Payments

Payment in full is due at the beginning of each term. If you can't pay in full at the beginning of the term, enroll in the PSU Payment Plan.

Payment Plan installments are due on the 6th of each month, except for the first payment of winter term, which varies each year. There are currently two ways to pay: online and by mail.

If you have not enrolled in the payment plan or paid in full by the first payment due date, you will be automatically enrolled in the PSU Payment Plan and charged a $100 late fee. For more details about dates and deadlines, review the Academic Calendar for Financial Deadlines.

Parent or Third-Party Paying for Student

Students can now invite another payer to access your myPSU payment portal and make a one-time payment on your student account.

To invite a parent, guardian, or other individual to pay on your account on your behalf:

1. Log in to myPSU.
2. Navigate to the Finances page and select Manage Enrollment, Make a Payment, or Manage Payment Account.
3. Select My Account.
4. Under Payers select Send a Payer Invitation.
5. Your designated payer will receive an invitation via email with their username (email) and one-time password. 

PSU will send invoices to third parties that require a separate invoice for the items on the student bill which the sponsor will pay on behalf of a student. To be considered for the third party billing process, sponsors must complete the Third-Party Agreement application and return it to the Office of Student Financial Services.

For more information on employers' contributions, internationally sponsored student accounts, and veteran payments, see below. Portland State has dedicated staff to support third party billing for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and sponsors.

Sponsored Accounts

If you need an employer, embassy, or other sponsoring agency to pay on your student account, you must present the Third Party Office with a statement of the agreement. The student is responsible for completing this in a timely fashion. The University will then invoice the third party directly for charges on the student's account.

Charges not covered by the third party must be paid by the student. If the third party fails to pay the invoiced charges, it becomes the student's responsibility to pay PSU.

Employers or Sponsors

Employers or sponsors wishing to pay on a student’s account may do so with authorization by the student. This grants permission for a third party to make payments to their account online via myPSU. Contact the student to set up authorization, more information is above.

Veteran Benefits

If you are a veteran attending the university on the GI Bill or with other veteran benefits, you must complete the appropriate steps for veteran certification with the Office of the Registrar before we can bill the federal VA for your tuition.

Unsuccessful Transactions

Checks and e-Checks: Paper check payments and e-check payments can fail for a number of reasons. These may include insufficient funds, mistyped account information, or your bank's individual policy regarding check payments. Before making payments on your student account, make sure that the account you are using has sufficient funds to cover your payment and double-check that the account information you have provided for e-check payment is correct. 

If your check or e-check is returned due to a closed account, stopped payment, incorrect account number, or insufficient funds, PSU will:

• Reverse the original payment on your account

• Add a $25 returned check charge to your next bill 

• Place a hold on your account (PSU reserves the right to cancel your registration for classes if a payment is returned as non-payable. If you feel the check was returned incorrectly, you may petition to have the $25 fee reversed by using the Returned Check Fee Petition Form.)

The $100 late fee applies to installments missed due to unsuccessful e-check payments. Every student is allowed two returned checks before they will no longer be allowed to pay with a check or e-check. This can be appealed using the Returned Check Fee Petition Form. If a student has two returned checks, they can pay with cashier's checks, money orders, or certified checks. Online payments can be made with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card (additional 2.75% charged per transaction, increasing to 2.85% effective July 5, 2023).

Credit Card: For various reasons, the credit card holder’s bank may decline an auto-pay transaction. The system will attempt to run the card three times on the due date. If none of these attempts are successful, the payment will be considered missed and a $100 late fee will be charged to the account. For large payments and when using credit cards issued by foreign banks, it is recommended that you contact your bank in advance to advise them that a transaction from Portland State University is expected.

Past Due Accounts

A student's account may be sent to collections after 90 days of non-payment. PSU will attempt to contact the student with two warning letters and a final notice that they are being sent to collections. Once the account is sent to an outside collection agency, the student will need to contact the assigned debt collector to make arrangements. Contact the Financial Wellness Center for more information about collections.

Merchant Fees

PSU strives to offer multiple payment options to students. To maintain the option of paying by credit card, students are required to pay this fee. PSU is not budgeted to support these fees, so we must pass these fees on to students. The alternative was to eliminate the option of paying by card altogether. Merchant fees continue to rise, leading many universities to stop offering the option to pay by card. PSU does not include merchant fees into the cost of the tuition nor does PSU receive any portion of these fees. The fees are paid directly by CashNet to the credit card companies for processing the credit card payment. To avoid paying merchant fees, we recommend paying your bill online with e-Check.