Bursar Office

The Office of the Bursar aims to provide exceptional, efficient, and responsive services to the Law School community and external organizations in supporting the educational pursuits of our diverse and highly talented students. We also strive to adhere to the University Cash Accountability policies.

Our core responsibilities include advising students on their financial obligations relating to the Law School, provision of billing and invoicing, management of tuition and fees, distribution of paychecks, timely processing of refunds, and guidance on payment options and fiscal practices.

Explore Payment Options

Check or Money Order

Checks, and money order payments can be made in person at the Bursar’s Office. Make checks payable to “CUNY School of Law.” Check or money order payment can be mailed to:
Bursar’s Office
CUNY School of Law
2 Court Square
Long Island City, New York 11101

Credit Card

You can pay tuition and fee charges with American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards online. You will be charged a 2.65% service fee for one-time, online credit card payments.

Credit card payments can only be made through your CUNYfirst account, where you will be presented with a tuition and fee bill.

E-Check

E-check payments will only be accepted through your CUNYfirst account, where you will be able to view your tuition and fee bill. Please have your bank account and routing numbers available when making your online payment and enter the numbers carefully. There is no service fee associated with the e-check payment option.

E-Check Payment Instructions

Log into CUNYfirst, go to Student Center, Select “Financial Account” and click on “Make a Payment.”

Payment Through a Third Party

An official tuition voucher/letter by your sponsor or employer must be received and approved by the Bursar prior to the tuition payment deadline each semester in order to honor the payment. Please email your third-party payment documentation to bursaroffice@law.cuny.edu. All originals must still be mailed to the Bursar’s Office for recordkeeping.

Your sponsor’s voucher/letter should include the following:

  • Student name
  • Student ID
  • Amount awarded
  • Semester
  • Sponsor or employer’s company name, address, and invoicing instructions/requirements

All third-party payments, vouchers, and outside scholarships are estimated, and bills are not considered paid until the payment reaches us. You will be held liable for your tuition and fees if payment is not received by the Law School.

If your third-party payment document is not sufficient to cover your tuition and fee bill, you will be responsible for paying the remaining balance. Most third-party payments do not pay for late drops during the first three weeks of classes. If you drop a class, please be prepared to pay for it.

Nelnet Tuition Payment Plan

Enrolling in a Nelnet Payment Plan has many benefits:

  • Instead of paying each semester’s bill all at once, the Nelnet payment plan allows you to stretch payments over a period of months.
  • You can establish your payment plan based on your anticipated tuition and fee costs and your anticipated financial aid (grants, scholarships, federal and state aid, etc.).
  • The earlier you enroll, the lower your monthly payments will be, since the total amount financed will be divided over more scheduled payments.
  • Your class seat is saved.
  • Nelnet accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Amex. You may also pay with your checking account or ACH online.
  • This is an interest-free payment plan, not a loan.

Choose your preferred payment method:

  1. Automatic bank payment (ACH) or e-check: $25 enrollment fee per semester
  2. Credit or debit card: $25 enrollment fee per semester; Nelnet will charge the cardholder a 2.65% service fee on all payments

After you enroll in the payment plan, you will be able to switch payment methods (e-check to debit/credit card or vice versa).

NELNET Payment Plan Instructions

Log into CUNYfirst, go to HR Campus Solutions, click on Self Service, and go to your Student Center. Then, go to Finances and select the Enroll/Manage Payment Plan.

You can also watch this video tutorial detailing how to enroll in a payment plan:
http://cisweb.cuny.edu/cunyfirst/videos/training-simulations/Nelnet-Training-Video-Captioned/CUNYFilenetJULY182016.mp4

All payments subsequent to the initial payment are automatically processed on the remaining scheduled payment dates. The scheduled payment dates are typically on the fifth of the month, but if the fifth falls on a weekend, the payment will be processed on the following business day.

For more information, visit https://mycollegepaymentplan.com/cuny.

If you need help enrolling in the payment plan, please call 888-470-6014.

Resources & Information

Tuition Payment

The Law School accepts a variety of payment methods, including online payments via credit card or e-check, or in-person/mailed payments via, check or money order.

Credit cards can be used to make payments online in CUNYFirst only. Card payments are not accepted at the Bursar’s Office window.

You may pay online by e-check, which electronically debits your checking account. There is no fee for this service.

Students can also enroll in a tuition payment plan through Nelnet, or opt to pay via a third party.

As long as your financial aid award is reflected on your CUNYfirst account and covers your entire bill, you are not required to make a payment.

Access Your Tuition Statement

After you register for courses, the CUNYfirst system will generate an official tuition statement called an eBill. (Please note: you will not receive a hard copy in the mail). Statements are generated every semester of enrollment and contain:

  • Tuition, fees, and other charges
  • Student payments, including those made in person and online
  • Financial aid payments, including those from federal, state, or sponsor payers
  • Anticipated aid (financial aid that has been authorized but is pending disbursement)
  • Your class schedule

Access your student financial eBill by following these steps:

  1. Log in to CUNYfirst.
  2. Select Student Center.
  3. Under the Finances section, select the institution and click on the drop-down menu where it says “other financials.”
  4. From that drop-down menu, select “eBill.” Turn off your pop-up blocker to allow the report to appear.

Your eBill is not proof of payment for education tax credits/tax filings. The appropriate form for this purpose is the 1098-T. Furthermore, the eBill is not a substitute for a transcript or enrollment verification if such a document is required for scholarships, medical coverage, loan deferments, jury duty, car insurance, etc. The eBill does not contain course grades or GPA either.

Obtain a Refund

You must withdraw from your classes prior to the first day of the semester to avoid tuition and fee drop charges and obtain a refund. Any student that does not officially withdraw from classes prior to the start of the term will be charged tuition and fees based upon the University’s academic calendar.

See the Law School’s Tuition Policies for detailed information on refunds and withdrawals.

Important notes:

  • Fees (student activities fees, technology fees, Academic Excellence Fees, etc.) are not refundable once classes have officially started.
  • To ensure the timely arrival of your refund check, your correct, current address (including your apartment number) must be on file. If you move, please make sure to update your records with the Registrar’s Office. You are also highly encouraged to enroll in direct deposit to ensure the fastest receipt of refunds. 
  • It can take two to three weeks for your refund to process.
  • Additional fees may be incurred if you make changes to your registration status after the semester begins

How to Clear a Bursar Hold

In accordance with University policy, a Bursar hold (BUR) will be placed on a student’s account until all balances are paid in full.

If a BUR hold was placed on your account, you cannot:

  • Register for a future term
  • Receive your diploma or other official documentation

BUR holds are not cleared automatically when you pay. This is a manual process. While we are more flexible during times of registration, holds are cleared the following day after you make the payment. Please email us at bursaroffice@law.cuny.edu for clarification.

If bills remain unpaid for more than one term, the Law School reserves the right to forward your account to a collection agency. If an account is referred to a collection agency, you will be responsible for what is owed to the Law School plus all collection costs.