Policy: Student Financial Responsibilities

Revised September 2012

Fulfilling financial obligations is a matter of honor and justice for the Trinity community and the failure to meet those obligations has severe consequences for the entire community, not just for the individual.   With this philosophy in mind, the following policy statement gives general norms and procedures regarding student financial responsibilities:

Financial Responsibility

  • All students and families are expected to pay Trinity in a timely way for the tuition and fees incurred each semester.  Students are expected to know the schedule of fees published in the catalog and published separately each semester; to know the deadlines for drop/add and other actions that impact upon fees; and to follow the directions given for payment arrangements.  Even if a parent, family member or third party pays the bills, the student is responsible to know the details of the financial obligations incurred and to ensure full compliance with the expectations those obligations entail.
  • After the add/drop period published each semester, Trinity may drop students from courses for non-attendance.  Students undertake a financial and legal responsibility to Trinity at the time they register for courses, regardless of whether they attend class.  Students who wish to drop a class without financial obligation must do so according to the procedures and the deadlines published each semester in the course catalogue.

Consequences for Late Payment

All students must have an approved payment arrangement by the first day of class.  Students without a payment arrangement will automatically be charged a late fee of $50.00 and will have a stop put on their student account.  Students will also be charged a $25 fee for each month that the account is not in good standing.

  • Students who do not have an approved payment arrangement, or who have not maintained the terms of their arrangement, will not be able to register for the next semester until such time as their financial obligations are satisfied.  The University also may prevent these students from entering residence hall rooms, beginning student employment, or enrolling in any University activity until such time as their prior balance is satisfied and a formal payment plan is approved for any new balance.  Students will also be charged a $25 fee for each month that the account is not in good standing.
  • Course selections for future semesters will be cancelled if an account is past due for the current semester.  For example, if a student has a financial hold because her summer tuition charges are past due, her course selections for the following fall semester will be dropped.
  • Official transcripts are not released for any students whose balances are past due.
  • Students with outstanding balances of any amount will not be permitted to participate in any graduation exercises or receive a diploma.  Graduating students must pay all outstanding charges, including May term charges, by April 30 in order to have their names appear in the graduation program and to participate in graduation exercises.
  • Professional development workshop and other non-degree students with outstanding balances of any amount will not be permitted to register or attend class until such time as they satisfy their financial obligations.
  • Trinity reserves the right to refuse to approve a payment plan if the prior financial conduct of the student or family with regard to Trinity obligations indicates an inability or unwillingness to meet financial obligations at Trinity in a timely way.

Financial Penalties

  • A bad check passed on campus will not be tolerated, whether the check is payable to Trinity, one of the vendors on campus, or another organization doing business with Trinity.  Similarly, stopping payment on a check after receiving the goods and services the check paid for (e.g., books in the bookstore) is actionable.  A fee of $30.00 will be charged to the student’s account and a hold will be placed on the account until the obligation is satisfied; the student will also be subject to immediate suspension and possible legal action.
  • Failure to meet financial obligations may result in the delinquent account being placed with a collection agency.  Trinity will charge the delinquent student account all attorney fees, interest charges and collection costs necessary for the collection of past due accounts.

Sanctions for Financial Dishonesty

Trinity reserves the right to send cases of financial dishonesty for disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct; to notify appropriate external authorities as necessary, including law enforcement agencies; and to dismiss students for financial misconduct. Dishonesty in financial transactions with Trinity or financial institutions working in support of Trinity’s financial aid system may result in immediate cancellation of a tuition payment plan and a demand for immediate payment of all remaining financial obligations to the University.  Such dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, passing bad checks or stopping payments on checks anywhere on campus (see above); accepting federal loan funds and then withdrawing from all courses, using such funds for personal purposes instead; failure to provide accurate information on financial aid applications; defaulting on federal loan payments; and other forms of financial misconduct that are intended to deceive or to avoid payment of obligations.

Financial Assistance

Trinity recognizes the large financial burden that students and families assume to pursue a higher education, and Trinity extends support as well as financial aid to the extent that the University’s resources permit.

Students and families who need financial assistance are expected to work directly with the Office of Enrollment Services; to treat all requests for family financial information with the utmost honesty and full disclosure; and to accept loan obligations as a profound duty to repay in a timely way.  Students who rely on federal or institutional financial aid (including loans or grants) to pay all or part of their charges are expected to complete the financial aid application process each year by published deadlines and to know the conditions for renewal of their aid.

For further information about this policy statement and available financial services, please call 202-884-9530 or visit the Office of Enrollment Services, Main Hall Room 154 or www.trinitydc.edu.