About this Page

This page summarizes the financial aid, bursar, and enrollment policies that apply to all KYSU Online students, including changes effective July 1, 2026, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the financial provisions of Senate Bill 185 (enacted April 2026). It incorporates the KYSU Online Course Drop and Withdrawal Policy and the KYSU Online Student Financial Aid Packaging Policy. It is intended for students managing their own enrollment and for Student Support Concierge, Bursar, and Financial Aid staff who support them. All policies are governed by federal Title IV regulations and KYSU institutional policy. When in doubt, contact the Financial Aid Office before making any enrollment changes.

Legislative Update: One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Signed into law July 4, 2025 │ Changes effective July 1, 2026 (2026–27 aid year)

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) significantly changes federal financial aid eligibility, borrowing limits, and repayment options. The information below summarizes the changes most relevant to KYSU Online students. Contact the Financial Aid Office with questions.

Pell Grant Eligibility Changes

• Students whose scholarships meet or exceed their full *Cost of Attendance (COA) are no longer eligible for a Pell Grant.
• Students with a **Student Aid Index (SAI) of $14,790 or more (2× the Pell maximum of $7,395) are no longer eligible for a Pell Grant.
• Students enrolled in qualifying vocational or trade school programs are now eligible for Pell Grants.

*Cost of attendance (COA) is a school’s official estimate of the total cost to be a student there for one academic year, including both tuition and living expenses.

**A Student Aid Index (SAI) is a number calculated from your FAFSA that colleges use to estimate how much need‑based financial aid you may be eligible for; it is not the amount you will pay or the amount of aid you will receive.

Federal Loan Borrowing Limits (New for 2026–27)

⚠  KYSU Online Impact — Enrollment-Based Loan Proration: Beginning July 1, 2026, loan amounts for new borrowers will be prorated based on enrollment intensity (see Section 2). Students enrolled less than full-time will borrow a proportionally reduced amount. A minimum of half-time enrollment (6 credit hours) is now required to receive any federal student loan disbursement.

• Undergraduate students are subject to existing annual borrowing limits, with a lifetime cap of $257,500 across all federal loans combined.
• Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 per year, with a lifetime limit of $100,000. Professional students in fields such as law and medicine have higher allowances — up to $50,000 annually and $200,000 over a lifetime.
• Parents borrowing through the Parent PLUS program may take out up to $20,000 per year per student, with a per-student lifetime cap of $65,000. The Graduate PLUS loan has been discontinued for new borrowers.

Repayment Plan Changes

• The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) calculates monthly payments based on adjusted gross income. The loan is considered fully repaid either when the balance reaches $0 or after 360 qualifying monthly payments — whichever comes first.
• The existing Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan remains in place. All prior income-driven repayment plans — including SAVE, PAYE, and ICR — are consolidated into either RAP or IBR.

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Understanding Your Bursar Account

The Bursar manages your student account, which includes all tuition charges, fees, financial aid credits, payment processing, and refund disbursements. Understanding how your Bursar account works helps you avoid holds, late fees, and the enrollment and debt-collection consequences described in the SB 185 section of this document.

12.1 How to Access Your Account

You can view your student account at any time through WIRED (Banner Self-Service). To check your balance, log in at wired.kysu.edu using your KYSU credentials, navigate to the Student Account or equivalent billing section, and review your Account Summary for current charges, credits, and any outstanding balance.

💡 Best Practice: Check your account in WIRED at least once per month and always before and after registration, financial aid disbursement, and enrollment changes. Do not wait for a bill or a notice — your account balance is updated in real time.

12.2 Reading Your Account Statement

Your student account in WIRED displays all charges and credits for each term. Tuition appears as per-credit-hour charges for your enrolled courses; KYSU Online tuition is charged at a flat per-credit rate regardless of residency. Technology fees are mandatory institutional fees assessed each term. Financial aid credits — including grants, scholarships, and loans — appear as negative amounts that reduce your balance. Any payments you have made directly (online, by check, or through a payment plan installment) are reflected as payment line items. Third-party credits represent payments from an employer, military tuition assistance program, or other external sponsor applied on your behalf. If your credits exceed your charges, the surplus appears as a refund disbursement (see Section 12.5). Any unpaid charges carried forward from a previous term appear as a prior-term balance and count toward the SB 185 $1,000 threshold.

⚠ If you see a charge you do not recognize, contact the Bursar immediately. Do not assume it will resolve itself. Unaddressed charges accumulate and can trigger a hold or debt referral under SB 185.

12.3 Payment Deadlines and Methods

Tuition and fees are due by the published payment deadline for each term. Deadlines are listed in the Online Academic Calendar and in WIRED. If your financial aid has not been applied to your account by the payment deadline, you are still responsible for any remaining balance. Accepted payment methods include online payment through WIRED (by credit/debit card or electronic check), payment by check mailed to the Business Office, or in-person payment at the Bursar's window during business hours.

⚠ Important: Registering for courses creates a financial obligation. If you register and do not pay or formally drop by the deadline, you will be charged. Always follow the official drop/withdrawal process described in Section 3 of this document.

12.4 Payment Plans

If you cannot pay your balance in full by the payment deadline, you may be eligible for a payment plan, which divides your balance into scheduled installments over the term. To set up a payment plan, contact the Bursar before the payment deadline.

💡 Tip: Setting up a payment plan is always better than ignoring a balance. If you are unsure whether you qualify, ask.

12.5 Refund Disbursements (Credit Balances)

When your financial aid, scholarships, and other credits exceed your total charges for the term, the remaining balance is a credit balance that is disbursed to you as a refund. Refunds are processed after financial aid has been officially disbursed and applied to your account, which typically occurs after the start of each term following the census date and enrollment verification. Refunds are issued through BankMobile, the university's refund disbursement partner, and delivery time after processing depends on the method you selected. You must set up your refund preference in your BankMobile account — your refund cannot be delivered until you complete BankMobile enrollment. Check your KYSU email for enrollment instructions and complete this step as soon as you are admitted to avoid delays.

If your enrollment changes after disbursement — for example, if you drop or withdraw from courses — your aid may be reduced and you may owe money back.

⚠ Do not spend your refund before your enrollment is final. If you receive a refund and later drop or withdraw, an R2T4 calculation may require you to return a portion of your financial aid. Any refund amount tied to unearned aid becomes a balance you owe to the university. Budget accordingly, especially during the first few weeks of the term.

12.6 Third-Party Billing (Employer, Military, and Sponsor Payments)

If a third party — such as your employer, a military tuition assistance program (Army Ignited, GI Bill, MyCAA), or another sponsoring organization — is paying part or all of your tuition, you are responsible for ensuring the Bursar has the required authorization on file before the payment deadline.

If your employer provides tuition reimbursement, submit the official authorization letter or voucher to the Bursar before the payment deadline. If your employer reimburses you after grades are posted rather than paying upfront, you are responsible for paying tuition yourself or arranging a payment plan in the interim. If you are using military tuition assistance, submit your authorization through Army Ignited or the appropriate branch portal; the Bursar must receive confirmation before charges can be deferred, so submit early to account for processing time. If you are using GI Bill or VA benefits, provide your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the KYSU Veterans Affairs certifying official, Everett Bracken. For any other sponsor or voucher, submit the sponsor's official authorization letter to the Bursar; the letter must specify your name, the term, the maximum dollar amount, and any applicable conditions.

💡 Key Point: If a third-party payment is delayed or denied, you — not the third party — are responsible for the balance. Always have a backup plan and monitor your account in WIRED to confirm that expected payments have been received.

12.7 Holds on Your Account

A hold is a restriction placed on your account that prevents you from completing certain actions. A financial hold placed by the Bursar for an unpaid balance will block course registration, transcript requests, and diploma release; it is resolved by paying the outstanding balance in full or establishing an approved payment plan. A financial aid hold will prevent disbursement of aid until you complete any outstanding requirements with the Financial Aid Office, such as verification documents, FAFSA corrections, or a SAP appeal. An enrollment or registration hold under SB 185 — triggered by a balance exceeding $1,000 that is more than 30 days past due — blocks admission, readmission, registration, and continued enrollment; see the SB 185 section of this document for resolution steps. An academic hold blocks registration and is resolved by contacting your advisor or the Online Registrar to complete required academic actions, such as an advisor meeting or academic plan.

💡 Tip: You can check for holds in WIRED under your student profile. The hold description will identify which office placed it — contact that office directly to resolve it, and do not wait until you try to register and find yourself blocked.

12.8 When to Contact the Bursar vs. Financial Aid vs. Your SSC

Knowing who to contact saves time and prevents your question from being routed through multiple offices.

• For questions about your account balance, charges, payments, payment plans, holds, or refund status, contact the Bursar.
• For questions about your financial aid award, FAFSA, loan disbursement, SAP status, or R2T4 calculation, contact the Financial Aid Office.
• For questions about dropping or withdrawing from a course, enrollment changes, or general advising, contact your Student Support Concierge (SSC).
• For VA/GI Bill certification or military tuition assistance processing, contact KYSU Veterans Affairs or Everett Bracken directly.
• For academic holds, registration blocks, or transcript requests, contact the Online Registrar.

Roles & Responsibilities

Each member of the KYSU Online community carries specific responsibilities in the enrollment change and withdrawal process.

Students are responsible for initiating all add, drop, and withdrawal requests; acknowledging the financial aid impact in writing before any withdrawal is processed; and knowing all applicable deadlines.

Student Support Concierges (SSCs) serve as the central coordinators for enrollment changes. Their responsibilities include:

• Processing all enrollment changes
• Notifying Financial Aid and faculty of any withdrawal
• Maintaining a daily enrollment change log
• Facilitating late-request approvals
• Submitting the first-week attendance report

Faculty, Instructors, and LMS Coordinators are responsible for confirming a student's Last Date of Attendance (LDA) within two business days of notification, monitoring Canvas activity weekly, and flagging any student who has been inactive for 14 or more consecutive days.

The Financial Aid Office reviews aid impact before drops or withdrawals are finalized, performs R2T4 calculations for total withdrawals, updates aid awards based on enrollment changes, and monitors SAP compliance each term.

The Bursar manages student accounts, including billing students for charges owed and processing refunds when a credit balance exists on the account.

The Online Registrar processes official and administrative withdrawals, posts "W" grades in Banner, drops Never-Attend students during week two, and maintains the Academic Calendar deadlines.

The Director of Online Education approves or denies late enrollment change requests, reviews extenuating circumstance documentation, and approves late withdrawals submitted after the deadline.

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Key Compliance Timelines

The following deadlines govern compliance obligations across the enrollment change and withdrawal process:

• Never-Attend reporting to the Online Registrar — due by the end of Module 1 / Week 1
• Faculty confirmation of Last Date of Attendance — within 2 business days of notification
• R2T4 calculation completion — within 45 days of the withdrawal date determination
• Post-withdrawal disbursement offer — within 30 days of the withdrawal determination
• Return of unearned Title IV funds (institutional share) — within 45 days of the withdrawal date determination
• SAP evaluation — at the end of each payment period
• Never-Attend documentation retention — minimum of 5 years
• Loan Change Form (two-term packaging) — must be submitted before the start of the initial term
• Administrative withdrawal for inactivity — initiated after 21 consecutive days of no academic engagement