Student Fee Payment Methods
This page contains all accepted payment methods for student fees.
Quick Links
Cash (Paper Money/Coins)
Pay in person with cash at the Bursar's Office at the Student Service Building 1st floor, and obtain a receipt for your permanent records.
Please note:
Do not deposit cash in the drop boxes or send cash in the mail.
After the first day of the semester, only certified funds are accepted if paying your tuition and fees for the first time.
Personal Check
Make personal check, cashier's check, or money order payable to SF State.
Include your name and SF State ID number on the face of the check and specify the purpose of the payment.
All check payments will be processed electronically to the University's bank and will clear the same day.
If your check payment for tuition and fees is returned by the bank for any reason, your registration may be cancelled and you will be assessed a non-refundable $20 dishonored check fee along with any applicable non-refundable late fee.
Additionally, personal checks will not be accepted for three (3) months after the date in which a check payment is returned to The University.
You must pay, in cash, certified funds, or credit card1 the original fees plus a $20 dishonored check fee.
After three months, upon request, the ability to write personal checks can be reinstated.
Please note:
When a check is provided as payment, you authorize SF State either to use information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction.
- Our mailing address is San Francisco State University, Bursar's Office ADM 155, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132.
- Only certified funds are accepted if you are paying your tuition and fees for the first time on or after the first day of the semester.
- If there are any discrepancies or concerns regarding your payment, please contact the Bursar’s Office by calling 415-338-1281, submitting a ticket, or going in person inside the Administration Building Room 155.
Please take into consideration delivery and processing time when mailing your payment.
The Bursar’s Office is not responsible for any delayed or misdirected mail by the U. S. Postal Service or Campus Mail Services.
1See Returned Check Policy.
Certified Funds
Certified funds, such as cashier's check or money order must be made payable to SF State.
Include your name and SF State ID number on the face of the check.
If your check payment for tuition and fees is returned by the bank for any reason, your registration may be cancelled and you will be assessed a non-refundable $20 dishonored check fee along with any applicable non-refundable late fee.
Please note:
When a check is provided as payment, you authorize SF State either to use information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction.
Financial Aid Deferment
If the Office of Student Financial Aid notifies you that you have been awarded and you have accepted an offer of Financial Aid, excluding college work study, your tuition and fee payment will be deferment thru Census.
You may register for classes without paying tuition fees up front.
Do not apply for the University's Installment Payment Agreement unless your aid has been cancelled.
Visit the Financial Aid home page for more information.
Credit/Debit Card (2.65% Fee)
Credit/Debit Card payments (MasterCard, VISA, American Express) are only accepted online through the university third party provider.
A non-refundable service fee of 2.65% for each credit/debit card transaction will be added to the total payment amount.
Service fees are retained by the vendor.
The cardholder, student and/or parent, will see two transactions on their statement, one for the university payment transaction and one for the service fee.
A reminder, the service fee is nonrefundable.
Please Note:
Credit/Debit card payments are not accepted in-person at the Bursar's Office.
Electronic Check (e-Check No Fee)
An e-Check or ACH is authorization to automatically debit your checking or savings account through the university’s third party provider.
You need to enter your checking/savings account number and the ABA (routing and transit) number, which is a unique series of numbers that identifies your financial institution.
There is no service fee.
To pay online with e-Check:
- Log on to SF State Gateway
- Navigate to the Student Center and look under the “Finances” section (center of the page)
- Click on “Make a Payment”
Please Note:
If your payment for tuition and fees is returned by the bank for any reason, your registration may be cancelled and a non-refundable $30 dishonored fee will be assessed to the student's Transact account for each returned ACH transaction which will be added to the total payment amount and retained by the online vendor.
A confirmation number DOES NOT constitute a payment until the bank or financial institution credits the University.
Please review the Rejected e-Check Policy if you have any questions.
Flywire
Flywire can be used for international payments!
Check out the International Students page for more details about Flywire and how to make an online Flywire payment.
Self-Service Installment Payment Plan
***The installment payment plan will not be offered again for Fall 2024 due to the extended fee payment deadline***
The online installment payment plan is an opportunity for students to pay each semester's tuition or non-resident tuition in 3 monthly installments, rather than in one lump sum.
It gives students the convenience to sign up without filling out a paper application form and waiting in long lines.
View the installment payment plan instructions.
Upon accepting the terms and conditions in your Student Center, the installment payment plan is applied immediately to your account (as long as there are tuition fees posted).
The plan does not defer payment of any other campus mandatory fees such as local fees, program fees, applicable administrative fees, and late registration fees.
Payments of these fees are required on or before the published fee payment due dates.
Please note:
Installment Payment Plans are ONLY available during the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters and have a set list of predetermined dates that cannot be modified or adjusted.
Students enrolling into Installment Payment Plans will be asked to pay a non-refundable service fee.
Should a student cancel an installment plan, they will still be obligated to pay that service fee.