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Parents & Friends

Welcome parents and friends! The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is home to the largest international student population of any public university in the United States. With more than 11,000 international students and scholars coming from 112 countries, our international population brings valuable cultural and linguistic diversity to campus. We are pleased to have your student, family member or friend join the university community.

It is our hope that your student will utilize our office as a resource throughout their time at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. We are a team of professionals dedicated to providing programs, services, and advising to all international students, faculty, staff, and scholars on campus. If your student comes to us with a question or need that we cannot help with directly, we will be sure to refer your student to someone who can provide assistance. As a parent or family member, there are a few resources to be aware of.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guarantees students access to their educational records and prohibits dissemination of educational records without the student’s consent. All student data maintained by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is part of that educational record, including but not limited to: biographical, application, and matriculation data. Other than public information classified as "directory information," there is to be no release of the educational record to any party without the express written consent of the student. If your student has chosen to suppress his/her directory information, there is even less information to share. In such cases, all staff are instructed to say, "There is no information available for any student by that name." The university must comply with these federal regulations or be subject to penalties which could include loss of federal funding. It is possible for your student to sign a written consent form that allows access to their record.

The best advice is to talk to your student. Remain involved and ask questions about their classes, their schedule, and their degree requirements. The student's college dean is available to assist with general questions pertaining to undergraduate academics, and you should not hesitate to contact the Office of the Dean of Students if you have an emergency or other concerns.

Parent & Family Programs

Parents and families can stay connected through the Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office (PFPO). PFPO sends biweekly e-updates, quarterly newsletters, and online video workshops in addition to providing access to Facebook pages, LinkedIn “Parent Career Network,” and the office’s knowledgeable staff. Learn more on the PFPO website.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign also has a Moms and Dads Association in which all parents are automatically members. There is no fee or application.

frequently asked questions

McKinley Health Center
1109 S. Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
217-333-2700

At the end of each semester, students may view their grades via Student Self-Service web app. Only your student is able to access this information unless they have signed the written consent form. For more information on grades visit the Office of the Registrar website.

The university views your student as an adult and is required by federal law to protect their privacy. Therefore, only Students (and Authorized Payers) can retrieve their student account billing information online.

Once a month, the university e-mails students and Authorized Payers, reminding them to view their student account for recent activity and to pay any amount due by the due date. The student account is available online for students and Authorized Payers to view and print, and includes all student account transactions such as: payments received, and charges and credits for tuition, fees, and housing. The university does not mail paper billing statements. The tuition and fees charges are assessed soon after students arrive on campus and have to be paid in a fairly short period of time. Deciding who will write the first big check is important.

If you have questions about bills or payments, visit the USFSCO website or call 1-217-333-2180 between 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, Central Time.

Students can pay tuition online at https://paymybill.uillinois.edu/. Students will also find information about deadlines for tuition payment, payment plans, and wiring money. It is important that students pay their tuition on time, to avoid late fees.

For more information about tuition refunds once the semester has started, please visit the Office of the Registrar's Refunds webpage.

The university requires all students be covered by health insurance and provides a group health insurance plan for which the fee is automatically assessed along with other tuition and fees. The important benefit of this insurance is that coverage will not be dropped if your student becomes a part-time student. Many private or group health insurance plans through employers requir proof each semester of full-time status to be eligible for coverage. Emergencies may cause students to no longer maintain full-time status at a time when they need insurance the most. Review the Student Health Insurance website for questions you should ask your health insurance carrier before applying for an exemption. Note the exemption from the Student Insurance Fee is good for one academic year. You will need to complete and submit an exemption for each academic year.