Fees & Charges

In this section you will find information about:

• Tuition Assessment
• Student Fee (Student Initiated Fee)
• International Undergraduate Student Fee
• Housing and Food Plan
• Other Charges

Tuition Assessment

Criteria when determining tuition

The following criteria are used to determine the amount of tuition a Penn State student is assessed per semester:

• Campus
• College
• Major
• Semester Classification
• Residency
• Credit load
• Tuition Surcharge

Semester Classification is determined by the following:

When calculating tuition, a student's semester classification for a future semester is determined by adding total credits to the credits currently enrolled. Once an undergraduate student completes 59.1 or more total credits (which include credits earned through advanced placement or transferred from another institution), the student is considered to have obtained Junior/Senior status at Penn State.

All advanced placement or transfer credits placed on the Penn State transcript will count towards the total number of credits a student has accumulated, even if some of those credits do not meet the course requirements for graduation.  Please be advised that a student’s tuition will increase when the Penn State transcript reflects 59.1 total credits. If the credits you are transferring or have transferred place you above 59.1 credits after the start of the semester, your tuition will increase immediately. You will receive a bill for the additional tuition in the first week of the following month.

Student Fee (Student Initiated Fee)

The Student Fee (Student Initiated Fee) combines the previous Student Activities Fee and Student Facilities Fee. The Student Fee supports student-centered activities, services, facilities and recreation to improve student life and is the result of a student-led initiative to be more involved in the creation and allocation of student fees. The Student Fee is calculated in the same way as the previously separate fees, based on the campus and the number of credits in which a student is enrolled. The Student Fee is mandatory, just as the previous fees. For questions regarding the Student Fee, go to www.studentfee.psu.edu.

*World Campus students who take courses through other Penn State campuses will be assessed the Student Fee based on the total number of credits enrolled.

Calculation of the Student Fee

The non-refundable Student Fee is charged according to campus and the number of credits in which the student is enrolled immediately prior to the first day of the semester. Adding credits on or after the first day of the semester could result in a corresponding increase of the fee. Dropping credits on or after the first day of the semester may not reduce the fee charged. For more information about the Student Fee, go to www.studentfee.psu.edu. 

International Undergraduate Student Fee

To offset additional institutional costs for comprehensive academic and student support services that are unique to international students, all new international undergraduate students will be assessed a $750 per semester fee while they are enrolled at Penn State.

For part-time international undergraduate students, the fee will be prorated based on the registered credits. For those students registered for 5 but less than 9 credits, the fee assessment will be 75% of the full fee. For students registered for less than 5 credits, the fee will be 31% of the full fee.

International students are defined as those students who hold temporary non-immigrant visas.

Other Charges

In addition to the tuition, fees, housing and food, other miscellaneous charges may be billed through your Bursar Account. For example:

• individual music lessons
• change of schedule
• credit by examination
• duplicate student identification card
• student parking
• PSU bookstore purchases
• other items listed in the current University Bulletin.

If you are a recipient of Federal aid funds, your approval is required to cover charges to your student account (other than tuition, fees, and housing and food). To authorize Federal aid funds please follow these steps:

1. Students will need to log in to their Student Home Base in LionPATH
2. Click on "My Finances" on top of the page
3. Click on "Permission to Use Federal Aid"
4. Click on "Grant Permission"
5. Follow instructions to submit request

Please note, per federal regulations there are some fees that cannot be paid with Federal Title IV financial aid funds, even if you provide authorization in writing, such as, late registration fee, add/drop fee, service fee, installment payment plan fee, late fees, return item fee, and stop payment fee.

You have the right to rescind your approval by contacting the Bursar's Office. If you rescind your approval, you will not be able to grant permission again for the same semester.