Collections Office
Location: University Pavilion, Fifth Floor
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:00 pm |
< Click Here > for a listing of Collections Office staff and their assignments
The Collections Office is responsible for collecting all defaulted campus-based federal and institutional student loans, as well as outstanding tuition balances. The office must follow federal due diligence guidelines which include, but are not limited to, contacting defaulters, referring delinquent accounts to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, litigating accounts, and assigning accounts to the federal Department of Education.
COLLECTION POLICY
Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office - Ohio Revised Code Section 131.02 states that the University of Cincinnati submits past due loans and unpaid tuition accounts to the Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office for collection. Additional charges and collection expenses will be assessed to the outstanding loan/account balance.
To prevent referral to the Attorney General’s Office, please contact the Collections Office to make payment arrangements.
SERVICE BLOCKS
The University Rules authorize the Collections Office to restrict any services, including the release of records (grades, transcripts, and diploma) and registration for future quarters, until any past due amount owed to the university, including but not limited to fees, tuition, charges, fines, and loans due to the university, are paid in full.
University Rule 20-17-02, item B states that the necessary procedures are adopted to ensure that payments on account are made promptly and for the full amount due. Procedures to guarantee payment of such accounts shall include, but not be limited to: billings; collection letters; telephone contacts; use of collection agencies; referral to counsel for litigation; withholding transcripts, grades and diplomas; and denial of the ability to register for future terms.
University Rule 20-31-06, item C states that the student shall be responsible for discharging all his/her university financial obligations, such as payment of deferred fees, housing fees, tuition, laboratory fees, matriculation fees, or delinquent obligations. Students who are delinquent in paying charges accrued in a previous quarter may be denied the right to receive transcripts, grades, or diplomas until such fees are paid in full.
If you have been informed that you have a service block on your account, you must contact the university office that initiated the service block. The office will instruct you in the specific procedures you will need to follow to clear the service blocks. Each university office is responsible for removing its specific blocks.
LOANS
The Collections Office is responsible for the collection of loan payments for campus-based loan programs: Federal Perkins Loans, Health Profession Loans, Nursing Student Loans, and Institutional/Long-Term University Student Loans.
The billing service provider for the University of Cincinnati is
ACS, Inc. - Education Services
Campus Products & Services
900 Commerce Drive, Suite 320
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone (800) 826-4470
Web site www.acs-education.com
PERKINS LOANS
INTEREST RATES - All loans made on or after August 13, 1981, carry an interest rate of 5% per year.
GRACE PERIOD - The grace period is the period of time before the borrower must begin or resume repaying a loan. This period (generally six or nine months) begins immediately after the borrower ceases to be enrolled as at least a half-time student.
STUDENT LOAN OMBUDSMAN - If you dispute the terms of your National Direct Student Loan (NDSL) or Federal Perkins Loan in writing and the holder of your loan is unable to resolve the dispute, you may seek the assistance of the Department of Education's Student Loan Ombudsman. The Student Loan Ombudsman will review and attempt to informally resolve your dispute and may be reached at 1-877-557-2575.
PREPAYMENT - All or any part of your unpaid loan balance may be paid at any time without penalty.
REPAYMENT OF LOAN - Repayment of the Federal Perkins Loan begins when the grace period ends. The total amount of the loan received under this program, plus accrued interest, must be repaid within a 10-year period, which begins immediately after the grace period expires. If you cease to be a
half-time student, but re-enter the same or another accredited school as at least a half-time student within the applicable grace period, the grace period is not considered to have begun (i.e., the repayment period does not begin until you have been away from an eligible course of study continuously for the full duration of the grace period).
DEFERMENT / CANCELLATIONS - You should refer to your Promissory Note for the specific deferments/cancellations available to you. To receive a deferment / cancellation, you must use the proper form, immediately upon entry into eligible service or student status, also with any documentation required to prove that you qualify. You may lose deferment/cancellation benefits if you fail to file the request on time.
DEFAULT - If you fail to make a scheduled payment when due or to submit proper documentation of deferment, cancellation, or forbearance, the University may declare your loan in default and accelerate your loan. The school will disclose to credit bureaus that the loan is in default. If you default on repayment of your loan, you will lose the right to apply for forbearance and cancellation benefits. You will also lose the right to be awarded further federal student financial assistance until satisfactory arrangements have been made to repay the loan.
COLLECTION OF LOANS - If you fail to make a scheduled payment or fail to comply with any other terms of your promissory note, the University may:
- Refer your loan(s) to the Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office for collections.
- Withhold institution services, such as registration, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and degree.
LOAN REHABILITATION - Defaulted Perkins Loan borrowers may be eligible for rehabilitation. Eligible borrowers must request rehabilitation. Perkins Loan rehabilitation is achieved by making 12 consecutive, on-time monthly payments on a defaulted Perkins Loan. After successfully completing 12 consecutive payments, the borrower will again be eligible for all remaining benefits from the original promissory note. The default will be removed from the borrower's credit bureau report.
HEALTH PROFESSION LOANS
INTEREST RATE - The annual interest rate is 5% per year.
GRACE PERIOD - The grace period is the period of time before the borrower must begin or resume repaying a loan. The grace period for these loans is one year. Please refer to your promissory note for details.
PREPAYMENT - All or any part of your unpaid loan balance may be paid at any time without penalty.
DEFAULT - If you fail to make a scheduled payment when due, or fail to submit proper documentation of deferment, the University may declare your loan in default and accelerate your loan. The school will disclose to credit bureaus that the loan is in default. If you default on repayment of your loan, you will lose the right to apply for deferment benefits. You will also lose the right to be awarded further federal student financial assistance until satisfactory arrangements have been made to repay the loan.
COLLECTION OF LOANS - If you fail to make a scheduled payment, or fail to comply with any other terms of your promissory note, the University may:
1. Refer your loan(s) to the Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office for collections.
2. Withhold institution services, such as registration, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and degree.
NURSING STUDENT LOANS
INTEREST RATE - The annual interest rate is 5% per year.
GRACE PERIOD - The grace period is the period of time before the borrower must begin or resume repaying a loan. The grace period for these loans is nine months. Please refer to your promissory note for details.
PREPAYMENT - All or any part of your unpaid loan balance may be paid at any time without penalty.
DEFAULT - If you fail to make a scheduled payment when due, or fail to submit proper documentation of deferment, the University may declare your loan in default and accelerate your loan. The school will disclose to credit bureaus that the loan is in default. If you default on repayment of your loan, you will lose the right to apply for deferment benefits. You will also lose the right to be awarded further federal student financial assistance until satisfactory arrangements have been made to repay the loan.
COLLECTION OF LOANS - If you fail to make a scheduled payment, or fail to comply with any other terms of your promissory note, the University may:
1. Refer your loan(s) to the Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office for collections.
2. Withhold institution services, such as registration, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and degree.
INSTITUTIONAL/LONG-TERM STUDENT LOANS
INTEREST RATE - The annual interest rate on the unpaid balance of long-term institutional loan varies from 0% to 9%. The interest rate is stated in your promissory note.
GRACE PERIOD - The grace period is the period of time before the borrower must begin or resume repaying a loan. The grace period for these loans varies from three to 36 months. Please refer to your promissory note for details.
PREPAYMENT - All or any part of your unpaid loan balance may be paid at any time without penalty.
DEFAULT - If you fail to make a scheduled payment when due, or fail to submit proper documentation of deferment, the University may declare your loan in default and accelerate your loan. The school will disclose to credit bureaus that the loan is in default. You will lose the right to be awarded further federal student financial assistance until satisfactory arrangements have been made to repay the loan.
COLLECTION OF LOANS - If you fail to make a scheduled payment, or fail to comply with any other terms of your promissory note, the University may:
1. Refer your loan(s) to the Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office for collections.
2. Withhold institution services, such as registration, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and degree.
EXIT INTERVIEWS
Exit interviews are required for all borrowers who have a Perkins/Nursing/Health Professions/Long-Term Student Loan and who are graduating or are no longer enrolled at least half-time at the University of Cincinnati. You will receive a letter from the Collections Office indicating when online exit interviews are available. Complete the interview by logging onto www.onestop.uc.edu; go to My Financial Aid and click on “Complete Exit Interview.” Follow the instructions for completing the interview. The process takes about 20 minutes. If you should encounter problems or have questions, please call the Collections Office at 513-556-3431 / 877-724-7249.
Please be advised that the exit interview is mandatory for all borrowers of campus-based loan programs. Failure to complete the required documentation will result in service blocks being placed against your diploma, grades, and transcripts, as well as prevent further registration privileges.
OUTSTANDING TUITION BALANCE
The Collections Office will place a service block on your student account if it is past due. The service blocks will restrict the release of records (grades, transcripts, and diploma) and registration for future quarters. If you do not make satisfactory payment arrangements with the Collections Office, your account will be referred to the Ohio Attorney General’s Collection Enforcement Office for collection.
Payment arrangements: 513-556-3431
Financial Aid assistance: 513-556-1000
University Pavilion, Room 500
PO Box 210140
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0140
Campus mail: ML 0140
Office phone: 513-556-3431
Office fax: 513-556-2681
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