The Office of Student Accounts issues three types of bills - semester bills, monthly bills and special session bills.
- Semester e-bills are issued 4-6 weeks prior to the semester. An email notification is sent when bills are available. Students who have fulfilled all of their obligations, such as filing the FAFSA, accepting an aid package, completing required loan processes, etc., will receive a bill reflecting their financial aid.
When students make changes to their account (such as waivers, meal plan/Bear Express and registration changes) after the first semester bill notification is sent, they must view their updated bill in BearPAWS to verify the revised charges. It is important to make payment immediately for balances due to avoid holds and late fees. We encourage students and their guests to check their BearPAWS billing statement weekly throughout the semester to ensure all balances are paid in full.
The semester bill is due approximately 2 weeks before the start of the semester. Students who do not pay their charges on time will be assessed a late fee and their account will be placed on hold. The hold may prevent the student from accessing the room selection program, registering for the upcoming semester, receiving semester grades, receiving official transcripts, and receiving their diploma.
- Monthly Past Due Balance Bills are issued on or about the 15th of every month. All students with an overdue balance will receive notification of their bill by email to their Potsdam email account. These bills reflect all changes (charges and payments) to a student's account since the last bill notification. Monthly Past Due Bills include any past due balance for all previous terms as well as the current term, and are assessed a late fee based on the following scale:
| Balance | Late Fee |
|---|---|
| $126.00- $999.99 | $30 |
| $1000 - $1999.99 | $40 |
| Over $1999.99 | $50 |
- Special Session bills are issued to students who have registered for Summer or Winter Session coursework. These bills are due upon receipt.
Please note: We are unable to discuss specific account information to non-students without prior permission from the student given through the Web for Proxy BearPAWS tab. Please ensure such permission has been granted before requesting specific account information.
If you believe there were extenuating circumstances which prevented you from making payment in full prior to the established due date, you may be eligible for a waiver. Inquiries can be made by visiting our One Stop on the 4th floor of Raymond Hall or emailing onestop@potsdam.edu. Please note: Late fee appeals will only be considered when a statement balance is paid in full. (You do not have to pay the late fee in order for an appeal to be reviewed.)