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 five percent will be imposed on all student accounts, with outstanding balances remaining at the close of business hours on the designated 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. 

Before the close of each academic term's payment deadline, enrolled students and any authorized third-party users will receive an email notification advising them to access their statement via Workday.

This statement is a detailed document encompassing the class schedule, term-specific charges, applied payments, and anticipated amounts of pending financial aid or payments.

The "due now" figure represents the payment obligation. Furthermore, the statement of account, or bill, serves as the official invoice from which payments should be made.

Payment Plan

PLNU students have two primary options available for settling 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 seeking assistance with large semester payments or aiming to reduce loan debt can enroll in an interest-free payment plan.

Pay in Full

There are four 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 offers students and parents a monthly payment plan known as the Tuition Installment Plan (TIP). This interest-free payment plan is designed to assist those seeking help with managing large semester payments or aiming to reduce loan debt.

Changes to Your Bill

Throughout the semester, your bill could undergo various changes for several reasons. These changes could result from changes in enrollment, the accrual of fines, and other factors.

It's crucial to monitor your student account, even after paying in full, as there are numerous reasons why your account balance might fluctuate.

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

Lender Fees

The initial statement of account will feature the actual amount of aid awarded to you, alongside an estimate of the origination fees deducted by your lender before disbursing the funds to PLNU. Lenders have some leeway in the fees they impose, meaning the aid posted to your student account may vary slightly from the amount initially indicated on your statement.

Changes in Enrollment

If you modify your enrollment during the semester, it can affect your account balance and/or financial aid. When considering dropping or withdrawing from a class, students should be mindful of potential refund implications. Once the records office officially confirms your last date of attendance, we can adjust your student account accordingly.

For refund and financial aid purposes, the last day of attendance is defined differently for face-to-face and online classes. For face-to-face classes, it's the final date of physical attendance, while for online classes, it's the last day of active participation beyond logging in (such as responding to questions or submitting assignments).

For more details, please consult our Tuition Refund Policy, and feel free to reach out to a GPS Student Financial Services Counselor for further assistance.

Manual Charges

We strive to include all charges on your student account before issuing your initial statement. However, certain charges require manual processing and may appear on your account after the first bill has been sent.

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 either a state or educational institution, specifically crafted to assist families in setting aside funds for future college expenses. Named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, which introduced these savings plans in 1996, they serve as a resource for future educational endeavors.

PLNU acknowledges and accepts 529 Plans as a valid method for tuition payment.

PLNU has collaborated with various state, employer, and private 529 Plans. For inquiries regarding your specific 529 Plan, please reach out to the Student Financial Services office.

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

Several school districts and employers provide discounts for students attending PLNU. If you think you qualify for a discount, please reach out to your employer and program advisor. You'll need to provide proof of employment each academic year if you're eligible, which should be submitted to the Graduate Student Financial Services office.