Glossary of Important Terms
Becoming familiar with these terms will help when you go through the registration process as well as keeping your Student Account in good standing.
ACCOUNT STATEMENT – Your student Account Statement displays a record of all financial activity pertaining to you as a student. It is available 24/7 online through MUGSI (MUGSI / My Student Accounts and Cashiers / Account Statement). Activity can be seen as far back as 2 years. A day or two after the last day to add courses, all fees will itemize here. Because tuition is not the only charge that can go on an Account Statement, students are responsible for reviewing all activity and balances REGULARLY. NOTE: For students whose parents are involved in the payment of fees, we encourage you to include them in viewing your Account Statement regularly, as McMaster does not mail out “bills” or "statements".
CANCELLED COURSES – Any course cancelled AFTER the last day to add courses (Drop & Add) within a term. Cancelled courses remain on your student record and are indicated as “cancelled”. Cancelled courses are subject to cancellation fees, and may have other financial consequences (i.e. Reduced OSAP entitlement, loss of Entrance Scholarship or MSU Supplementary Fees).
DROPPED COURSES – Any course dropped BEFORE the last day to add courses (Drop & Add) within a term. Dropped courses are removed from your student record, and although are NOT subject to cancellation fees, may have financial consequences (i.e. Reduce OSAP entitlement, loss of Entrance Scholarship, MSU Supplementary Fees)
FEES – Fees refer to all tuition, supplementary, residence and meal plan charges. For a breakdown of these fees please go toour Main Menu page.
FINANCIAL APPROVAL – It is an integral part of your registration. and will be granted upon completion of your Payment Agreement after you have selected your courses in SOLAR.
FULLY REGISTERED – You are fully registered only when you have been granted both Dean’s Approval and Financial Approval. Until you have received both, your registration is not complete. To find out of you are Fully Registered, review your registration status on MUGSI / My Academics / Program & Course Summary.
FUNDING OPTIONS – Funding Options as listed on the Payment Agreement, are payments that originate from another source (other than you, a family member, an RESP or bank loan), and which will be paid directly to the university on your behalf. On the PA, you may select all that apply to you. It’s possible that you will not be receiving any of these funding options. If that’s the case, do not make any selections and proceed to the next section. Please see “Funding Options” on our main webpage.
MUGSI – MUGSI is the “McMaster University Gateway to Student Information”. There, you have access to view your Account Statement and various other academic and financial systems such as personal timetables, personal exam schedules, grade reports, tax certificates and entrance scholarships. It is your responsibility to update your contact information through MUGSI as changes are made (i.e. Telephone number, email address, permanent and mailing addresses).
MANDATORY SUPPLEMENTARY FEES – these fees are non-refundable fees that help to support services used by the students throughout the year. For example: Athletics and Recreation Activity Fees; Student Health Service Fees; and either MSU fees or MAPS Fees. These fees are included in the amounts shown on our fees schedules. (Please see “What is Included” at http://www.mcmaster.ca/bms/student/SAC_fees.htm for a breakdown)
* McMaster Student’s Union (MSU) Supplementary Fees: These are mandatory fees assessed for students registered in 18 or more units at ANY time during a session, even if you cancel courses that brings you back down to 17 units or less at a later date.
* McMaster Association of Part Time Students (MAPS) Supplementary Fees: These fees are assessed as long as you are registered and remain in 17 units or less at all times during the entire session (this includes cancelled courses).
OVERLOADS – Tuition fees are charged to a maximum of 30 units (33 for Engineering) as long as you remain registered within your “required” course load. Registration in more than the required course load, including cancelled courses (see definition above) will be assessed extra overload fees and are subject to cancellation fees.
PAYMENT AGREEMENT (PA) – This is the online registration tool that will help you complete your financial arrangements to pay. The PA can be accessed through the SOLAR confirmation screen when you have completed the academic registration process or can be accessed through MUGSI. In the PA process your total fees will be calculated and you will indicate how you intend to pay. Financial Approval will be granted once the PA has been completed up to the specified date in our “Dates and Deadlines” section on our website.
PAYMENT ARRANGMENT FORM (PAF) – This is the paper version of the online Payment Agreement. It is only for students in programs not eligible to use the PA. Academic registration and PAF must be completed manually and submitted along with payment to Student Accounts and Cashiers, Gilmour Hall Room 209 by September 1 (for Fall/Winter) and by May 1 (for Spring/Summe). Payment may be post-dated no later than September 1 / May 1st. Financial Approval will be granted when the PAF and appropriate payment is received and specific criteria have been met.
PAYMENT METHODS – McMaster University accepts a variety of methods of payment, however, we DO NOT accept credit cards. If you are paying from a Canadian bank account, our preferred methods of payment include INTERAC Online (through McMaster’s website)and Online/Telephone banking (made through your bank’s website/call centre). If you are paying from a non-Canadian bank account, we offer Travelex. Please see http://www.mcmaster.ca/bms/student/SAC_fees.htm for more options and details.
PAYMENT PLANS – McMaster University offers students maximum flexibility in paying for their fees. To avoid interest charges and Payment Plan fees, payment in full is dueSeptember 1 (for Fall/Winter session) and May 1(for Spring/Summer session). If students find this difficult, our Flex Plan requires a minimum payment, but the flexibility of paying until the end of the term. The Flex Plan is subject to interest charges and Payment Plan fees. Students with special financial situations are welcome to see our counsellors. Students MUST enter into a payment plan in order to complete their Payment Agreement. Interest is charged at an annual rate of 14.4% (1.2% per month) subject to change. A full month’s interest is calculated on any unpaid balance on the last day of each month, starting the first month of classes, when the fees charge to the Student Account.
REGISTRATION – The process whereby a student enrolls in a program of study and/or courses on SOLAR, confirms their online Payment Agreement and pays, or makes acceptable arrangements to pay fees.
SESSION – A session is a period of study within the academic year. For example, the Fall/Winter Undergraduate session runs from September to April and the Spring/Summer session runs from May to August. A Graduate session runs from September to August.
TERM – A term is a period of study within a session. The Fall/Winter Undergraduate session, for example, contains three terms: Term 1 runs from September to December; Term 2 runs from January to April and Term 3 runs from September right through to April.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT – An undergraduate student is a student enrolled in a program of study leading to a Bachelor’s Degree or to the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
UNIVERSITY HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN (UHIP) – Health Insurance Plan that is required for all International Students.
UNITS – Units define the number of credits associated with a course. A unit is roughly equivalent to one lecture hour per week for one term or two hours of laboratories or seminars per week for one term. Three unit courses are usually one term in length where six unit courses are usually two terms or one session.