Payment Options

*Please note that payments can not be made over the phone.  Payments must be made online, in-person or by mail.

  • E-check /ACH (electronic checks) – An electronic debit to a checking or savings account can be made online by logging on to the MaineStreet Student Center. There is no fee for this service.
  • Credit and Debit Cards (Online Only) – Credit and debit card payments are processed by Touchnet, an external payment processing company. Credit and debit card payments can be made online by logging on to the MaineStreet Student Center. Debit and credit card payments cannot be accepted by USM staff in person, through the mail, or over the phone.
    Touchnet will charge a 2.95% (minimum $3.00) non-refundable convenience fee for all credit or debit card payments made to a student account.
    Cards accepted are: Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express. 
  • Cash and Paper Checks – USM accepts cash, but please do not send it through the mail. We also accept personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks, and traveler’s checks. Checks should be made payable to the University of Southern Maine and mailed to: University of Southern Maine, Student Financial Services, PO Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104
  • Payment Plans – USM offers students the opportunity to enroll in a payment plan. Each plan has a non-refundable enrollment fee of $30.00 per semester. Learn about the different options available.
  • Scholarships – The student needs to provide copies of the outside scholarship(s) to the Student Financial Services office. Scholarships awarded by the University will automatically be applied to the student’s account. Learn more about outside scholarships.
  • Financial Aid – Student Financial Aid awards can be found by logging on to the MaineStreet Student Center.
  • Cash and Paper Checks – USM accepts cash, but please do not send it through the mail. We also accept personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks, and traveler’s checks. Checks should be made payable to the University of Southern Maine and mailed to:

3rd Party Billing – It is the student’s responsibility to obtain authorization from the third-party sponsor. The student or the third-party sponsor will need to provide a hard copy of the authorization form to the Student Financial Services office before the payment due date. A late authorization could result in a late-payment fee.

An authorization requires specific information pertaining to what the third-party sponsor is willing to pay on the student’s behalf (i.e. tuition, fees, room, and/or board) and the specific dollar amount(s).

The authorizations can be mailed or emailed to the following:

USM Student Financial Services
37 College Ave
Gorham, ME 04038

NOTE:   It is the student’s responsibility to make payment for any portion of the bill not covered by the third-party sponsor, by the payment due date, to avoid late-payment fees. USM offers payment plans to assist students in paying for their classes. 

Additionally the University of Southern Maine does not participate in deferred billing. If an employer needs proof of a passing grade or reimburses the student directly, it is the responsibility of the student to pay for charges by the billing due date.

For questions about third-party billing for school districts, contact Student Financial Services at (207) 780-5123 or by email at mjones@maine.edu.

For questions about all other types of third-party billing, contact Student Financial Services at (207) 780-4888 or by email at cdecosta@maine.edu.

Beginning the Spring 2022 semester, the University of Southern Maine will no longer issue paper tuition billing statements in the mail.  Instead, USM will begin issuing eBills (electronic bills) to Touchnet where you will be able to view and print your billing statements each semester.  Students will receive automated emails to their @maine.edu account when a new bill has been issued to Touchnet, therefore it is critical that students regularly monitor their email account.  Updated eBills will be generated to Touchnet around the 15th of each month.  Additionally, you may request a paper bill be mailed as well by going to the link below and completing the online ‘Paper Bill Request’ form.

How to View/Print your Student Bill

Paper Bill Request Form (You must be logged in to your MyUSM portal to access)

Students are able to authorize others, such as parents, to view their eBill, enroll in a payment plan and make online payment through Touchnet as well.  The link below gives instructions on how to set up an authorized user.

Add an Authorized User to Your Student Account

Student Financial Services disburses financial aid to student accounts within applicable federal timeframes. For students who have received financial aid awards and who are registered for the same number of credits which the award is based on, the disbursement of funds to student accounts generally occurs 10 days before the beginning of the semester. Be advised that financial aid awards will not disburse if your enrollment does not match the enrollment upon which your award was calculated. Disbursements to student accounts routinely occur several times per week. If excess funds remain on the account after the awards have been applied to your enrollment charges, a refund will be generated. Students who have elected to sign up for direct deposit will have the refund direct deposited while those who have not will have a paper check mailed to them.

Enroll or Modify Direct Deposit 

Student Financial Services will review your final enrollment status at the end of the add/drop period or the end of the second week of each semester. If your enrollment has changed from that upon which the financial aid award is based, the award will be adjusted to reflect actual enrollment. If financial aid is reduced at this time, a balance due may be created on your student account. You are responsible for any outstanding balances created as a result of enrollment changes after aid has been awarded.

University Waivers

Tuition waivers are offered by the University of Maine System for eligible employees and their dependents. Waivers are now processed by the UMS Employee Benefits Center.  Employee and Dependent waivers can be found below and can be submitted to benefits@maine.edu.

Approved waivers apply to tuition only. Other fees posted to a student account are not waived and must be paid by published payment deadlines.

Native North American Waiver

For information about the Native American Waiver & Educational Program and the specific requirements for this waiver, please review our Intercultural Student Resources.

Senior Citizen Tuition Waivers (This waiver form can be found at your MyUSM campus portal)

To receive this waiver an individual must be:

  • a Maine Resident &
  • age 65 or older, or will become 65 during the semester for which they are requesting the waiver &
  • registered for undergraduate coursework.

An application form must be completed and submitted to Student Financial Services with proof of age and payment for mandatory fees. 

All Mandatory Fees will be waived.

Enrollment will be subject to space availability.

International Payments- International payments can be made through TransferMate or Flywire.

Benefits of paying with TransferMate:

  • Peace of mind that your payment will be received in full and on time
  • Allows you to pay in your local currency to a local bank account
  • Great exchange rates and zero banking charges
  • Ability to track your transaction throughout the payment process
  • No need to worry about exchange rates fluctuations
  • 24-7 customer support

For questions about paying with TransferMate, you can email edu@transfermate.com

Pay Now with Flywire

Flywire allows you to:

  • Pay from any country and any bank
  • Save money on bank fees and ensure your payment is received in full
  • Obtain excellent foreign exchange rates with a best rate guarantee
  • Get piece of mind with multilingual customer support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Track your payments from start to finish

For questions about paying with Flywire, you can email support@flywire.com