Third Party Responsibility | 529 Plans and External Scholarship Awards | VA Benefits
What Is Third‑Party Billing?
Third‑party billing applies when a private organization or government agency pays all or part of a student’s tuition or fees and requests that UMB bill the organization directly.
The sponsor must commit in advance to paying UMB directly and provide written authorization. Third‑party billing is not the same as tuition reimbursement.
Under tuition reimbursement, the student pays charges up front and later seeks reimbursement from an employer or organization. Tuition reimbursement programs do not qualify for third‑party billing or conditional credits.
UMB cannot issue a bill to a third‑party sponsor until Student Financial Services has received complete and approved documentation from both the student and the sponsor.
Required Documentation
Some government agencies require special forms, such as SF‑182s. Private organizations may submit a purchase order, financial guarantee, or an authorized letter on official letterhead describing the charges they will cover.
All third‑party contracts or authorization letters must include the following information to be processed:
- Student’s full name
- Student ID number (beginning with “@00”)
- Specific charges and semester(s) the sponsor will pay
- Billing address for the sponsoring organization
- Name, signature, and contact information of the person authorizing payment
- Purchase order and contact information of the authorizing individual (if applicable)
- Purchase order number (required for government contracts)
Student Responsibility
All students with a third‑party sponsor must complete the Third Party Sponsor Form for each semester in which the sponsor will provide payment. Students are responsible for paying any charges not covered by the sponsor and for monitoring their student account for balances or registration holds.
Eligibility for Conditional Credits
Beginning in Academic Year 2026–2027, conditional credits are available only to students sponsored by:
- U.S. military scholarship programs
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs HPSP
Students sponsored by any other program are not eligible for conditional credits.
Documentation Deadlines
Authorization documentation must be received by the deadlines below to be eligible for a conditional credit. Documentation submitted after the deadline does not qualify for a conditional credit.
Conditional credits, when applied, are temporary and will be reversed before registration opens.
Third‑Party Authorization Submission Deadlines
To ensure your third‑party sponsor is billed on time, submit your authorization documents by:
- Summer Semester: May 30
- Fall Semester: August 30
- Spring Semester: January 30
Registration Holds
Students who do not submit required documentation by the applicable deadline may be placed on a registration hold, which will remain until the outstanding balance is paid in full.
Contact Third‑Party Billing
If you have questions about third‑party billing, contact the Student Financial Services team:
- Email: thirdpartybilling@umaryland.edu
- Phone: 410‑706‑1337
Third-Party Responsibility
Third parties are expected to pay UMB within 45 days of receipt of invoice. Please check the invoice for payment instructions.
Kindly include the Student ID (beginning with “@00”) and invoice number when submitting payment via ACH or check.
For additional information or assistance, please contact thirdpartybilling@umaryland.edu or 410-706-1337.
529 Plans & External Scholarship Awards
External scholarships, grants, and pre-paid college savings plans (529) are not considered third parties.
Payments from 529 plans are treated as student or authorized user payments. Students using 529 plans are responsible for ensuring payment is received by UMB by the published due date.
Payments should be mailed to the following address:
University of Maryland Baltimore
Student Financial Services
601 W. Lombard Street
Suite 206
Baltimore, MD 21201
Along with payment, these checks should include the Student ID number (beginning with “@00”) and an award letter if applicable.
Students receiving additional awards not included in their financial aid package must tell University Student Financial Assistance. These awards can include 529 plans, state scholarships, private scholarships, tuition waivers, and assistantships.
VA Benefits
UMB accepts the VA Post 9/11 GI Bill, VA VR&E, and VA HPSP benefits. For information on the certification process, please contact your program’s School Certifying Official (SCO).