Student Payment System FAQs

Stanford’s New Student Payment System: Autumn 2021

What do I need to know about the new payment system?

Please review this Quick Start Guide to learn about what’s new, important dates, and that continuing students will have to re-enter bank account information. Authorized users, who used to make payments on ePay, will have to set up a new login on the student payment system.

What about late fees?

Late fees will be waived until Oct. 20, 2021.

Typically, unpaid balances will result in the assessment of a 1% late fee towards the entire account balance, however, we will waive any late fees on your September bill as a courtesy to allow more time for you and your family to become better acquainted with the new payment system.

This late fee waiver will be active until October 20, 2021 (the next balance due date). If you continue to have an unpaid balance, in addition to late fees, your Winter enrollment may be affected. If you wish to avoid future holds or negative impacts to your account, we strongly encourage you to pay any balances as soon as you are able.

When will I incur charges if I change my Autumn 2021 enrollment?
Additional student fees incurred because of changes to your enrollment won’t be due until Oct. 20, 2021.

Any registration of courses that creates an increase in your student fees will not have to be paid until October 20, 2021 (the next balance due date).

For more details about due dates, visit this Billing Dates and Deadlines webpage.

Making a Payment

How will I know when my bill is ready to be viewed?

Unless you have a $0 balance, you will receive a balance notification email with a link to the student payment system. Notifications are sent out monthly each quarter around the 25th and payments are due the following month on the 20th. For more details, see this Billing Dates and Deadlines webpage.

How do I make a payment?

Save time and pay online. It’s quick and easy. Follow these instructions. You can find information on additional methods of payment here.

Does Stanford accept payments from 529 accounts and how?

Yes, please refer to these payment methods for more instructions on how to work with your financial institution to direct funds to your student account.

I want to pay by Western Union and can’t find the option in the student payment system. How come?

A new process is now in place for paying through Western Union. Please refer to the additional payment methods webpage for details on using this service.

What happens if my checking account has insufficient funds when I make a payment online?

The student payment system will attempt to process the transaction. If unsuccessful, the payer will receive an email notifying them that the payment did not go through. The student's account is assessed a returned check charge in the amount of the returned electronic check and a non-refundable $25 administrative fee.

Can I pay using a credit card?

Stanford University does not accept debit or credit card payments at this time. The preferred methods of payment are listed on this webpage. Additional payment methods accepted by Stanford are outlined here.

What if I need support using the student payment system, including making a payment?

If you are having difficulty navigating the screens and forms for making a payment in the new system, please contact the Student Services Center. Ensuring the system is easily accessible is our top priority.

Printing a statement

How do I get a copy of all my charges and payments?

On the Account Activity page, you can print a report for an individual term or use the Generate Activity Report option at the top of the page. Here, you can generate a report for selected terms or for a date range. Get more information on this webpage.

How can I see and print transactions for all terms?

The Account Activity page displays six terms including future terms. To see and have the option to print more terms from the Generate Activity Report function, scroll down and select on the button to “view more terms”. Get more information on this webpage.

Charges, credits and adjustments

I'm a new student. What charges should I expect to see on my account for Autumn?

New undergraduate students should expect to see Tuition, ASSU fee, Document Fee, and Cardinal Care Health Insurance (unless waived) on their account regardless of whether they are living on campus. If you are living on campus, you will also see the Campus Health Service Fee as well as Room and Board charges.

To estimate your charges, use these guides:

The housing office told me they will be adjusting my housing charges. How long until I see adjustments reflected on my student account?

Housing charges and adjustments post daily. You should see the changes reflected on your Account Activity page of the student payment system within one week.

How long does it take for my outside scholarship to be posted to my account?

Generally, all financial aid is posted daily by the Financial Aid Office. You should see your funding posted to your Account Activity page of the student payment system within one week (or five business days). If you have questions, contact your Financial Aid Office:

I am looking for a payment I made that isn’t showing on my account. How do I find it?

Review your Account Activity page of the student payment system for your payment. Payments made by check or through a third party can take up to 10 business days to be received and processed. If you made a payment outside of the student payment system, view processing expectations on this webpage.

The Student Services Center can provide you with information regarding the status of your payment. Submit a help request containing the payment information (date of payment, transaction or receipt number, or any other helpful payment information) for additional support.

I do not understand my Stanford CardPlan (SCP) Charges. How do I get help?

Review your Account Activity page of the student payment system to review the details of charges posted against your account. If you think this is erroneous or need more information, please contact the Student Services Center by submitting a help request for additional support.

For more information about SCP, visit this webpage.

Why do I have a past due balance when I had paid everything for a specific term?

Review your Account Activity page and the list of terms to see if you have an outstanding balance for the current or prior term. Looking at the term details, you will see all of your transactions, when they were added, and the due date. If you need assistance regarding your student financial account, submit a help request to the Student Services Center.

I was approved to take a Leave of Absence (LOA) for a specific term, but I still see charges. Why is that?

The precise timing of a LOA during a term determines whether you are still responsible for a percentage of the original charges on your account. You can review the tuition refund schedule here.You are encouraged to verify that your LOA request has been processed by the Registrar. To verify, log back into Axess and navigate to the Student eForms portal.

Waiving Healthcare

When do I have to decide on my health insurance?

You have to make your health insurance decision by September 15. If you wish to waive or acknowledge enrollment in Cardinal Care for the academic year, take action via Axess or by submitting your waiver petition to the Health Insurance Office at Vaden Health Center. If you don't take action by September 15, you will remain enrolled in Cardinal Care for the upcoming academic year.

How much is Cardinal Care?

Check the Cardinal Care website for information on annualized health insurance charges for the upcoming academic year.

Authorized Users

What is an authorized user?

You can authorize other people, such as a parent or spouse, to have access to your student financial account as an Authorized User. This person will be able to view all of your financial transactions and make payments on your behalf. For more information, see this webpage.

How can my Authorized User reset their password?

From the login screen, have your authorized user select “Forgot Password” and follow the email instructions to reset their password. Review this webpage for more information for authorized users on your account.

I'm an authorized user and I'm having trouble logging in. How do I get help?

Be sure to use the email address that was used to set up your account, which is the same email address that received an invitation to the Stanford student payment system. Follow these instructions for authorized users.

When you first use the system, you’ll have to create a username and pick a secure password. Usernames and passwords are case sensitive. Make sure the Caps Lock on the keyboard is turned OFF.

If you forget your password, click on the Forgot Password link and follow the email instructions to reset your password.

If you're still not able to log in, please ask your student to re-invite you as an authorized user in the new system. They can follow these instructions.

I requested access to my student’s account and get an error when I enter my student’s ID and date of birth. What should I do?

While authorized user logins can be created for Stanford’s student payment system, it is not the process for gaining access to your student’s financial account. Access to your student’s account must instead be initiated by the student. Please ask your student to follow the instructions on this webpage to add you as an authorized user.

If you attempt to create your own login and follow prompts to Add a Student, along with their ID and date of birth, you will get an error. That’s because this function is not currently available. For security reasons, date of birth information is not available in our student payment system, so the verification fails and an error message appears.

Payroll Deduction

I’m enrolled into Payroll Deduction. Why weren’t all of my charges paid on my account?

When signing up for payroll deduction, you may select one of four categories of charges to be paid. Charges outside of the selected category will not be included in the Payroll Deduction Plan. Browse this Payroll Deduction Plan webpage for more information.

I thought I was enrolled in Payroll Deductions during a specific term. What happened?

If at the time payroll deduction is calculated, you have less than $500 in eligible charges outstanding, you will be ineligible for the Payroll Deduction Plan. For example, if you opted to have payroll deduction pay housing charges only, and a form of financial aid subsequently paid the housing charges, you would not be included in the plan. Browse this Payroll Deduction Plan webpage for more information.

Refunds

How can I request to see my refund sources?

All activities on your student financial account, including refunds, can be viewed on the account activity page and organized by term. If you have questions about a specific transaction, submit a help request to the Student Services Center.

Why did I receive a refund for a specific term, but still have unpaid charges?

Some forms of financial aid, such as stipends, are ineligible to pay certain charges. Students can opt to use their refund to pay their outstanding charges manually.

How do I sign up for Direct Deposit?

Students can sign up for direct deposit in their Axess account. See these details on direct deposit.

Understanding My Student Financial Account

What do the numbers in parentheses mean on the Account Activity?

An amount in parenthesis signifies the removal of the amount posted. In the case of a charge, it is a removal of the charge. In the case of a payment, it is the reversal of that payment.

Why do I have a financial hold?

There are several reasons for a financial hold. The most common is that there are charges on your financial account that are more than 30 days past due, and the hold will be removed once the balance due amount has been made. If you need additional assistance, please submit a help request to the Student Services Center.

Fee Waivers or Third Party Contracts

What is the status of my third-party contract invoicing?

You will need to confirm that Student Financial Services has received and processed your letter of guarantee on/before the first billing due date of the term. Log into Axess to view your account to ensure the proper tuition and fee adjustments have been made.

I am on a Third Party Contract (TPC) invoicing. When will my sponsor receive the invoice for my term charges?

Annual dates and deadlines are updated every August. For the current academic year's information, view this webpage.

I am a Visiting Student Researcher (VSR), can I enroll in TPC?

All eligibility requirements for Third Party Contract (TPC) invoicing can be found on this TPC eligibility webpage.

Financial Aid and GFS Recipients

Where is my financial aid or GFS funding?

Ensure you have already accepted your aid. This will provide you with the most accurate balance information in your student financial account. Financial aid – loans, grants, stipends and graduate student funding (GSF) – is viable as anticipated aid on the student payment system Account Summary page.

I am on financial aid. How much do I have to pay?

Financial aid and graduate funding will be visible as anticipated aid on the Account Summary page of your student financial account, and is auto-deducted from the balance due. If financial aid is less than your total charges, you will be required to pay the remaining balance before the posted due date.

When your aid has been applied to your account, which happens just before the first due date for each term, the line items on the account activity page will change from anticipated aid to a credit.

Visit Stanford’s Financial Aid Office website for more information.

What is the status of my graduate student funding?

Refer to the GFS snapshot on My Axess for details on your graduate funding sources.