Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Program

This program is designed for students whose employers offer reimbursements for tuition charges, upon completion of the semester. Enrolled participants have their tuition payments deferred until the semester is completed, with no finance or interest charges. You must receive approval from your employer to enroll in this program.

To be eligible for the program, you must be:

  • enrolled in a Penn State World Campus or Continuing Education course  
  • eligible for reimbursement from your employer 

To apply for the program, you must complete an application and your employer must approve it. Your enrollment in the program will not be complete until your employer approves. You must complete the application process for each semester in which you plan to enroll in the program.

The application process includes the following steps:

  • Submit the online application. In your application, you will need to provide contact information for your supervisor or employer representative who can approve your participation in the program.
  • You will receive confirmation of your application, and the supervisor or employer representative you provided will receive an email request to approve your application.
  • When your employer approves your application, you will receive an email confirmation. If your employer does not approve your application within 5 days, your employer will receive a reminder via email.  
  • You will receive an email from Penn State World Campus confirming your official enrollment and providing additional details about the program. 

You must submit an application for each semester in which you plan to enroll in the program. The Penn State World Campus Bursar Office must receive your completed application, including approval from your employer, by your bill due date to ensure that you do not incur any late payment fees. If your application or employer approval is received after your bill due date, you will be assessed a 1.5% late payment fee each month on the unpaid balance. Applications may not be submitted after the semester has ended.

Once you are enrolled in the program, you are required to pay your deferred tuition whether or not you have completed the course work or have been reimbursed by your employer. You must pay no later than the following dates for each semester:

Fall Semester: February 5 
Spring Semester: June 30 
Summer Semester: October 15

You must make your deferred payment online in LionPATH. After your enrollment in the program is confirmed, a hold will be added to your account in LionPATH, indicating your enrollment in this program. You can find your bill due date by viewing the details of this hold. Please note that even though you are enrolled in the program, you will continue to receive automated billing statements in LionPATH each month showing a due date later that month. These monthly due dates do not apply to you and can be disregarded.

We will remind you of your deferred payment deadline within the month before the due date. We may communicate with you about this program via email, text message (if you have opted in to receive text messages), and automated phone calls. If you do not wish to receive automated phone calls about the Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Program, please contact the Penn State World Campus Bursar Office.

Even if you choose not to receive automated phone calls, you will still receive communications about this program in other ways. We strongly recommend that you opt in for text messages from Penn State World Campus, as another way to receive reminders about this and other important actions. 

You must apply to participate in the Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Program each semester. After your enrollment in the program is confirmed, a hold will be added to your student account in LionPATH. This hold will not prevent you from taking any actions in LionPATH. It simply indicates your enrollment in this program and allows you to view your bill due date.

In the details of this hold, you will see an “End Date” — this is your correct bill due date as a participant in the Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Program. Note that you will still receive billing statements in your financial account in LionPATH, and the due date listed on those statements will not match the one in this hold. The due date listed on billing statements does not reflect your participation in this program and does not apply to you. The due date in this hold is correct and applies to you.

Follow these steps to view this hold in LionPATH:

1) When you log in to LionPATH, you will see that you have at least one hold on your account. Select “Holds” to view your hold 

LionPATH interface showing a number 1 next to the link for "Holds" near the top left of the home screen

2) The hold that indicates your participation in the Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Program will be listed as “World Campus Deferral Contract.” 

LionPATH Holds page showing a Hold called "World Campus Deferral Contract" from the Department "WC Bursar 814-863-8300"

3) Select the “World Campus Deferral Contract” hold to view the details of this hold. On the hold details screen, the “Reason” indicates your participation in the Employer Reimbursement and Tuition Deferment Program, and the “End Date” is your correct bill due date as part of this program. 

LionPATH Hold Details for World Campus Deferral Contract. Reason - WC SU Emp Reimb Defer Due Date. End Date 10/15/2020. World Campus Summer Deferral Contract, Employer Reimbursement Program, Deferral Due Date

  • A hold will be placed on your student account, and you will not be able to order a transcript or register for future semesters.
  • You will be ineligible for this program in the future.
  • You will be liable for any late payment fees assessed to your account.
  • You will be liable for collection, court, and legal costs. 

Penn State reserves the right to conduct random audits, which involve contacting your employer about your employment status.

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