Business Office

Austin Building, second floor
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday
Phone: (936) 468-6960
Fax: (936) 468-7213
Email: businessoffice@sfasu.edu
Web: sfasu.edu/businessoffice

Mailing Address (via U.S. Postal Service):
Stephen F. Austin State University
Business Office
P.O. Box 13053, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962

Delivery Address (FedEx, UPS, courier)
Stephen F. Austin State University
Business Office
2102 N. Alumni Drive, Austin Building, Room 204
Nacogdoches, TX 75962

Tuition and Fees

Statutory tuition and certain fees at Texas state universities are established by legislative enactment. Designated tuition and other fees are established within statutory limitations by the SFA Board of Regents.

Stephen F. Austin State University reserves the right to change tuition and fees in keeping with acts of the Texas Legislature or the SFA Board of Regents. All charges are subject to corrections. For the most current information regarding tuition and fees, visit the Business Office website.

The university offers a fixed-rate tuition plan. To view the plan rates and compare it to the variable rate plan, see the Tuition and Fee Rate Tables webpage.

Expenses and Methods of Payment

Tuition, fees and deposits as shown in this section are obligations of each student. Following is a summary of acceptable methods of payment on student accounts:

Online payments are made through eBill, SFA’s electronic billing system. The eBill system is accessed by logging in to mySFA. Forms of accepted payment online are e-check, debit and credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Amex and Discover). Credit card payments processed online will be assessed a non-refundable 2.75% fee. No credit cards are accepted at the Business Office windows or via telephone. Forms of payment accepted at the Business Office windows are cash, personal check, cashier’s check, money order and debit card.

Payment Deadlines

EBill is SFA’s electronic billing system. Prior to and throughout each semester or term, billing notifications are e-mailed to students’ SFA e-mail addresses alerting them that their bills are available for viewing online. No bills are mailed through the post office.

Students who register during the regular registration period (as listed in the Schedule of Classes): Full payment of current amounts due must be made by the due date designated in the Schedule of Classes.

Students who register, add or change classes during the late registration period (beginning with the first class day of the term): Full payment of the current amount(s) due must be made by the university’s 13th class day during regular semesters and the fifth class day during summer terms; otherwise, the classes will be dropped. For the Maymester or a term less than five weeks, full payment of current amounts due must be made by the second class day; otherwise, the classes will be dropped. Students will be subject to the university’s refund policy for courses dropped for insufficient payment. (See Refund of Tuition and Fees in this section.) Specific dates and deadlines are posted on the Business Office webpage. Students enrolling in classes during the late registration period incur a financial obligation immediately and must officially withdraw from the university if they decide not to attend, even if they have not yet paid.

Students who enroll in the installment payment plan or opt to receive a short-term loan will be subject to additional payment deadlines. These payment deadlines will be communicated to students when they sign up for these options. These deadlines also are published on the Business Office webpage.

Late Registration and Late Course Addition Fees

Students registering for class on or after the first class day of the semester or summer term are subject to a late registration fee. This fee is assessed to all students who register during the late registration period (first through 12th class day for fall and spring semesters, first through fourth class day for summer terms, first through second class day of Maymester). Students may add classes during this period without being assessed the late registration fee provided they initially enrolled prior to the first class day and were not dropped for non-payment.

The last day to register is found in the Schedule of Classes. Enrollment or adding courses after the last day to register will be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances and at the university’s sole discretion.

Students who register or add classes after that date will incur a late add fee. The late add fee is charged on a per-credit-hour basis. Refer to the SFA Tuition and Fees webpage for the most current information regarding these charges.

Reinstatement Fee

In extraordinary circumstances, the university, at its sole discretion, may allow a student to be reinstated in classes from which he/she has been dropped for non-payment. In this case, a reinstatement fee will apply. The fee is charged on a per-credit-hour basis. During regular semesters, the reinstatement fee will apply after the 13th class day. During summer sessions, the reinstatement fee will apply after the fifth class day. Students are advised to contact the Business Office at (936) 468-6960 to determine the total amount due for reinstatement.

Installment Payment Plan For Tuition, Fees, Room and Board

In accordance with Tex. Ed. Code 54.007, tuition and fees for fall and spring semesters may be paid using one of the following two alternatives. In addition, the university offers these same payment alternatives for room and board payments:

1. Full payment of tuition, fees, room and board in advance of the beginning of the semester; or
2. One-third of tuition, fees, room and board plus all non-mandatory fees (e.g., parking, yearbook, administrative fee, property deposit, student identification card, post office box) in advance of the beginning of the semester. Each of the remaining two installments will be approximately one-third of tuition, fees, room and board. The exact amounts due and specific due dates will be shown on the installment plan detail in the eBill system.

The university offers an installment payment plan during summer terms. The plan is two payments of approximately 50% each.

Enrollment in the installment payment plan is through mySFA. To enroll, all balances from prior terms must be paid in full. Students will be charged a fee each term the student enrolls in the installment payment plan.

The university will email students notifying them prior to the second and third installment due dates via SFA’s eBill system. Students who fail to make full payment by the due dates will be placed on delinquency status and will incur a late installment fee for each missed payment date.

Additional Charges

Tuition For Excessive Undergraduate Hours

The State of Texas does not provide funds to state institutions of higher education for excess semester credit hours attempted by a resident undergraduate student. Since funding will not be provided by the state, and as permitted by state law, students who exceed the maximum semester credit hour limit of their program, based on the charts below, will be charged an additional amount per semester credit hour. The additional tuition rate, established by the SFA Board of Regents, will be charged beginning with the term after the student reaches the maximum number of credit hours attempted in excess of the degree requirements.

Effective with students initially enrolling in the fall 1999 semester and subsequent terms, excess credit hours are those hours attempted by a resident undergraduate student that exceed by more than 45 hours the number of hours required for completion of the degree plan in which the student is enrolled. Effective with students initially enrolling in the fall 2006 semester and subsequent terms, excess credit hours are those hours attempted by a resident undergraduate student that exceed by more than 30 hours the number of hours required for completion of the degree program in which the student is enrolled. For purposes of excess hours, a resident undergraduate student includes a non-resident student who is permitted to pay resident tuition.

The semester credit hours counted toward the limitation include all hours attempted by the student except:

1. Semester credit hours earned by the student before receiving a baccalaureate degree that has been previously awarded.
2. Semester credit hours earned by the student by examination or other procedure by which credit is earned without registering for a course for which tuition is charged.
3. Credit for remedial education courses, technical courses, workforce education courses funded according to contract hours, or other courses that would not generate academic credit that could be applied toward a degree program at SFA.
4. Semester credit hours earned by the student at a private or an out-of-state institution.
5. Semester credit hours earned by the student before graduating from high school and used to satisfy high school graduation requirements (i.e., dual credit courses). (Effective fall 2009)
6. Hours not eligible for formula funding.

Refer to the Business Office website for the most current information regarding these charges.

Tuition For Repeated Courses - “3-Peats”

The Texas Legislature eliminated funding to institutions of higher education for students enrolled in courses that they have attempted three or more times. An attempted course is any course in which a grade is earned, a repeated course, or a course dropped after the census date (12th class day in fall or spring semesters, fourth class day in summer terms, second class day in Maymester).

In order to compensate for this loss of state funding, students attempting a course for the third or more time will be required to pay an additional amount per semester credit hour for the repeated course as established by the SFA Board of Regents. In assessing this charge, courses attempted at any other Texas public college or university will be considered.

Exemptions for repeated hours for attempted courses are as follows:

1. Up to 18 hours of remedial and development courses
2. Hours for special topics and seminar courses that may be taken for additional credit toward a degree
3. Hours for courses that involve different or more advanced content each time they are taken, including but not limited to, individual music lessons, Workforce Education Courses, manual special topic courses (when the topics change), theater practicum, music performance, ensembles, certain physical education, kinesiology courses and studio art
4. Hours for independent study courses
5. Classes taken prior to fall 2002
6. A student shall be exempted from payment of higher tuition for any course repeated in the final semester or term before graduation if the course(s) is taken for the purpose of receiving a grade that will satisfy a degree requirement. This exemption applies for only one semester. The exemption does not affect an institution’s ability to charge a higher tuition rate for courses that cannot be reported for funding for other reasons such as the excess credit hour limit.

Refer to the 3-Peat Tuition webpage for the most current information regarding these charges.

Exemptions and Waivers From Tuition and Fees

In accordance with Texas legislation, some exemptions and waivers are offered to students who meet certain eligibility criteria. These exemptions and waivers are listed below. For the specific eligibility requirements for each exemption and waiver offered by the university, visit the Exemptions and Waivers webpage.

Additional information is available on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s College for All Texans website.

All exemptions are subject to change at any time by the Texas Legislature. Additionally, if there is any discrepancy between the information published below or on the university’s website and the actual legislation or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s rules, the legislation and rules shall prevail.

Exemptions:

Adopted students formerly in foster or other residential care

Blind/deaf students

Certain survivors of deceased public servants

Children of disabled or deceased firemen, peace officers, game wardens and employees of correctional institutions

Children of prisoners of war or persons missing in action

Children of professional nursing program faculty

Distance learning or off-campus courses

*Vets, children/spouse of disabled veterans (TEC 54.341(a-2)(1)(E) or TEC 54.341 (b)(E)) and students receiving the Hazlewood Legacy exemptions ARE subject to the continuation requirements.

Additionally, in order to maintain eligibility for continuation of an exemption or waiver, undergraduate students must not have completed as of the beginning of the semester or term a number of semester credit hours that is considered to be excessive under Texas Education Code Section 54.014. These can be found on the Tuition Charged for Excessive Undergraduate Credit Hours webpage.

More information about the continuation requirements can be found on the Exemptions and Waivers webpage.

Residents Of Bordering States (Sec 54.0601 Tex Ed. Code)

In lieu of non-resident tuition, students from Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma will be charged the resident rate plus $80 per semester credit hour. Application for the reduced non-resident rate shall be made in the Office of Admissions.

Refund of Tuition and Fees (Sec. 54.006 Tex. Ed. Code)

Note: These policies to return funds due to withdrawal or dropped courses may be modified at any time without prior notice in order to comply with laws, regulations, policies or guidelines:

Withdrawal Refunds

(Also see Academic Programs and Policies - Withdrawal From the University .) A student officially withdrawing from the university is eligible for refund of tuition and certain fees according to the following schedule:

*Students withdrawing prior to the first class day will be subject to a matriculation fee.

Dropped Course Refunds

(Also see Registration - Adding and Dropping Courses .) A student dropping a course is eligible for a full refund of tuition and fees for the course dropped, as follows, provided the student remains enrolled at the university for that semester or term:

• Regular semester - must drop within the first 12 class days
• Summer term - must drop within the first four class days
• Maymester - must drop within the first two class days

Deposits

Residence Life: A student who lives on campus must maintain a $100 deposit with the Residence Life Department for as long as she/he lives on campus.

General Deposit (Sec. 54.502 TEX. ED. CODE): Each student enrolled in the university must make a general deposit of $100. This deposit is subject to charges for property loss, damage and breakage for which the student is responsible, and to cover any other amounts owed by the student to SFA. The deposit, less charges, will be returned to the student within 180 days of withdrawal or graduation, or upon request if the student is no longer enrolled at SFA. Any general deposit that remains without call for refund for a period of four years from the date of last attendance of the student making the deposit shall be forfeited.

Books and Supplies

Students must provide their own textbooks and supplies. The university has contracted with Barnes & Noble to operate its bookstore.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Expenses for laundry, transportation, entertainment and personal incidentals are in addition to the expenses listed in this section.

Returned Payments

A charge will be assessed for each payment returned to the university. This includes any form of payment returned for any reason. Refer to Policy 3.27, Returned Payments, for additional information.

Past Due and Delinquent Accounts

A student’s account is past due when the amount due is not paid by the due date. Holds will be placed on past due accounts, which will prevent the student from registering for classes, making course changes and receiving transcripts. Delinquent accounts and accounts in default will be subject to Policy 3.28, Student Accounts Receivable, and may include reporting the delinquent student’s account to the state for a treasury warrant hold and/or to a credit bureau(s). Any costs associated with collection of delinquent accounts will be assessed to the student, including collection agency fees and/or attorney fees.