Office of the Bursar and Financial Aid

Office of the Bursar Information

The activities of the Office of the Bursar encompass billing students, recording payments, processing refunds, coordinating payment plans, collecting outstanding balances, and handling transactions affecting accounts receivable.  Each semester the Office of the Bursar is responsible for ensuring that students have met their financial obligations to the University before being permitted to register for classes, move into residential halls, and receive bookstore authorizations. The Office of the Bursar is also responsible for ensuring a student does not owe a balance to the University when an official transcript is requested. The Office of the Bursar notifies the Office of the Registrar when a student is financially cleared to graduate.

Tuition

1. For Degree Status full-time or part-time students: $750 per credit hour.
2. For Non-Degree status students taking courses for credit: $750 per credit hour

     9 credits per semester will be considered full time.

Technology Fee: $150 per semester

Student Administration Fee: $100 per semester

Endownment Fee: $50 per semester

All fees are due 10 days before the class start date.

Tuition and fees are subject to change at any time by action of the Board of Trustees of Bethune-Cookman University. However, changes in tuition and fees do not occur during the semester. Students should obtain a current schedule of fees from the Student Accounts Office.

Methods of Payment to Bethune-Cookman University

Before the start of each academic year, the University publicizes the deadlines for students to clear their financial obligations. Payment for charges may be made through the following methods:

• Payments can be made with cash, cashier’s check, money order, or traveler’s check.  Personal checks are not accepted. Cash should never be mailed.  Payments should be made payable to Bethune-Cookman University and include the student’s first, middle initial, and last names, student I.D. number or social security number.  Payments should be mailed to:  Bethune-Cookman University, 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard, Daytona Beach, Florida, 32114-3099, Attn: Cashier’s Office.

• Credit Card payments (American Express, Discover, Visa, or MasterCard) can be made online by accessing the Wildcat Web at www.cookman.edu.  Students will need both their B-CU student I.D. & pin numbers in order to access the Wildcat Web. Third party payments to a student’s account can be made online through the following link: http://www.cookman.edu/payment/index.html

• Payments can also be made in person by visiting the Cashier’s Office (located on the first floor of White Hall, the University’s Administration Building), or by calling the Cashier’s Office at (386) 481-2289 or 2292.

Please note: Receipts for payments mailed to the University are not automatically issued.However, a receipt may be requested by calling the Cashier’s Office at (386) 481-2292; the receipt will be mailed within 10 days of the request. Receipts cannot be issued for payments made through the University’s Website. Receipts may also be picked up from the Cashier’s Office in White Hall Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

University Refund Policy for Adjustment to Charges

Dropping Courses

No adjustment is made to tuition charges when a student drops a course after the last day of the Add/Drop Late Registration Period. It is the student’s responsibility to know the last day to drop courses during Late Registration in order to receive a 100% tuition adjustment in any given Semester. This information is readily available on the University’s Homepage and through the Office of the Registrar. Students may call the office at 386-481-2525. The Office of the Bursar’s Staff and Academic Student Success Coaches are also able to provide students with this information.

Withdrawal from the University

Withdrawing from the University is a process that involves several steps which must be followed in the prescribed order so as to avoid unnecessary expenses and/or failing grades. When a student officially withdraws from the University, a refund or adjustment to tuition will be calculated, if applicable. Students should familiarize themselves with the following Tuition Refund Schedule:

Fall and Spring Semesters:

1. 100 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws on or before the last day of the Late Registration Period.
2. Up to 90 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws after the last day of Late Registration but on or before the last day of the second week of classes.
3. Up to 50 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws after the second week, but on or before the last day of the fourth week of classes.
4. Up to 25 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws after the fourth week, but on or before the last day of the eighth week of classes.

Summer Sessions:

1. 100 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws on or before the last day of the Late Registration Period. Up to 90 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws after the last day of Late Registration, but on or before the last day of the first week of classes.
2. Up to 50 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws after the first week, but on or before the last day of the second week of classes.
3. Up to 25 percent of tuition charges, if the student withdraws after the second week, but on or before the last day of the third week of classes.

Adjustments/refunds will be processed by the Office of the Bursar, if written notice of withdrawal of enrollment from the University is received from the student or designated staff person and approved prior to or no later than the deadline listed for the applicable semester or term.

There will be no adjustments or refunds for tuition, room & board charges, student fees, institutional paid charges, waived charges, bookstore charges, late registration fees, housing assessment fees, or any other fees and fines under the following conditions:

When a student is required to withdraw due to disciplinary action, the student forfeits their legal rights and privileges as a member of the University family. All payments made toward assessed charges are also forfeited. 

In addition, there will be no adjustments or reimbursement of charges or payments in the event the operation of the University is suspended at any time as a result of an act of God, strike, riot, disruption, or for any other reason beyond the control of the University.

Students who withdraw from courses after the Late Registration Period may be eligible for a 100% adjustment/refund of tuition, student fees, and room & board charges (if applicable), bookstore charges & fines/fees excluded, if one or more of the following holds true:

1. Student is called to active military duty.
2. Death of the student or member of his/her immediate family (parent, spouse, child, sibling).
3. Illness of the student of such severity or duration, as confirmed by a physician, that completion of the semester is not possible.
4. Voluntary or involuntary medical withdrawal requested and deemed necessary by B-CU Administration.
5. Cancellation of the course(s) by the University.
6. Exceptional circumstances, upon approval of the University President or his/her designee.

Parental Refund Authorization Form

If the student’s account reflects a credit balance that is the result of a Parent Plus Loan or a Sallie Mae Plus Loan, the parent that authorized and signed the loan must submit a notarized Parental Refund Authorization Form to the Office of the Bursar, if the refund is to be issued to the student.  Without the form, the refund will be issued to the parent who authorized and signed the loan and will be mailed to the address on the loan application.

However, if your parent has indicated on the Plus Loan application that the credit from the loan may be issued to you as a refund, then the Parental Refund Authorization Form will not be required.

Credit Balance Authorization Form

A Credit Balance Authorization Form must be submitted, if the student or parent (Plus Loan) is requesting the Office of the Bursar to hold a credit balance and apply the funds towards the expenses of a future term within the same academic year.  If the Credit Balance Authorization Form is not on file prior to the processing of a refund, the refund will automatically be issued.

Billing Statements

The Office of the Bursar will generate billing statements several times during an academic year. The statements will indicate all activity on the student’s account and the remaining balance due (if applicable).

E-mail notifications are sent to the B-CU student’s e-mail address and authorized parents when the eBill is available to view on-line. We encourage students to view the eBill to make sure that you do not have a balance due. A reminder e-mail will be sent to those students/parents who have not viewed the eBill.

Students are encouraged to use the Wildcat Web to review their accounts as it is the students’ responsibility to be aware of any balances that may be due on their accounts.

Refund of Credit Balances

Refunds are processed by the Office of Student Accounts when a student has resolved all financial obligations against their University debts and their student account reflects a credit balance. Refunds are processed within 14 days after the student’s account reflects a credit balance. Students are responsible for informing the Office of Student Accounts of any changes to their addresses.

Through the Wildcat Web located on the University’s website, students have access to review their charges, financial aid, payments, credit balances, refunds issued, and/or any balances that may be due. If a student visits the Office of Student Accounts and requests information about his/her account, the student must present university issued identification or another form of picture identification.

Following the full payment of tuition, fees, and other expenses, Bethune-Cookman University will refund excess payments (excluding any non-refundable financial aid) directly to the student. This is university policy, regardless of whether funds were paid by the student, the student’s parents or any other third party. Bethune-Cookman University assumes no responsibility for remitting such excess payments to any person other than the student.

All tuition and fees must be paid by: Fall (July 29th) and Spring (November 29th). This includes room, board (meal plan costs), fees and deposits. Any charges unpaid at the end of the previous semester are also due and must be paid before you can re-enroll. If you owe money to the University, a hold will be placed on your account, grades and transcripts will not be relreased, registration will be blocked, or you will be dropped from all classes, and your housing and meal plan can be revoked or canceled. All payments will be applied towards previous debt before applying funds toward your current balance.

Scholarships

Scholarship awards are available at times for qualified candidates, depending on degree program. Information regarding scholarships is available from the School of Graduate Studies, Office of Athletics, and the Office of Financial Aid.

Scholarship recipients are required to be in good standing and make satisfactory academic progress to continue to receive a scholarship award. To be considered in good standing, fellowship recipients are required to maintain the standards listed below.

• Students must be fully accepted into a graduate degree program.
• Students must be enrolled as full-time graduate students.
• Students must maintain the scholarship’s required GPA status each term of the award.
• Students cannot receive a grade of Incomplete (I) and continue to receive the award.

Failure to meet any one of these standards will cause cancellation of the scholarship. The School of Graduate Studies may grant rare exceptions to this policy after review of evidence of mitigating circumstances presented by the student and the graduate program.

Loan Programs

To apply for the following programs, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.

Federal Direct/Stafford Unsubsidized Loan

The Higher Education Amendments of 1992 created a new program offering “unsubsidized” Federal Direct/Stafford Loans to students who do not qualify in whole or in part for “subsidized” Federal Direct/Stafford Loans. A Federal Direct/Stafford Unsubsidized Loan is a low interest loan made to students by the federal government “directly” or by a private lender (bank, credit union, etc.). Under this program, the student borrower (and not the federal government) pays the interest that accrues on the loan To apply for the following programs, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.

Federal Direct/Stafford Unsubsidized Loan

The Higher Education Amendments of 1992 created a new program offering “unsubsidized” Federal Direct/Stafford Loans to students who do not qualify in whole or in part for “subsidized” Federal Direct/Stafford Loans. A Federal Direct/Stafford Unsubsidized Loan is a low interest loan made to students by the federal government “directly” or by a private lender (bank, credit union, etc.). Under this program, the student borrower (and not the federal government) pays the interest that accrues on the loan.

Withdrawals

Financial Aid is to be used first for direct educational costs-tuition and fees, and room and board if the student is in University housing. Students on financial aid who withdraw from the University and are due a refund of their fees will therefore not receive fee refunds until funds representing financial aid awards have been applied to the respective accounts. Normally the fee refunds are returned to the financial aid programs on a prorated basis and according to the components of a financial aid package.