Navigating Your High Point University Student Account: A Comprehensive Guide
Embarking on your academic journey at High Point University (HPU) involves understanding the intricacies of your student account. This guide provides essential information regarding billing, financial aid, payment options, and important policies to ensure a smooth and financially sound academic experience.
Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer
The development of a student’s financial aid offer considers several components. Non-need-based aid, such as merit scholarships, athletic awards, and departmental scholarships, are considered first. Subsequently, students are evaluated for federal, state, and institutional need-based aid, provided the University has received a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate award year. Students with demonstrated financial need as determined by the FAFSA will then be awarded any eligible federal, state, and/or institutional need-based aid. It's crucial to remember that a student’s total financial aid offer cannot exceed the total cost of attendance.
All accepted financial aid offered, with requirements met, will show as pending on student’s account activity except federal work study. After classes have started each term, HPU will disburse aid for which funding has been received. Unlike other aid programs, Federal work study funds do not directly go to student’s University account.
High Point University assumes all students will be enrolled full time (12 credit hours for undergraduate students and 6 credit hours for graduate students) at the time of packaging for financial aid. This status is used in determining students cost of attendance budget which is made up of both direct and indirect costs and total aid eligibility. Students who enroll less than full time will have their cost of attendance budgets adjusted and will likely be eligible for less aid than previously offered to them in their initial aid offer. Students receiving High Point University institutional aid must be enrolled full-time (12 credits per semester for undergraduates). Students who have accepted their annual federal direct student loan(s) must be enrolled at least half-time (6 hours per semester for undergraduates and 3 credit hours for graduate students) and have completed the necessary Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Financial Aid recipients must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and be in good academic standing with the university at the end of each academic year. Students who change their enrollment status (full time to part time) or withdraw from the university may not meet the standards of the SAP Policy and could forfeit future financial aid. It is advisable to consult with the Student Financial Planning Office for detailed information on the SAP Policy or before dropping a class.
Read also: Understanding GMU Student Accounts
Withdrawal and Return of Title IV Funds
The federal government mandates that students who withdraw from all classes may only keep the financial aid they have “earned” up to the time of withdrawal. Title IV funds that were disbursed in excess of the earned amount must be returned by the University and/or the student to the federal government. This situation could result in the student owing aid funds to the University, government, or both.
Aid Distribution and Renewal
Aid programs are offered for a full academic year but are distributed equally on a semester basis. Eligibility for High Point University’s need-based aid is determined for each year and is not automatically renewed. Undergraduate students are eligible for institutional merit and need-based aid for a maximum of eight semesters.
Endowed Scholarships
Periodically throughout the year, High Point University may evaluate a student’s eligibility for named endowed scholarships which are awarded as recognition for your abilities and achievements based on the donor’s instructions. These scholarships have been provided to assist the University in staying within annual budget limitations in providing financial assistance to students. As a result, these endowed scholarships may replace current High Point University funds already in your financial aid offer and thus will not change your total funding amount.
Federal Direct Student Loans
Federal direct student loans offered must be accepted each year. Students must complete the necessary loan entrance counseling and master promissory note online to receive loan funds.
State Funding
State funding is pending upon verification of a student’s residency and minimum level of enrollment. Residency is determined by the State of North Carolina. Students must complete the Residency Determination online within 45 days of the start of the term at cfnc.org/residencyInfo/home.
Read also: Student Account Information
External Financial Assistance
Students are required to notify Student Financial Planning of other financial assistance to be used to meet the cost of education at High Point University that is not listed on the most recent financial aid offer.
The Office of Student Financial Planning
The Office of Student Financial Planning works diligently to assist students in their pursuit of post-secondary education at High Point University. They work not only to assist students, but also their parents and members of the University community. They are anxious to get to know each student well and to understand their unique needs and challenges in funding their college education. They will work with students each step of the way to maximize their resources, and help determine if other resources exist from which they might benefit.
Student Responsibilities Regarding Payments
As a student, you are responsible for promptly paying any charges owed to the university related to your attendance. This is true even if a third party, such as a parent, grandparent, or benefits provider (such as your employer, the U. S. Department of Defense, or Veteran’s Administration) is planning to pay your tuition. Even if you expect financial aid to fully cover your bill, it is still your responsibility to ensure your balance is fully paid. If you are unable to attend for any reason, it is up to you to drop your courses. The only way to get a 100% credit of your tuition and mandatory fee charges is to drop your courses by the add/drop deadline posted in HPU’sAcademic Calendar.
Understanding FERPA and Student Privacy
It's crucial to understand federal law to protect student privacy. This means we cannot discuss the details of your account with anyone, including your parent, without your express permission (provided to HPU via a specific form), even to help them pay your bill. You as the student, however, can grant HPU authorization to speak with a specific person, and you can even add them as an Authorized User to view and pay your financial account.
Granting Access to Parents or Family Members
Add your parent or family member as a Payer (Authorized User) if you would like them to be able to view your eBill Statements, monitor your financial status, make payments on your behalf, and more. Granting someone access to view and pay your account does not mean HPU staff can speak with that parent. HPU staff are required to protect student privacy under U.S law. Under FERPA, a U. S. law, adding an authorized user to a student's payment portal does not mean HPU staff can talk with your family member about a student account. We are required to protect your privacy.
Read also: Understanding Your Hampton Account
Accessing Your Account Information
Viewing Your Account Details
View your account details (tuition, fee, housing, meal plan, and other charges) and your overall balance within your Payment Portal. Log into the myHPU portal, then click the Business & Payments icon in the Student QuickLaunch section. Balances change before and during the semester based upon registration changes, changes to your aid, and more. Check your balance frequently.
Payment Methods and Deadlines
Learn how to pay your bill on the Business Office Paying Tuition page. Paying online via eCheck (ACH) is convenient, and free of fees! Tuition deadlines are always before the start of each semester. Official dates are published in HPU's Academic Calendar.
Payment Plans
To help you afford your education expenses, High Point University is pleased to offer you and your family a monthly payment plan option. The interest-free monthly payment option allows you to spread each semester’s expenses over five monthly installments for only a small enrollment fee. The undergraduate payment plan option is available on a semester basis and you must re-enroll each semester. The enrollment fee for each semester is $55. Click to Enroll! (Students) Click to Enroll!
Billing Schedule
HPU creates charges for students for each 16-week semester. Bills are first available about 6 weeks before the semester begins, if the student is registered.
Addressing Discrepancies
Remember, eBill Statements only show what your account balance was as of the date the statement was generated. If an expected financial aid, scholarship, loan, grant, etc. If you are not enrolled as a full-time student (12 hours for undergraduate students, 9 hours for graduate students), your scholarships may not be reflected. If you have outstanding tasks to complete in your Financial Aid portal, your loans and aid may not be reflected. For example, you may need to accept an offered award or loan, you may need to complete an Athletics scholarship form, or you or your parent may need to complete a Master Promissory Note or Loan Entrance Counseling. Once all requirements have been met, allow several weeks for HPU offices to process the documents.
Resources and Support
The Business Office
The Business Office helps students, parents, and family members answer questions about billing, payment, refunds, tuition and fee charges, and more. Cash payments are not accepted before 8:30am or after 4:00pm and are not accepted when the office is not open, such as during holidays or summer hours. Check payments can be received anytime during business hours. Save time by paying online! Closed for University Holidays.
Sharky: HPU's Custom Chatbot
HPU's custom chatbot, Sharky, is here to help! Sharky's super-smart, AI-enabled tech can answer your specific questions like "what is my balance", "when is tuition due," "how do I pay", and much, much more!
Contacting the University
PHONE HOURS MAY BE LIMITED based upon staff availability. Please send only one (1) message; multiple messages take longer for our staff to organize and result in delayed response times for all inquiries. In general, requests for information are addressed in the order received.
Cashiering Hours
HPU accepts in-person cash payments Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30am-4:00pm Hawaii Standard Time (except for university holidays). We respectfully request that university departments (not students) making deposits request an appointment when possible to ensure coverage and minimal interruption to student services.
Student Account Center (SAC)
The High Point University Student Account Center (SAC) is an online portal that provides access to current account activity, account statements, monthly payment plans and one time electronic payments towards your balance. Access for students and authorized users to the Student Account Center is provided in the links below. Due to student privacy regulations (FERPA), access to the Student Account Center is initially granted to students. Students may grant access to other individuals who will be helping manage their financial account. Students are encouraged to provide access to all individuals who help manage their financial account or make payments. This can be done through the Authorized User Access section in the Student Account Center portal.
Important Dates
Billing statements will be available to view online beginning mid-April. Billing statements will be available to view online beginning June 6, 2025. Billing statements will be available to view online beginning in mid-November.
Slate.org
One Place. Students + High Schools + CollegesSlate.org helps build strong relationships throughout the entire college admissions process by connecting and sharing information with students, schools, and colleges. We value and respect both students and their data. Slate.org provides a conduit for sharing data directly, not to sell it. Student data will never be bought or sold. Slate.org is free. For everyone. All the applications your students have submitted in one place. Need to send a student’s transcript to five different universities? Colleges can create content to share information with counselors including campus visit dates, counselor fly-ins, and more. Track the outcome of your students’ applications. Recommend schools for your students to explore. Ensure all colleges have the most up to date school profile and information.
New Academic Year Student Accounts Checklist
The Office of Student Accounts wants to help make sure that each incoming and returning student has completed all necessary paperwork required by High Point University in order to begin your Freshman year. Be sure to read over our New Academic Year Student Accounts Checklist of all necessary items required to begin the new academic year at High Point University. Please note, if you are a returning student, you may have already completed some of these items in previous years.
Commitment to Equal Opportunity
Howard Payne University is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. Howard Payne University’s policy is to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal opportunities to students and prospective students, without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. The university will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
tags: #HPU #student #accounts #information
