Tuition & Fees

Student Accounts: Financial Information and 2016-2017 Fee Schedule

Palm Beach Atlantic University reserves the right to change fees and other charges that the Board of Trustees considers to be in accord with sound management.

Tuition

Full-Time Tuition (Per Semester)

Part-Time Tuition (Per Credit)

Auditing a Course

The rate of tuition for auditing course work depends upon the total number of credit hours (including audit hours) for which a student registers in a given semester. If the student is part time, or if the total number of credit hours exceeds 18, then tuition for auditing is one half the applicable per-hour charge.

Residential Meal Plans (per semester)

• Details about each meal plan can be found at https://pba.campusdish.com.  
• Freshman may select All Access 5 or All Access 7 only; Upper-class residents residing in main campus residence halls (e.g. Baxter Hall, Johnson Hall, Oceanview Hall, Rinker Hall, or Weyenberg Hall) may select plan All Access 5, All Access 7, or 160 Block. Upper-class residents residing in south campus residence halls (E.G Flagler Towers or Lakeview Apartments) are eligible for the 90 Block plan. Meal plans are optional for Campus Apartment residents.
• Summer rates are determined based on current fiscal year rates.
• All students residing in residence halls are required to purchase a meal plan. Requests for exemption will be considered based on a personal physician’s written recommendation that the student be exempted, complete with a prescribed diet and an explanation concerning why the University’s food services are unable to meet this prescribed diet. Meal plan exemption requests must be submitted to the Residence Life Office in writing.

Residence Halls (per semester)

• Summer rates are pro-rated based on the current fiscal year.
• When a student is accepted for admission to the University, contact with the new student will be made by the Admissions Office to verify a need for on-campus housing.
• When a student takes residence in a residence hall, it is understood through the signing of a yearly contract that the student will continue as an occupant throughout the school year so long as the student remains enrolled full-time. Therefore, if a student moves from a residence hall after the beginning of the academic year, the student will be fee liable as well as forfeit the Housing Security Deposit.

Other Fees

* All students who travel internationally with PBA, whether to study abroad or to serve abroad, are charged the PBA International Travel Fee. This fee encompasses the costs of enrollment in the travel program, travel insurance and contingency funds.

** Students should contact the Rinker Center for Experiential Learning to determine which fee applies to the travel-study course which interests them.  

Study Abroad Fees

*Subject to change based on currency exchange fluctuation.

Palm Beach Atlantic University reserves the right to change all tuition and fees based on board approval.

Student Accounts: Financial Policies and Services

Billing Information – Tuition and Fees

Initial billing statements will include charges and anticipated financial assistance as of invoice date. Any charges not covered by anticipated financial assistance are due by the tuition due date for each specific term.  See the “Payment Policies” section of this catalog for further information about student account payments.  

Any charges on the account that are accrued after the due date for the term are due within one week of the date that the balanced changed.

Please contact the Financial Aid Office if you are expecting financial assistance that is not shown as anticipated aid on your billing statement. Do not submit communications about your bill with your payments. For questions or comments regarding items other than financial aid, please contact the Student Account’s Office by e-mail at Student_Accounts@pba.edu or by telephone at (561) 803-2152.

Note: Student account charges and/or financial aid awards may be revised throughout the semester if there is a change to enrollment and/or financial aid eligibility. In addition, estimates on the account for third party funds such as Florida Prepaid, VA, etc. are subject to change based on the student’s enrollment and eligibility. If revision to charges, estimates, or aid takes place, the student is required to adjust payment arrangements to cover the balance in full within one week of the revision. Please call the Student Accounts Office to inquire about these changes.  

Billing Errors

Palm Beach Atlantic University strives for excellence in all areas, including billing communications.  However, administrative, clerical, or technical billing errors do not absolve the student of his/her financial responsibility to pay the correct amount of tuition, fees, and other associated financial obligations assessed as a result of registration at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Billing Method

Palm Beach Atlantic University uses electronic billing (e-bill) as its official billing method, and the student is responsible for viewing and paying the student account e-bill by the scheduled due date.  Failure to review the e-bill does not constitute a valid reason for not paying the bill on time.  E-bill information is available at http://pba.afford.com.  

Campus Purchases with PBACard

Funds may be added to your PBA Card for purchases or services in the Campus Store, Einstein Bros Bagels, Chick-Fil-A, P.O.D. Express, Greene Complex for Sports and Recreation, The Fresh Food Company, vending machines, laundry facilities, etc. by contacting Sailfish Services, the PBACard office, or at the ADM machines located on campus by cash, check, credit card by contacting Sailfish Services, the PBACard office, or at the ADM machines located on campus.  To use approved financial aid credit on your PBA Card, you may transfer funds online using the Transfer PBA Card Funds form on MyPBA.

Campus Store Return Policy

The PBA Campus Store return policy for textbooks purchased by individuals whose National Guard and Reserve Units have been activated is as follows:

• All textbooks that are in new condition and in their current edition and are being used for a course at Palm Beach Atlantic may be returned for full credit.
• All textbooks that are in used condition (having underlining, highlighting, inscribed name or other markings, or whose binding is cracked), and are in their current edition, and are being used for a course at Palm Beach Atlantic can be returned for one-half of their retail price.
• All textbooks, in resalable condition and in their current edition, that were used for a course at Palm Beach Atlantic when the student was activated for service but are no longer being used can be returned, but the amount of the refund will depend on the wholesale prices set by the used-book company contracted by the bookstore. Receipts are required for refunds, and the individual must present identification and proof of military service.
• All textbooks not in their current edition are non-refundable regardless of their condition.

Check-In

At the beginning of each semester, ALL students are required to check-in to have their PBACards (student identification cards) activated. This activation must occur before a student is eligible for campus services (class attendance, entrance to campus facilities, purchases, etc.). Students are required to produce ID upon request for security purposes.  While Online students are not required to have a PBA Card, they are required to complete the Check-In process before classes begin.

Dropping a Course

When either a part-time student or a full-time student enrolled in more than 18 credit hours drops an individual course before the census date (but does not withdraw from the University), the student receives a full refund of tuition for the course dropped, where applicable*. If the student withdraws from the course after the census date, he/she is not entitled to a refund of tuition for that course.

Tuition refunds follow the course status assigned by the Registrar’s Office. A course that is listed as “dropped” on the student’s record is given a full refund. A course that is listed as a “withdrawal” on the student’s record remains fully fee-liable (non-refundable).

If a student decides to drop all courses, he/she must follow the procedure detailed in the “Withdrawal from the University” section of this catalog. Undergraduate students enrolled in any of PBA’s nontraditional programs, or graduate students or pharmacy students should note the refund policy stated in those PBA Catalogs.

*Note: All day undergraduate students with Full Time status (enrolled in 12-18 credit hours) are charged a flat rate for tuition; therefore, if the student is still enrolled in 12-18 credit hours after a course has been dropped/withdrawn, the tuition charge does not change. 

Financial Aid Awards

First-time students who have applied for financial aid may expect to receive a financial aid award within two to three weeks of being accepted for admission beginning March 1 of each year. Returning students who have completed the registration process for fall and who have completed/submitted required financial aid applications/forms may expect to receive notification of financial aid eligibility by June 15.

Each semester financial aid funds are applied to the student’s account upon verification of enrollment, receipt of required documentation, completion of the FAFSA and required certifications, and PBA’s receipt of funds from the funding source(s). Aid is not applied to student accounts until attendance in the minimum required number of classes has been verified.

Financial aid listed as “estimated” or “pending” on the Financial Aid Award does not represent actual or guaranteed payment, but is an estimate of the aid the student may receive if he/she meets all requirements stipulated by that aid program.

Note: All awards are estimated and subject to change in response to information received (e.g., Student Aid Report verification documentation, changes in fund allocations, and/or receipt of additional aid) by the Financial Aid Office.

Florida State Aid Programs Refund Policy

Requirements of the Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance state that PBA must return funds to the State in accordance with PBA’s institutional financial aid refund policy.

Health Insurance

Palm Beach Atlantic University requires that all full time undergraduate, pharmacy and international students be covered by adequate insurance while attending school. PBA has made available to students a low cost health insurance plan. The plan is an annual policy effective 08/15/16 to 08/14/17 for fall enrollment and 01/04/17 to 08/14/17 for new spring enrollment. If a student withdraws from the University, the student health insurance policy will be canceled.

Note: All students must either enroll in or waive the insurance coverage. The cost of the insurance coverage is included in on your tuition bill and will not be removed unless proof of adequate coverage has been provided by on-line waiver. In order to be approved for check-in, you must either enroll or waive the insurance by September 1, 2015.  Please visit https://my.pba.edu/ICS/Departments/Health_and_Wellness/Student_Health_Insurance.jnz (must be logged into MyPBA) to find detailed instructions for waiving or accepting the student health insurance.

Late Payment Fee

The student account bill is due by the published due date.  Any account that is not paid in full by the published due date will incur a late payment fee of $30 per month for every month that the amount remains unpaid after the due date.  

Online Students

All Online students are required to have an activated PBA student identification number. The student’s ID number must be activated each semester after the student account balance has been cleared.

Parking Permits

Vehicles parked in PBA designated parking areas must be registered with Campus Safety & Security each academic year. If the student parks outside authorized areas, the student will be ticketed, and the student account will be charged. Parking decals may be obtained from Campus Safety & Security year round. Overnight parking permits for the parking garage are also obtained at Safety & Security.

Payment Policies

Bills for full tuition, housing and fees will be generated and are due in according to the schedule below.  Payments not received by the due date for the prospective term may be subject to course cancellations and loss of housing if applicable.

Due dates are as follows:

Account Payment Options

• Payment in full each semester (on/before the due date)
• Monthly Payment Plan: The student may enroll in an approved PBA payment plan that allows him/her to make monthly payments. Contact the Students Accounts Office for further information.  The student is responsible to review monthly statements to ensure the payment plan is amended to reflect any additional charges or changes in financial aid.

Account Payment Methods

• ACH: Electronic payments from checking or savings account are accepted online at http://pba.afford.com
• Credit Card: MasterCard, VISA, Discover, and American Express are accepted on-line at http://pba.afford.com as well as in person or by calling Sailfish Services at 561.803.2000 or 888.468.6722.  Note that a processing fee applies to all credit card payments.
• Personal check or money order: Make payable to Palm Beach Atlantic University and mail to Sailfish Services at P.O. Box 24708, West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4708.
• Wire Transfers: Contact Sailfish Services for instruction via phone (561.803.2000 or 888.468.6722) or email (Sailfish_services@pba.edu).

Charges

By registering for classes, the student acknowledges that he/she incurs a financial obligation to Palm Beach Atlantic University. Additionally, by choosing to reside in Palm Beach Atlantic University’s residence halls, selecting a meal plan or parking permit, opting to use other campus facilities that may incur fines or additional fees or any other expenses, the student acknowledges that he/she is responsible for paying such excess fees. If the student decides to withdraw from courses, he/she must follow the official withdrawal procedure as stated in the Catalog.  The student is responsible for paying all tuition and fees as well as any applicable room and board charges or other fees and fines which accrue on his/her account by the published due date. Please refer to the “Delinquent Account Penalties” section of this catalog for details about accounts that are not paid in full by the due date.

Note: Students who decide not to attend some or all of their courses after registration are required to officially withdraw by contacting Sailfish Services. Otherwise, students will be held responsible for all charges on their accounts. There are no exceptions to this cancellation and withdrawal procedure.

Credits & Refunds

Disbursement of financial aid occurs according to federally mandated regulations. If a credit balance results once financial aid is applied to a student’s account, the surplus will be refunded to the student within 14 days of the aid posting date reflected on the student account. The student may elect to have refund disbursements automatically deposited into a checking/savings account. Students who do not enroll in automatic deposit will have their information provided to a third party service provider in order to have a reloadable stored value debit card issued to them.  The terms and conditions for this account are available at https://pbachoice.afford.com.  The student may select or change his/her method of refund at any time online at https://pbachoice.afford.com.  

Delinquent Account Penalties

A Student whose account is not paid in full by the tuition due date will not receive transcripts, diplomas, or other services offered to students with accounts in good standing, and are not permitted to register for a new semester until the balance owed is paid in full. If the student’s account becomes delinquent, his/her PBA Card may be deactivated, thus suspending access to campus facilities, meal plans, and other services on campus.  In addition, other actions may be taken up to and including suspension from the current term. If the student has a delinquent account, he/she is responsible to pay Palm Beach Atlantic University the fees of any collection agency, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 33.3% of the delinquent account, together will all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by the University in such collection efforts.  The delinquent account may be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus.  

Delinquent Payment Plan Accounts

Payment plan participants are required to make consecutive monthly payments as scheduled. Accounts with two missed payments or two returned checks will be canceled from the payment plan. Once can celled, the due date will revert back to the original due date of the prospective term. Therefore, the student must make immediate payment in full of the account balance owed.

If the student’s account becomes delinquent, his/her PBA Card may be deactivated, thus suspending access to campus facilities, meal plans, and other services on campus.  In addition, other actions may be taken up to and including suspension from the current term. If the student has a delinquent account, he/she is responsible to pay Palm Beach Atlantic University the fees of any collection agency, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 33.3% of the delinquent account, together will all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by the University in such collection efforts.  The delinquent account may be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus.  

Late Payment Fees

Failure to pay the student account bill or any monies due to Palm Beach Atlantic University by the scheduled due date will result in a late payment fee of $30 per month on the student account each month until the account is paid in full.  

Returned Payment Fees

Any check or ACH payment returned by the bank for any reason will be charged back to the student’s account along with a $30 fee.  Multiple returned payments may result in the cancellation of classes and/or suspension of eligibility to register for future classes.  

PBACard (Student Identification Card)

All students are required to have a validated PBA student identification card. The student card must be validated each semester after the student account balance has been cleared. The card is required for chapel attendance verification, check cashing, access to campus facilities (including residential halls), and services in the library, sports complex, computer lab, dining hall, etc. Students are required to produce their PBA ID card upon request. Identification cards, new or duplicate, are issued by the PBACard Office. There is a charge for replacement cards.

Note: If your card is lost or stolen, notify The PBACard Office or Safety and Security immediately to have the card deactivated.

Personal Property Insurance

Palm Beach Atlantic University does not carry insurance on students’ personal belongings (e.g., automobiles, computers, etc.) and is not responsible for loss or damage from any cause. Students are advised to review their family’s homeowner’s insurance policy to determine if personal belongings are insured while on PBA property. If not, students may wish to obtain personal coverage.

Resource Fee

In keeping with our ongoing commitment to outstanding student support, and to maintain the highest level of service to our students, Palm Beach Atlantic charges a Student Resource Fee. The purpose of the semester fee is to enable the infrastructure required to provide services that are vital to the success of our student population. Services include, but are not limited to:

• Remote system access
• Library utilization (including on-line library usage)
• Computer labs
• Student information access (grades, schedules, student account information)
• Facilities and activities access
• Student identification cards
• Yearbooks
• Help Desk support

Semester Off-campus Programs

Students taking classes for a semester within an off-campus program approved by PBA (e.g., Council for Christian Colleges & Universities’ Best Semester) are responsible for fees as follows:

• Tuition charged is PBA tuition and/or the tuition charged by the institution away from PBA, whichever is higher. 
• Room and board charged according to program. 
• Books and other miscellaneous fees may be charged to PBA by studies program and will be billed by PBA to student.
• PBA will grant 50% of PBA institutional financial aid to the student’s account for the semester away (state and federal aid may apply in full).
• Students enrolled in special programs are enrolled as full-time and are assessed the resource fee for the semester away. 
• All fees are due to PBA prior to the start of each semester.

Students are responsible for completing the institutional approval guidelines prior to commencing their study in an off-campus program. Refer to the Center for Experiential Learning  for more information.

Special Circumstances

If the student thinks he or she has special circumstances that should be considered in determining the student’s financial aid eligibility (e.g., loss of family income or request for change in dependency status), please contact the Financial Aid Office at 561.803.2000. The student will be given information about the process and documentation needed to have the student’s appeal reviewed by PBA’s Professional Judgment Committee.

Title IV Authorizations

The student (or the student’s parent in the case of a PLUS loan) must provide signed authorization, as required by federal regulations, if the student requests that PBA apply the student’s federal financial aid to the student account balance for charges other than tuition and fees, room (residence hall or other PBA housing) and board. Acceptance of the financial aid award letter is verification of this authorization. However, this form, as well as other required authorizations, is available in the Student Accounts Office.

Title IV Refund and Repayment Calculation

The Financial Aid office will calculate the amount of the repayment or refund to the financial assistance programs based on the Federal Return to Title IV guidelines. Based on Federal regulations, the repayment or refund will be distributed to programs in the following order: Federal Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS, Pell Grant, FSEOG, ACG and SMART Grants, other Title IV programs, and then any independently administered scholarship or loan program.

Tuition Deposit

A mandatory $300 Reservation deposit is required for all first-time students. This deposit is applied as a credit toward the student’s first semester enrolled at PBA. After May 1, deposits become non-refundable for students that decide not to attend.

Tuition Reimbursement from Employers

Palm Beach Atlantic University will accept reimbursement from students’ employers who pay PBA directly, as long as the employer pays 50% or more of the tuition and fees due before the end of the semester. An authorization voucher or a statement signed by the employer verifying that the employer will be liable for the tuition must be submitted to the Student Accounts Office. The student whose employer pays less than 100% will need to pay for the balance not paid by his or her employer or arrange for a loan or a payment plan for this portion prior to check-in. PBA bills the employer according to the instructions provided by the employer’s authorization after the drop/add period. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor both the status of this employer-paid tuition benefit and the status of the student account balance. Any balance not paid by the employer for any reason is the student’s responsibility.

Those students who are reimbursed directly by their employers, or those whose employer does not pay until after the successful completion of the term, will need to enroll in a monthly payment plan, apply for loans, or pay their account balance in full. The loan, payment, or payment arrangements must be in place before classes begin.

Note: Student account charges and/or financial aid awards may be revised throughout the semester if there is a change to enrollment and/or financial aid eligibility. If revision to charges or aid takes place, the student is required to adjust payment arrangements made at the beginning of the semester. Please call the Student Accounts Office to inquire about these changes. (Orlando students should contact the Orlando campus.)

Withdrawal from the University

When a student withdraws from the University, the student forfeits his or her rights and privileges as a student, including the use of all PBA facilities. Therefore, he or she will be required to move out of campus housing immediately and turn in their PBACard and key to PBA Security, Sailfish Services or Residential Life. When a student withdraws from the University he/she must properly complete the withdrawal process. The Withdrawal from the University form is located online with Student Forms on myPBA. The last date of attendance is used to calculate any applicable refund of allowable institutional charges, including tuition and fees and/or room and board. Any refund will be determined by the University’s institutional refund policy in compliance with the Federal Return to Title IV financial assistance regulations. Funds may be required to be repaid to Federal programs. Calculations for repayment will be in accordance with Federal regulations. Example calculations may be obtained from Sailfish Services or Financial Aid.

Withdrawal: Information for All Students

If a student withdraws from the University due to documented medical requirements, and this documentation is provided to the University within ten days of the date of last class attendance, tuition and fees and/or room and board will be refunded as per the following schedule with the last date of attendance (LDA) being back-dated one week. (See Refund Schedule below).  Medical withdrawal information is available in the Health and Wellness Department.

Withdrawal: Information for Active Duty Students

PBA students called to active duty in the military reserves or the National Guard of the United States after the beginning of a semester or summer session have two options they may consider depending upon their personal situation, the time remaining in the semester, and agreements which can be made with the dean’s office of the school in determining their enrollment status with the University. Students must provide a copy of their orders to the Veteran’s Affairs representative located in the Office of the Registrar at the time of withdrawal.

• Students may withdraw from all courses in which they are enrolled as of the effective date of the orders to report to active duty. When this option is selected, a full credit of all tuition, fees, and admission deposits will be made to the students’ accounts. Students will receive a pro-rated credit of dining service and housing contract charges. Financial aid awards, which were credited to students’ accounts, will be used to cover dining or housing charges. Students receiving Title IV Federal Funds and state aid will follow the refund policies as provided by the agencies sponsoring the aid. These policies may result in the student being responsible for repayment of funds to the agencies. Students should consult with the Financial Aid Office prior to selecting an option.
• Students may take a grade of incomplete in all courses. There will be no refund of tuition. The conditions for completing course work and receiving a regular grade should be agreed to between the student, the appropriate dean of the school in which the student is enrolled and the Provost. Withdrawn-Active Duty will appear on the student’s records and transcript. Upon separation from active duty, students may complete the course work without paying any additional tuition and fees. Students will receive a pro-rated credit of dining service and housing contract charges. The student’s financial aid will be applied to the account and the student will be fee liable for the semester’s charges. Payment arrangements will be made accordingly. Students receiving Title IV Federal Funds will follow the refund policies as provided by the agencies sponsoring the aid. These policies may result in the student being responsible for repayment of funds to the agencies. Students should consult with the Student Accounts Office and the Financial Aid Office prior to selecting an option. If administrative drops or withdrawal are processed, records and transcript will clearly state “Called to Active Duty.”

Campus Housing

Families of students called to active duty living in Campus housing may remain in their units for 60 days or until the end of the semester, whichever is longer, subject to conditions of the housing contract and the Navigator.

Procedure

Students recalled to active duty should notify Sailfish Services. (Fax 561.803.2186, phone 561.803.2000, or e-mail Sailfish_services@pba.edu). Sailfish Services and the Office of the Registrar will coordinate with the student and deans’ offices to effect the desired option.

Applicants to PBA who have accepted an offer of admission but who have not yet registered in a degree program will be permitted to enroll for the next appropriate semester following their discharge from active duty provided the school to which the student has been admitted receives adequate notice of the applicant’s intention to enroll. It will not be necessary for the applicant to reapply for admission nor to pay an additional application fee. Any pre-paid admission deposits, tuition, room, or board charges will be refunded. This policy is applicable to all students registered at PBA. For further information, contact Sailfish Services at 561.803.2000.

—Adopted October 2001

Withdrawal: Refund Schedule for PBA Students

Please note that this section applies only to a complete withdrawal from the university.  Students who are withdrawing from only a portion of their courses should refer to the “Dropping A Course” section of this catalog. 

Withdrawal requests must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. In the case of a request for a medical withdrawal, please be sure all proper paperwork* is filed with Health and Wellness and Registrar’s Office. Please refer to the published academic calendar for the census date for each term.  Notification deadline and percentage of refund for withdrawals from enrollment initiated during the semester:

Fall & Spring Terms: 

Summer Term:

Withdrawal at the University’s Request

Palm Beach Atlantic University may request withdrawal of a student. Once the student has been notified that a suspension is pending, any withdrawal on the student’s part will not be processed for tuition refund until the suspension committee has reached its decision.  When a student is required to withdraw from the University, the student forfeits his or her rights and privileges as a student, including the use of all PBA facilities. The student will not be entitled to any refund of tuition or fees, and any unpaid accounts are due and payable at once. Furthermore, if the student is required to withdraw at the University’s request while living on campus, he or she will be required to move out of campus housing immediately and turn in their PBACard and key to PBA Security or to Residential Life. See also Emergency removal and return policy in The Navigator: Student Handbook.