Welcome parents! We are sensitive to the fact that parents often conduct the financial business of their university students. We do our best to be helpful while acting within campus policies, and in accordance with state and federal regulations regarding what we can disclose to anyone other than the student. We've taken steps to provide students with convenient Web-based tools to get the information they need to remain in good financial standing, and the means to share it with their parents, but we are required to communicate directly with the student to provide any but the most general information. The following links provide information that parents often want to know. Use your browser's "Back" button to return to this list of topics. |
Please be aware that state and federal privacy laws, as well as University policy, dictate access to a student's financial or personal information, and specify what we can disclose to others, including parents, without the student's written permission.
Convenient online systems are available to students to view financial information and to share it with parents and others who pay their registration expenses. Please review the FAQ section of ZOT Account Online for more information.
Students who wish to allow their financial information to be discussed with another individual (a parent, for example), must print, complete, sign, and personally deliver a hard copy Authorization to Release Financial Information to Campus Billing Services. Students must be prepared to show current picture identification (UCI student ID card, passport, or driver's license).
UCI uses a student's campus e-mail address for many official communications, including registration billings and important notices. Every student must activate a UCInetID and password after admission to UCI and submission of the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), and Statement of Legal Residence (SLR). Students should check and clear out e-mail messages routinely so that important information is not lost due to a full mail box.
It is very important to keep address information up to date for those occasions when written communication or mailing of refund checks is necessary. Students may visit the Registrar's StudentAccess Web site to update address information online.
Academic and Administrative Calendar (Academic year and administrative holidays)
ZOT Bill Schedule (Dates and deadlines for payments)
The New Student Handbook provides tools and resources for new students. Find deadlines and events on the handy calendar, or if you prefer, print a New Student Checklist.
Registration fees and nonresident tuition are assessed each quarter (fall, winter, spring) based on the student's enrollment status: new/continuing, graduate/undergraduate, part-time/full-time, resident/nonresident, professional, or special program, and are billed via electronic ZOTBill approximately 45 days before the beginning of a quarter. These fees must be paid by the Fee Payment Deadline to ensure that enrolled classes will not be dropped, and to avoid late fees.
The SIR is an advance deposit on registration fees paid by the student after being admitted to UCI, when she/he decides to attend. This fee is deducted from the registration fees and can be seen as a credit on the student's ZOT Account Online. The SIR is nonrefundable.
Under certain circumstances, a student may be eligible for a waiver of all or part of the registration fees. The most common is the health insurance waiver, which is granted when the student is covered by private insurance equal to the University's mandatory health insurance. Other waivers are mandated by legislation or University policy, such as veterans' waivers, student/employee waivers, and various nonresident fee waivers. See Waivers and Exemptions for more information, including eligibility requirements.
Both undergraduate and graduate registration fees include a quarterly fee for a University health insurance policy, known as USHIP (undergrads) and GSHIP (grad students). The insurance is mandatory, unless the student is covered by insurance equal to the University's, in which case the student can apply for a waiver. Information about USHIP and the USHIP waiver process is available from the Student Health Center. Information about GSHIP and the GSHIP waiver application is available from the Office of Graduate Studies.
An IRS Form 1098-T (Tuition Payments Statement) is issued annually to UCI students through the Tax Credit Reporting Service (TCRS). As required by the Taxpayer Relief Act, payments and refunds of registration fees and lab charges, along with disbursements of certain types of financial assistance, are reported to the IRS. For most students, 1098-Ts are generated automatically; however, visa students must request forms from Campus Billing Services at tra@uci.edu. Unless electronic delivery has been selected at TCRS, 1098-T forms are mailed to students' designated permanent addresses in late January. Students may retrieve 1098-Ts for the current and previous tax years at the TCRS Web site. UCI's Financial Services Web page offers more information, as does the IRS.
Registration at UCI is a two-part process: enrollment in classes and payment of fees. The Registrar assesses fees each quarter and posts the registration and tuition amount to the Student Billing System for secure access by the student on ZOT Account Online.
The Registrar's Office provides more information about registration and enrollment, and paying by the due date to avoid late penalties.
Students with financial aid or graduate aid must be enrolled in a minimum number of units (MRU requirement) before aid can be applied to fees. For a student with financial aid (grants, loans, and scholarships), the typical MRU to activate aid is 6 units, for graduate support (fellowships and employment-related fee remissions), the MRU is 1 unit. If a student fails to meet the MRU threshold, aid will not be activated, and fees will not be paid automatically. Other conditions may exist that affect a student's ability to pay fees and enroll, including past due debts and financial holds, and all conditions must be met to avoid having classes dropped.
Students should visit ZOT Account Online to verify that registration fees have been paid for the quarter, and they can verify enrollment at the Registrar's Office WebReg.
University of California students must prove their California residence to avoid paying Nonresident Tuition. The Registrar's Office provides detailed information about California Residence and the Nonresident Tuition Fee, as well as an Online Statement of Legal Residence (SLR). Submission of the SLR is required before a new student is assigned a UCInetID, which is required to enroll in classes.
Students may participate in a reduced fee part-time study program for reasons of occupation, family responsibilities, or health. Part-time status may be granted for an academic year with approval of the student’s academic counseling office, in the case of graduate students, the dean of Graduate Studies and the departmental advisor. The Registrar's Office provides detailed information.
Occasionally a department places a hold on a student's academic record to ensure the student takes action on a particular issue, such as meeting with an academic counselor before enrolling in classes. This kind of restriction may prevent transactions such as enrollment in classes, payment of fees, and/or obtaining other University services. Students may view academic record holds in StudentAccess.
The Registrar's Office maintains a permanent record of academic work completed by each student. Students are responsible for carefully examining their enrollment and academic records and may do so throughout the academic year using StudentAccess. Students must promptly notify the Registrar's Office if they find a discrepancy in their records.
Students are billed electronically each month via ZOT Account Online for financial obligations to UCI. Registration and related charges and payments are recorded on ZOT Account Online. Each month, an e-mail is sent to students who have ZOTBill balances or activity, directing them to view current account information on ZOT Account Online. The student's UCInetID and password must be activated to view ZOT Account Online information.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships recognizes that paying for the cost of a UCI education is a partnership among parents, students, and the University. The office is committed to providing a variety of resources and services to assist students and their families with financial aid resources including grants, scholarships, and loans. All eligible students and parents can receive some type of financial assistance, regardless of the family's income and assets.
You may contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at (949) 824-8262.
Financial aid and payments made with aid, are displayed on ZOT Account Online.
Loan Services administers campus-based student loans and disburses the financial aid funds that are designated as pick-up checks. Campus-based loans include the Perkins Loan, University Loan, and other miscellaneous loan programs.
Loan Services maintains loan documentation (e.g., promissory notes, correspondence, etc.) for campus-based loans and is the contact point for their repayment. Federal Direct Loans are handled by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Loan Services is the liaison for the collection of long-term student loans once the student has left school.
Exit Interviews
Exit interviews provide a means for students to receive essential information regarding their rights and responsibilities as student loan borrowers. Students who receive campus-based loans must complete an exit interview when their enrollment falls below half-time (excluding summers). This can occur when taking off a quarter or more from school, withdrawing, or transferring to another institution. Failure to complete an exit interview results in a hold being placed on the student's university records and services. This hold may prevent the student from registering for classes at UCI upon return. For more information, see Exit Interviews.
State and federal laws and University policy prevent campus departmental representatives from releasing any information regarding a student's account to anyone but the student without written authorization from the student. If you are paying fees for a UCI student, the student must e-mail his/her ZOTBill directly to you for information about the amount due.
The UCI Central Cashier accepts payments for registration and other student-related fees, for transcript and enrollment verification requests, library fines, and most other miscellaneous bills for goods and services. Payments for Student Housing contracts and rent, or Parking and Transportation Services permits and citations should be directed to the cashiers in those departments, respectively.
Acceptable Methods of Payment
For your convenience, we accept the following payment types:
Electronic Checks via the Internet. This allows payments to be credited to the student's account immediately. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about ZOT Account Online offers a tutorial on how students or authorized "Other Payers" can sign up and make payments using Net.Pay e-checks. You might want to spend some time with the FAQ page as it's filled with helpful information for you and your student.
Checks. Check payments should include the student I.D. number and be made payable, in U.S. funds, to the Regents of the University of California and mailed to:
UCI Central Cashier
228 Administration Bldg
Irvine CA 92697-1975Cash. Cash payments should be made in person at the Central Cashier's Office, rather than being mailed, so that a receipt may be issued. The office is located at 228 Administration (2nd Floor lobby, across from the Registrar's Office). Hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.
Western Union Quick Collect. This service offers the capability of making a remote payment for those without a checking account. Payments can be made from the United States and many other countries.
Fee Payment Deadlines
Students receive monthly e-mail notifications to view their ZOTBills online if they have a balance or activity on their accounts. The ZOTBill showing registration fees is available about a month in advance of the due date for registration fees and other charges. See the Quarterly Calendar for the fall, winter, and spring due dates (Fee Payment Deadlines) in September, December, and March, respectively.
If you are mailing registration fees for a UCI student, be sure to include your student's ID number on the check. Whether you are mailing a check or making an electronic payment, allow sufficient time for the payment to be received by the Central Cashier on or before the quarterly registration deadline. Postmark dates do not apply, under any circumstances. Late payments incur late fees and may cause the student to lose class enrollment.
Registration Fee Payment Installment Plan
UCI offers PACE, a registration fee installment plan, to pay registration fees in three convenient installments during the quarter. Most students in good academic and financial standing at UCI may apply; contact Campus Billing Services for details.
Education Abroad Program (EAP)
UCI students participating in the Education Abroad Program pay their registration fees to the Universitywide Office of EAP for the quarters in which they are studying abroad. UOEAP is located in Santa Barbara, not at UCI. EAP has its own health insurance program, so participating students should not pay or waive out of the UCI health insurance fee. Be aware, however, that financial obligations and holds at UCI will prohibit payment of fees for EAP. All financial obligations and holds at UCI must be cleared before registration fees can be paid to UOEAP. For more information, see Enrollment at UCI While Abroad and Health Insurance Information for EAP Participants.
EAP Reciprocal Exchange (International) students studying at UCI do not pay registration fees, but are responsible for paying or waiving out of the UCI health insurance fee. For more information, see Fees and Health Insurance.
Late Fees
A $50.00 late registration charge is assessed if registration fees are not paid by the Fee Payment Deadline. An additional $50.00 late enrollment charge is assessed if a student is not enrolled in units by the end of the second week of instruction and a dean's signature is also required. Undergraduates should see their academic counselors, graduate students should see Graduate Studies. The dean's authorization expires after three working days.
A $20.00 ZOT Late Charge is assessed monthly on past due unpaid ZOTBill balances totaling $20.00 or more, excluding registration fees and other late fees. Late fees are nonrefundable.
Lab Fees
Certain laboratory classes (indicated in the online Web Schedule of Classes) require additional fees to cover supplies and materials. Lab fees are billed via electronic ZOTBill based on the student's enrollment at the end of the first and third weeks of instruction. Lab fees are nonrefundable, but in exceptional cases, the lab department may cancel or reverse a lab charge upon request.
Past due debts and financial holds placed by various departments negatively affect a student's ability to register and pay fees at UCI. Up-to-the-minute information is available to students on ZOT Account Online. Messages indicate if there is a hold or payment required and provide contact information to have the hold released.
Charges for student housing at UCI are not currently included on the ZOTBill. These charges are established, and payments are collected, by Student Housing on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Parking charges are not included on the ZOTBill. Parking permits may be purchased in person from Parking and Transportation Services using cash, check, Visa or MasterCard, or online using Visa or MasterCard.
Certain non-registration-related charges are not shown on the ZOTBill, but are tracked by a separate Accounts Receivable and Collections (AR/C) system. These include library fines, student health and tutoring bills, returned check invoices, and other, similar charges for campus goods or services. While ZOTBills are issued electronically, AR/C statements will continue to be sent in paper form until a consolidated bill is developed to include all types of charges.
Students can view AR/C bills on Quick Search, using a UCInetID and password. If a past-due AR/C bill affects the ability to pay for registration, a message will appear on ZOT Account Online, and the student will be directed to Quick Search to see details. Students can pay both the ZOT Account amount due and the AR/C balance electronically from Quick Search. If you try to make an electronic payment for your student while there is an AR/C hold for a past-due debt, you will also be able to see the details in Quick Search and to pay the entire amount due.
Campus Billing Services is the information liaison for both ZOTBill and AR/C questions, and can be reached at (949) UCI-BILL (824-2455) or at CBS@uci.edu.
When a refund is due on a student account, it is issued directly to the student (regardless of who made the payment), unless the payment was made with financial aid funds, in which case, the refund is credited to the appropriate financial aid fund. Please refer to Privacy in this document.
Refunds for Student ZOT Account Credit Balances
When an account shows a credit balance after adjustments resulting from an increase in aid, changes to registration status, late waivers, official withdrawal from the University, or other adjustments, a refund is issued automatically, after all student aid and University obligations are satisfied. The refund is disbursed electronically or by mail.
Refunds for Cancellation/Withdrawal from School
The amount refunded is based on the effective date of the Cancellation/Withdrawal (usually the date the form is submitted to the Registrar's Office approved by the appropriate Dean or the Ombudsman). Refunds are granted only through the 35th calendar day of the quarter. Not all fees are refundable. The Registrar's Office provides more information.
Withdrawing students who received loans must schedule an exit interview with Loan Services at (949) 824-7081, failure to do so may hold up any refunds due to the student.
Health insurance refunds are granted for Cancellation only when the student submits a completed and signed Cancellation/Withdrawal form to the Registrar's Office before the official quarter begin date (see the Academic and Administrative Calendar). Students who officially withdraw after the official quarter begin date are not eligible for a Health Insurance Fee refund and remain insured for the duration of the quarter even though they are not attending UC Irvine, and regardless of where they live.
Any student receiving financial aid and contemplating withdrawing from UCI should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at (949) 824-6261 to speak with a financial aid counselor concerning the financial ramifications of withdrawing.
Refunds for Other Services
Refunds for other services must be obtained from the office that provided the service or product, e.g. the UCI Bookstore, Student Housing, etc.
Upon admission to the University, every undergraduate student is assigned to the school or program that offers the student's selected major, or to the Division of Undergraduate Education if the student's major is undecided/undeclared. Before enrolling in classes, students should talk to an academic counselor to develop an academic plan for course enrollment.
Jurisdiction over all questions of academic regulations and academic standing rests with the counseling office of the school to which a student is assigned, or in the case of undecided/undeclared majors, with the Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Education. Each academic unit provides academic advising for its students and when a Dean's signature is necessary, academic advisors can sign for the Dean of their school, process change of major petitions, and other petitions. Students are responsible for knowing the governing regulations of the school or program to which they are assigned.
The Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools (OARS) offers assistance and provides important information regarding filing dates, general admissions, and selection requirements to prospective and newly admitted students. Once admitted to UCI, students must submit a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and a nonrefundable $100 Acceptance of Admission fee. For more information, see MyAdmissionsApplication@UCI.
The UCI Bookstore is a retail store on campus where students can buy their books and other supplies. UCI Bookstore charges do not appear on ZOT Account Online. The bookstore accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. The bookstore also buys back used textbooks.
The Office of the Dean of Students links students to programs and resource centers concerned with orientation and the enrichment of campus life. It also provides a guide to more than 250 clubs and organizations registered at UCI. This site includes official campus policies and procedures for students and organizations.
The Disability Services Center provides and coordinates support services and programs that enable students with disabilities to maximize their educational potential. DSC serves as a resource for the entire University community, so students with disabilities can freely and actively participate in all facets of University life. A Checklist for Incoming Students with Disabilities provides information about what students should do upon acceptance to the University.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships provides tips and information for obtaining financial assistance at UCI. Their Web page discusses the cost of attending UCI, applying for financial aid, eligibility requirements, required documents, and important deadlines.
The Financial Services Department includes Campus Billing Services, Central Cashier, and Loan Services. Information about these units and the services they provide may be seen on the Financial Services Web page.
The Office of Graduate Studies has information about graduate admissions, enrollment, and advising. You can also learn about opportunities for assistantships, fellowships, and other forms of graduate funding.
UCI Student Housing's site invites you to explore options for both on- and off-campus housing, as well as residential dining. You will find essential information about housing rates, contracts, and rental agreements.
The New Student Handbook is a good resource for students about to begin their UCI experience. A New Student Checklist provides important tips and information on deadlines, enrollment, and paying registration fees.
The Ombudsman is a confidential, neutral, and informal resource to help students solve problems that affect their University life. The office discusses options, mediates disputes, discusses University policy, makes referrals, and helps provide support and information on how UCI works. The Ombudsman cannot address issues that are already in a formal process, such as disciplinary action, formal complaints or grievance hearings, union and/or arbitration hearings.
Contact the Ombudsman at (949) 824-7256.
Parking and Transportation Services offers information on parking permits, alternative transportation (including walking/biking, shuttles, trains, Orange County Transportation Authority buses, vanpools, and carpools), construction-related delays and parking issues, citations, policies, and regulations.
For emergency assistance, dial 9-1-1. For non-emergency assistance, call the UCI Police at (949) 824-5223. The UCI Police Web site has information on crime statistics and campus area alerts.
In the event of a disaster or local emergency, campus information may be obtained by visiting Today@UCI.
The Office of the Registrar is an essential resource for registration and enrollment information, calendars, the Schedule of Classes, residency, enrollment verifications, transcripts, and policies affecting students. Students can access their student records via the Web with StudentAccess at this site.
Summer Session registration is handled on a pay-as-you-go basis and credit cards are accepted by the Summer Sessions office during online enrollment. Students with a balance due for Summer Session can view their account and make an online payment on ZOT Account Online.
The Veteran Student Services Office provides veterans, reservists, and their dependents assistance in obtaining the educational benefits to which they are entitled.
Last edited 02/12/2008