Welcome New Students!

 

We are glad you are joining the Catholic University community!  The Office of Enrollment Services is here to assist with questions related to registration and student accounts.  Visit us on the 2nd floor of Father O'Connell Hall, email us at cua-enrollmentservices@cua.edu, or call us at 202-319-5300.

Before Beginning Classes:

  • Accept the Statement of Financial Responsibility - You will need to accept this statement before you are able to register for classes.  To complete this requirement, select the Statement of Financial Responsibility option in the Student Account tile in Cardinal Students and then follow the on-screen prompts. 
  • Set-up Authorized Users in Cardinal Pay - CUA does not mail bills.  Your student account statements will be available in Cardinal Pay which you can access via the Student Account tile in Cardinal Students.  Notification of statements will go only to you (at your CUA email address) unless you add Authorized Users to your Cardinal Pay account.  Additionally, we are unable to discuss or disclose account information to any person other than you -- including parents and guardians -- unless you have established that person as an Authorized Users on your account. Instructions for granting this access are available here.
  • View your Account Statement - Fall term tuition and fees will begin to appear on accounts in Cardinal Pay on June 15th.  Financial Aid awards will also appear if they've been accepted in Cardinal Students.  Room and board charges for new students will appear on accounts beginning June 27th.
  • Authorize Access to Your Student Record - Access to your student record can not be granted to anyone other than you -- including parents and guardians -- unless you have provided written consent for your record to be released.  To authorize the release of your data, complete the Education Records Release form and return it to our office or visit familynest.catholic.edu to establish online access for anyone whom you wish to have access to view your record.
  • Waive the Student Medical Plan - All domestic students billed for 12 or more credits and all International students (regardless of the number of credits) are required to carry medical insurance.   If you already have medical coverage, be sure to complete the online waiver by the deadline; otherwise you will be auto-enrolled in the plan offered by the university.  The waiver can be accessed beginning mid-summer each year at humanresources.catholic.edu/studentinsurance.
  • Set up Your University Email Account - All official university communications are sent to your university email account so be sure you are checking it often!  If you can't find the email from our admissions office with your temporary password (or if it's expired) you can set a new one by visiting https://technology.catholic.edu/resources/google.html
  • Enroll in Direct Deposit - If you will be receiving a student account refund, enroll in direct deposit by selecting the Direct Deposit tile in Cardinal Students and then selecting the Cardinal Pay link. Once in Cardinal Pay, select the eRefunds tab and follow the on-screen prompts.  If your parent or guardian will be receiving a refund as a Parent PLUS borrower, they can also enroll in direct deposit via their Cardinal Pay account, as long as you have set them up with Authorized Payer access to Cardinal Pay (see 2nd bullet point above).
  • Review the Tuition Refund Plan - The Tuition Refund Plan (TRP) is a private insurance program of A.W.G. Dewar, Inc. that supplements the refund policy of The Catholic University of America. Those enrolled in the plan are assured a refund even though the University's own refund policy may have expired at the time of withdrawal.  Costs covered by the Tuition Refund Plan include tuition, room, board and mandatory fees for the spring and fall terms.  Participation in the Tuition Refund Plan is optional and the University's refund policy is applicable whether or not you enroll in the plan. However, if you do not participate in the Tuition Refund Plan, any refund is limited to the amounts allowed by the University's policy.

    Undergraduate students will be auto-enrolled in the Tuition Refund Plan unless they opt-out by the add/drop deadline for the semester, as listed in the Academic Calendar.   The opt-out website will open on June 1st at https://www.tuitionprotection.com/catholicu.  Other students may proactively enroll in the plan by visiting http://www.collegerefund.com.

  • Review Monthly Payment Plan Options - Tuition and fees are due in full at the start of each semester.  If you'd prefer to spread your balance out over the course of the semester you may do so by enrolling in the monthly payment option.  Information about the plan is available at paymentplan.catholic.edu.  To enroll, select the Student Account tile in Cardinal Students followed by the Payment Plan menu option.
  • Consider Granting Title IV Permissions - Title IV financial aid can only be applied towards specific account charges (tuition, fees, room, and board) unless the student (or parent, in the case of a Parent PLUS loan) has granted permission for it to cover additional charges.  If you'd like your Title IV aid to be used to cover charges such as insurance, parking, and other incidental student account charges, you'll need to grant permission by following the instructions here.  (Parent PLUS borrowers should follow these instructions.)

Resources You May Find Helpful

Parents and Guardians

If you are the parent or guardian of a new student, please review our Parent Information page.