International Students

Welcome to Penn State and to the Office of the Bursar

Starting college is a big transition in a student's life. Moving to a different country to start college can be overwhelming. We are delighted that you have chosen Penn State as the higher education institution for your studies.

We created the checklist below to help you become familiar with your student account and prepare for the payment process (the information below is also presented throughout this website). 

WE ARE...  looking forward to working with you!  If you have any questions regarding your student account, please use the Contact Us form in the website and we will respond promptly to your inquiries.

Checklist

  1. Access your Student Account: Follow these steps: 1. Log in to LionPATH: http://lionpath.psu.edu, 2. Click on “My Finances” and select “Manage My Account/Make A Payment’ to get to your Student Account Dashboard. Once on your Account Dashboard, you can view your statement, make payments, view your current account activity, enroll in eRefund (electronic deposit/refund), add Authorized Payers to your account, enroll in the Installment Payment Plan, and more!
  2. Set up your Authorized Payer(s) (Optional): Authorized Payers can make payments, view payment history, and view balances on your student account. They do not have access to grades, or other online student information. You can add an Authorized Payer from your Account Dashboard by clicking on the ‘Send a payer invitation’ link. All fields marked with a red asterisk must be filled in. Each Authorized Payer must have a unique email address. * In compliance with federal regulations, Bursar representatives can only communicate specifics on a student account with the student and with the Authorized Payer(s) designated as such by the student in our system. *
  3. Open a personal U.S. Checking Account with a local bank: We highly recommend that you open a personal bank (checking) account with a local U.S. bank. You will be able to make payments to your account by electronic check (eCheck), receive electronic refunds (eRefund), and receive international money transfers from your family to your local bank account.
  4. Enroll in eRefund (electronic deposit) (Optional): eRefund is the fastest way to receive refunds owed to you resulting from a credit balance on your account. If you have a personal checking account with a local U.S. bank, you can enroll in eRefund from your Student Account. Please make sure your mailing address is up to date in LionPATH.
  5. Make international payments using Flywire: Penn State works with Flywire to offer a streamlined and cost-effective payment method to send international payments. Flywire offers excellent currency exchange rates, eliminates hidden bank fees, allows you to make payments in your home currency (in most cases), and includes payment tracking and 24/7 multilingual customer support. You can process the payment via Flywire from your student account. Click on “Make a Payment” and select “International Payment” as the payment method. You will be directed to the Flywire website to complete the payment. Allow seven to ten business days for Penn State to receive and post the wire transfer payment to your account.
  6. Make Payments from your personal U.S. Bank (Checking) Account: If you have a personal U.S. bank (checking) account with a local bank, you can make online payments to your student account by electronic check (eCheck) with no additional fee. You will need the bank’s routing number and checking account number. Please obtain this information from your bank.  Important:  the number on your ATM/debit card is NOT the same as your bank account number. You can find a sample of a check with the routing and account number information at: http://www.bursar.psu.edu/payplans.cfm   
  7. Make a payment with a credit card (additional fees apply): You can pay your account statement online by credit card. We do NOT accept credit card payments via mail, phone or in person. There is a service fee for each payment made by credit card.
  8. Enroll in Penn State's Installment Payment Plan (Optional): Penn State has an optional Installment Payment Plan that is available every semester (4 installments for fall and spring and 3 for summer).  Enrollment in the Installment Payment Plan is available after the initial account statement for the semester is issued. Students and Authorized Payers enroll online with an eCheck or a credit card via the Student Account Dashboard. By enrolling in the plan, you agree to pay a $45 non-refundable fee and to sign up for auto pay deduction for the remaining installments. Once enrolled, notifications are sent regarding subsequent installments in advance of their due dates.

Click Here to See a printable version of the Checklist