The University of South Carolina utilizes Self Service Carolina (SSC) as the central online portal for students to manage their academic and financial information. Moving away from traditional paper billing, USC delivers all student tuition and fee statements electronically through your personalized SSC student account.
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For most University of South Carolina students, parents, and guardians, understanding student billing boils down to a few key questions: What is owed? How can I pay? And what are the payment deadlines? Self Service Carolina provides clear and direct answers to these questions and offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing your student account.
Understanding Your Bill on Self Service Carolina
Your official university bill is exclusively posted on Self Service Carolina (SSC). When a new statement is available, the university sends notifications directly to your official USC email address. Accessing your bill through SSC is straightforward and allows you to review charges, payment deadlines, and account activity. Furthermore, SSC enables students to set up authorized users, granting designated individuals like parents or guardians access to view and manage billing information.
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View Your Bill on SSC
Your bill is posted to Self Service Carolina (SSC), and notifications are sent to your university email address. Use SSC to view your bill, or set up authorized users.
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Payment Options for Your USC Tuition
The University of South Carolina offers various convenient methods to pay your tuition and fees. Self Service Carolina integrates directly with the payment system, allowing for online payments. Beyond online payments, USC also accommodates payments made in person, via mail, and through wire transfers. For students needing more flexibility, payment plans can also be established through SSC to manage tuition costs over time.
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How to Pay
Learn how to pay your bill online, in person, via mail or wire payments. We can also help you set up a payment plan.
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Important Dates and Deadlines for Tuition Payments
Staying informed about tuition payment deadlines is crucial to avoid holds on your student account. The University of South Carolina sets specific deadlines each semester, and these dates are readily available on the Bursar’s Office website and within Self Service Carolina. It’s important to note that deadlines for mailed payments are typically earlier than those for online or in-person payments, so planning ahead is essential.
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Plan Ahead for Important Dates
Mark your calendar for tuition payment deadlines. The deadline for mailing in your payment is sooner than paying your tuition online or in person.
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Understanding the Student Statement of Financial Responsibility
Upon course registration at the University of South Carolina, students formally agree to the Student Statement of Financial Responsibility. This agreement outlines the financial obligations students undertake when enrolling in courses. Understanding this statement is key to comprehending your responsibilities regarding tuition, fees, and payment policies at USC. Details about the Student Statement of Financial Responsibility can be reviewed on the University Bursar’s Office website.
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Review the Student Statement of Financial Responsibility
When students submit their course registration, they are entering into a financial arrangement with the University of South Carolina. Learn what this means.
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Authorized Users: Granting Access to Parents and Guardians
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) restricts the University of South Carolina from sharing student information with parents or guardians without explicit student consent. To facilitate communication and payment management, Self Service Carolina allows students to designate authorized users.
By adding a parent, guardian, or another trusted individual as an authorized user on your SSC student account, they gain the ability to:
- Make payments towards your tuition and fees.
- Receive email notifications regarding monthly balance due.
- View your account balance and payment history.
- Access payment receipts and other relevant financial documents.
- Obtain 1098-T tax information (and view/print forms).
- Establish and manage payment plans.
- Securely save payment methods (visible only to the authorized user).
- Discuss your student account with the Bursar’s Office staff.
Setting Up Authorized Users in Self Service Carolina
Only the student, as the account holder, can set up authorized users. The process is simple and completed within Self Service Carolina:
- Log in to Self Service Carolina.
- Navigate to the “Account Information” section.
- Click on “Payment Gateway.”
- Select “Authorized User” and follow the on-screen instructions to add your authorized user.
Authorized User Login Portal
Once set up, authorized users can access their designated portal directly through the authorized user login page. This separate login ensures privacy and security while providing authorized access to essential account information.
Addressing Common Billing Concerns
Failure to pay outstanding charges by the published deadlines can result in a financial hold being placed on your University of South Carolina account. This hold can prevent course registration, transcript release, and even diploma issuance. Paying your balance in full is essential to avoid these holds, and once payment is received, the hold is typically removed the following day. Self Service Carolina is the primary platform to manage your payments and avoid account holds.
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Students are responsible for understanding deadlines for course schedule changes to avoid potential charges. Additionally, being dropped from courses due to non-payment and subsequently requesting re-enrollment incurs a $75 reinstatement fee. Detailed information regarding drop/add deadlines and related policies is available through the University Registrar and the Bursar’s Office.
Drop/Add Deadlines »
More information about drops, withdrawals and late admissions »
For specific questions about your student account, the Bursar’s Office is your primary contact. However, some charges may originate from other university departments. Here are helpful contact numbers for common inquiries:
- Carolina Card Office: 803-777-1708
- Financial Aid and Scholarships: 803-777-8134
- Housing: 803-777-4283
- Parking Services: 803-777-5160
- Student Health Services: 803-777-1916
South Carolina Residency and Billing
Ensuring your South Carolina Residency Certification Form is submitted through Self Service Carolina is vital for accurate tuition billing. Residency status impacts tuition rates, so verifying and submitting this form is a necessary step for in-state students. For questions regarding residency verification, contact the Office of South Carolina Residency at 803-777-4060 or via email at [email protected].
Visit Self Service Carolina to check residency status »
Returned Checks
If a check payment is returned by the bank, the University of South Carolina assesses a $30 returned check fee. In such cases, payment must be made in cash or via cashier’s check to cover both the original check amount and the returned check fee. Furthermore, a hold will be placed on the student’s account until the returned payment and associated fee are settled.
For questions related to financial aid application and disbursement, the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships is available at 803-777-8134. They can assist with understanding how financial aid applies to your Self Service Carolina student account.
Self Service Carolina is your comprehensive online resource for managing your student financial account at the University of South Carolina. Regularly accessing and reviewing your SSC account ensures you stay informed about your billing, payments, and important deadlines.
