Orientation
New Student Orientation
Summer 2023 Presentation Information
For more information on New Student Orientation, visit the New Student Orientation website.
To the parents, families, and guests who attended our presentations at Orientation, thank you for coming! Below you can find the helpful information, tips and tricks, and websites shared during the presentation.
To stay up to date moving forward, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We post scholarship opportunities and important reminders that can help you and your student stay on track for financial aid, scholarships, billing, and more!
Also, see our special Parents webpage that addresses financial aid topics that parents and families often have questions on.
What Is the WVU Hub?
Your connection to:
- Student accounts and billing
- Financial aid and scholarships
- Federal Work-Study employment
- Registrar and academic records
How Will I Hear from the WVU Hub?
It is critical that students pay attention to notices sent from the WVU Hub because they could be regarding their financial aid or a balance due.
- Emails regarding the above topics are sent from the WVU Hub to students’ WVU MIX email
- Students can set it up on their mobile devices. This will make it easier to stay informed of important information, deadlines and additional requirements
- Students should check their MIX email regularly via their WVU Portal
- Students can view up-to-date information in WVU Portal and WVU MyAccount billing information
How Can You Contact Us?
- Online assistance request
- Phone assistance
- Virtual assistance via Zoom
- In-person assistance (by appointment)
Visit our Contact Us webpage for additional contact information or schedule a call or appointment.
How Do I Access My Account Information?
Financial Aid Information
Within the Financial Aid Information section of their WVU Portal, students can view:
- Their financial aid offer
- Estimated cost of attendance
- Unsatisfied requirements for aid eligibility
Students can access their Financial Aid Information by clicking on the "Financial Aid Information" button in their WVU Portal.
WVU MyAccount
Within their WVU MyAccount, students can:
- View itemized account information
- Make a payment
- Request an On Demand Statement,
- Add parent/guest as an Authorized User
Students can access WVU MyAccount by clicking on the "PAY YOUR BILL HERE!" button in their WVU Portal. For help logging into WVU MyAccount and navigating the system, please refer to our Tutorials webpage.
STAR System
Within the STAR system, students can view or update information such as:
- Grades
- Class schedules
- Personal information
- Parent/guest proxy
Students can access STAR by clicking on the "STAR" button in their WVU Portal.
How Do Parents or Guests Access Their Student's Account Information?
Student Privacy Regulations
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
- Federal policy that protects the privacy of education records, such as:
- Billing
- Financial aid
- Class schedule
- Grades
- We cannot release protected information to anyone other than the student once the student moves into on-campus housing OR attends their first day of class at the University (whichever comes first) unless the student grants proxy access to their account information
- Directory information is public and may be disclosed at WVU’s discretion without explicit permission, but students can choose to withhold their directory information.
Visit the WVU FERPA website for more information.
Proxy Access and the WVU Parent and Guest Portal
- Because students cannot share their student log-in information, they are able to give official proxy access to their account
- Proxy access covers access to the student's information online (view only), in person, and over the phone
- Parents and guests will only see things they have been granted access to view. Students should pay close attention when choosing the information that the parent/guest can access
How Can Students Grant Permission?
- Students can find detailed instructions on how to grant access to their account on the Parent and Guest Portal website. During the setup, please remember to include a passphrase, valid end date, and appropriate authorizations to information.
- If students want a parent or guest to have access to view their charges online, they need to give them Authorized User access to their WVU MyAccount via their WVU Portal. Instructions for setting up Authorized User access are available on our Tutorials webpage
WVU MyAccount & Authorized Users
- As an Authorized User, a parent/guest can view billing information and make a payment via WVU MyAccount using their own login information
- An Authorized User without proxy access will not be able to discuss billing information with WVU Hub
- A parent or guest with only proxy access will not be able to view billing information or make a payment online
- Students can add Authorized Users in their WVU MyAccount via their WVU Portal
- New Authorized Users will receive two emails with link and temporary password that will expire 24 hours after it was initiated
Information about navigating WVU MyAccount and instructions for setting up Authorized User access are available on our Tutorials webpage.
How Can We Plan for Fall Charges?
Cost and Resource Planner
- The Cost and Resource Planner can help students estimate direct costs and potential out-of-pocket expenses for fall and spring before charges are available to view
- Billable (direct) costs are costs that will be billed by WVU (tuition and fees, housing, dining, and student insurance)
- If students wish to review how changes to their major, residence hall, or dining plan may impact their balance due, please visit our Cost and Resource Planner webpage
- To obtain information needed for the Cost and Resource Planner, please go to “Financial Aid Information” via the WVU Portal to view the estimated Cost of Attendance and available financial aid under “Award Offer”
- All amounts are estimated — the WVU Board of Governors does not approve new tuition and fee amounts until later this summer.
Tips for Estimating Costs
- To estimate potential balance owed, only include Billable Items from the Cost of Attendance section
- To budget total financial need, including things not billed through WVU, such as books, personal expenses, transportation, include both Billable and Non-Billable items
- Federal Work-Study does not apply towards charges directly. Students who receive FWS receive a paycheck for their hours worked
- Estimated Cost of Attendance is used to calculate financial aid eligibility, but it’s only an estimate that can be used when completing the Cost and Resource Planner. Students will be able to view your true charges once they’re available in the WVU Portal
How and When Can I See My Charges?
Fall Billing Information
- Fall charges will be available on or around July 5 through WVU MyAccount for students who have registered for fall classes
- Students who owe a balance will receive a notification on or around July 5
- If students have a July balance due, payment is due August 1
- To avoid a 2.95% late payment fee, please make sure any balance is covered by August 1
- Charges and credits may change for various reasons. It is important to monitor WVU MyAccount for most up-to-date billing information at least once a month. New balance is usually due by the 1st of the upcoming month
For additional information about fall 2023 billing, please visit our Billing webpage.
How Can I Cover My Balance Due?
Utilizing Available Financial Aid
- Students can check their “Financial Aid Information” via their WVU Portal to make sure they have accepted any available financial aid they would like to use
- Ensure there are no unsatisfied requirements for their financial aid
- For Federal Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans to apply to their charges, the student must complete the following loan requirements on the Federal Student Aid website
- Entrance Counseling
- Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans
Other Resources
Private/External Scholarships
- Payment must be received by the August 1 payment deadline.
- Notifications/scholarship letters will not credit toward charges.
More information about scholarships is available on our Scholarships webpage.
College Savings Plan (529, Prepaid College Plan)
- Contact your plan manager for instructions on how to send funds.
- Ask plan manager if an ACH transfer is an option.
- Can only be credited to the student's charges once payment is received.
Part-Time Student Jobs
- Working 1 to 20 hours per week has been shown to improve time management and GPA
- Students earns a paycheck to help with non billable (indirect) costs like books, supplies, and transportation
- Federal Work-Study is awarded based on financial need determined by the FAFSA, but students do not need to have work-study to apply for part-time jobs on and off campus
- Students can search and apply for jobs via Handshake
Third-Party Sponsorship
- Vocational rehabilitation, military, employers, etc.
- Please contact the third-party sponsor for more information.
- Official authorization document must be received by payment deadline.
More information about third-party billing can be found on our Third-Party Billing webpage
Veterans Benefits
- Information on benefit types and required documentation can be viewed by selecting "Benefits" on the home page under the Future Students tab.
- Start the online certification process with the WVU Bunker.
- Once certified, these funds will be processed through third-party billing.
For more information about veteran benefits, visit the WVU Veterans website.
Enrolling in a Monthly Payment Plan
WVU offers a monthly payment plan to help students spread all or a portion of their institutional charges over several months.
- The earlier students sign up, the more time they will have to pay, and the smaller their monthly payments will be
- You can sign up for a 5-month payment plan beginning
July 5. Sign up by
July 23
for 5-month payment plan
- If you miss the July payment plan, you can sign up between
July 24 and
August 23 for a 4-month payment plan
- Can help reduce borrowing through loans.
- A $35 enrollment fee plus the first payment are due when at sign up
- Students can enroll, manage their account, and make payments 24/7. To learn more, visit our Tuition Payment Plan webpage.
The monthly payment plan is also a great tool to minimize borrowing when possible. For example, perhaps you can't do the plan for your full balance due and intend to pursue credit-based loans to cover your balance due. However, you know you can afford to pay $100 a month. You can set up the monthly payment plan for $100 a month and pursue the credit-based loan for the rest of your balance due. This could save you up to $4,800 in loan debt over four years - not including interest! Please note if you are taking a credit-based loan out to receive a refund for books or living expenses, that loan will go toward your balance due first before disbursing a refund (even if you have a monthly payment plan set up). Also, please be aware of whether or not your credit-based loan starts repayment when determining how much you can afford in a payment plan for the month.
Making Direct Payments
Online Payments via WVU MyAccount
- Pay online with an e-check using the routing and bank account numbers for your checking account (fastest and easiest method)
- Pay online with a debit or credit card (2.95% convenience fee)
Mailing Payments
- Pay with a check, money order, or certified bank check paid to the order of WVU or West Virginia University
- Include the student’s name and WVU student ID number
- Cash payment cannot be accepted and DO NOT mail cash
More on payment options and instructions for paying online can be found on our Billing webpage.
Applying for Credit-Based Loans
There are credit-based loan options from the federal government and private lenders. Credit-based loans require an application and credit approval. However, there are differences between federal and private loans such as the borrower, the lender, interest rates, fees and terms. We have tools to help students determine what works best for them!
Federal Parent PLUS Loan
- Lender: Federal government
- Borrower: parent of a dependent undergraduate student who has submitted their 2022-2023 FAFSA
- Interest: fixed
- Parents can apply using the 2022-2023 PLUS loan application
Visit our Federal Parent PLUS Loan webpage for more information.
Private Loans
- Lender: private lenders and financial institutions
- Borrower: student or parent (varies by lender)
- Interest: varies by lender
- Applications are available through each lender
Visit our Private Loans webpage for more information.
Credit-Based Loans
There are credit-based loan options from the federal government and private lenders. Credit-based loans require an application and credit approval. However, there are differences between federal and private loans such as the borrower, the lender, interest rates, fees and terms. We have tools to help you determine what works best for you!
Private Loans
- Interest rate varies by lender
- The borrower could be the student or parent, depending on the lender
- The student usually needs a cosigner
- Visit our Private Loans webpage for more information, including tips and search resources to help you compare private lenders
Parent PLUS Loans
- Interest fixed at 6.28% for loans that disburse on or after July 1, 2021 and before July 1, 2022
- For parents of dependent undergraduate students
- The loan is in the parent's name
- Parents can apply on the Federal Student Aid website
- Visit our Federal Parent PLUS Loan webpage for more information and frequently asked questions
Applying for the Parent PLUS Loan Tips
To apply for the Parent PLUS Loan, a parent must:
- Go to the Federal Student Aid website
- Log in with their Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) (not the student's FSA ID)
- Select the 2021-2022 year on the PLUS application
- Ensure the application is sent to West Virginia University
- If approved, you must complete a Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note) for the PLUS loan on the Federal Student Aid website
- The Department of Education will email instructions if an endorser is needed or Credit Counseling is required
- More information and instructions are available on our Federal Parent PLUS Loan webpage
Please remember to check to make sure the loan is sent to West Virginia University (not WV State, WVU Hospitals or WVU Parkersburg).
What If My Financial Aid and Payments Total More Than My Billable (Direct) Costs for the Semester?
Financial Aid Refunds
Some students are due a refund because their financial aid and/or payments are more than WVU charges.
If the student is due a refund:
- The earliest refund processing of a semester is after the first financial aid disbursement, when the student's financial aid pays toward their account, which is 10 days prior to the first day of a semester
- For students who have direct deposit set up, refunds may be available in their bank accounts on or around August 16
- If they do not choose a refund preference, a check will be mailed to the student's mailing address listed in STAR, which usually takes longer than direct deposit
Students and parents who are due a refund can set up direct deposit once they receive the email from the Nelnet Refund Portal. This is the recommended refund method. Students can start setting up direct deposit after July 7. Students will know their refund has been processed when they see a “Student Refund” transaction in the Charges column in their WVU MyAccount. This is not actually a charge!
The refund is issued based on what you are owed at the time it is issued. A new balance could occur after the refund has been issued. Monitor your WVU MyAccount for the latest details.
The WVU Hub processes refunds twice a week after the initial processing for the semester. Students should monitor their WVU MyAccount! For more information on refunds, visit our Refunds webpage
Are There Academic Requirements Students Must Meet to Maintain Their Financial Aid?
Keeping Your Aid
Application Requirements
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Required each year for any federal aid and most state aid
- Opens on October 1 each year for the next school year
- Priority deadline at WVU is March 1
- Applications for credit-based loans may need to be renewed each year to continue to receive private loans
- Application/document(s) needed for other aid such as departmental scholarships, private scholarships, state aid, etc.
Enrollment Requirements
- Students must meet the enrollment requirements for aid each semester for financial aid to pay out
- Some financial aid requires full time (12 credits or more) based on degree pursuing credit hours, some requires half time (6 credits or more), some will be prorated
- Dropping or withdrawing from classes could impact financial aid eligibility, resulting in financial aid adjustments
Visit our Enrollment Standards and CPOS webpage for more information.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards for financial aid eligibility to keep federal and some state financial aid for future academic years.
To meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, students must:
- Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 by the end of each spring
-
Earn at least 67% of all hours they attempt by the end of each spring
- Withdrawing from classes after the add/drop period, incompletes and failing classes have a negative impact on this percentage
- Complete their program of study within 150% of the hours required for the program (example: complete a program that requires 120 hours within 180 attempted hours)
Visit our Satisfactory Academic Progress webpage for more information.
Renewal Requirements
In addition to Satisfactory Academic Progress, some types of aid have their own overall GPA and earned hour requirements.
- WV Higher Education Grant
- Earn 24 credit hours in fall and spring for full-year recipients. If necessary, the summer semester can be used to meet the credit hours requirement.
- Overall GPA of at least 2.0 at end of spring. If necessary, the summer semester can be used to meet the GPA requirement.
- More information is available on the WV Higher Education Grant website
- Promise and Institutional Scholarships
- Earn 30 credit hours in fall, spring and summer (excluding classes taken in high school) for full-year recipients
- Promise: By end of summer, must have an overall GPA of at least 2.75 after first year and a 3.0 in subsequent years
- Institutional: By end of summer, must have an overall GPA of at least 2.75 (applies to scholarships listed on our Renewal Requirements webpage)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I have to apply for financial aid every year?
- Yes, students must submit a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year for federal and most state aid consideration. The FAFSA is available October 1 for 2022-2023 and will ask for 2020 tax information. The priority deadline to submit is March 1, but the earlier the better!
- How do I buy textbooks?
- If students have more financial aid than billable (direct) costs, they can use their refund to purchase books. For future semesters, students can utilize the Bookstore Program to preorder books with their anticipated refunds
- This FAFSA asks for my family's 2019 taxes, and our financial resources has reduced significantly since then. What do I do?
- Visit the Family Contribution Appeal webpage for instructions on how to request and complete the appeal for 2022-2023. The appeal will allow students to let us know that their financial situation has changed.
- How do I submit outside scholarships and 529 college savings plan payments to WVU?
- All scholarships and 529 payments should go to the WVU Hub. All payments made to WVU should include the student's name and WVU ID number. Visit our Payments webpage for detailed instructions and mailing addresses.
- What is the WVU Hub Peer Educator Program?
- This program provides students access to trained student employees who can answer
questions about common financial concerns, including how to complete a FAFSA,
budget for rent, manage loan debt, and more! Students can schedule appointments
on our
Peer Educators webpage.
What Are Some Next Steps?
Next Steps
- Set up parents/guests proxy AND Authorized User access, if necessary
- Check WVU Portal’s Financial Aid Information for unsatisfied requirements
- Monitor WVU MyAccount in July for fall charge assessment and updates
- Estimate costs and sign up for a payment plan starting on July 5
- Contact private scholarship issuers and education savings plan account managers to send payments; contact third-party sponsors to send authorizations
- Apply for credit-based loans, if necessary
- Complete loan requirements
- Student borrowers complete Entrance Counseling and MPN for Federal Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans
- Parent borrowers with approved Parent PLUS loans complete MPN for Federal PLUS Loans
- Complete the Student Health Insurance Waiver before August 1. If the waiver is not completed by June 30, Student Health Insurance will be included in the student's charges.
- Select a dining plan. If a plan is not selected by July 1, students will have the Go13 plan added to their charges by default.
- Set up direct deposit after receiving an email about a fall refund
First-Time Loan Borrowers
- First-time student loan borrowers (for subsidized and unsubsidized loans) must complete TWO requirements found under Checklists:
- Students must log in with their Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) on the Federal Student Aid website
- Complete Master Promissory Note (i.e., Loan Agreement)
- Complete Entrance Counseling
Fall 2023 Timeline: June and July
- June 1: Student health insurance waiver is available on the Student Health Insurance website
- July 1: Last day to select a meal plan before default plan (Go13) is used for July charge assessment
- July 5:
- Fall charges are available in WVU MyAccount
- Five-month payment plan opens
- Students with a balance will receive a notification of fall charges
- July 23: Last day to sign up for the five-month payment plan
- July 24: Four-month payment plan opens
Fall 2023 Timeline: July
- Sign up for direct deposit of refunds
- On or around July 1:
- Fall charges available online
- Four-month payment plan becomes available
- July 5: Students with balance receive a notification of fall charges
- July 31: Last day to sign up for the five-month payment plan option
Fall 2023 Timeline: August
- August 1:
- Payment due date for those with a July balance
- Student health insurance waiver deadline
- August 2: Late fees assessed on past due student account balances
- August 4: Last day to reserve books with financial aid through the WVU Bookstore Program
- August 6:
- Financial aid pays toward fall 2023 balance if all requirements have been completed
- Students with a balance due will receive a notification of fall charges.
- August 16:
- First day of classes
- Refunds are typically available to students signed up for direct deposit.
- August 22: Last day to add or drop any 16-week courses
Follow the WVU Hub on Social Media
Follow @WVUHub for deadlines, reminders, scholarship opportunities, and budgeting tips.
WVU Hub Information
Visit our WVU Hub Appointments form to schedule an appointment.
- Online Assistance
- Phone: 304-293-1988
- Available Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET
- Fax: 304-293-4890
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6004, Morgantown, WV 26506
- Morgantown Campus: Evansdale Crossing, 2nd Floor, 62 Morrill Way, Morgantown, WV 26506
- Beckley Campus: 609 South Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV 25801
- Keyser Campus: Administration Building, Room 101, 101 Fort Avenue, Keyser, WV 26726