What the hell is the Bursar’s Office? | Higher-Ed Terminology

If you’re just going into college, there are a lot of offices with weird terminology that may not be common knowledge. I had no idea what half of these offices were when I first entered college. Now that I’ve worked in the higher education industry for several years, I want to break down exactly what these offices are and how they can help you:

Registrar (Records):

The Registrar’s Office houses and manages all student records including your grades, class schedules, immunization information, etc. This is the office where you would request your transcripts or verify your enrollment. While specific responsibilities vary between these offices, the majority of their tasks among all schools is the same. 

Bursar (Billing):

This office collects and manages all student billing. If you have a question about tuition, payment plans, or where to direct any third-party scholarships, this is the office for you. In addition to tuition billing, this office may also handle billing for additional costs like housing, meal plans, and any other additional student fees. 

Financial Aid:

This office can sometimes get confused as the billing office. This is the office that will help you with loans, grants, and scholarships. If you qualify for federal financial aid (FAFSA), this is the office that will process your FAFSA and help you discuss the grants/loans/scholarships you qualify for. They can also help you with external financial services that might help.

International Affairs/Global Services:

This is the office that helps students who are coming from overseas and live outside of the U.S. Sometimes this office may be housed within the Admissions office or it may be part of the Student Affairs offices. This office will help you with English tests, transcript evaluations, student visas, and international student housing. 

Student Affairs/Student Services:

Not to be confused with the Academic Advising Office, this is typically a general name that houses a bunch of sub-offices within it. The Student Affairs office can be categorized as a “department” since it houses several other offices such as; career centers, tutor centers, internship coordination, clubs and greek life, student government, etc.). If you’re looking for a club to join or just wanting to get to know other students, definitely check out your Student Affairs office.

Residence Life:

This is the office that will handle all on-campus (sometimes off-campus) housing. Depending on the location of your college, there may be housing options for both undergraduate and graduate students. This office also handles meal plans, roommate assignments, and sometimes has student jobs available.