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Billing Questions
Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't my financial aid appearing as a credit on my bill from SUNY-ESF?

Aid will only appear as a credit on a SUNY-ESF bill once it has been confirmed, certified, or guaranteed as a valid source of funding that will be processed by the Bursar's Office. Some common causes for aid to not appear include:

1. The student has not responded to the original or an amended Financial Aid Notification Letter [ex. loans].
2. The student and/or parent has not completed all of the required paperwork for the aid source [ex. loans].
3. The award amount is estimated and will not be confirmed until certified by the award source [ex. TAP].
4. The aid is from a private source and the funds have not yet arrived at the school for processing. [ex. outside scholarships]
5. The aid source can not be applied to the bill [ex. work-study, graduate student stipends].

Why isn't my financial aid appearing as a credit on my housing and meal plan bill from Syracuse University?

Financial aid from SUNY-ESF can not appear as a credit on a Syracuse University bill. Instead, the SUNY-ESF bill will list any refund amount that is due to the student and/or parent. This amount represents what will be available for other expenses, SU charges included, once the charges to ESF have been paid.

Please remember that the student is responsible for ensuring that any charges from Syracuse University have been paid each semester.

Will SUNY-ESF automatically pay my housing and meal plan bill from Syracuse Univeristy using financial aid funds?

No. SUNY-ESF is not legally allowed to deliver aid refunds to anyone other than the student and/or parent, depending on the source of the funds. Students are responsible for ensuring that any excess financial aid funds are manually delivered to the Syracuse University Bursar Office for payment of outstanding charges.

I have received a bill from Syracuse University for housing and meal plan charges. The listed due date is earlier than the date when financial aid refunds will be available. How can I be expected to pay the SU bill without my financial aid refund?

Syracuse University is aware that financial aid refunds are not available for SUNY-ESF students until the start of each semester. Therefore, SU will wait until then before collecting for room and board charges. However, ESF students are responsible for providing documentation as proof that there will be enough funding for those charges. This can be done by submitting a copy of the Financial Aid Award Notification Letter to Syracuse University along with the bill. Proof must be submitted by the initial due date to ensure that no late charges will be assessed.