Financial Policies

A student who is delinquent or in default of payment(s) and/or returned check(s) due to the university may be withdrawn from the university in the term the delinquency or default occurs and cannot be readmitted for that term. A student who has been withdrawn from the university may be readmitted the following term if all payments due to the university are paid and the student is otherwise eligible for readmission.

Our Lady of the Lake University reserves the right to deny readmission based on a student's credit history with the university.

Transcripts and diplomas are not issued to students who have not met all obligations to the university. 

Refunds for tuition and fees in all cases are calculated from the date the properly completed withdrawal form is received in the Registrar's Office, located in the Walter Student Service Center, Room 104. Consideration cannot be given to the date the student ceased attending classes unless proper withdrawal procedures have been followed:

1. Obtain proper form(s) from the Registrar's Office
2. Obtain signature of adviser
3. Submit completed form(s) to Registrar's Office for final processing. Students at other campuses can submit their form(s) to the following locations:
   1. Houston Campus - 600 North Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston, Texas 77067
   2. La Feria (Rio Grande Valley) Campus - 1650 S. Main, Room 113, La Feria, Texas, 78559
   3. Online students may submit the form(s) via email to registrar@ollusa.edu. 

Application fees and advance tuition deposits for new students are not refundable. After the 100% refund period, all other fees are forfeited. 

Calculation Schedule

If proper withdrawal procedures have been followed, tuition is adjusted according to the following schedule:

Traditional Classes

Nontraditional Classes

Fast Track and National Online 16-week program 

Weekends may or may not be included in calculation, depending on program. Refer to posted calendars on the Registrar's Office website. Holidays are not included in calculation.

Classification of traditional or nontraditional is determined by program and the number of weeks attending. Assistantships are rescinded at the time a student withdraws from the university. 

 

All students MUST READ and acknowledge the OLLU Financial Responsibility Policy. Acknowledgement is recorded in Student Finance Self-Service (accessed through the Saints Connect dashboard - requires login) by clicking on the “I Agree” button.

Our Lady of the Lake University Financial Responsibility Policy
1. My financial obligations to Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) must be cleared before confirming my registration into any future terms. I understand confirmation entails my completing the following requirements:
a. Registration
b. Enrollment in a Payment Agreement if my term financial aid does not cover the full balance or if I am paying on my own.
c. Provide additional documentation for Employer Reimbursed/Billed Students to the Student Business Office.
d. Payment of the first payment per my Payment Agreement.
2. I authorize OLLU to apply my financial aid award, which may include federal funds, to my account to pay charges incurred for tuition, fees, room and board and any other costs of attendance or any other discretionary charges I incur.
3. I understand my billing and financial aid amounts may change based on my academic, financial and residential status. If my financial aid, employer benefits or third-party agreement award amounts change, I am responsible for the full balance due to OLLU and will contact the Student Business Office to arrange payment.
4. I am aware of the Tuition and Fee Refund Policy posted in the Student Handbook and/or the Registrar’s website. I am responsible for all tuition and fee charges incurred and not dropped within the refund periods, as well as any other charges incurred. I understand that email or verbal communications are not considered official drop notifications.
5. Any balance owed to OLLU must be paid in full prior to graduation. I understand I will not receive my diploma until the balance is paid in full.
6. Any balance owed to OLLU must be paid in full before transcripts will be released.
7. I understand that when I register for any class at OLLU or receive any service from OLLU I accept full responsibility to pay all tuition, fees and other associated costs assessed as a result of my registration and/or receipt of services. I further understand and agree that my registration and acceptance of these terms constitutes a promissory note agreement (i.e., a financial obligation in the form of an educational loan as defined by the U.S. Bankruptcy Code at 11 U.S.C.§523(a)(8)) in which OLLU is providing me educational services, deferring some or all of my payment obligation for those services, and I promise to pay for all assessed tuition, fees and other associated costs by the published or assigned due date.
8. I understand and accept that if I fail to pay my student account bill or any monies due and owing OLLU by the scheduled due date, and fail to make acceptable payment arrangements to bring my account current, OLLU may refer my delinquent account to a collection agency. I further understand that I am responsible for paying the collection agency fee which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 40 percent of my delinquent account, together with all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, necessary for the collection of my delinquent account. Finally, I understand that my delinquent account may be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus.

Notice of Consent to Communications
By registering, students’ expressly consent to Our Lady of the Lake University, their affiliates, agents, and service providers to use written, electronic, or verbal means to contact them as the law allows. This consent includes, but is not limited to, contact by manual calling methods, prerecorded or artificial voice messages, emails and/or automated telephone dialing systems. Students’ also expressly consent to Our Lady of the Lake University, their affiliates, agents, and service providers to contact students by telephone at any telephone number associated with their account, currently or in the future, including wireless telephone numbers, regardless of whether they incur charges as a result.
Students agree that Our Lady of the Lake University, their affiliates, agents, and service providers may record telephone calls regarding students’ accounts in assurance of quality and/or other reasons.
9. I understand and agree that if I am younger than the applicable age of majority when I execute this agreement that the educational services provided by OLLU are a necessity, and I am contractually obligated pursuant to the “doctrine of necessaries”.
10. I agree to provide my Social Security number (SSN) or taxpayer identification number (TIN) to OLLU upon request as required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations for Form 1098-T reporting purposes. If I fail to provide my SSN or TIN to OLLU, I agree to pay any and all IRS fines assessed as a result of my missing SSN/TIN. I consent to receive my annual IRS Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, electronically from OLLU. I understand that if I do not consent to receive my Form 1098-T electronically, a paper copy will be provided. I understand that I can withdraw this consent or request a paper copy by following the instructions at www.ollusa.edu/1098T.
11. This agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas.
I agree that the electronic signature created when I engage the “I Agree” button located in Student Finance Self-Service (accessed through the Saints Connect dashboard - requires login) represents my contract signature with OLLU.

Questions regarding this policy or your account should be directed to the Student Business Office at 210-434-3929 or emailed to studentaccounts@ollusa.edu. All email responses will be made to your
official OLLU email account.

The Student Business Office is the final step in the registration process.

All students must obtain Final Confirmation of Registration by agreeing to the University's Financial Responsibility Policy, enrolling in a payment agreement (if applicable, see below) and making the first payment as per the agreement. Students fully covered by financial aid must also obtain Final Confirmation of Registration to finalize their registration.

• For a student whose bill is completely covered by financial aid, the final step in the Student Business Office Process will be accepting the university's Financial Responsibility Policy by selecting the "I Agree" button in Student Finance Self-Service. Student Finance Self-Service can be accessed through the Saints Connect dashboard (requires login).
• For a student whose bill is NOT completely covered by financial aid, enrollment in a payment agreement will be required. In Student Finance Self-Service, agree to the Financial Responsbility Policy by selecting the "I Agree" button, then select "Make Payment/Confirm," enroll in a payment plan and make your payment online or in person. This applies to students who are paying in full, are partially covered by financial aid or receive employer tuition benefits. Student Finance Self-Service can be accessed through the Saints Connect dashboard (requires login).

The Student Business Office will review the payment agreement and registration invoice for discrepancies (examples: total hours registered not equal to financial aid hours, resident student without room and board charges or a past due balance from a prior term). If there are any discrepancies, a personalized message will be sent to the student’s OLLU email address indicating the action to be taken. If there are no discrepancies, a Final Confirmation of Registration e-mail will be sent to the student’s OLLU email address.

Once a student has agreed to the University’s Financial Responsibility Policy and received Final Confirmation of Registration, the student is considered registered. Any drops or withdrawals after this point must be officially requested by the student before posted deadlines. If a student does not follow procedures for drops or withdrawals by the posted deadline, they will be financially responsible for the classes for which they registered.

The university prefers that all refunds to students be delivered via electronic fund transfer (E-Refund). Students should enroll in E-Refund at least 10 days before the first scheduled disbursement.

• Financial aid refunds are processed weekly after the 100% drop period of the start of a term. Federal regulations require that excess be disbursed within 14 days from when funds are credited to the student's account (not when awarded).
• Students will be notified via email when an E-Refund has been disbursed. Students should allow at least 24 hours for the funds to be credited to their bank account.
• Students can set up E-Refund by following these steps:
  
  • Visit Student Finance Self-Service (accessed through the Saints Connect dashboard - requires login)
  • Select "Make Payment/Confirm"
  • Click "Continue to Payment Center"
  • Click "I Agree"
  • Select "Electronic Refunds" followed by "Set Up Account" and select "Account Type"
    • After completion of the two-step verification you will receive a message stating your information has been saved

Students who do not enroll in E-Refund

For students who do not enroll in E-Refund, the financial aid refund will be disbursed by check. The check will be mailed to the student's preferred mailing address as indicated in university records. If a mailed check is not received at the preferred address, there is a 10 business day waiting period before a replacement check can be issued.

Disbursements can be checked by visiting:

• Student Finance Self-Service (accessed through the Saints Connect dashboard - requires login)
• Then "Account Activity" 

Estimated financial aid is considered pending aid and is not subject to refund until finalized.

Students delinquent on or in default of payments and students with returned checks may be withdrawn from the University. Such students may be readmitted the following term if all financial obligations are cleared and the student is otherwise academically eligible for readmission. Balances must be paid in full before transcripts or diploma can be released. Our Lady of the Lake University reserves the right to deny readmission based on a student’s credit history with Our Lady of the Lake University.

In the event of default, students must pay the holder the amounts incurred and court costs and attorney fees in the amount assessed by the court and/or collection fees assessed by an agency in the business of collecting just debts. University tuition, fees and other charges are a debt incurred for educational purposes and are considered a Qualified Educational Loan as defined in section 221 (D) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Notice of Consent to Collection Communications
By registering, students’ expressly consent to Our Lady of the Lake University, their affiliates, agents, and service providers to use written, electronic, or verbal means to contact them as the law allows. This consent includes, but is not limited to, contact by manual calling methods, prerecorded or artificial voice messages, emails and/or automated telephone dialing systems. Students’ also expressly consent to Our Lady of the Lake University their affiliates, agents, and service providers to contact students by telephone at any telephone number associated with their account, currently or in the future, including wireless telephone numbers, regardless of whether they incur charges as a result. Students agree that Our Lady of the Lake University, their affiliates, agents, and service providers may recorded telephone calls regarding students’ accounts in assurance of quality and/or other reasons.