Types of Payments
Paying Online
Acceptable Forms of Payment
Credit Cards -- Why We Don't Take Them
Bill Clearance
Why We May Return Your Payment
Uh Oh, They're Closed...

Types of Payments

The Central Cashier accepts payments for:

• Registration and related fees billed to your ZotAccount.
  These charges may include lab fees and Summer Session balances.
• Housing charges for undergraduate students only.
  Students living in Graduate and Family Housing communities pay at the Housing Cashier (G458 Student Center). 
• AR/C account charges shown in QuickSearch.
  These include various miscellaneous fees such as Library fines and  returned checks. 
• Service charges for student transactions.
  Please view our Central Cashier Services / Price List web page for more information.

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Paying Online

We strongly encourage current students to use Net.Pay, UCI's online payment service.  Advantages include:

• Convenience.
  Payments are credited directly to your student accounts, typically within moments.  Avoid waiting in line or missing a deadline.
• Accessibility.
  Initiate a payment from ZotAccount Online or QuickSearch, while viewing your student accounts.
• Security.
  Access Net.Pay after you have authenticated with your UCINetID and password.  Verify online that the payment has been applied to your student account. 
• Control.
  Pay your entire Account Balance, or specifically the Amount Due.  Authorize "other payers" to make payments on your behalf. 

Register to pay online following the instructions in ZOTAccount Online. Then you may invite "other payers," such as a parent or spouse.  Each other payer you designate will receive an e-mail message from you, with an unique Activation ID.  Other payers may follow the tutorials in ZotAccount Online for signing up and making payments to your student accounts.  An other payer has access only to your current payment amount, and his/her own payment history.

You will not receive a Cashier's receipt when you pay online.  Your proof of payment is the unique tracking number displayed on Net.Pay's Payment Confirmation and Payment History pages.  Note that online payments completed after 5:00 PM PST are recorded as paid on the following day.  Your online payment must have an Effective Payment Date on or before the payment deadline to be considered on-time.

To avoid rejected or returned payments, carefully enter your account information into Net.Pay pages, and wait for the system to confirm payment before proceeding.  If you encounter a problem, such as a duplicate payment, please contact our office immediately for instructions.   Always review your student accounts with  ZotAccount Online and QuickSearch, to be sure your payment was applied as intended.

You may pay for University Extension fees, Parking permits and citations, and Bookstore purchases online through those departments' web sites.

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Acceptable Forms of Payment

The Central Cashier processes cash and checks only; no credit cards are accepted.  Checks may include money orders, cashier's checks, or traveler's checks.  All payments must be U.S. funds.

A personal check should display the following:

• payable to the Regents of the University of California, or UC Regents;
• your student ID number;
• completed with the proper amount in the written and printed areas;
• signed by an account holder;
• given the current date (post-dated checks are not accepted);
• a complete address for the account holder; and,
• bank branch information and account number imprinted by the bank.

You may be required to pay with certified funds (cashier's check, money order, or cash) in certain situations.  For example, if you are paying for a returned check invoice by mail, you may be asked to send a money order.  Cashier's checks and money orders may be issued by your bank or credit union; check the institution's web site for the cost and availability.  Banking facilities and ATMs are available in the Student Center at convenient locations.

Never mail cash payments.

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Credit Cards - Why We Don't Take Them

Although some UCI offices have the capability, the Central Cashier cannot accept credit cards.  For the types of payments we process, we are legally prohibited from adding credit card fees, or otherwise passing on the extra expense to credit card users. We understand that a credit card makes paying convenient; however, we simply are not funded to absorb the cost of doing business with credit cards .

You may make a payment by obtaining a cash advance against your credit card, or by writing a credit card check.  Be sure to check with the credit card company first, about the fees and interest rates associated with these options.  Credit card checks are accepted in person or by mail; however, as stated in the Terms and Conditions, you may not use a credit card check with UCI's Net.Pay online payment service.

 If you are unable to pay your registration fees in full,  then consider UCI's registration fee installment payment plan, known as PACE.  This plan is designed to spread the cost of registration into three monthly payments over the length of the quarter.

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Bill Clearance

Your student accounts must be clear of outstanding debts and  holds for you to access certain services.  For example, you may not obtain your transcript or diploma, while you have a financial hold.  When processing requests for such services, the Central Cashier will perform a "bill clearance," by checking your student accounts.  If you have an outstanding debt or hold on your student records, your request may be delayed, or returned to you unprocessed.

You may use Quick Search to check your AR/C account for invoices, returned checks, and/or departmental holds.  Log on to  ZOTAccount Online to view outstanding lab fees, late registration fees, or other charges related to registration and enrollment.  To clear your accounts in advance of making a request for services, QuickSearch or ZOTAccount Online have convenient "make payment" options for paying electronically with Net.Pay.

You may include payment for your financial obligations with your request, by adding the outstanding balance to the service charges and mailing fees given on the Central Cashier Services / Price List web page.  In addition, all holds must be cleared with the originating department.  Contact Campus Billing Services at (949) 824-2455 for instructions on clearing your student accounts.  In certain circumstances, you may be asked to pay with certified funds (cashier's check, money order, or cash).  

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Your Receipt

When you make a payment in person, then before leaving our window, be sure to check your receipt for the following:

• your student id number and name;
• the desired number of items purchased (for example, 3 transcripts);
• the correct description or invoice number for the item(s) paid (for example, "Zot Summary Amount" for a payment to your ZotAccount); and,
• the amount paid.

You will not receive a Cashier's receipt when you pay online, by mail, or through a drop box.  The unique tracking number issued by Net.Pay is your proof of an online payment.   Your personal check, once it has cleared your bank, serves as proof of payment by mail or drop box.  

Always review your student accounts with  ZotAccount Online and QuickSearch, to be sure your payment was applied as intended.  If you notice an error, please contact our office immediately.  Payments that we receive and apply to student and campus department accounts are deposited to the bank on the same business day.

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Why We May Return Your Payment

The Central Cashier recognizes that your payment is important.  Our goal is timely and accurate payment application, so you meet deadlines and avoid late penalties.  Certain situations, however, prevent us from processing your payment, and we may return it to you without notice.

• We don't know what you're trying to pay.
  Please include your student ID number on the check to identify your account.  In the memo section of the check, write the invoice number or describe what you're trying to pay. 
• The specific invoice or bill you indicated already has been paid.
  We process payments as they are received.  If we receive two payments for the same item, we may return the later one, or ask you if it may be applied to another obligation. 
• There is an issue with your bill clearance.
  You may have a records hold or past-due charge that prevents us from processing payment for services such as registration or a transcript request; see Bill Clearance, above.
• Your check has an error.
  The check may be post-dated, unsigned, or have missing or incorrect information; see Acceptable Forms of Payment, above.

If you are the checking account holder, and believe we've returned a payment in error, please contact us and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.

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Uh Oh, They're Closed....

We do our best to make it easy for you to make a payment to UCI.  During peak periods, we encourage you to pay online, whenever possible.  Use the postage-free drop boxes, conveniently located around campus, to pay after hours, or to avoid waiting in line.  

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