UVI’s New Fee Payment And Tuition Policy Goes Into Effect This Fall

This fall, the University of the Virgin Islands will implement the new tuition and fees payment policy, approved by the UVI Board of Trustees on June 6, according to a press release the university issued on Tuesday.

According to the new policy, new and returning UVI students must complete their enrollment by paying the required tuition, fees, and room and board prior to the start of classes.

 “This important change in policy by the Board will allow us to operate in a manner that is consistent with universities throughout the nation,” said UVI President David Hall. “Our research of payment policies at our peer institutions demonstrated that this policy is the best practice for institutions like UVI.”

Hall added: “The policy will encourage students to pay or make the necessary arrangement before the semester begins. We have had a difficult time getting some students to take care of their financial responsibilities once we allow them to sit in the course for long periods of time. This change will improve the educational and financial conditions of the University.”

As part of the new policy, students must complete their enrollment by paying the required tuition and fees prior to the start of classes or coming into the university’s business office to arrange for one of four tuition and fees payment options.

The payment options are as follows:

• Payment Option One: Pay tuition and fees in full for the academic year. Students who pay for the entire academic year will receive a two percent discount. The payment for this option is due by July 31, prior tocompleting enrollment and entering classes.  The discount does not apply to students receiving financial aid, assistance or scholarships.   
• Payment Option Two: Pay tuition and fees for the academic year in two installments. The first installment is due by July 31, prior to the student completing enrollment and entering classes for the Fall semester, and the second installment is due by Jan. 5, prior to completing enrollment and entering classes for the Spring semester. Students paying pursuant to this option will receive no discount.
• Payment Option Three: Pay tuition and fees for the academic year in four installments. The first installment is due by July 31, prior to the student completing enrollment and entering classes, and the second, third and fourth installments are due by Oct. 1, Jan. 5, and March 1. Interest at the rate of two percent shall be included in the last three installments.
• Payment Option Four: Pay tuition and fees for the academic year in five installments. The first installment, which is due by July 31, prior to the student completing enrollment and entering classes, shall be 20 percent of tuition and fees applicable for the academic year. The remaining 80 percent is due in four equal installments by Oct. 1, Dec. 1, Feb. 1, and April 1. Interest at the rate of three percent shall be included in the last four installments.

Students who do not conform to one of the four options will be regarded as not enrolled and will be debarred from attending classes, residing on university property, or using services provided to students at the institution of higher learning, according to the release.

Students who have an outstanding balance in August 2015 from a prior academic year are required to execute a written agreement to liquidate the outstanding balance in 12 months in addition to conforming to one of the payment options for the 2015-2016 academic year. Requests, based on hardship, for an exception to the time specified for liquidation of an outstanding balance may be submitted in writing to Vice President for Administration and Finance Shirley Lake-King for consideration.

Returning students must pay their tuition and fees in full or make arrangements for one of the payment options in the UVI business office by July 31. Students who do not meet this deadline will be purged from the system and will no longer have the classes they pre-registered for.

UVI’s new tuition and fees policy, which is in line with the practices of the University’s peer institutions, does not apply to students receiving scholarships or financial aid.

For more information contact the UVI business office at (340) 693-1437 on the St. Thomas Campus or (340) 693-4199 on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.