Students’ Fee Payment Arrangements Eased for Second Semester

Acting President of the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Jamaica) Professor Colin Gyles informed the student body of UTech Jamaica that there has been a review of fee payment arrangements for the second semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. “This is a major innovation that we are putting in place for next semester primarily to facilitate you our students,” stated Professor Gyles, who was speaking at a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the UTech Jamaica Students’ Union Council on Tuesday.

Professor Gyles explained that the requirements for fee payments have been relaxed for all students in an effort to make it easier and convenient for students to complete registration amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The arrangements for semester two are as follows:

1. Students are allowed to select modules and complete the registration process once the Enrollment Commitment Deposit (ECD) is paid.
2. The fee payment plan remains at 30-30-40 which means that students are required to pay 30% of the total fee for the first month’s deadline, failure to meet this obligation will include a late registration fee. The second month’s deadline is another 30% and failure to pay this fee will include a facility fee and at the end of the third month’s deadline, you are required to pay the remaining fee of 40%.
3. Late registration fee has been reduced to $10,000 JMD.
4. Facility fee has been reduced to $10,000 JMD
5. If the third month’s payment is not made before the deadline, the modules will not be removed, instead students are required to pay a delinquency fee of $15,000 JMD at the end of the 3^rd If the amount is not fulfilled, another $15,000 JMD is added for the 4^th month and it will continue to do so until the 6^th month, if the full payment is not made. This fee is capped at the 6^th month with a maximum of $60,000 JMD.

Professor Gyles urged students to register early, and advised those who are in extreme financial difficulties to contact the Office of Student Financing. He added that grades are not needed to select modules in semester 2 because prerequisites are not done in semester 1. In addition, Maxine Gordon, Acting Chief Business and Finance Officer explains that once there is a fee on students’ account, the student has to make a request for it to roll over to the next semester. However, President Gyles said that he would review this so that there can be an option for the fee to roll over.

Reported by Chrisancia Robinson