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Texas Education Code - Section 54.007. Option To Pay Tuition By Installment

Legal Research Home > Texas Lawyer > Education Code > Texas Education Code - Section 54.007. Option To Pay Tuition By Installment

§ 54.007. OPTION TO PAY TUITION BY INSTALLMENT.  (a) The 
governing board of each institution of higher education shall 
provide for the payment of tuition and fees during the fall and 
spring semesters through the following alternatives:
		(1)  full payment of tuition and fees in advance of the 
beginning of the semester;  or
		(2)  one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of 
the beginning of the semester, one-quarter payment prior to the 
start of the sixth class week, and the final one-quarter payment 
before the beginning of the eleventh class week.
	(b)  The governing board of each institution of higher 
education may permit the payment of tuition and fees during a summer 
term through the following alternatives:
		(1)  for a student enrolled for a summer term of 12 
weeks or longer that is not covered by Subdivision (2), one-half 
payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of the 
summer term, one-quarter payment before the beginning of the fifth 
class week, and the final one-quarter payment before the beginning 
of the ninth class week;
		(2)  for a student enrolled for a summer term of 16 
weeks or longer, one-half payment of tuition and fees in advance of 
the beginning of the summer term, one-quarter payment before the 
beginning of the sixth class week, and the final one-quarter 
payment before the beginning of the 11th class week;  and
		(3)  for a student enrolled for a summer term not 
covered by Subdivision (1) or (2) in a public junior college, public 
technical institute, or public state college, one-half payment of 
tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of the summer term and 
the remaining amount in one or two later payments to be made in the 
percentages and by the dates determined by the governing board of 
the college or institute, provided that the final payment must be 
made before the beginning of the last week of the summer term.
	(c)  The governing board may assess and collect incidental 
fees for students utilizing the payment alternative authorized by 
Subsection (a)(2) and the alternatives authorized by Subsection (b) 
and for students delinquent in payments.  The fees must reasonably 
reflect the cost to the institution of handling those payments.
	(d)  A student who fails to make full payment of tuition and 
fees, including any incidental fees, by the due date may be 
prohibited from registering for classes until full payment is made.  
A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of the semester 
may be denied credit for the work done that semester.  The governing 
board may not impose on a student any sanction authorized by this 
subsection unless the governing board includes in any promissory 
note signed by a student the following statement printed in 
bold-faced type or in capital letters:  "A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE 
FULL PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES, INCLUDING ANY INCIDENTAL FEES, BY 
THE DUE DATE MAY BE PROHIBITED FROM REGISTERING FOR CLASSES UNTIL 
FULL PAYMENT IS MADE.  A STUDENT WHO FAILS TO MAKE PAYMENT PRIOR TO 
THE END OF THE SEMESTER MAY BE DENIED CREDIT FOR THE WORK DONE THAT 
SEMESTER."  The governing board shall notify a student of any 
delinquent tuition or fee payment as soon as practicable.  The 
institution's records may be adjusted to reflect the student's 
failure to have properly enrolled for that semester.
	(e)  In addition to other payment alternatives provided by 
this section, the governing board of a medical and dental unit or of 
a general academic teaching institution with a department or 
college of veterinary medicine may provide for the payment of 
tuition and fees at the unit or at the department or college of 
veterinary medicine during any academic year through a one-fourth 
payment of tuition and fees in advance of the beginning of the year 
and subsequent one-fourth payments of tuition and fees to be made at 
periods designated by the governing board.  Subsection (b) of this 
section applies to tuition and fee payments under this subsection.  
In this subsection, "general academic teaching institution" and 
"medical and dental unit" have the meanings assigned by Section 
61.003 of this code.

Text of subsec. (f) as added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 536, § 1
	(f)  In this section, "public junior college," "public 
technical institute," and "public state college" have the meanings 
assigned by Section 61.003.

Text of subsec. (f) as added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 888, § 5
	(f)  The governing board shall require a student who elects 
to pay tuition and fees by installment under this section to enter 
into a written agreement reflecting the terms and conditions 
required by this section.

Text of subsec. (f) as added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 1181, § 
10
	(f)  A student may elect to pay the tuition and fees of an 
institution of higher education by installment under this section 
regardless of whether the student intends to apply a financial aid 
award administered by the institution toward the tuition and fees, 
except that a student whose financial aid award or awards are 
available to cover the total amount of tuition and fees may not pay 
by installment under this section.  On receipt of notice of a 
student's election to pay tuition and fees by installment, the 
governing board of the institution shall apply any financial aid 
award administered for the student toward the amount of tuition and 
fees due for that semester or summer session until the tuition and 
fees are paid in full and shall immediately release any remaining 
amount of the award to the student, except that the institution is 
not required to apply the award or awards toward the total amount of 
tuition and fees in exigent circumstances as determined by the 
institution.

Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 708, § 10, eff. Aug. 26, 1985.  
Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 805, § 1, eff. Aug. 28, 
1989;  Acts 1990, 71st Leg., 6th C.S., ch. 14, § 1, eff. June 14, 
1990;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1115, § 1, eff. June 19, 1997;  
Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 32, § 1, eff. May 3, 2001;  Acts 2005, 
79th Leg., ch. 536, § 1, eff. June 17, 2005;  Acts 2005, 79th 
Leg., ch. 888, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 2005;  Acts 2005, 79th Leg., ch. 
1181, § 10, eff. Sept. 1, 2005.

Last modified: August 10, 2007