It is the responsibility of the student to turn in a written authorization from their sponsor to the Cashiers Office prior to the first billing due date of the semester. To avoid billing complications, the authorization must be specific on the amount and types of fees that are covered. It must also contain contact information and a billing address for the sponsor. With this documentation, the Cashiers Office will apply a credit to the student account based on the authorization. The Cashiers Office will then bill the sponsor for their credit and ask the sponsor to submit payment.

We require official written authorization from the sponsor which includes:

• Your full name and student number or social security number
• The period their sponsorship covers (one semester or multiple)
• Specification of fees to be covered or specifically not covered under the agreement or a maximum dollar amount if appropriate
• Specific authorization for the University of Missouri-Columbia to bill them on your behalf
• The name and address of the sponsoring agency where the bills should be sent along with a phone number for us to call if we have any questions

Any sponsor that does not submit payment in a timely fashion will have their credit removed from the student account. The student will then be held responsible for any outstanding balance that results in the removal of the sponsor billing credit.

Please submit electronic versions of authorizations or letters of credit to Mizzou.us/askcashiers using the following directions:

• Click on “I’m a Student” or “I’m a Former Student” and log in with your email address and password
• Click on “Billing and Payments” tile
• Click “Sponsored/University Accts & Grants”
• If you see your sponsor listed, please click on their applicable tile
• If you do not see your sponsor listed, please select the “Other” option
• Attach your authorization or letter of credit and submit. Please note, all authorizations and letters of credit should be submitted in a PDF format. Jpeg or other image formats are not accepted

Paper authorization should be directed to:

University of Missouri

325 Jesse Hall

Columbia, MO 65211

Attn: Sponsored Billing

Once we receive the complete billing authorization, we will post a credit for the authorized amount. If the credit covers your fees in full, you will not be billed for the charges after that point. We will then bill your sponsor directly on your behalf AFTER the refund period ends.

If the sponsor does not pay in a timely manner, the credit is removed from your account and we will begin billing you for the fees owed again. You will also be responsible for any finance charges that have accrued. We do not take credit cards as a payment method from your sponsor.

What is third party billing?

Third Party billing is a payment agreement between the student, university, and the student sponsor. The sponsor is an outside source that takes responsibility for all or partial payment of fees, books, etc. A third party sponsor is not an individual, i.e. parent, grandparents, etc., but a company or agency, such as the military, Vocational Rehabilitation, etc. 

When should my voucher or authorization be submitted to the Cashiers Office?

If the Cashiers Office does not receive the voucher or authorization before the first billing due date, the student will be responsible for making the minimum payment to avoid additional fees.

What happens if my sponsor does not pay the amount billed to them?

If a sponsor does not submit payment in full within one semester, then credit will be removed from the student account and billed back directly to the student.

If I have a sponsor paying in my behalf, what payment plan is best for me?

It is up to the student to determine which plan best fits their needs. However, students and families with a third-party sponsor paying on their behalf and utilizing personal payments for the remainder are encouraged to enroll in the “Paid in Full” plan. This plan does not include a setup fee, but 90% is due by the first due date. It is the student’s responsibility to submit their authorization and/or letter of credit in a timely manner. If the authorization and/or letter of credit are not submitted, or are not available by our listed due date, the balance due is the responsibility of the student.