A third-party sponsor is an entity who pays educational expenses on behalf of a non-related student when billed by the university. Sponsor payments are called third-party sponsorships and they are subject to the same federal reporting requirements as other financial aid.

Fellowships or sponsored research are not considered third-party sponsorships.

Sponsors who do not require an official invoice from the university are administered by the Scholarship Services Program. Trusts should note whether they are related or unrelated parties.

Sponsors cannot be related to the student. The sponsor is required to provide the Bursar’s Office with a list of all sponsored students and any changes affecting their commitments through a letter of authorization. The sponsor must have satisfied all prior commitments in a timely manner, and the sponsor agrees to abide by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and not disclose student information to others without the express written approval of the student.

***The Bursar’s Office reserves the right to reject sponsorships.***