Bursar And Business Office

Bursar And Business Office

The Bursar’s Office and Business Office are located on the first floor of Herod Hall on the Alva campus. The Business Office is where you’ll go to pay your student account. 

External scholarship payments for Alva, Enid, and Woodward students are coordinated on the Alva campus. Alva personnel are also responsible for supervising operation of the telephone switchboard, mailroom, package room and courier services to our other site locations.

The Bursar handles reconciliation and draw down of federal financial aid. The Bursar’s Office also is responsible for coordination of refund direct deposit setup, refund distribution, and student payment plan setup. In addition, this office handles the university’s auxiliary accounts payable. 

Every effort is made to provide timely service to students. The Bursar’s Office constantly strives to increase efficiency.

Office​ Information

In addition to paying in person or by mail to the Alva, Enid, Or Woodward offices, credit card payments are accepted through students’ Self-Service portals or by calling the Alva Business Office at 580-327-8536. You will find a summary of your charges and credits by navigating to the Account Activity webpage within Self-Service. The non-refundable convenience fee and processing fees are assessed by our third-party processor, not Northwestern, and will be included in your total payment amount on your credit card statement.

To avoid the convenience fees, students and employees should consider several other options. Bursar payment options with no additional cost to the payer include:

  • Mail checks, cashier checks, or money orders to: NWOSU Business Office, 709 Oklahoma Blvd, Alva, OK, 73717.
  • Pay in person with check, money order, or cash at the Alva Business Office, Enid Business Office, or the Woodward Administrative Office.  

A monthly payment plan is available through the Northwestern website for both the fall and spring semesters. This plan gives you the opportunity to spread your payments into installments throughout the semester. A payment plan enrollment fee will be incurred each semester upon enrollment in the program. You can set the payment plan up through your Self-Service account.

Payment is due on the first day of classes each semester. If you have a signed financial aid award letter, payment may be deferred until after disbursement of grants, loans, and scholarships. If you do not have a signed award letter, you are encouraged to make payment to avoid late fees. Financial aid that is awarded and paid after you have personally paid charges will be refunded for reimbursement.

A 5 percent late fee will be assessed to all unpaid student account balances after the 10th working day of October, November and December in the fall semester and after the 10th working day of March, April and May in the spring semester. The exact dates for the fall and spring late fees can be found on the university calendar. Late fees are assessed July 31st for the summer semester.

You may be contacted on all phone numbers, including cell phones, provided to the University as a source of contact, as well as any email address that is on file with the University. This includes contact from Northwestern agents, representatives, and attorneys (including collection agencies) for purposes of collecting any portion of the financial obligation on the account that is past due.

Any charges incurred by the University in an effort to collect on delinquent accounts are assessed to and will be the responsibility of the account holder. A student will be responsible for the fees of any collection agency that may be based on a percentage of the debt (at a maximum of 33.3 percent). All costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees that incur in such collection efforts also will be paid by the student. Delinquent account information is disclosed to credit reporting agencies, which could negatively impact the student’s credit rating on a local or national level.

Past due accounts are presented to the warrant intercept program (WIP) that captures state income tax refunds to pay outstanding Northwestern debts. Oklahoma law has jurisdiction and any disputes arising shall be determined in accordance with the law of this jurisdiction. Accounts must be cleared before a student can obtain the release of a diploma or enroll for subsequent semesters. Unresolved past due student account obligations can automatically terminate future term enrollment. The University reserves the right to request prepayment before allowing registration for future semesters.

Financial aid and scholarship funds are applied to outstanding charges with the student being responsible for the remaining balance. 

You can access your accounts at any time by using your Self-Service login.

The Student Activity Fee supports activities designed to provide the students with extracurricular educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities.

The Technology and Library Services Fee provides financial support for Northwestern computer labs, ITV studios, computer supplies, lab monitors, and library materials.

The Facility Fee provides funding to support various facilities used by all three campuses.

All additional fees are explained in the university catalog.

Fees subject to approval from the Higher Learning Commission.

Some third-party payments require a bill from the Business Office before they will make payment on the student’s account. In such cases, the student should provide a letter from the sponsor requesting us to invoice them. If for any reason the University does not receive payment, the student will be responsible for the charges. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the Business Office to verify the remaining balance owed.

The refund policies listed below describe the financial obligation of students who withdraw from classes after the official start date.

According to the Oklahoma State Regents’ refund policy, changes in schedules and complete withdrawals from the institution during the defined add/drop period (as listed in the course schedule) will result in full charges for courses added and full credit for courses dropped. No refund will be made after the add/drop period for the session except as stipulated below for Title IV recipients.

All Title IV Aid recipients and the university will be required to return to the federal aid programs the amount of aid received that was in excess of the aid earned for the time period the student remained enrolled.

The percentage of the semester completed is the percentage of aid earned. This is calculated by the number of days the student attended divided by the number of days in the enrollment period.

Students who remain enrolled through at least 60 percent of the payment period (semester) are considered to have earned 100 percent of the aid received and will not owe a repayment of Federal Title IV funds.

If Northwestern returns funds to the Title IV aid programs, it could result in the student owing Northwestern charges that were originally paid at the time of disbursement. Students also may be required to return funds released to them for personal expenses.

Please note that receiving a refund does not indicate that there are no pending charges on your account.

The Bursar/Business Office disburses financial aid. At the time funds are disbursed to the student, all outstanding balances will be deducted. Scholarships awarded by Northwestern and federal financial aid are disbursed after the add/drop period. It is the student’s responsibility to verify that financial aid has been applied to their account prior to the deadlines to avoid late fees.

Courier service is available daily between Alva, Enid, Woodward, Ponca City, and Crabtree.
The courier will only go to Ponca City on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Courier Timeline

8:00 – Originates at the Alva Business Office

8:00 – 8:15 Log outgoing items and prepare for travel

8:15 – 9:30 Travel to Woodward

9:30 – 9:35 Drop items off at Woodward

9:35 – 11:30 Travel to Enid

11:30 – 11:35 Drop items off at Enid

11:35 – 12:25 Travel to Crabtree (if necessary)

12:25 – 12:30 Drop items off at Crabtree (if necessary)

12:30 – 1:15 Travel back to Alva

1:15 – 1:25 Refuel vehicle

1:25 – 1:30 Travel back to campus and unload vehicle

*Trip will be shortened by about 12 minutes if the trip to Crabtree is not necessary.

Paige Fischer Bursar

Paige Fischer
Bursar

(580) 327-8533
Fax: (580) 327-8674
plfischer@nwosu.edu

Eric Reames Assistant Bursar

Eric Reames
Assistant Bursar

(580) 327-8532
edreames@nwosu.edu

Annette Schwerdtfeger Part Time Cashier

Annette Schwerdtfeger
Part-Time Cashier

(580) 327-8534
alschwerdtfeger@nwosu.edu

Vannessa Nelson
Head Cashier

(580) 327-8536
vdnelson@nwosu.edu

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