Next Steps for Students

When applying to Penn State, undergraduate applicants typically create a MyPennState profile. However, the MyPennState profile provides only limited access to Penn State services.

The Penn State Access Account is your digital identity that grants you permissions to protected online University resources and services. The process will automatically initiate when you attempt to access protected resources and services such as view your Financial Aid Offer or accept your admission offer.

The College Financing Plan is a standardized financial aid notification designed by the Department of Education. It is a snapshot of your personal aid package, intended to provide prospective students with a consistent way to view costs and aid between universities. Since the Financing Plan is a standardized form and only contains cost and aid estimates, we recommend that you review your Student Aid Summary for additional information. Once you schedule your courses for the upcoming semester, the costs and aid displayed on your Student Aid Summary will update accordingly.

Parent access to student information in LionPATH is called Delegated Access. Delegated access gives parents, guardians, or other individuals access to view:

• class schedule

• enrollment verification

• financial aid

• Holds

• To Do List

Students are responsible for setting up delegated access in LionPATH and for determining which areas the individual can access.

• For help in setting up delegated access, visit the online tutorial.

• For help on how to use delegated access, visit the online tutorial.

• To log in, access the Guardian Delegation Login page.

• When a student grants delegated access, the delegate will need to accept the invitation for delegated access before logging into the account.

Submit Final High School Transcript

• Penn State requires students who have accepted their offer of admission to provide documentation that indicates the student's high school completion status. There are several options of how to submit your documentation, visit Undergraduate Admissions for additional information.

Complete Verification Items

• This will be presented to you in your ‘To Do List’ located on the Home page of your LionPATH account, if you are selected, after you have responded to your offer of admission.

• Verification is a federal mandate requiring universities to confirm the accuracy of the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your student will receive an email from our office, which explains what documentation must be provided if they are selected for verification.

• Follow all directions, and respond quickly to this request to avoid a delay in the processing of your student’s aid. Often a parent signature is required on the verification documents.

• Please monitor your @psu.edu email and LionPATH accounts. We will reach out to you if there is an issue with your upload or we require additional documentation.

After eligible students submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®), Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will invite them into their GrantUs platform.

Eligible Pennsylvania residents may also receive a follow-up email from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) asking for additional information.

Respond promptly.

To receive your Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, first-time borrowers must complete the following on studentaid.gov:

1. Complete Entrance Counseling

2. Sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Accept, Decline, or Decrease your Financial Aid. This will be turned on in LionPATH for new students after the May 1st decision day.

Keep in mind that we typically offer financial aid for both Fall and Spring together, so you are accepting the total amount for the year. The exceptions would be if you applied for a one semester Graduate PLUS or Private Alternative Loan.

The following types of aid must be accepted in order to be applied to your bill:

• Federal Direct Subsidized Loans

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

• Graduate PLUS Loans

• Private Alternative Loans

• University Loans

Federal Work Study does have to be accepted, but DOES NOT appear as a credit on the bill. Federal Work-Study allows you to earn money to help cover non-billable educational expenses by working. Wages are direct-deposited into your checking or savings account every two weeks.

Scholarships, Federal Pell, and PHEAA State grants will be automatically accepted by the system once it is determined that the student is eligible for the award.

Click here for more information about how to accept, decrease, or decline your loan or work-study offer.

Research Additional Funding Options

• Financial aid typically covers only a portion of your educational costs and for the majority of Penn State students, these costs must be paid by the family using a combination of financing strategies.

• For the majority of Penn State students, these costs must be paid by the family, either through direct support or by using a combination of financing strategies such as those listed below.

Available resources

• University-wide Scholarships

• Penn State’s Installment Payment Plan

• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan

• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

• Private Education Loans

• Employer Tuition Assistance Programs

• Penn State's Office of Veterans Programs

• Student Parent Child Care Subsidy Program

This will be presented to you in your ‘To Do List’ in LionPATH after you have responded to your offer of admission.

This activity guide includes completing the Financial Responsibility Agreement (FRA). The Financial Responsibility Agreement is housed within the activity guide.

All new first-year students to Penn State must participate in New Student Orientation (NSO). At NSO, you will meet with faculty and staff, begin to develop goals for your time at Penn State, learn about campus resources, and schedule courses for your first semester.

Review Billing Information

• The Office of the Bursar is responsible for maintaining student accounts pertaining to tuition billing, acceptance fees, charges, payments, posting of financial aid, and refunds of excess funds, when available.

• To learn about Authorized Payer Access, the eRefund process, 529 plans, etc. view the Bursar's New Student section

Grant Permission for your Title IV Aid to be Applied to your Student Account

• 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 meals). To authorize Federal aid funds please follow these steps:

• Student will need to log into LionPATH

• Click on 'My Finances'

• Click on 'My Account'

• Click on 'PERMISSION TO USE FEDERAL AID'

• Follow instructions to submit request

• 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.

​​Grant your Parent/Guardian Authorized Payer Access

• Your student can grant Authorized Payers (Parents/third parties) access through their LionPATH account, to enable you to view and pay the Student Account Statement, enroll in the Installment Payment Plan, and access IRS Form 1098-T.

• Visit the Granting Authorized Payer Access section of the Bursar's site for details.

​​Pay your Statement

• Fall bills will be generated in August, Spring in December, and Summer in May. Typically, they will be generated on the 1st and be due the 22nd. Please view your statement for specific deadlines and payment options or visit the Office of the Bursar for additional information.

• If arrangements have not been made to pay your bill by the due date, you will be assessed a 1.5 percent late fee.