Financial Policies

Housing Contract Processing Fee

All students must pay a non-refundable $25.00 housing contract processing fee as part of the housing contract process. The contract processing fee is separate from the $150.00 housing prepayment (see below).  As indicated above, the Housing Contract Processing fee is not refundable.

Housing Prepayment

All students must pay a $150.00 housing prepayment as part of the housing contract process. The housing prepayment will be applied to a student's room charge for the upcoming term or housing cancellation fee, if applicable. See below under 'Cancellations' for more information.

Cancellations

• Pre-Occupancy Cancellations: Students may cancel their contract at any time prior to taking occupancy of a room for that contract term (have not signed for a key or moved in) by going to the 'Cancel Contract' step online in the MyUSAHousing portal.
• Post-Occupancy Cancellations: Once occupancy is taken (possession of room key or moved in), cancellation is not guaranteed. Any student wishing to cancel their housing contract should submit a 'Request to Cancel' in the MyUSAHousing portal.

Contract Cancellation Fee

Offset of Funds

If a student's University account has an outstanding balance due, of any nature, including departmental fines and the University has in its possession any funds payable to the student (from payments or credits applied to the student's account, payroll checks, and/or any other source, except federal financial aid awards), the University reserves the right to withhold the funds necessary to clear the student's outstanding balance and to cover any collection costs incurred. Once those amounts are paid, any remaining funds are paid to the student.

Payment Deadline & Payment Plans

Click here to find the correlating deadline(s) that room and meal plan charges must be paid in full by.

Residents who do not meet the payment deadline will be subject to the room removal process as indicated in the Housing Community Standards. 

Payment Plan:
To help you manage your student account balance, USA now offers a convenient, interest-free payment plan for tuition, housing and dining fees. This option provides flexibility of making monthly payments without applying for a student loan. There are no credit checks or interest payments associated with this payment plan. Simply sign up through your PAWS account and pay the one-time nonrefundable enrollment fee of $35.00.

Click here to review more information about the University's Payment Plan or call Student Accounting 251-460-6195. Students can enroll in a payment plan now by visiting their PAWS account online.

Housing Removal/Dining Suspension

Failure to pay the room and/or meal plan balance in full by the University payment deadline may subject the resident to Administrative Removal (see the Academic Calendar for dates). Additionally, a resident who fails to pay the meal plan balance in full as outlined by the University payment deadline may have the meal plan suspended until full payment is made. Please note that neither Administrative Removal from USA Housing nor suspension of a meal plan due to non-payment releases the student from the obligation to pay for accrued charges. If a student has questions about housing and meal plan charges, the student should contact the USA Housing Office.

• Not Enrolled in University Payment Plan: If the resident has a meal plan and/or housing balance, the resident will be notified of meal plan suspension within seven (7) calendar days and room removal of seven (7) calendar days to the resident’s JagMail.
• Enrolled in University Payment Plan: If the resident has a meal plan and/or housing balance, the resident will be notified of meal plan suspension within seven (7) calendar days and room removal of fourteen (14) calendar days. 

Academic Year Contract Room Charge and Meal Plan Refunds

Within the first forty-five (45) calendar days of the published residence hall opening date each semester, housing and meals – excluding Bonus Bucks – will be prorated based on the date the student properly checks-out. No adjustment to housing and meal plan charges will be made thereafter. If a resident cancels their Academic Year housing contract in the fall semester and enrolls in classes for the spring semester their Academic Year housing contract will be reactivated. Proper check-out procedures can be reviewed on the Housing website. The break housing rate (currently $20 per night) will be charged for periods between semesters.

Bonus Buck usage will be charged through the third week of classes. Bonus Bucks will be charged in full after the third week of classes and will be available for use until the end of the spring semester. At the point a student withdraws from the University or becomes non-enrolled, Bonus Bucks will no longer be available for use. A contract cancellation fee will be charged when applicable.

Summer Contract Room Charge and Meal Plan Refunds

Within the first fourteen (14) calendar days of the published residence hall opening date for the semester, housing and meals – excluding Bonus Bucks – will be prorated based on the date the student properly checks-out. No adjustment to housing and meal plan charges will be made thereafter. If a resident cancels their full summer housing contract and enrolls in classes for the Summer II semester their summer housing contract will be reactivated. Proper check-out procedures can be reviewed on the Housing website.

Bonus Buck usage will be charged through the first fourteen days of the published residence hall opening date for the semester. Bonus Bucks will be charged in full after the first fourteen days and will be available for use until the end of the summer semester. At the point a student withdraws from the University or becomes non-enrolled, Bonus Bucks will no longer be available for use. A contract cancellation fee will be charged when applicable.

Withdrawn from the University

In order to be eligible for University housing, a student must be enrolled at the University of South Alabama. At the point a student is no longer enrolled (including online courses), the student should submit their cancellation request online as soon as they become non-enrolled within the MyUSAHousing portal. Students will receive the status of their cancellation request via JagMail. If your request is approved, you will be charged a contract cancellation fee based upon the contract term and the date of submission.

Winter Break Housing

Residents living on campus for an academic year have the option to remain on-campus during the University's Winter Break at no extra cost so long as:

• The student registers for Winter Break online in their MyUSAHousing portal by the designated deadline.
  • If a student registers after the deadline or decides they need access to their room during the Winter Break, they will still need to register but it will be late.  All students who have a late registration will be charged a $100 late registration fee to their student account.
• The student does not cancel their academic year contract.
  • Any cancellations of an academic year housing contract during the Winter Break period will subject the student to a $20 per night charge equal to the number of nights of occupancy of Winter Break (not applicable to December graduating students).
• The student remains enrolled in classes for the upcoming spring semester.
  • If a student withdraws from classes for the next semester and/or cancels their current academic year housing contract, they will no longer be eligible to remain on campus during the Winter Break Housing period and should be prepared to check-out.* The student will be charged a $150 cancellation fee (see above 'Cancellations' section) to their student account.
    • *A student should be prepared to check-out properly, in person, at their Community Office within 48 hours following their withdrawal OR when the Residence Halls close as listed in the Academic Calendar (whichever is later) to avoid charges in addition to the $150 cancellation fee.

Financial Appeals

According to the USA Housing Contract Terms & Conditions Section 31:

"If a resident wishes to dispute any housing, dining, damage, early arrival, late stay, or other charge assessed by USA Housing the resident must submit the dispute in writing to the USA Housing Office within 90 days after the conclusion of the semester in which the charges were incurred. "

The appeal must be submitted in writing to the USA Housing Office by email (housing@southalabama.edu).

Academic Dismissal/Suspension

According to the USA Housing Contract Terms & Conditions Section 32:

"If a returning student with a completed housing contract on file for a future term is academically
dismissed or suspended for a future term the student’s housing contract, and room assignment if
applicable, will be held for 14 days from the date of dismissal or suspension notification. If the student
does not file an appeal with the USA Registrar’s Office within 14 days the housing contract, and room
assignment if applicable, will be administratively canceled. If a student files an appeal within the 14 day
window USA Housing will hold the housing contract, and room assignment if applicable, until the
appeal decision has been made by the USA Registrar’s Office."

Confirmation of the appeal filed with the USA Registrar's Office must be sent to the USA Housing Office by email (housing@southalabama.edu).