Each semester, students must have their account balance, less any eligible financial aid, paid in full or be current on a monthly payment plan otherwise classes will be dropped on the last day for a 100% refund. Once classes are dropped, students can only have them reinstated if the account is paid in full, the payment plan is brought current, arrangements are made with the Student Finance Office, or a different financial agreement is approved by the Financial Appeals Committee. Students who cannot reach a satisfactory financial agreement by the census date (last day to add a class), will need to stop attending classes and, if applicable, will be given one week to move out of campus housing.
Eligibility for returning students to register for future semesters will be based on having their account balance paid in full, less any eligible financial aid or current on their monthly payment plan.
Statements will be generated no later than the 5th business day of each month. Notification will be sent when the electronic statement is ready. Payment is due at the beginning of the semester, unless enrolled in a monthly payment plan, whereby the payment amount and payment plan due date will defer to the online payment plan. An automated reminder email will be sent two days before the payment plan due date and if necessary, a second email is sent once the payment is late. A $25 late fee will be charged seven days after the payment plan due date or at the end of the month, if not enrolled in a payment plan.
Credit balances are refundable, upon request, one month after the monthly statement is received for the last month the student was enrolled, in order to be certain that all charges have been processed. For example, if a student graduates in December, a full credit refund would not be made until after the January statement is processed during the first week of February. When the credit balance is large, a portion may be refunded earlier upon request to Student Finance - Billing and Collections Office.
Students completing or terminating their studies with Southern Adventist University should pay their account balance in full prior to leaving. If a student is no longer enrolled and has not paid their account in full, the account will be designated as non-current. A finance charge of one percent per month (or the maximum allowed by law, if lower) will apply to all non-current accounts. Southern Adventist University reserves the right to withhold payment, for services rendered, to satisfy a non-current account.
If non-current accounts are not paid in full or satisfactory payment arrangements have not been made within 120 days, the account will be transferred to a collection agency and/or attorney. If Southern Adventist University deems it necessary to employ a collection agency and/or attorney to collect defaulted accounts, all charges for these services, including collection fees and/or court costs, will be added to the unpaid account. See Southern Adventist University's Financial Responsibility Agreement for additional details regarding the summary information provided here.
Student accounts are considered educational debt per Southern Adventist University's Financial Responsibility Agreement and constitute a student loan which is generally not dischargeable under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code at 11 U.S.C. ยง523(a)(8). Recognizing that the discharge of a debt through bankruptcy proceedings prohibits a creditor from subsequently pursuing the collection of the debt, Southern Adventist University, upon notification by the court of such filing, will comply with this legal prohibition. No further services will be extended. The bankruptcy of a financial sponsor in no way changes the underlying financial obligation of the student to pay their student account and/or student loans.