disburse my financial aid funds?

    We expect that there will be some situations where federal aid was disbursed at both the home and host schools during the fall semester, which will result in an over-award. In these cases, aid disbursements resulting from processing of aid at a host school will be subtracted from the student’s original spring federal aid eligibility at the home school. What this means is that federal aid disbursements for the spring semester will be reduced for those students receiving fall disbursements from both the host and home schools. Please be careful and do not spend the duplicate disbursement so that you have those funds available for spring semester expenses. If you do not enroll in school for the spring, you will be required to return the excess funds to the lender or to Tulane.

    I have incurred relocation expenses due to the storm and the fact that I am attending school elsewhere. Is there financial aid available to help cover these expenses?


    We will be reviewing each student’s cost of attendance, and plan on including an allowance for relocation expenses. If your cost of attendance is increased, and you have additional federal aid eligibility, we will be able to certify additional loan funds to cover these expenses. If you have received the maximum allowable amount of federal aid, you will be able to apply for alternative loans.

    If my family income has changed dramatically as a consequence of Hurricane Katrina, what should I do?

    When the university reopens, you should contact the financial aid office. A financial aid counselor will work with you determine if a revised financial aid package is appropriate.

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