FAQ- Frequently Asked Questions

If you are planning on using Pennsylvania 529 GSP funds, please follow the steps below:

Student Instructions

1. After you receive an e-mail notification that your student account balance is available, log in to your Student Home Base in LionPATH.
2. Click on "My Finances" on top of the page.
3. Select "Manage My Account/Make A Payment" to get to the billing and payment portal.
4. Navigate to the Account Activity tab and select "Print Term Statement"
5. Download and save a PDF copy of the Term Statement for the account owner to submit with the Payment Authorization Form (PAF)or with an online qualified withdrawal.

The PA 529 GSP payment, as well as any additional personal payment being made by other means, must be received by the due date in order to avoid any late fees.

Account owner instructions

1. Complete the Payment Authorization Form (PAF) provided by PA 529 GSP or access your account online at www.pa529.com to print a PAF or complete a qualified withdrawal online.
2. If completing a qualified withdrawal online, upload an electronic copy of the term statement (see #4 above).
3. If completing a paper PAF, mail or fax both the PAF and the copy of the term statement to PA 529 GSP.

PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan
Processing Center
PO Box 55463
Boston, MA 02205
Fax: 617-559-2452

Please note: Penn State cannot request funds from a PA 529 GSP account on behalf of the account owner. Therefore, please DO NOT mail your PAF to Penn State.

PA 529 GSP mails PAFs in July or early August for the fall semester and in October for the spring semester. Summer PAFs are provided upon individual request. Additionally, a PAF can be obtained online at www.pa529.com or by calling 1-800-440-4000.

Payments can be made by electronic check (eCheck), credit/debit card (a 2.25% service fee applies), Flywire International Payments, or paper check. 

Payments made online by eCheck or credit card are immediately posted to the student account. Mailed payments can take between 5 and 10 days to be received and processed.  The Office of the Bursar does not accept cash payments.

See the payment options page for additional information.

Please allow 7-10 business days for your payment to be received and posted to the student account.  We receive an extremely high volume of payments at the start of the semester. Additional processing time can be expected during this time. Please monitor your student account. 

If the check has cleared your bank account, please fax a copy of the front and back of your check to 814-865-2979. Please include the PSU ID and name of the student.

As a reminder, payments made online are posted immediately to the student account.

Yes, please click on the "Contact" link at the top of this page to send an e-mail message. Our staff will respond to inquiries as soon as possible.

Your student account reflects the current anticipated aid information available. To view up-to-date anticipated aid, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Student Home Base in LionPATH
2. Click on "My Finances" on top of the page
3. Select "Manage My Account/Make A Payment"
4. Navigate to the "Account Summary" tab to view the anticipated aid deducted from the balance. 

Monitor your student account for the disbursement of any pending financial aid. Please note, the awarding and disbursement of financial aid is managed by the Office of Student Aid. If you have any questions about financial aid pending disbursement to your student account, please contact the Enrollment Services Center at esc@psu.edu or by phone at 814-863-0000.

Once the Student Account balance due date for a semester is available to view/pay (August for fall, January for spring, and May for summer), students and Authorized Users will receive an offer to enroll in the Payment Plan. The offer will also appear on the Payment Plans tab on the student account billing and payment portal.  

The earlier you enroll in a plan, the more installments you can have (four in fall and spring, and three in summer), so be sure to note the expiration date on each offer.

Once enrolled, you will receive notification of your subsequent installments in advance of their due dates. Additional information is available on the Payment Options section of the Bursar's website.  

Our office enters awards as promptly as possible and in the order the awards are received. Please monitor your student account frequently.  Your student account will reflect the award once the funds have been received and processed by our office. Due to heavy volume during the months of July, August, November, and December, it can take a few weeks for the award to appear on your student account. The earlier you submit checks, the more likely your award will be reflected on your student account at the beginning of a semester.  Please note that external awards do not appear as anticipated aid.

More information is available on the External Awards section of the Bursar's website.

All registered students who attend PSU are eligible to purchase books at a PSU bookstore/PSU Bookstore online* and have the option to add the bookstore charges to their Penn State student account. Your Penn State ID is required at the time of purchase. Note: The program is paused for summer 2026.

*Penn State World Campus students can purchase course materials at any PSU bookstore and add the charges to their PSU student account. Please note, purchases made at MBS Direct/Barnes and Noble will continue to be paid at the point of sale, rather than via the student's PSU student account. Penn State World Campus students may purchase course materials from MBS Direct/Barnes and Noble or from other vendors. For more information, please visit the Penn State World Campus student website.

Bookstore purchase information.

Authorized User access should not be granted to employers, organizations, sponsors, or other third-party organizations. Information and instructions on granting access are available on the Authorized User Access page.

For information on the types of aid available, please visit the Office of Student Aid's Types of Aid page.

When all University charges have been satisfied and the financial aid creates an overpayment, the student is entitled to a refund. Refunds can be electronically deposited into their bank account by signing up for eRefund. See more information on Penn State's Refund Policy.

There could be several reasons why your refund has not been processed. Here are some possible reasons:

1. If a payment was made by personal check, a refund will not be processed for 14 days from receipt of that payment.
2. If you are signed up for eRefund, the account information provided may be incorrect. If this is the case, you will receive an email notification.
3. Paper refund checks are only printed and mailed once weekly. We strongly recommend signing up for eRefund for faster receipt of any future refunds.
4. You have not "accepted" your loans/financial aid in LionPATH.
5. Your financial aid has not disbursed into your account. The Office of Student Aid is responsible for disbursing your financial aid.