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Help! I have questions about my bill!

Person putting coins into a piggy bank.

Trivia time! Do you know who to talk to when you have questions about your bill? Make your best guess - we'll walk you through the in's and out's below if you're not sure.

You answered: Office of Admissions

The Office of Admissions is a great resource for applicants, and your go-to resource for any questions about submitting your transcripts from previous institution. However, they do not handle finances nor billing, and they will direct you to Enrollment Services as a starting point. 

Learn more below about who to talk to when you have questions about your bill!

You answered: My advisor

Your advisor is a great resource as you’re signing up for classes and navigating program-specific requirement. However, they may not have been the one to issue your funding offer letters, and they are not the financial aid nor billing experts at UC. In most cases, Enrollment Services is the best place to start with these questions. 

Learn more below about who to talk to when you have questions about your bill!

You answered: Enrollment Services 

Enrollment Services is a great place to start with a variety of financial aid and billing questions! If you have questions about a specific scholarship or other award, you should reach out to contact person for that award.  

Learn more below about who to talk to when you have questions about your bill!

You answered: My friend

We know it’s tempting to turn to a trusted friend or fellow student for advice, but questions about finances and billing should be directed to Enrollment Services. The Enrollment Services staff will be able to access your student account, troubleshoot problems, and provide you with the most up-to-date information.  

Learn more below about who to talk to when you have questions about your bill!

You answered: The Graduate College

The Graduate College is a great resource if you have questions about university policies from the Graduate Handbook, or if you’ve received an award that’s directly managed by the Graduate College (such as the Graduate Student Health Insurance Award). However, they will direct billing and loans questions to Enrollment Services. If you have questions about a specific scholarship, they will direct you to the unit that offered you the award. 

Learn more below about who to talk to when you have questions about your bill!

   

Do you know who to talk to when you have questions about your bill? 

The start of a new semester is a busy, stressful time as you try to adjust to a new schedule and make sure you’re well prepared to start your classes. Uncertainties about your bill only add to that stress. Even if this isn’t your first semester, you may still have questions about how to read your bill or get answers to your financial questions. Do you know where to go to get help? 

Before You Reach Out: Gather Information  

Before you reach out for help, complete the checklist below to make sure you have all the relevant information to provide any staff member who assists you.

  • Gather all of your offer letters for scholarships and other awards. What financial aid were you expecting?
  • Check your financial aid summary in Catalyst. Does this match what you were expecting?
  • Check for any holds or outstanding To Do items in Catalyst.
  • Review your term bill. You want to see the term bill specifically, as it shows the itemized list of charges and payments. (How to access and read your term bill, in the UC Knowledge Base)
  • If your question is regarding an email you’ve received, have that email at the ready.
     

A Great Place to Start: Enrollment Services

UC's Enrollment Services helps students with any questions related to financial aid, billing, money management, registration, and student records. If you think there’s a problem with your bill, but you’re not sure what’s causing the issue or where to begin, email, call, or stop by Enrollment Services.

When you should start with Enrollment Services:

  • Anything regarding loans
  • Issues with making a payment or receiving a refund
  • Instructions on how to find information or complete tasks within Catalyst
  • More information about tuition and fees listed on your bill
  • Seeking money management resources

The Enrollment Services website offers a variety of how-to guides and resources, including the Catalyst Self-Help Guide and Student Money Management resources.
 

Questions and Issues with Your Scholarship

At the graduate level, most scholarships are managed at the program or unit level. This means that: the program or unit has a set scholarship budget; they have their own selection committee to make awards decisions; and someone within the program or unit is entering those award funds into Catalyst.

You should reach out to the program/unit issuing your scholarship when: 

  • Your scholarship isn’t appearing in your financial aid summary
  • You can see your scholarship listed in your financial aid summary, but the money isn’t appearing on your term bill to pay off charges (i.e., “disbursing”); please note that the first day for a semester’s financial aid to “disburse” to term bills is 10 calendar days prior to the start of that semester
  • Your scholarship amount differs from the amount stated in letter
  • All or part of your scholarship funds are listed as “unapplied aid”

So, who do you reach out to in this case? Start with the person who signed the offer letter and the person who emailed the offer letter to you. While neither person may be responsible for processing the award in Catalyst, they will know who does that task in their unit.
 

Residency (In State versus Out of State Tuition) Issues and Questions

Students living in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky may be eligible for specific tuition rates. Information on Ohio, Indiana, & Kentucky Residency is available on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Check the Residency and Reciprocity Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and direct any additional questions to resid@uc.edu. 
 

UC Student Health Insurance Charge (Enrolling and Waiving Coverage)

Reach out to the UC Student Health Insurance (SHI) Office (studins@ucmail.uc.edu) with questions about enrolling in or waiving the student health insurance coverage. You can find more information about UC SHI on the Student Health Insurance website, including how to get your ID card, policy benefits, and the Qualifying Life Events (QLE) process to enroll in UC SHI outside of the regular enrollment window.

The UC SHI Office does not manage the Grad Student Health Insurance (GSHI) Award. Any questions about this award should be directed to the Graduate College via GSHI@uc.edu directly. Please note that students who receive this award are still charged for UC SHI on their bill, but the award funds pay off the single-student charge in full.
 

Questions About University-Wide Financial Policies for Graduate Students

The Graduate Handbook clarifies minimum university-level requirements and policies that apply to all graduate students throughout the University of Cincinnati. (Beyond these, each student is also expected to follow requirements, policies, and procedures specific to their own degree program and college.)

If you are seeking clarification on any of the Financial Support policies in the Graduate Handbook, contact the Graduate College at grad.info@uc.edu.

The Graduate College also manages the Grad Student Health Insurance (GSHI) Award. Any questions about this award should be directed to the Graduate College via GSHI@uc.edu directly. (Questions about enrolling in or waiving UC Student Health coverage should be directed to the UC SHI office at  studins@ucmail.uc.edu.)
 

No Idea Where to Start?

As we mentioned above, Enrollment Services is a great place to start with a variety of financial aid and billing questions! If you feel completely lost, contact Enrollment Services to get started.