Third-Party Billing

As the student, you must contact your Third-Party funding source and have them send WWU an “authorization” indicating: 

1. The dollar amount and/or types of charges for which they will guarantee payment 
2. The student name and identifying numbers (W# or last four SSN) 
3. The mailing and/or email address and contact name where the invoice(s) should be sent 
4. The quarter(s) or duration for which the authorization is valid 

This authorization should be emailed to sbo@wwu.edu with Attn: Third-Party Billing. You will receive a confirmation email from the SBO once your authorization has been received. 

Once the authorization from your Third-Party is received, the Student Business Office will post a credit to your student account for the authorized by your third party.

• You will see this credit as “DBLA - Agency Billing” or “DBxx - Your Specific Agency Name” on your Western Account Online activity details and statements.  
• When this is visible on your student account, you are no longer personally responsible for paying that amount, as the liability for payment has been transferred from you to your Third-Party organization. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please continue to regularly monitor your Western Account Online throughout the year. If your Third-Party declines to pay for any amount, the liability for payment will be transferred back to you personally. 

The Student Business Office sends invoices to agencies after the last day for half-credit of applicable tuition for dropping classes. This date is outlined on the Registrar’s Office Important Dates & Deadlines Calendar each quarter, and it is typically 4-5 weeks after the first day of classes. 

No. The WWU Student Business Office is unable to invoice in Canadian funds.  

We exclusively invoice in USD with a notice on the invoice to remit payment in USD. Your Third-Party agency can contact their bank and request a check or wire transfer be made in USD.  

If we receive payment in CAD, we will post the payment to your account using the current exchange rate. If this results in an underpayment of the amount owed, we will attempt to contact your Third-Party agency to remit additional funds. If additional funds are not received, the liability for payment of the remaining balance will be transferred back to you personally. 

Although the Student Business Office handles the posting of VA benefits to your student account, the Veteran Services Office handles the authorization and certification process of these benefits.  

If you need to request certification for your VA benefits, you can do so on the VSO website. Please note, a new certification needs to be completed for EVERY quarter you want to use your benefits. If you are a student that is new to using VA educational benefits, please reach out to the VSO to ensure proper handling of your benefits.  

What happens next?

Once certification information is received by the VSO it will be processed and forwarded to the SBO. The SBO will post a credit to your student account for the authorized amount guaranteed by your VA benefits as follows: 

• Chapter 31 (tuition assistance) recipients will see this credit as “DBLA - Agency Billing” on their student account.  

• Chapter 35 (dependent waiver) approved recipients will see this credit as “STVF - Veterans Families Waiver” on their student account. 

• Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) recipients will see this payment as “VWIR - VA Benefit, Chpt 33 Wire Paymt” on their student account.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Chapter 33 benefits are NOT posted until full payment is received from the VA. Those receiving this type of benefit will receive a delayed tuition payment from the VA due to the dual certification policy that the Veteran Service Office must follow.