Navigating the Holy Cross Student Portal: A Comprehensive Guide

The Holy Cross student portal is a crucial online hub for students to manage academic, financial, and administrative aspects of their college experience. This guide provides a detailed overview of the portal's features and functionalities, helping students and their families effectively navigate their journey at Holy Cross.

Understanding Your Student Account

The student account consolidates all financial transactions related to a student's education at Holy Cross College. This includes tuition charges, fees, payments made, and financial aid applied. It is crucial for students to understand and manage their accounts responsibly, since financial transactions are applied to a student’s account as they are received. The student account includes all tuition charges and fees associated with a student’s education at Holy Cross College, as well as payments and financial aid applied towards those charges.

Access and Privacy

Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a student's account is private. Students control who has access to these systems and what information they may view. However, students can grant access to parents, guardians, or other individuals by creating an authorized user account within the Student Academic Record system (STAR). Once they set up this account, they can access the Student Academic Record system (STAR) and create authorized users. This allows authorized users to view information and make payments on the student's behalf. When students access STAR, they will be asked to enter emergency contact information.

Financial Matters

Holy Cross College provides various resources and options to help students manage their finances.

Tuition and Fees

Student Accounts handles the charging and collection of various fees including tuition, housing, food plans, health insurance and other fees to the student account.

Payment Options and Deadlines

The college offers various payment options, and it is essential to adhere to payment deadlines to avoid late fees or other penalties. You may submit a written request for a deadline extension to the Student Accounts office. A request should be made as soon as it becomes apparent a deadline extension is needed.

Financial Aid and Loans

Students can explore various financial aid options, including federal loans and private education loans. You can also research the Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan to cover direct (tuition, fees, etc.) and indirect (books, laptops, etc.) educational expenses. Contact the Financial Aid Office to determine your maximum PLUS loan eligibility. Some common situations that may affect financial aid disbursement include:

Student’s FAFSA verification is pending.
Student has applied for a private education loan, but funds have not been disbursed.

Book Vouchers

To use a refund to pay for textbooks, you can request a book voucher from the Student Accounts office.

Damage Deposit

If you plan to live in campus housing (residence hall or University Edge), you will be charged a damage deposit each year.

Academic Resources

The Holy Cross student portal provides access to numerous academic resources and tools.

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Course Registration

The Registrar will release schedules no later than July 8, 2025. In addition, students will have the opportunity in June to have an online advising appointment with a faculty member to discuss course enrollment for their fall classes, which will take place this summer.

Academic Advising

First-year academic advisors are assigned in late summer. Students' first-year academic advisor will reach out to meet with them in the first week of classes.

Library Resources

The library website provides access to a vast collection of online resources, including databases, journals, and e-books. Anything that you can access at Holy Cross, you can access from home! If you go to www.jstor.com while working off-campus, JSTOR will not recognize you as a Holy Cross subscriber.

Troubleshooting Library Access

Some users are encountering an EBSCO or OCLC login. If these appear, it usually means that there is something wrong with the link that you are using. Check that the link has the proxy prefix (more information below) and does not have any extra punctuation (i.e., a period at the end of some links will prevent them from working). If you are still hitting the OCLC or EBSCO login, please get in touch! This is what prompts the database to show you the CAS login screen and verify that you are a Holy Cross user. In library databases or journal pages, if you are properly logged-in, you should see a message with wording similar to “Access provided by College of the Holy Cross,” usually near the top of the page. If you see a message prompting you to log-in to your library’s subscription, are asked to pay for access to articles -- or, in CrossSearch, if you see a yellow bar at the top welcoming you as a Guest -- you may need to log-in again. If you are experiencing technical problems, please reach out to us!

Saving Links

When SAVING LINKS for later access, make sure that you are using a permalink generated by the database or search tool. We would caution you against simply leaving tabs open, bookmarking, or copying the link from your address bar.

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Accessibility Services

Students with disabilities can access support and accommodations through the Office of Student Accessibility Services. Even if you are not sure that you will require all previously received accommodations, it is recommended that you contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services to determine eligibility. Students with documented food allergies and conditions whose medical needs cannot be met within the structure of Dining Services may request accommodations through the Office of Student Accessibility Services.

Campus Life and Housing

Move-In Day

First-year student move-in day for the Class of 2029 is Wednesday, August 20. New transfer student move-in day is Thursday, August 21. Students and their families come to campus and are directed to their building that will be their fall assignment in order to move in their belongings. Once at the building, we have a large group of student volunteers to assist in moving the students' belongings to their assigned room and welcoming them. Students will need to complete some additional tasks, including: verifying health forms and picking up their student ID. There will be some programming on campus for families, including Mass of the Holy Spirit.

Roommate Assignments

Roommates are assigned based on Montserrat cluster assignment. We use the roommate matching questionnaire to match and place students into the first-year halls.

Food Plans

Residential students will automatically receive the Standard Food Plan which is Unlimited meals in Kimball dining hall, $450 dining dollars per semester and 8 meal swipes per week at participating retail locations. Apartment students will automatically receive an Apartment Food plan that gives you dining dollars on your One Card. You have the ability to choose from 3 Apartment Food Plan options that include meal swipes at Kimball dining hall or you can choose the Residential Standard Food Plan.

Technology

The College does not provide or sell computers.

Student Employment

Work Opportunities

Traditionally all first-year students are required to work in Hospitality. A first-year student can work in Hospitality and hold another position on campus.

Employment Eligibility

The College is required to verify that all employees hired are legally entitled to work in the United States. All new student employees must complete a Form I-9 and provide the necessary documentation, specified on the Form I-9, to establish identity and employment eligibility to Human Resources for verification.

Federal Work-Study

Federal Work-Study is an opportunity for students to work in order to earn money to pay for college expenses, as well as to gain valuable employment experience. It is one component of an aid package that may be composed of loan, scholarship/grant, or work awards. A student may choose to decline the work offer.

Student Pay Rate

Students are paid at the rate of $15.50 per hour for hours worked on a bi-weekly basis.

Orientation and Family Engagement

Gateways Orientation

To support you during your transition to college, all incoming students will participate in our Gateways Orientation program in the days leading up to the start of the fall semester. You’ll have the opportunity to settle into campus, learn essential information needed before the first day of classes and begin making connections on campus.

Family Involvement

Although students are the drivers of their Holy Cross education, family involvement is important on their journey through emerging adulthood. We can help keep you engaged and informed as you help your student navigate their college experience.

HC Connects

HC Connects is an event series that offers you an opportunity to connect with other students and families who are new to Holy Cross!

Parent and Family Engagement

The Office of Parent and Family Engagement will be working with parents/guardians/support people throughout the summer to assist in onboarding them to the Holy Cross community and helping them navigate how to support their student during the transition to college. Additionally, there will be several webinars offered during the summer as part of the From The Hill to You series.

Family Weekend

New students and families are formally welcomed to start the new academic year. Save the Date for this year's Family Weekend: October 31 - November 2! The detailed schedule for Fall 2025 will be available in late summer, but you can review the 2024 schedule to get a better sense of the programming that will be offered and what to expect.

Admissions Information

Campus Tours

Taking a campus tour is one of the best ways to discover what Holy Cross is all about. The information session, led by one of our admissions student workers, walks through details about The College that may not be mentioned during the tour, including information about the application process.

Transfer Interviews

Interviews for transfer applicants applying for Fall 2026 are available in March and April and may be scheduled using the calendar on this page. Transfer interviews are offered virtually and all times are Eastern Time.

Glimpse Video

Alternatively, applicants are also welcome to record a Glimpse video. Glimpse is an opportunity to share a 60-90 second video helping us to get to know you better. Glimpse is only available for students attending high school in the United States.

Webinars

Please note all webinars are scheduled for Eastern Time. Live closed captioning will be available. Curious about how to go about finding your fit in the college search? This webinar series will focus on various aspects of the college search process including tips to navigate the college search, how admission offices review applications, and the transition to college. Admission counselors will give 30-minute presentations, highlighting key aspects of the College and focusing on the application process.

Holy Cross of San Antonio

Uniforms

Holy Cross of San Antonio partners with Lone Star Apparel for school uniforms.

Enrollment

For new Holy Cross families, once accepted for admission, you can create a FACTS Family Portal for Holy Cross. If you already have a Holy Cross Family Portal, skip to the "Complete Your Enrollment Packet" instructions. Click Create Account. Click the link that says Start Online Enrollment Packet or Open (edit). You will be redirected to the FACTS Tuition Management site to enroll and select your tuition payment plan for the 2025-2026 school year ($55 payment plan setup fee). Not charged immediately; within 14 days of Business Office approval.

Late Enrollment Fee

$300 - Late Re-enrollment Fee (per child) if submitted after February 28.

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