Installment Payment Plan
Virginia Commonwealth University's Installment Payment Plan offers a convenient method for planning and budgeting educational costs. The plan allows students to divide the cost of tuition, fees, and room and dining plans into four installment payments throughout the semester. IPP is only available in the fall and spring semesters.
Enrollment
Installment Payment Plan enrollment for the Spring 2025 Semester begins on December 12, 2024 and ends on February 20, 2025.
About IPP
The cost for IPP is a nonrefundable $25 application fee, which is submitted along with the initial payment of the semester. VCU does not assess interest on the installment balance. The $25 IPP fee will be added to the bill once the IPP transactions are visible on the student’s account.
Students with current charges of $100 or more are eligible to participate in IPP. Students who are receiving financial aid, third party scholarships and/or tuition assistance may deduct the awards to determine the net total due. If it is $100 or more, the remaining amount may be paid by installments.
All prior semester balances must be paid in full to be eligible; the IPP is not available to pay past due balances. The IPP is only available in the fall and spring semesters. Students must re-enroll in the payment each semester (fall/spring).
Both the initial installment payment and completion of the online IPP application are required within the enrollment period. Students may not enroll in the IPP after the enrollment period has ended.
Students must make a personal payment (not financial aid, third party scholarships, trust account payments, deposits or 529 payments) within the enrollment period in order to participate. Financial aid, third-party scholarships (including payments from 529 and trust accounts) and/or deposits will reduce the student's overall balance. These payments are not considered installment (personal) payments. Personal payments are issued from a personal/individual’s (not business or organizational) account.
After remitting the initial installment payment, students or authorized payers can enroll in IPP by completing the online IPP application, which is available at the bottom of this page during the enrollment period. During the enrollment period, students must allow at least 24 hours after initially registering for classes before completing the IPP application.
Once the initial payment is made and the IPP application is completed, the student should receive an email to their VCU email confirming IPP enrollment. The IPP transactions and IPP fee will not appear on the student’s account in eServices until after the close of the IPP enrollment period. The IPP will “pay” the student’s net balance and then divide the balance into four installment charges that are due throughout the semester.
If financial aid or third-party awards have not applied to the student’s account once the IPP transactions are updated, the installments may be higher than expected. Payment for charges added to the student account after the account the IPP enrollment are immediately due. These charges, which may include meal plans, housing assessments and financial aid adjustments, do not recalculate the remaining installments.
Once enrolled in the IPP, VCU will generate eStatements for the remaining three installments. Accounts must remain current on the IPP in order to avoid the assessment of a registration hold and/or a late fee. IPP participants may schedule automatic payments for the remaining installment payments through the billing and payment website using the “web check” payment option. However, installment payments are not automatically deducted/scheduled.
Once enrolled, eStatements for the remaining three installments should reflect only the installment payment that is due. If the eStatement requests the full account balance and not the installment, contact the Student Accounting Department.
2024-25 academic year
Payment |
Fall 2024 semester |
Spring 2025 semester |
1 |
Aug. 22 |
Jan. 16 |
2 |
Oct. 15 |
March 18 |
3 |
Nov. 8 |
Apr. 11 |
4 |
Dec. 3 |
May 5 |
How to calculate your initial IPP payment
Completing the IPP application will not recalculate the student’s balance. The initial payment amount must be calculated and manually remitted. Students must make a personal payment (check, credit card, and/or cash payment) within the enrollment period to participate. Financial aid, third-party scholarships (including payments from 529 and trust accounts), and/or deposits do not count as an IPP payment.
Example of how to calculate the initial payment | ||
---|---|---|
Tuition and fees | $7,821.00 | |
Dorm charge | $3,650.50 | Add all current semester charges |
Meal plan charge | $2,725.00 | |
Admission deposit | $100.00- | |
Housing deposit | $250.00- | Subtract deposit, scholarships, third-party and financial aid awards |
Student loans | $2,722.00- | |
Total net balance | $11,124.50 | The remaining net semester balance |
1/4 the net balance | $2,781.13 | Divide the net balance by four |
IPP fee | $25.00+ | Add the $25 IPP fee |
Initial payment amount | $2,806.13 | The amount of the initial IPP payment |
Conditions for enrolling in the Installment Payment Plan
- Enrolled in current semester course(s)
- Current semester charges are $100 or greater
- All prior semester balances are paid in full
- A personal* payment of one-fourth of the semester charges plus the $25 installment payment plan fee (less financial aid and/or scholarships, if applicable) has been paid and is reflected on the student account
- If applicable, any current semester refund has been repaid
*A personal payment must be made within the enrollment period. Financial aid, third-party funds (including payments from 529 and trust accounts), and/or deposits are not considered a personal payment.