Payment Information

All billing for Penn West student and authorized parents is done electronically only. No longer will student receive a paper statement in the mail. Students who register within two weeks of the semester start date should be prepared to make payment at the time of registration. All other billing statements will be sent electronically. An e-mail notification will be sent to the student's PennWest California email address and to authorized users when the new bill is available.

Payment may be made by cash, check, money order or certified bank draft made payable to Penn West University, or if using a credit/debit card you may pay online only using VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover Card. (A non-refundable convenience fee will be assessed at the time of payment processing. An electronic check payment may be made to avoid this fee.)

If financial aid has been awarded, this amount will be deducted from the amount due on the bill. Payment plans (with initial payment) may be contracted at this time. Enrollment in a payment plan must be done online. The initial payment is required at the time of enrollment.

Note: You will be charged all on-campus fees in addition to any fees that are associated with your program of study if you meet any of the following criteria:

If you live in University housing (campus residence halls or Vulcan Village)
If you enroll in at least one class on main campus (includes online program students as well.

CREDIT CARD PAYMENT FEES AND PROCEDURES

The University offers electronic check payments free of charge.
All credit/debit card payments must be processed through PennWest California's online payment process. The Student Accounts Office (formerly the Bursar's Office) does not accept credit/debit cards either in person or on the phone.
A convenience fee of 2.85% ($3 minimum), will be added for each credit/debit card transaction. (This fee covers transaction costs only: it is NOT retained by the University.)

How can I pay my bill?

Electronic check (e-check) payments are free of charge through PennWest California's online payment system.
By mail: Payment can be made by check or money order and mailed to the address indicated on the bill. Please include the remittance part of the bill and include the student ID number on the check. Payments must be in U.S. currency and drawn on a U.S. bank.
In person at Student Accounts Office (formerly the Bursar's Office): Check, money orders and cash will be accepted.
Credit Card on-line payment through the Vulcan Information Portal or guest portal. You will receive two charges on your credit card statement, the amount paid to PennWest California and the convenience fee charge from the processor.

What credit cards will be accepted through the online payment system?

Touchnet, the online payment system, accepts MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express.

LATE PAYMENT FEE

Late payment fees will be assessed on balances over $500 if financial aid has not been received and there is no payment plan set up for the current term. Late payment fee is $100 per semester.

RETURNED CHECK CHARGE

In the event your payment is returned unpaid for any reason, a $30 Return Check Fee will be added to your myPennWest student account and a registration hold will be placed on the account until repayment is received. Repayment should be made with a certified check or money order. Please include a copy of the notification you receive, make the check payable to PennWest University, and mail to:

PennWest University
Student Accounts Office, Campus Box 83
250 University Ave

California, PA 15419

At the discretion of the university, if an account has more than two returned paper checks or electronic checks, payments will need to be made in the following manner:

Online: Credit (convenience fee applies to credit)
Mail: Certified check or money order
In person: Certified check, money order, cash or debit

PAYMENT PLANS AND POLICIES

PennWest California is proud to offer payment plans to assist students and their parents in paying the costs of higher education. Payment plans are available each semester.

Details about the payment plan are available online.
Details about the Employer Reimbursement Plan are available online.

If due date falls on a weekend, payments must be made online through the student accounts portal on my.pennwest.edu

If payments are not made on time and in the correct amount, the consequences include:

Late fee of up to $100 per semester.
A "hold" will be placed on the student's account preventing future registration, release of grades and transcripts for unpaid balances or delinquent pay plans.
If payment is made to bring the account current, holds will be removed.

Holds will not be removed for personal check and ACH payments for 10 days from the payment receipt date, unless supporting documentation (bank statement) is provided verifying the payment has cleared the bank account.

If you are having unexpected financial difficulties and cannot make timely payments, contact the Financial Aid Officeor call 724-938-4415 for information about the Federal Plus Loan or the Alternative Loan program. Either of these loan options could help you get through your unexpected financial setback.

After the term ends, all outstanding balances are referred for collection to the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. Once referred, all payments must be made directly with the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. The Student Accounts Office will not accept or process payments for accounts referred to either the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General, or an outside collection agency. The contact information for the Pennsylvania Attorney General is:

Office of the AG
Attn: Collection Unit
14th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120

717-787-2949
866-275-9953
finenf@attorneygeneral.gov

THIRD PARTY BILLING

Some companies and government agencies pay tuition directly to the University. If tuition is to be paid in this manner, please supply authorizing forms or letters to the Student Accounts Office (studentaccounts@pennwest.edu).The authorization form must state payment is not based on grades or completion of the course(s) to be an approved deferment.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PAYMENTS

We are happy to inform you that PennWest California has partnered with Fly Wire by PEER Transfer to provide you with an easy and secure method of sending international payments. Please note that not all countries participate in this program. Check "What country are you paying from?" below for a complete list.

peerTransfer allows you to:

Track your payment from start to finish
Pay from any country and any bank
Save on bank fees and exchange rates
Receive peace of mind with dedicated multilingual customer support

Go to https://landing-pages.flywire.com/landing/pennwestu to make your payment and learn more.