Student Collections

UVA Collections is an internal Student Financial Services unit. It's our responsibility to collect delinquent long-term student loans and delinquent accounts receivable over 120 days from inactive students. The aging date for receivables is based on the original due date of the charges that were posted on the student account. One of our jobs is to help students figure out a way to pay the past due charges. Students are referred to internal UVA Collections only when enrollment with the University is inactivated. Currently enrolled students are excluded from the UVA Collections process.

All students are responsible for payment of charges in full by the due date. Any amount owed to the University including, but not limited to, tuition, fees, room, board, and loans, is considered a receivable to the University. A receivable becomes past due if payment is not received by the payment due date. When a receivable becomes past due a financial hold is placed that prevents students from registering for future terms or making changes to the current term schedule until the balance is paid in full. In addition, degree candidates must meet all financial requirements in order to be eligible for graduation-related privileges, including receiving their diploma and having their degree conferred.

Every student who has attended the University since fall 2012 has been required to sign an annual Financial Responsibility Agreement by which the student agrees to pay all charges on their student account.

See the current-year Financial Responsibility Agreement

If we cannot help you clear the debt through UVA Collections, we are required to refer outstanding obligations to external collection agencies. See the "Student Collections Timeline' below regarding UVA Collections activity and the referral process to outside collection agencies. 

Collecting delinquent debts involves multiple communication methods including written, verbal, and in-person contact. If you received notice that your account was referred to a collection agency, all payment arrangements thereafter must be made through the collection agency.

Important note about course registration: Students will not be permitted to register for a new term until the account balance is paid in full, even if the student is enrolled in a Collection Payment Plan. 

There are many terms related to collections activities that you might not be familiar with, so we have created a glossary of common terms available for you to keep close by as a reference.

 

Disputed Charges

UVA Collections is responsible for managing the past due debt. If you feel that you are being charged incorrectly, you should contact the department directly, as SFS collects on behalf of the University departments. If you are unsure who to contact, you can email our office at [email protected], and we'll help however we can.

Collection Payment Plans

When students reach collection status, eligible students, based on their account balance, may be offered a collection payment plan that carries no interest. If eligible for this payment plan, students and their Authorized Users will be notified by email from UVAPay. Only students can enroll in a collection payment plan. Authorized Users cannot enroll in collection payment plans on behalf of their students. Students select the number of installments they prefer, the date they want their automated payment to be processed every month, and pay a one-time $50 enrollment fee.

Collection payment plans can also be customized, within guidelines and limitations, to fit the student's monthly budget. The student must consult with UVA Collections staff to arrange a customized payment plan.

Course Registration: A student will not be permitted to register for a new term until the account balance is paid in full, even if the student is enrolled in a Collection Payment Plan. 

Official Transcripts: A student who requests an official transcript for employment, financial aid, or military purposes, or to transfer to another University is eligible to receive an official transcript provided appropriate payment arrangements are made with SFS to resolve their outstanding debt (or with an outside collection agency if their debt was referred), or they remain in good standing with an existing payment plan. 

Pay Your Bill Online or by Check

There are several payment options available to you.

  • Online through UVAPay (for students and authorized users)
    • Payment plan: You can enroll in an online payment plan for monthly installments.
    • E-check/ACH payments are free and must be drawn on standard U.S. checking or savings accounts (routing and account numbers required).
    • Credit/Debit Card payments incur a 2.85% service fee.
    • International payments: executed through Flywire via UVAPay.
    • Domestic Wire transfers: executed through Flywire via UVAPay.
  • By check mailed to Student Financial Services via USPS or express mail, or in person at the Cashier's Office in Carruthers Hall. For security and privacy reasons, our customer service representatives cannot take payment over the phone. See payment addresses.

Please note: A $50.00 return check fee will be assessed to your student account for all ACH or paper checks processed as nonsufficient funds (NSF). The $50.00 fee is in accordance with Virginia State Law (Va Code §8.01-27.1).

Student Collections Timeline

Days Past Due

Action Taken

        0-119

Active/Current Student Billing

  • Active student billing and payment follow the University billing process (http://sfs.virginia.edu/billing)
  • Students are referred to UVA internal collections when enrollment with the University ends

120

1st Past Due Notice Letter & Student Enters Internal UVA Collections

  • Student Finance Hold remains on student account until balance is paid in full
  • Transcript block applies for students entered into UVA Internal Collections
  • 1st letter mailed with itemized bill to student (See example of 1st Past Due Notice Letter)
  • Payment Plan offer email sent via UVAPay
  • Reminder emails sent weekly

180

2nd Past Due Notice Mailed to Address on File

240

1st Phone Call

  • Call made to phone number(s) on file
  • Reminder emails continue via UVAPay (weekly)

260

2nd Phone Call

  • Call made to phone number(s) on file
  • Reminder emails continue via UVAPay (biweekly)
  • Advise customer of their potential to be assigned to SODC or collection agency

300

3rd and Final Past Due Notice Mailed and Final Offer Email Sent By UVAPay

  • Mailed to address on file (See example of 3rd Past Due Notice Letter)
  • Reminder emails continue via UVAPay (biweekly)
  • Advises customer that their account will be submitted to SODC
  • Advises customer that their account may be sent to a Collection Agency

365

Bad Debt Assigned to Collection Agency for 365 Days (1st Agency Placement)

  • Payment Plan offer expires in UVAPay
  • Registration and Transcript blocks remain placed on accounts.
  • Student is no longer able to settle debt through UVA
  • Debt is settled through Outside Collection Agency (additional fees apply)

730

Account is Returned to UVA After One Year with 1st Placement Agency

  • Account re-enters UVAPay activity and tracking for 60 days
  • Reminder emails resume (weekly)
  • If student enrolls in plan, no additional agency fees assessed

790

Account is Sent to Alternate Collection Agency for 365 Days (2nd Agency Placement)

1155

Account Returned to UVA after 365 Days for Final Write-Off

  • Registration and Transcript blocks remain placed on accounts

December 31

Send Account to SODC

  • SODC provides the University the ability to recover a customer debt through withheld income taxes, and other state payments
  • SFS refreshes records and sends updated file of accounts > 365 days to SODC
  • SODC is executed at least on a yearly basis effective 12/31 of each year (UVA sends new SODC records on a quarterly basis)

 

Set-Off Debt Collection Program

The Set-Off Debt Collection (SODC) program was enacted by the Virginia General Assembly to provide Virginia agencies with the ability to collect unpaid debts by withholding funds from tax refunds, lottery winnings, and similar payments issued by other state agencies. For example, funds may be withheld from a debtor's state income tax refund to pay an overdue receivable held by a Virginia educational institution. The University is required by law to use these programs to collect delinquent outstanding debts.


The SODC Process:

  • Prior to entering a debt into the SODC program, UVA Collections will send several written and emailed notifications to the student as indicated in the Collections Timeline, noted above.
  • Student Collections continues its collection efforts until notified by the SODC program that the claim has been matched to an outgoing payment from another Virginia agency that is sufficient to settle the debt.
  • When notified that a claim is matched, Student Collections verifies whether the debt remains valid (uncollected) and then provides the customer with written notice of the exact amount being withheld, the reason it is owed to the University, the amount of any remaining balance, and information on how to dispute the claim.
  • The customer has 30 days from the date the notice was mailed to formally dispute the claim by contacting Student Collections ([email protected]).

Note: Funds collected through the SODC program are not applied to University debt until received from the Commonwealth of Virginia, which can take up to 3 months.

​​​​​​​Additional Resources

UVA Collections Policy

Collection Agencies

Related Information

Loan Servicer for UVA Institutional Loans