Funding Your Education

Determine what your total cost is to attend PSU for an academic year. More Information

Direct (billable) costs and the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) for the 2024-2025 academic year are listed below. Actual rates for for each year are established by the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Board of Trustees at the end of June and are reflected in Fall Semester bills which become available the first week in July. For specific information about aid and billing, please contact us.

*COA (Cost of Attendance) – both billed and estimated unbilled costs are used when determining total estimated financial aid eligibility. Depending upon living arrangements and course of study, students should plan to budget an additional estimated $3,680-$3,860 annually to cover books/supplies, personal and/or travel expenses. Students living off-campus will not have housing and meal plan charges appear on their bill unless they signed an on-campus meal plan contract, but can use financial aid to help cover the costs of their off-campus expenses. Commuting expenses are estimated on living at home and traveling to school.

Notes:

1. NEBHE (New England Board of Higher Education) – Students are notified of their eligibility in The New England Regional Student Program through the admission’s process based on term accepted to PSU. Students admitted Spring 2018 or earlier receive a discounted tuition rate that is reflected on their bill. Students admitted Fall 2018 or later will be billed at Out-of-State costs and be eligible for a $3000 tuition waiver. More Information
2. Some students may be required to provide verification of health insurance in order to participate in sports or specific majors (i.e., Nursing). If students are not covered under their parents’ medical plans, they must seek their own coverage. Additional loan assistance from federal or private resources may be available to assist after students provide documentation to Student Financial Services that identifies the student and the total academic year premiums. Students will need to apply and qualify for all loan programs to access additional assistance. These loans usually require credit approval and can take up to a month’s time before the funds are available. A listing of local insurance agencies is available at the Health Services website.

You will be notified of your financial aid eligibility. For more specific information about the various types of aid, please see the following:

• Federal/State Grants
• Scholarships(2)
• Undergraduate Loans
• Student Employment(1)

(1) Please remember that Federal Work Study awards will not be applied to your bill. When awarded Federal Work Study, the amount reflected indicates your maximum earnings eligibility; this does not guarantee a job. Students are responsible for securing a job on campus and will receive paychecks every two weeks for hours actually worked.

(2) Notice to NCAA Division III Athletes: NCAA 15.2.3.5.1
It is not permissible for a student-athlete to receive financial aid, directly or indirectly, from a source outside the institution (e.g., a foreign government, a sports association, a high school booster club) for expenses related to attendance at a member institution, if the award of such financial aid is based in any degree upon the recipient’s athletics leadership, ability, participation or performance, except as permitted in Bylaw 15.2.3.5. Receipt of financial aid from such a source renders the student-athlete ineligible for all intercollegiate athletics participation. (Revised: 8/22/06, 4/30/09.)

Please use our PSU Bill Estimator as a tool to assist you in determining any other resources needed to pay your bill each semester.

Once you have determined your Cost of Attendance and subtracted your financial aid award (except Federal Work-Study and any associated loan fees) the following options may be considered to fund your costs for the academic year:

• Option 1: Family and other resources from savings, work, outside scholarships, etc
• Option 2: Tuition payment program (This is a great option!) is the interest-free, debt-free way to spread tuition payments over a number of months. The tuition payment program is not a loan, so there are no interest payments, only a low enrollment fee. The plan takes existing resources that you already have and allows you to break down your education expenses in easy-to-manage installments, rather than one lump sum payment. It’s simple and convenient.
• Option 3: Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is a fixed interest loan authorized by the Federal government which parents can apply for to help pay for a dependent student’s education. There are fees associated with this loan, and the parent is responsible for repayment. In-school deferments may be available by contacting the Direct Loan Servicer after your PLUS loan has been disbursed to the student’s bill.
• Option 4: Alternative Loans are generally in the name of the student but may also be applied for by a parent or other willing applicant. Student alternative loans in the student’s name most commonly require a cosigner. Alternative loans may have variable interest rates, higher fees and fewer borrower benefits than Federal loans. Some private lenders will require payment of accrued interest while a student is enrolled.

Note: A combination of the options above may be used.