The Student Accounting department processes third-party scholarships. Scholarships awarded from departments within VCU are processed through the Office of Financial Aid.

Scholarship checks from third parties should be mailed to: 

VCU Student Accounting Department
Attention: Scholarship and Third-Party Account Representative
1015 Floyd Avenue, First Floor
Box 843036
Richmond, Virginia 23284-3036

The check should be made payable to Virginia Commonwealth University or to VCU, and the organization should include the student’s name and V number.

In some cases, scholarship checks may require the student’s endorsement before the funds can be applied. Students who need to endorse a check will be notified through their VCU email address.

Student Accounting will bill a third-party sponsor if a valid authorization from the organization, business or agency is received before the beginning of the semester. The authorization should be on the organization’s letterhead and must provide:

• The student’s full name and V number
• The amount or charges to be billed
• The semesters for which the authorization is valid
• Method of payment and approximate date of payment
• Contact information for the organization
• An unconditional guarantee to pay VCU

The authorization should be mailed to:

VCU Student Accounting Department
Attention: Scholarship and Third-Party Account Representative
1015 Floyd Avenue, First Floor
Box 843036
Richmond, Virginia 23284-3036

It can also be emailed to satpbilling@vcu.edu or faxed to (804) 828-5463.

Students may deduct award amounts from the total due on the bill, but the student is financially responsible for the payment should the third party default.

Virginia Prepaid529

In order to use Virginia529 benefits, the account guardian must submit an intent to enroll form to Virginia529, indicating that the student is attending VCU. The student’s V number should be included.

VCU will receive notification of Prepaid529 recipients directly from Virginia529. If the Prepaid529 credit does not appear on the eStatement, contact the Student Accounting Department. Traditional four-year Virginia Prepaid529 plans cover the standard, in-state undergraduate tuition rate and the mandatory fees assessed to all students — the university fee, activity fee, technology fee, academic support fee, library fee and health fee (for full-time students only). Virginia Prepaid529 does not cover special program and major fees, special course fees, dorm or dining charges.

The Prepaid529 plan does not automatically apply to the summer session and winter intersession. The account guardian must notify Virginia529 for tuition and eligible fees for these sessions to be paid. Questions regarding how these semesters will affect the student’s Prepaid529 plan should be directed to Virginia529. Students who do not remain continuously enrolled for each fall and spring semester may need to contact Virginia529 to reactivate the Prepaid529 award at VCU.

Other 529 plans

For Invest529, CollegeWealth, CollegeAmerica and other 529 plans, the account guardian must submit a distribution request to the 529 plan indicating the exact amount to pay to VCU. This request must be submitted each semester and the funds are applied to the student’s account only after they are received by VCU. The funds should be sent to:

VCU Student Accounting Department
Attention: Scholarship and Third-Party Account Representative
1015 Floyd Avenue, First Floor
Box 843036
Richmond, Virginia 23284-3036

All 529 payments must include the student’s name and V number.

Other state prepaid education plans

Many states offer prepaid education plans that Student Accounting can bill on the student’s behalf. These states include, but are not limited to, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Michigan and Massachusetts. Recipients of these plans should notify Student Accounting each semester they wish to use their state prepaid accounts. Typically, the plans rely on the student’s actual tuition and fees, so they cannot be billed until after the add/drop period. For most plans, credit is not placed on the student’s account until after the funds are received by VCU. Students should contact their state’s prepaid plan office directly with questions about eligibility and payment amounts.

VCU Health System EdAssist

The VCU Health System employee must submit the approved EdAssist voucher to the Student Accounting Department at the beginning of the semester. The voucher may be scanned and emailed to satpbilling@vcu.edu, or faxed to (804) 828-5463. Once a voucher is received, a credit will be placed on the student’s account for the authorized amount indicated on the voucher.

Student Accounting will not bill for more than the actual cost of the class indicated on the voucher, nor can we bill for more than the approved amount should the class actually cost more. VCU Health System employees may be subject to late fees for failing to submit the EdAssist voucher promptly or for failing to remit payment for any balance not covered by the EdAssist voucher by the payment due date. The refunds for students receiving EdAssist funds and other financial aid awards may be delayed or reduced by the EdAssist voucher amount until payment from EdAssist is received. Typically, EdAssist payments begin to be received mid-semester.

Dependent tuition assistance

Dependents of VCU Health System employees receiving the dependent tuition assistance program must submit the approved EdAssist voucher to the Student Accounting Department at the beginning of the semester. The voucher may be scanned and emailed to satpbilling@vcu.edu, or faxed to (804) 828-5463. Once a voucher is received, a credit will be placed on the student’s account for the amount of the authorized class(es) indicated on the voucher.

International students who receive tuition assistance through their country’s embassy must submit a valid financial guarantee letter to Student Accounting at the beginning of the semester. The financial guarantee may be scanned and emailed to satpbilling@vcu.edu or faxed to (804) 828-5463. The student’s V number must be included.

Student Accounting cannot issue a bill to the embassy without a valid authorization or if the financial guarantee has expired. Embassy-sponsored students who have not submitted a valid financial guarantee may be assessed registration or diploma holds and late fees.

Many embassies will not provide tuition assistance if the sponsored student enrolls in online courses without prior authorization from the embassy. Students must get this approval before Student Accounting can process the financial guarantee. Otherwise, the student will be financially responsible for the full tuition and fees balance.

Veterans and their qualified dependents may be eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits under specific chapters of Title 38 of the U.S. Code. Each chapter and program has specific eligibility requirements, and only the Department of Veterans Affairs can determine a student’s eligibility for VA education benefits. Visit Military Student Services for more information about these programs.

Students who receive federal military tuition assistance and withdraw from VCU before completing 60 percent of the semester (as measured in calendar days) must have their eligibility for tuition assistance recalculated.

Montgomery GI Bill® – Ch. 30 and Ch. 1606

Students receiving Chapter 30 or Chapter 1606 tuition assistance must provide specific forms to Military Student Services by the start of each semester. These funds are paid directly to the student. Student Accounting cannot defer payment deadlines based on the student’s expectation of receiving this assistance. Students receiving Montgomery GI Bill® benefits are encouraged to participate in the Installment Payment Plan if they are unable to pay their full balance at the start of each semester.

Vocational Rehabilitation – Ch. 31

Vocational Rehabilitation counselors provide billing authorizations directly to Military Student Services. Billing for tuition and fees is coordinated through the joint efforts of Student Accounting and Military Student Services. Please contact satpbilling@vcu.edu if the tuition and fee benefit does not appear on your student account.

Post-9/11 GI Bill® – Ch. 33 and transferability

Students receiving Post-9/11 tuition assistance must provide specific forms to Military Student Services by the start of each semester. Post-9/11 tuition funds are paid directly to VCU on the student’s behalf. The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers in-state tuition and all tuition-related fees at the in-state rates; it does not cover dorm and dining charges.

Some students may only be eligible to receive Post-9/11 tuition assistance at a percentage rate or for a reduced period of time. Questions concerning percentage or reduced payments should be directed to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Per regulations from the Department of Veterans Affairs, tuition-specific awards, including other military-sponsored tuition assistance programs, tuition grants and many state-funded awards, may reduce the student’s Post-9/11 award.

Students receiving Post-9/11 tuition assistance at the reduced rates and/or those with dorm and dining charges must pay the charges not covered by the Post-9/11 tuition assistance by the start of the semester or through the. Students wishing to pay their remaining or uncovered balances through the IPP should contact a scholarship and third-party account representative for assistance within the IPP enrollment period.

If the student is assessed a late fee due to a delayed payment coming from the Department of Veterans Affairs, VCU will waive the late fee if the student submitted the required forms to the Military Student Services Office in a timely manner; the student paid all non-covered charges by specified payment deadlines; and the delayed Post 9/11 payment covers the student’s outstanding balance. The late fee will be waived once the Post 9/11 payment is received by VCU.

Survivors and Dependents – Ch. 35 and Virginia MSDEP

Students receiving Chapter 35 tuition assistance must provide specific forms to Military Student Services by the start of each semester. The Student Accounting Department cannot defer payment deadlines based on the student’s expectation of receiving DEA tuition assistance. Students receiving this tuition assistance are encouraged to participate in the if they are unable to pay their full balance at the start of each semester.

Students who qualify for VMSDEP should apply directly through the Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs or Military Student Services. The VMSDEP award covers all tuition and fees and often includes a book stipend. Both the tuition and fees award and the stipend are processed through the Office of Financial Aid. As a state veterans’ benefit, VMSDEP will be included as a financial resource in the student’s financial aid package and may reduce state grants, university grants or scholarships, federal loans, federal work-study, and private loans. Each financial aid offer type is different, so the benefit may affect each student's financial aid package differently.

Other military assistance programs

There are numerous other military-sponsored tuition assistance programs. The Virginia National Guard, the Armed Forces Health Professional Scholarships and the Naval Medical Professions provide award recipient rosters directly to VCU.

Other programs require the student to submit a tuition assistance form to Student Accounting. These include tuition assistance from the Air Force and the Coast Guard. The tuition assistance form may be scanned and emailed to satpbilling@vcu.edu, delivered to the Student Financial Management Center in Harris Hall or faxed to (804) 828-5463.

The Army (Active-Duty, Guard and Reserves) now uses ArmyIngnitED for tuition assistance. Steps to use ArmyIgnitED for tuition assistance:

• Create an ArmyIgnitED student user account.
• Students wishing to use Army tuition assistance should email VCU Military Student Services at militaryserv@vcu.edu upon accepting the offer of admission to VCU. This step is crucial to ensure timely processing of the remaining steps to receive tuition assistance.
• Request tuition assistance in ArmyIgnitED each semester by the deadline.
• Contact VCU Student Accounting at satpbilling@vcu.edu for questions or assistance with tuition assistance.

Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application processes and restrictions. Contact your branch for details on your eligibility and the branch's process for tuition assistance.

• The employee submits a Career Choice payment request at AmazonCareerChoice.com prior to the course start date for each semester (fall/spring/summer).
  
  
• Payment requests are subject to review/approval by Amazon Career Choice.
  
  
• Career Choice payments cannot be posted until Student Accounting receives confirmation of the approved payment request amount.
  
  
• In compliance with policy, students will be held financially responsible for any amounts unpaid by Amazon Career Choice.
  
  
• Examples for payment request denials include:
  • The employee was not eligible for the Career Choice benefit at the start of the course.
  • The payment was requested in excess of 90 days before the course start date.
  • The course is a duplicate and has already been submitted for payment.