Convenience Fee Information

Although the cost associated with Ohio Northern’s credit card processing continues to grow each year, the University wants to continue to offer the option to pay by credit card. Therefore, ONU has contracted with Touchnet PayPath, a third-party company, to provide credit card processing services for student accounts.

This change is scheduled to begin July 6, 2011.

We hope this page will answer many questions you may have. Click on the questions to see the answers.

1. What credit cards does Touchnet PayPath accept?
2. Why doesn’t PayPath accept Visa?
3. Why is ONU charging a fee for the use of my credit card?
4. Why is the convenience fee 2.75 percent? How was this percentage established?
5. Is ONU unique in charging a convenience fee?
6. Is there any way I can avoid paying a convenience fee?
7. Can a student make a credit card payment over the Internet?
8. Can someone else make a credit card payment over the Internet on my tuition account?
9. Can I make a credit card payment over the phone?
10. Can I pay in person using a credit card?
11. I often receive checks from my credit card company. Can I use the routing number and account number of these checks to make an electronic check (e-check) payment?
12. If I make a credit card payment in error, will my convenience fee be refunded?
13. If I use my debit card to pay my student account charges, will I be charged the convenience fee?
14. Will the convenience fee that I am charged be included on my semester eBill?
15. How will this appear on my credit card statement?

1. What credit cards does Touchnet PayPath accept?

PayPath accepts MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Credit card payments can be made online via eBill. If you need assistance, email bursar@onu.eduor stop by the Controller’s Office in Lehr Memorial. 

2. Why doesn’t PayPath accept Visa?

PayPath has chosen a third-party vendor that charges a pro-rata convenience fee. Visa allows a flat fee but not a pro-rata convenience fee. Visa’s flat-fee method would require the same flat-fee charge regardless of the dollar amount of the transaction. The current pro-rata method allows ONU to recover its cost of doing business, while those customers who choose to pay with a credit card share this expense at an equal rate. 

3. Why is ONU charging a fee for the use of my credit card?

Due to increasing costs to process credit card transactions, ONU has contracted with a third-party company, Touchnet PayPath, to provide credit card processing services for student accounts. By contracting with PayPath, ONU can receive the full amount of the payment without being responsible for processing fees. The fee is charged by the third-party processor, not ONU.

4. Why is the convenience fee 2.75 percent? How was this percentage established?

The third-party credit card processor, Touchnet PayPath, established the 2.75 percent rate to cover the credit card transaction fees assessed by credit card companies.

5. Is ONU unique in charging a convenience fee?

No, most Ohio colleges and universities charge a similar fee.

6. Is there any way I can avoid paying a convenience fee?

You can avoid paying the 2.75 percent convenience fee by paying online with an e-check, which is an electronic debit to your checking or savings account. This payment can be made over the Internet through the ONU Luminis eBill system. (See below for access instructions.) To avoid the convenience fee, choose the “electronic check” option.

You also can avoid the convenience fee by mailing or delivering a check to the Controller’s Office at the address below. Always include your campus ID number on the check.

Ohio Northern University
Office of the Controller
525 South Main Street
Ada, OH 45810

7. Can a student make a credit card payment over the Internet?

Yes, students can pay online via the ONU Luminis eBill system. After logging in, click the “eBill” tab at the top. This will direct you to your billing statement and the portal to make your secure online payment.

8. Can someone else make a credit card payment over the Internet on my tuition account?

Another user can make an online payment on behalf of the student only if the student has set the individual up as an authorized user via the ONU Luminis eBill system. Once access has been granted, the log in information will be provided via email and should be entered at:

https://payment.onu.edu/c21185_tsa/web/login.jsp

9. Can I make a credit card payment over the phone?

Credit card payments cannot be made over the phone or via mail. This is a security measure that ensures confidentiality of your payment information.

10. Can I pay in person using a credit card?

Credit card payments can be made at the Controller’s Office in Lehr Memorial using the kiosks located in the lobby, which access the ONU Luminis eBill system. The convenience fee is still applied to any payments made by credit card.

11. I often receive checks from my credit card company. Can I use the routing number and account number of these checks to make an electronic check (e-check) payment?

No. Credit card companies will not honor checks used electronically. The payment will be returned as “account not found.” You may use these checks through the mail or in person only. Send mail payments to the address below. Always include your campus ID number on the check.

Ohio Northern University
Office of the Controller
525 South Main Street
Ada, OH 45810

12. If I make a credit card payment in error, will my convenience fee be refunded?

No. The convenience fee is not refundable, even if the payment to which it relates is canceled, refunded, credited or charged back.

13. If I use my debit card to pay my student account charges, will I be charged the convenience fee?

Yes. If you use your debit card like a credit card to pay your student account charges, you will be charged the 2.75 percent convenience fee. For checking or savings account debits, please use the e-check option to avoid paying the convenience fee.

14. Will the convenience fee that I am charged be included on my semester eBill?

No. The convenience fee is assessed by a third-party company, Touchnet PayPath, in addition to the payment. The convenience fee will not appear on your student account or on your eBill statement.

15. How will this appear on my credit card statement?

Two separate transactions will appear on your credit card statement: one transaction for the student account payment and one transaction for the convenience fee.