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Highlander Choice Frequently Asked Questions
  1. What is Highlander Choice?
  2. Refunds and Highlander Choice.
  3. I received Financial Aid after I started the payment plan what do I do?
  4. What's the difference in the Annual and Single Semester Plans?
  5. Where do I mail my payments?
  6. I'm on the payment plan, why did I get this billing statement?
  7. Why do I start so early when I don't start attending school till later?
  8. Can I make my payments at the office?
  9. I live off campus, can I budget my meal plan and/or my university owned apartment living through Highlander Choice?
  10. If I was enrolled in the plan the previous academic year, why do I have to pay the fee and complete this information again?
  11. Why is my payments higher in the Spring Semester vs. the Fall Semester?
  12. Who is the contractor?
  13. Bounced Checks/ Debits and the Highlander Choice Payment Plan.
  14. When does Highlander Choice start charging the late fee?
  15. I owe more on my account than I first anticipated when I contracted with the payment plan. What can I do?
  16. Credit Cards
  1. Highlander Choice is Radford University's own payment plan. It is an alternative to standard payment arrangements. You may read more about our payment plan on our web site @ http://www.radford.edu/~hc/
  2. If a Highlander Choice payment creates a credit on a student's account a refund may be processed and mailed to the student approximately two weeks after the student fills out a refund request. Refunds are not given for pending Highlander Choice credits.
  3. If you receive an award of financial aid, scholarships, etc. after your payment plan has already started, call Highlander Choice and we will adjust your plan based on the award letter amount. If the semester is in session, a voucher from the Financial Aid Office is required in order to rebudget your account. If your semester account is paid in full (regardless if you are set up for the annual or single semester plan), we will cancel that semester's account and process a refund for the overpayment if and when it is necessary. Adjustments to the next semester (if applicable) will be made at that time as well.
  4. The annual plan is a plan designed for the majority of students who will owe out of pocket expenses during the course of the academic year. The fee is $60.00 and your plan will consist of two accounts, the Fall Semester account and the Spring Semester account. Enrollment in the Annual Plan is a savings of $10.00.

    The single semester plan is designed for the student who may not need the payment plan but for one semester because of financial aid, graduation, etc. Also, the student/payor may just prefer to contract one semester at a time. The fee is $35.00 and your plan is set up for one semester only and re-enrollment and another payment of the fee is required for the next semester (if the participant chooses to use the plan again) within that academic year.
  5. All payments to the Highlander Choice plan are to be made out to Radford University and mailed to:
    Highlander Choice
    P.O. Box 6922
    Radford, VA 24142
    or express mailed to:
    Highlander Choice
    c/o Student Accounts
    Walker Hall, Tyler Ave.
    Radford, VA 24142
    Highlander Choice contracts or monthly payments DO NOT go to the lock box in Baltimore, MD. Only lump sum payments should be directed there.
  6. Billing statements go to all students, including students who do not owe the university out of pocket payments and those who have contracted with the payment plan. However, contractors of the payment plan must read their billing statement carefully. If your plan was contracted correctly it should say, PAY THIS AMOUNT $0.00. However, this does not mean that you owe nothing it just means that your payment plan and aid, if any, will cover your expenses owed to the university. Highlander Choice puts your contract amount on the student account. Each time you make a monthly payment we apply that directly to the student account and we reduce your contract amount by the payment. If the contract is budgeted correctly, by the end of the contract period your account should state that you are paid in full. If you see a balance still owing on the billing statement and there is no other means covering this amount, you may rebudget your Highlander Choice account to cover this amount or you may pay it by the payment deadline. You may not include past due balances from previous semesters as well as, other miscellaneous charges due to the university. If you see a credit balance on your billing statement, you may rebudget your account to lower your payments.
  7. Highlander Choice starts the payment plan early in order to give you the longest payment timespan that we possibly can. We are required by the university to have monies for expenses paid by the mid-point of the semester (Fall Semester - October and Spring Semester - March).
  8. Sure you can! Our lobby now has a drop box located in our information area on the Student Accounts' side in Walker Hall. If you have cash payments, we will take these at the Student Accounts' window.
  9. Yes you can! Just include your choice of meal plan in the meals area of the contract and/or the apartment rent in the room area. Please fill out the off-campus meal plan form that is in the brochure and return with your contract at the time of enrollment.
  10. Highlander Choice is a annual plan. Once the academic year is complete, re-enrollment for the next academic year is required. The reason for this is that it is an alternative to the standard payment requirements. Also, you may only need the plan one year but have other means for payment in the next.
  11. Annual Plan participants will notice that the Spring Semester may be higher per month versus the Fall Semester monthly payments. The reason for this is your room and/or tuition deposit credit(s) is applied towards the Fall Semester and not the Spring. If you prefer equal payments, refunds may be generated to the student after all installmenst are received for the Fall Semester. If this happens, then the amount refunded will be billed in the Spring Semester.
  12. The contractor is the name given to the person who is responsible for Highlander Choice contract other than the student. This person must complete and sign this section in order for us to be able to set the contract up in their name. If the student will be the responsible party, the contractor section is not necessary.
  13. Checks/ Direct Debits returned by the bank for any reason in conjunction with Highlander Choice will result in a returned item service charge being added to the student's account. Direct Debits will not be resubmitted. Radford University is not responsible for any returned debits due to incorrect bank account information that was provided by the contractor. If there is more than one returned payment and the payment has not been settled in full with the Student Accounts Office, Highlander Choice will consider the payments delinquent and the contract will be terminated.
  14. The payment deadline for the Highlander Choice Payment Plan is outlined in the chosen plan's schedule on page 3 of the Academic Year's brochure, page 4 of the Academic Year's webpage, the worksheet of the Summer's brochure and website. We do give a grace period of 5 days for mailing. After that date, we will charge a 5% late fee of the scheduled payment. Statements are mailed each month for delinquent payments. If charged a late fee you may submit it at that time or include it with your next scheduled payment. You may appeal this late fee in writing, we will review and respond to all appeals.
  15. You may contact our office and we will rebudget your account. We will take the new budget amount and divide into your remaining payments. We cannot increase your budget based on past due amounts or miscellaneious fees such as, parking, etc.
  16. As of 2001, Radford University has an outside agency who will accept student account charges by credit card. This service does charge a fee which are detailed on the Student Accounts website. If you choose to use this service, please notify Highlander Choice of your payment with your confirmation by e-mail or by phone.