What Does OSF Do?

What We Do in Student Finance

The Office of Student Finance helps students and departments understand, manage, and resolve charges on student accounts. We handle the full lifecycle of billing, encompassing everything from posting tuition and fees to processing payments and payment plans, as well as issuing refunds. Our goal is to make the financial side of your time at FSU as smooth as possible by ensuring accurate charges, clear deadlines, and timely account updates.

We also support departments by explaining billing policies, managing waivers, processing account adjustments, and providing financial reporting. If it involves how, when, and why a student is charged, or how those charges are paid, Student Finance is here to help.

We do not determine whether a student is eligible for financial aid, decide admission to the university, or manage academic records. Instead, we work closely with other offices like Financial Aid, Admissions, and the Registrar to make sure all parts of a student’s record work together smoothly.

 

Comparison Chart: Who Does What

Topic/Service Student Finance Financial Aid Registrar's Office Admissions
Billing for Tuition & Fees Calculates and posts tuition, housing, dining, and other charges to student accounts X X X
Payment Processing Accepts and records payments, sets up payment plans X X X
Refunds Issues refunds for over-payments, excess aid, or account adjustments X X X
Waivers and Discounts Applies tuition waivers and exemptions to accounts  May award certain aid that covers costs X X
Financial Aid Eligibility X Determines and awards scholarships, grants, and loans X X
Class Registration & Schedules X X Manages enrollment, grades, and transcripts X
Admissions Decisions X X X Reviews applications, admits students
Account Holds Places and clears holds related to payment or missing documents May place aid-related holds May place academic holds X

 

Who To Contact: Common Scenarios

Scenario   First Stop Why/Notes
Student sees a tuition, housing, or dining charge they don't understand Student Finance We post, explain, and adjust charges on student accounts.
Student says Bright Futures, Pell Grant, or other aid hasn't paid out yet Financial Aid They determine eligibility, disburse aid, and troubleshoot missing awards.
Student wants to set up a payment plan Student Finance We enroll students in payment plans and explain deadlines.
Student says they dropped a class, but are still charged for it Registrar's Office They handle enrollment changes. Student Finance adjusts billing after the Registrar updates records.
Student needs an official transcript or enrollment verification Registrar's Office They produce academic records and enrollment documents.
Student says they haven't been admitted yet or can't login into myFSU Admission's Office They manage applications, admissions status, and initial account setup.
Student's refund hasn't arrived Student Finance We process refunds and can verify the payment method and date issued.
Student wants to know why they were charged health insurance Student Finance We post the charge. The Student Health Insurance Office manages appeals.
Department wants a waiver applied to a student's account Student Finance We apply and track waivers based on departmental requests and eligibility rules.
Department needs to know how aid will cover charges Student Finance We can explain how scholarships, grants, or loans will apply to costs.

How Does Student Finance Interact with the Drop or Withdrawal Process?

When a student reduces or ends their enrollment, either by dropping an individual course or formally withdrawing from the entire semester, multiple offices play critical roles to ensure accuracy, fairness, and compliance. Here's how the process flows at FSU:

1. Dropping a Course (One or More Classes)

  • Initiation: Students can drop individual courses through myFSU during the Drop/Add period, generally without fee or transcript penalty.
  • Post Drop/Add: After Drop/Add but before the 7th-week deadline, students remain fee liable, but may be eligible for a 25% refund based on the timing of the drop.
  • Late Drops: Between the 8th and 12th weeks, drops are still possible with Dean’s approval and will appear as a “W” (withdrawn) or “WD” grade on transcripts.

2. Withdrawing from the Entire Term (Full-Term Withdrawal)

  • Formal Process Required: Unlike drops, a withdrawal is a formal separation from the university. Simply dropping all courses does not suffice.
  • Withdrawal Services & Academic Dean:
    1. Students start by discussing their situation with their Academic Dean, who may refer them to the Office of Withdrawal Services.
    2. A Withdrawal Advisor explains the formal process, assists with required forms, and centrally facilitates steps through the proper university channels.
    3. Once submitted, the Dean reviews and approves the withdrawal. The record of a formal withdrawal is then maintained by the university.

3. Medical or Mental Health-Related Drops/Withdrawals

  • Special Approval Path: These require documentation and are processed by University Health Services (UHS) and a designated committee.
  • Students obtain necessary forms from their Dean’s office, submit records to UHS's review committee, and the results are forwarded to the Withdrawal Office or Dean. The final decision rests with the Dean.

4. Student Finance and Financial Aid Coordination

    Student Finance adjusts billing and processes refunds or charges once the Registrar and Withdrawal Services have finalized the enrollment status.

  • Financial Aid recalculates eligibility accordingly:
      1. Full withdrawals require a Return of Title IV calculation, often resulting in students owing back unearned aid.
      2. State aid, such as Bright Futures, must also be repaid if courses are dropped or withdrawn after payment has been made.