Payment and Billing

Due Dates

Payment in full for the enrolled session is due by the second Friday of each session. A late fee of 5% will be assessed to all student accounts with outstanding balances at the close of business on the payment due date.

View Important Dates and Deadlines

There are two main methods to make a payment:
 

Viewing Your Bill

View your statement by following these steps.

• Log in to workday.pointloma.edu
• Click the Finances Application
• Click the yellow View Statement button 
• Select the appropriate term and then select ok to view your statement. 

Prior to the payment deadline each term, the enrolled student and any approved Third Party user will receive an email notification advising the respective party to view their statement in Workday. 

The statement is a comprehensive document showing the class schedule, term specific charges, applied payments, and anticipated (pending financial aid or payments). 

The due now figure represents the amount you are to pay. The statement of account (or bill) also serves as the invoice from which payment should be made.

Payment Plan

There are two options available to PLNU students for payment of remaining account balances. 

• Pay in Full: There are three methods of payment available (online, by mail, in person).
• Tuition Installment Plan (TIP): Students and parents looking for help with large semester payments or reducing loan debt can sign up for an interest-free payment plan.

Pay in Full

There are three methods of payment available.

Credit and debit cards are not accepted as payment. Please pay with cash, check, cashier’s check, or money order.

Tuition Installment Plan (TIP)

PLNU provides students and parents a monthly payment plan called Tuition Installment Plan (TIP). Students and parents looking for help with large semester payments or reducing loan debt can sign up for an interest-free payment plan.

Changes to Your Bill

There are several reasons changes to your bill can occur throughout the semester.  Changes in registration and fines are some of the charges that could affect your bill. 

It is important you keep an eye on your student account, even after paying in full, because there are many reasons your account balance may change. 

Reasons your student account balance may change after the first bill:

Lender Fees

The initial statement of account will include the actual amount of aid for which you have been awarded, but it will include an estimate of the amount of origination fees your lender will subtract prior to sending the funds to PLNU. Lenders are allowed some flexibility in the amount of fees they charge, so it is possible the amount that posts to your student account will be slightly different than the amount of aid that appeared on your first statement of account.

Changes in Registration

If you register for 12-17 units, you will be charged a “block” tuition rate. This means your tuition costs will not change when you add or drop classes within 12-17 units. However, if you make a change to your registration that brings you outside of block tuition, you will see a change in your tuition costs.

Some courses carry additional fees that will be charged regardless of whether or not you are within block tuition. For example, if you add a science lab with an associated fee, you will be charged the lab fee even if you are not charged for additional units. Also, if you add a private music lesson you will be charged a Private Music Lesson Fee as well as a Practice Room Fee.

If you register for an independent study (or directed study) course, you will be charged a $250 fee per unit in addition to any tuition costs. For example, if you register for a 3-unit independent study course that brings you to 18 units, you will be charged for the one unit of tuition that is above block tuition and you will be charged an additional $750 fee ($250/unit). If you add an independent study course but remain within block tuition, you will only be charged the additional $250/unit.

For more information regarding specific fees, please refer to the Tuition and Fees section of the Graduate and Professional Services Catalog.

Manual Charges

We endeavor to ensure that all charges are placed on your student account prior to sending out your first statement of account. However, there are some charges that must be placed manually and may hit your account after the first bill has been sent out.

Fines that may hit your student account at various times during the semester:

Public Safety Fines

Parking and Public Safety fines are placed on student accounts if they have not been paid or appealed within 10 days of the ticket issue date. 

Read more about Public Safety policies and appealing or paying for a ticket.
 

Using Your 529 Plan

A 529 Plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. It is named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, which created these types of savings plans in 1996.

PLNU accepts 529 Plans as a tuition payment method.

PLNU has worked with state, employer, and private 529 Plans. Please contact the Student Financial Services office if you have questions about your 529 Plan.

Read more about 529 Plans on the IRS website.

Withdrawals and Refunds

If a student withdraws from PLNU during a semester, a portion of the student’s financial aid may have to be returned. To begin the withdrawal process, a student must contact the Office of Records. Refunds and returns will be determined by the official date of withdrawal as determined by the records office. If a student does not begin the official withdrawal process, the official date of withdrawal is determined in consultation with the records office.

Tuition Refund (Institutional Refund Policy)

Tuition is refunded based on the following schedule:

*For any other class configuration, refunds are based on the percentage of class time elapsed in a proportional manner to the total amount of class time.
**Please note: The summer refund calendar calculations may differ due to varying term lengths.

Financial Aid Returns and Return of Title IV Funds

Federal aid returns are determined according to the Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4 calculation) process as mandated by federal regulation. The R2T4 process calculates any unearned financial aid received or post-withdrawal disbursement due to the student. Post withdrawal disbursements are considered aid that could have been disbursed which is determined with the R2T4 calculation. If a post-withdrawal disbursement is due to the student the SFS office will disburse those federal funds in accordance with Federal Student Aid post-withdrawal disbursement rules. Additionally, any unearned federal financial aid will be processed and returned to the Department of Education in accordance with federal student aid guidance.

Note: students begin earning financial aid from the first day of class and the percentage of financial aid earned is determined by dividing the number of days the student completed in the term by the total number of days in the term. If the student attended 60% or more days the student can retain all aid originally awarded. If the student attends less than 60% PLNU will return funds.

Funds will be returned in the following order:

Order of return of Title IV funds a school must return Title IV funds to the programs from which the student received aid during the payment period or period of enrollment as applicable, in the following order, up to the net amount disbursed from each source:

• Unsubsidized Direct Loans (other than Direct PLUS Loans)
• Subsidized Direct Loans
• Direct PLUS Loans
• Federal Pell Grants for which a return of Title IV funds is required
• FSEOG for which a return of Title IV funds is required
• TEACH Grants for which a return of Title IV funds is required
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, for which a return of Title IV funds is required

Example:
If there were 109 total days in the term and the student completed 54 days, the student would earn 49.5% of the Title IV aid received (54/109 = 49.5%).

In our example, the student originally received the following federal awards for the term:

Per the government’s formula, the student earned $3,079 (49.5% x $6,221 = $3,079).

Next, we need to determine the amount of aid that needs to be returned to the Title IV programs (total federal aid originally received minus aid earned).

The student is responsible for any owing balance this may cause on the student’s PLNU account. PLNU will return any unearned Title IV funds to the Department of Education on the student’s behalf.

Cal Grant

Cal Grant is returned according to the Institutional Refund Policy.

Example:
If the student withdraws during the third week of semester-long courses, PLNU will return 75% of the Cal Grant disbursed. 

Amount disbursed $4,612 x 75% = $3,459; PLNU will retain $1,153.

Institutional Aid

Institutional Aid (academic, departmental, athletic, and endowed scholarships; church and institutional grants, etc.) is returned according to the Institutional Refund Policy.

Example:
If the student withdraws during the fourth week of semester-long courses and received a provost academic scholarship, PLNU will return 50% of the amount disbursed.

Amount disbursed $3,500 x 50% = $1,750, PLNU will retain $1,750

Tuition Remission

Tuition remission is equal to the amount charged. 

Example:
If the student withdraws during the sixth week of semester-long courses, the student will be charged 75% of tuition cost.

Cost of tuition is $14,450 for the semester x 75%. Tuition remission = $10,837.50.

VA and Other Outside Agency Awards

These are returned according to the agencies’ policies.

Department of Defense (DOD) Tuition Assistance Refund Policy

Policy

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with the Department of Defense (DOD) policy, Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending (withdrawal from, dropping the course, or ceasing to attend). In instances when a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, PLNU will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion in compliance with the DOD policy.

Student Responsibility

This policy serves to fully inform students receiving military tuition assistance of the required actions the College must take to comply with the DOD Memorandum of Understanding Return Policy for Military Tuition Assistance funds rules and align with the return of unearned student aid rules applicable to the Federal Student Aid as required under section 484B of the Department of Education Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Procedures

This policy applies only to students receiving Military Tuition Assistance (TA). This tuition assistance is a benefit that is available only while the student is in the service. This policy does not apply to Veterans or Veterans benefits. Refund calculations apply to any student who is attending Point Loma Nazarene University and withdraws within 60% into the period of enrollment for which the student has received TA. The amount of unearned TA that is returned is based on the date of withdrawal from the course. Once a student has completed more than 60% of the period of enrollment, all of their assistance has been earned (by the school) and will be retained by the university. Withdrawals prior to 60% follow the refund schedule detailed above.

Private Loan Funds

These are returned according to the Institutional Refund Policy. Upon the student’s request, PLNU may retain funds to pay any balances, since this is a private loan the student must pay back.

Employer Discounts

Many school districts and other employers offer discounts for students to attend PLNU. Please contact your employer and program advisor if you believe you are eligible for a discount. You will need to provide proof of employment each academic year if you are eligible. This should be submitted to the Graduate Student Financial Services office.