Using the Tuition Benefit for Spouses

Once you’re ready to apply for the tuition benefit, visit the online tuition system. Go to Tuition Benefits for My Dependents on the left-hand side of the page, and follow the instructions to manage your spouse's tuition benefits. This must be done every term.

ON THIS PAGE:


Adding a Dependent

If your spouse is not yet in the online tuition system, you will need to add them in as a dependent. Simply click “Add New Dependent” and enter in your spouse's name, birthdate, and Penn ID. If your spouse does not yet have a Penn ID, you will need to wait until you receive it from the University.

Requesting Payment

If the term is open to requests, click on “Request Payment” and choose “University of Pennsylvania” when prompted. Select the term in question, affirm you have read and understand our policies, and submit your request.

You do not need to send us a copy of the tuition bill.  You can return to the online tuition system the next day to view the benefit amount (assuming there are already charges on the account) by going to “Tuition Benefits for My Dependents” and clicking “View Details” in the Benefits History box for the term in question. If the charges have not yet been posted by the University, your request will remain pending and our office will not make a payment until the tuition benefit system detects the charges.

Payment Timeline

If your spouse's charges are already on his/her student account, payment will be made to Penn Student Financial Services office on the upcoming Monday or Wednesday, whichever comes first.  Approximately two business days after this payment is made, your spouse can access his/her student bursar account through SRFS’s Penn.Pay system (you can view this if your spouse has set you up with access) and should be able to see the tuition benefit credit by viewing the "New Activity" information. Billed statements viewed through Penn.Pay are snapshots of a point in time, so view the new activity for updates between billing cycles.

If your bill is due before the tuition benefit payment is visible on the account, simply review the benefit payment information by clicking “View Details” in your spouse's Benefits History box and subtract the amount showing as the payment from your spouse's total bill.  Pay the difference to SRFS using one of their offered payment methods.

Accessing Your Spouse's Financial Information

Due to FERPA confidentiality regulations, our office cannot discuss your spouse's bill with you (beyond tuition benefit information) unless he/she adds your name on the student record as someone permitted to receive this information. Likewise, please note that bills go directly to the student unless your spouse includes you in the billing permissions. It’s therefore important that your spouse let you know when he/she has received a statement from SRFS.