Service Fee Information

TouchNet Information Systems Inc. is a leader and provider of payment processing technology for colleges and universities. Additionally, TouchNet is a PCI-PA-DSS (Payment Card Industry Payment Application Data Security Standard) compliant vendor who greatly assists A-State in safeguarding our community’s cardholder data.

Service fees today cost the University approximately $650,000 annually in fees that go to credit card processors. As a non-profit organization, we feel it is in your best interest if we use the educational dollars you spend in the most efficient way possible. A-State has partnered with a third party, TouchNet, to provide their PayPath Tuition Payment Services to our students. Therefore, payments by credit card will now be assessed a non-refundable service fee to use this payment method.

Due to increasing operational challenges, a desire to provide a high level of security of personal information, and the increasing costs to process credit cards, ASU has contracted with a third-party company, TouchNet PayPath, to provide credit card processing services for certain student transactions (tuition, fees, and other student account charges). The fee is being charged by the third-party processor, not A-State. This will enable the college to continue to provide students with a credit card payment option.

Credit card companies assess service fees on every purchase consumers make. They use these fees to cover the costs of their expenses for reward programs and other consumer incentives. In order to provide for the best use of your tuition dollars, Arkansas State will no longer accept the service fee charges. Our payment processor, TouchNet, determines the service fee rate based in large part on the current fee structure set by the various credit card companies. This service fee is non-refundable.

2.85% is the amount established by our third party processor, TouchNet PayPath, to cover the credit card transaction fees assessed by the credit card companies.

The 2.85% service fee is non-refundable, even if the student account payment to which it relates is canceled, refunded, credited or charged back. Any service fee will not be refunded for the portion overpaid

No. The payment service fee is not refundable even if the payment to which it relates is canceled, refunded, credited or charged back.

You can avoid paying the 2.85% payment service fee by paying on your account through Self-Service/myBill with an e-check (ACH bank transfer from checking or savings account. Payments by cash, check or money order can be made in person at the Cashier’s Window on the second floor of the student union, or mailed to the Treasurer’s Office, PO Box 2640, State University, AR 72467.

No. credit card payments for tuition, fees, and other charges cannot be made over the phone or via mail. This is a security measure to ensure confidentiality of your payment information.

Credit card payments can be made online through myAState from any location where you can access the internet. This includes dedicated computers in the Treasurer’s Office where you can get assistance with online payment.

Yes, credit card or debit cards can be used to schedule a payment for a payment plan installment. Students and authorized users may use more than one payment method to make the installment payment on their payment plan. Credit card information will not be stored beyond any payments scheduled at the time of plan enrollment. If you sign up for a plan in a future semester, or wish to make any additional payment(s) to your account at a later date for charges not included in the payment plan, you will have to re-enter your credit card information.

The service fee of 2.85% will almost invariably be a greater cost than any benefit (points, cash back) that is awarded by your card company.

The service fee is not the rate at which you will pay interest on the balance due to your credit card. It is a onetime charge on top of the payment amount that will be added to your balance

You may be able to obtain a federal or private student loan that compares extremely favorable to carrying credit card debt. Please contact your financial aid office for your information.

Credit card interest rates can vary greatly. Review your card agreement and determine whether any promotional interest rate applies, for how long, what your standard interest rate is, and what the penalty interest rate is.

Visa, MasterCard, Discover and America Express will be accepted. If you need assistance paying with a credit card on Self-Service, please contact the Treasurer’s Office or come to our office on the 2nd floor of the Student Union.

No. The payment service fee is assessed by the third party company, TouchNet PayPath, in addition to the payment. The payment service fee will appear on your credit card statement, but not on your student account. On your credit card statement, you will see two transactions: one for your student account payment, one for the payment service fee.

Yes. Refunds will go first to the credit card(s) used to pay for your account charges. If the refund is in excess of the credit card payment, the rest will go as an e-check if you set up direct deposit, or as a check. The payment service fee will not be refunded.

When you submit an online credit card payment, you receive a message that a service fee (calculated dollar amount displays in message) will be assessed for the service of using your credit card. This service fee will not appear on your university statement. The service fee will be calculated at the current established rate based on the amount paid by the credit card.

If you “authorize” a parent or guest to use one of the new online payment options, you must first complete the steps to set them up as an authorized user.