When a payment does not go through

A payment can fail after you submit it—most often a direct debit that is returned or an Auto-Pay withdrawal that cannot be completed. This page explains what happens next and what you should do.

How you find out

Your school sends a failed payment notification when a direct debit or Auto-Pay transaction does not process. Depending on how your school set it up, the notification can include the payment method, date, and amount.

Note: The notification is not sent immediately. Your school must review and handle the failed payment first, so there may be a delay between the payment failing and your being told.

You can also check for yourself in your transaction history, where payment status messages appear alongside each transaction.

What happens to your balance

Once your school handles the failed payment, it no longer counts toward your balance. The charges it had covered become unpaid again, so your Amount due goes back up by that amount.

If a processing fee was charged for that payment, it is reversed or removed at the same time.

What to do next

1. Check your payment methods. An expired card or a closed bank account is a common cause.

2. Make a payment to replace the one that failed.

3. If the original due date has passed, review past due balances and late fees.

Note: If the failed payment was an Auto-Pay withdrawal, your school may have paused your Auto-Pay enrollment. You are responsible for resuming it.