Minimum Payments and Application of Financial Aid to Fees
The university requires one-half of total current fees and all of any charges from previous semesters as a minimum payment. Students who register after the pre-registration period will not receive a bill, but must pay the minimum amount before classes begin. For students who do not meet the minimum payment, classes will be cancelled.
Financial Aid may be used to satisfy the minimum payment with the following exceptions:
- Financial Aid cannot be applied to prior balances.
- Work Study and other forms of aid paid periodically to students may not be used to defer fees.
- The Out-Of-State Waiver may be used to offset the corresponding Out-Of-State Fee only.
All Financial Aid must be applied to fees before a refund can be made.
Financial Aid is applied in the following order assuming the aid is finalized:
- The Out-Of-State Waiver applied to the Out-Of-State Fee
- Federal Stafford Loans
- Outside scholarships that are in check form at registration
- All other forms of aid
Deferred Fees and Finance Charges
Southern Miss applies a monthly periodic rate of 1.5 percent to all unpaid balances and transactions. The corresponding annual percentage rate is 18 percent. The finance charge on your account is calculated by applying the periodic rate to the balance billed after deducting any payments or credits.
All charges for a semester are due at the end of that semester. Any account with a balance due at the end of the semester will be assessed a $100.00 late payment fee.
Collection Costs
You are obligated to pay all costs of collecting any amount you owe in connection with your account. If we hire an attorney to help us collect, you must pay actual attorney's fees.
Billing Information
If you think your bill is wrong or if you need more information about a transaction on your bill, write Business Services, 118 College Drive #5133, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0000.
Write as soon as possible. We must hear from you no later than 60 days after we sent the first bill on which the error or problem appeared. You can telephone us, but doing so will not preserve your rights.
In your letter, give us the following information:
- Your name and Social Security or account number
- The dollar amount of the suspected error
- Describe the error and explain why you believe there is an error
If you need more information, describe the item you are not sure about. We will correct the error or explain why we believe the bill was correct.
Current Address
Please notify the Office of the University Registrar in writing when you change your address.