15 Things to Know About Paying Tuition for the First Time

15 Things to Know About Paying Tuition for the First Time

If you're a first-time LSU student, you may not know all the in's and out's of a fee bill. Your fee bill includes tuition and fees for the upcoming semester. Paying and submitting your fee bill is also called "completing registration," which is an important term to remember. Completing registration is required to enroll at LSU.

Below are some helpful hints to guide you through your first fee bill at LSU.

1. View your fee bill on myLSU

Fee bills are not mailed. You'll view your fee bill on myLSU under "Registration Services."

2. Complete your immunization requirements to view your fee bill

If you haven't completed your immunization requirements, you won't be able to view your fee bill.

3. myLSU may be slow on the first day fee bills are available

Due to the large number of students accessing their fee bill on the first day, its likely myLSU will be slow or possibly inaccessible at some points. Just be patient. You'll be able to view yours eventually.

4. Fee bills are due every semester

When you view your fee bill, you'll be viewing what's owed to the university for the fall semester only. You will pay another fee bill in December for the spring semester and in May for the summer semester (if you register for summer classes).

5. You can pay by credit card or bank draft

You can pay your fee bill with a bank draft or by credit card (Master Card, Visa, American Express, or Discover). If paid by credit card, there is a 2.5% processing fee added.

6. You’ll also pay for on-campus housing, parking, and your meal plan with your fee bill

If you are living on campus, have a meal plan, or have purchased a parking permit, all of these charges will also be posted on your fee bill. Remember, you pay your fees one semester at a time, so you'll only be paying for one semester of the charges. An exception to this is parking, which is paid in full for the entire year on the fall semester fee bill.

7. Deferred payment is available

If you are unable to pay your entire fee bill balance at once, you can choose the Deferred Payment Plan. Deferred payment allows you to pay half of your fee bill by the due date. The remaining balance will be split into three equal payments that are due October 1, November 1, and December 1 (for the fall semester fee bill).

The deferred payment fee is only $15. You can select the Deferred Payment Plan on myLSU under "Registration Services."

8. Verify you accepted all desired financial aid awards

View which awards you accepted or declined on myLSU under "Financial Services," then "Financial Aid," then "Financial Aid and Scholarships." If grants or loans you anticipated receiving are not credited to your fee bill, contact Financial Aid.

9. You must complete entrance counseling to receive a federal loan

If you are receiving any type of federal loan, you must complete entrance counseling and submit the applicable promissory note(s) or your aid will not be credited to you.

10. You must be registered full-time to receive your scholarships/TOPS

If you're receiving a university scholarship or TOPS, make sure you schedule 12 or more credit hours (full-time status). If you are waitlisted in a class and not scheduled full-time, your scholarship will not be credited to you (until the waitlisted class is added to your schedule).

11. Your work study will not show as a credit on your fee bill

If you are a recipient of work study, President's Student Aid, or President's Future Leaders in Research, your award amount will not be credited to your fee bill. Instead, this amount can be earned through your on-campus employment. You will be paid bi-weekly based on your hours worked.

12. You must still “complete registration” with a $0 balance

If you have a zero balance on your fee bill, make sure you select the "complete registration" button on your fee bill to officially complete registration. If you don't fully complete registration, your scheduled classes will be purged.

13. You can give your parent(s) access to your fee bill via myProxy

Your parent(s) can view your fee bill through a myProxy account.

14. A fee bill is different than a billing statement

Also on myLSU is your "Billing Statement" (under "Financial Services"). The billing statement is a history of all charges and payments between you and LSU. The fee bill is a summary of charges that need to paid by a particular date for an upcoming semester.

15. The Bursar is the “keeper of the purse”

You may have never heard of a "Bursar" before, but the Bursar's Office handles all student financial records. Bursar is Latin for "official in charge of funds" or "keeper of the purse."