Student Financial Services

Tuition bills are available online via the Student Portal.

Check out our Student Billing FAQ sheet for more help.

Check or Money Order

Checks or money orders made in U.S. Dollars payable to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts are accepted by mail. Please add Student Name and ID Number to memo line. Postdated checks are not accepted. Checks returned by the bank as unpaid will accrue an additional returned check fee.

Mail payments to: 
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
128 North Broad Street
Attn: Bursar’s Office
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Credit or Debit Cards and Echeck

PAFA does not accept Credit or Debit Card payments in-person, by mail, fax, or over the phone for payment of tuition or fees.

Credit Card, Debit Cards, and Echeck payments are accepted online via PAFA’s Student Portal. Processing fees are detailed on the the website.

Installment Payment Plans

All students are eligible for an installment payment plan through the Student Portal regardless of their qualifications for financial aid. To enroll in a payment plan, please login to the Student Portal and go to the Make a Payment screen. To sign up for a payment plan, select Payment Frequency and select the current term Invoice. If you have any questions, contact PAFA's Bursar's Office at bursar@pafa.org.
 

Past Due Accounts

Any late payment is subject to a monthly late payment charge.  PAFA reserves the right to restrict services, terminate enrollment, contract for outside collections, and pursue legal action in the collection of any past debt at the expense of the debtor.

Students who officially withdraw from PAFA or reduce the number of credits for which they are registered may be entitled to an adjustment of tuition charges. Withdrawal forms are available through the Registrar’s Office. Verbal notification or non-attendance does not classify as an official withdrawal and does not relieve the student of financial obligation. All fees (registration fee, library fee, etc.) are non-refundable after the first day of class.

Exceptions:

• Students called into military service before or during a school term, under provisions of the Selective Service Act.
• Students under Public Law No. 550 (G.I. Bill).

NOTE:

Refunds to students receiving federal (Title IV) financial aid may be impacted by federal regulations, resulting in student repayment of partial aid. See below for more information. International students who choose to withdraw must clarify their immigration status with the appropriate federal agency before a refund will be considered.

Refund Policy for Students Receiving any Federally-Funded Financial Aid

If a student has received any form of federal (Title IV) financial aid, federal regulations specify how PAFA must determine the amount of aid that a student has earned if s/he completely withdraws, drops out, takes a leave of absence or is dismissed before completing 60% of the payment period. Federal financial aid offered to Certificate, BFA, Post-Baccalaureate, and MFA students and included in the calculation of earned/unearned Title IV aid include federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS, and Federal PLUS Loans.

Withdrawal Date

The withdrawal date is:

• the date the student began the withdrawal process by officially notifying, in writing, the Registrar or Dean of Student Affairs of his/her intent to withdraw; or
• the last date of attendance at an academically-related activity by a student who does not notify PAFA; or
• the midpoint of the semester, if no notification was made and the last date of an academically-related activity cannot be determined.

Calculation for Financial Aid Refunds

The percentage of Title IV aid earned is calculated by counting the number of days from the beginning of the payment to the student’s withdrawal date and then dividing that number by the number of days in the payment period (not including scheduled breaks of five or more days). Once that percentage is determined, it will be multiplied against the total amount of Title IV aid that was disbursed to the student and the amount that could have been disbursed:

• Percent of Title IV aid “earned” = number of days completed up to the student’s withdrawal date divided by the total number of days in the payment period (not including scheduled breaks).
• Percent of Title IV aid “unearned” = 100% of the payment period minus the percent of Title IV earned
• Once the amount of earned Title IV aid is determined, it would be subtracted from the total of Title IV aid that was disbursed or could have been disbursed.
• If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, PAFA would be required to return a portion of the funds and the student would be required to return a portion of the funds. (The student borrower may owe a balance to PAFA after Title IV funds are returned.)
• If a student earned more aid than the amount disbursed, PAFA will owe the student a post-withdrawal disbursement which must be paid within 120 days of the student’s withdrawal.
• If the student received more than the earned amount, the unearned portion will be returned by PAFA and the student in accordance with federal regulations. The institutional charges for the semester will be multiplied by the percentage of Title IV aid unearned and compared to the dollar amount of Title IV aid to be returned. The smaller amount will be returned to the federal program(s).
• Earned aid is not related to institutional charges. PAFA’s refund policy and Return of Title IV Funds procedures are independent of each other. A student who withdraws from a course may be required to return unearned aid and still owe the college for the course. (See Refund Policy).
• The amount PAFA must return will be subtracted from the total amount that must be returned. The balance will be due from the student. The student will be responsible to return unearned funds in the same priority order. However, students who have loans will return loan funds in accordance with the terms of the promissory note.
• A student subject to the Return to Title IV refund calculation will receive written notification to include the amount of unearned grant aid that must be repaid.
• PAFA must return the amount of Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 30 days after the date of the determination of the date of the student’s withdrawal.
• Refunds are allocated in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
3. Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans (other than Federal PLUS loans)
4. Subsidized Direct Stafford Loans
5. Federal Perkins Loans
6. Federal Parents (PLUS) Loans
7. Direct PLUS Loans
8. Federal Pell Grants for which a return of funds is required
9. Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) for which a return of funds is required
10. Other assistance under this Title for which a return of funds is required (i.e. LEAP)

If a student’s financial aid award (total of grants and scholarships excluding work/study), with or without the addition of a student loan, exceeds tuition and fees, the amount awarded and/or borrowed above tuition and fees will be returned to the student to assist with meeting educationally related expenses; this will be done each semester. Students will be notified when checks representing aid which exceeds tuition and fees are available.

All refunds from financial aid (including loans) will be processed after the end of the third week of classes or within 14 days of the credit balance.

Enrollment Deposit

New, incoming students are required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their enrollment. This deposit will be credited toward the student’s first-semester bill. As a non–refundable deposit, all funds will be forfeited if the student does not enroll for their intended semester.

• Instructions on submitting the Admissions Response Form and paying the enrollment deposit will be emailed to accepted students.

Deferral Deposit

Accepted students are eligible to defer their admission to a later start term – up to one academic year.

• Approved deferrals require a non-refundable deposit to secure their future enrollment.
• This deposit will be credited toward the student’s first-semester bill and all funds will be forfeited if the student does not enroll within one academic year.
• Instructions on submitting the Admissions Response Form and paying the deferral deposit will be emailed to accepted students that request a deferral. Deferral requests must be submitted in writing to admissions@pafa.edu.