Pennsylvania - Act 69 of 2024 – College Affordability and Transparency Legislation
Pennsylvania - Act 69 of 2024
College Affordability and Transparency Legislation
This act seeks to improve higher education transparency by requiring institutions to provide more detailed financial information in the areas of student fees and costs. It also requires additional exit counseling for all students.
| Requirements | Where the Information is Provided |
| General purpose of the mandatory fee. | The Student Activity Fee is determined by Student Government, and is used for different clubs, organizations, intramural sports, and events on campus. The Student Services Fee is for comprehensive services such as academic success, writing center, Engle center, counseling services, Timely MD, IT services and other services that are offered by the University to students. |
| How the fee is allocated. | These fees are allocated to the various uses outlined above as part of the University budget process. Specific allocations are based on budget requests from the various departments and organizations. |
| How the fee will be collected. | These fees are collected as part of the normal student billing process. They appear as charges on the student bill. |
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Display on the website the mandatory fees charged by the institution |
Undergraduate: Schedule of Semester Fees Graduate: Messiah University Graduate programs do not have mandatory fees. |
Higher Education Cost Transparency requires the following information be provided to prospective students:
Estimate of the total cost of attendance| Requirements | Where Information is Provided |
| Tuition for the student's first academic year. |
Undergraduate: The Undergraduate Schedule of Semester Fees outlines tuition and all other charges for an academic year. Graduate: This page provides information on tuition and other fees for each graduate program: Graduate Student Tuition and Fees Undergraduate and Graduate students can also review their specific cost of attendance calculation by reviewing their on-line financial aid award notice. This calculation includes an estimate of books and supplies costs for the academic year. |
| A list of each fee charged to a student in the student's first academic year. | |
| A breakdown of all room and board options and the costs associated with each option for the student's first academic year. | |
| Books and Supplies. |
| Requirements | Where Information is Provided |
| All grants or scholarships that do not require repayment. |
Undergraduate and Graduate: All information about grants, scholarships, and loans appears in your on-line financial aid award notice in FALCONlink. Search for “Financial Aid Award”. |
| Student loans that require repayment. | |
| Student employment options. | https://www.messiah.edu/studentemployment/ |
| Requirements | Where Information is Provided |
| Estimate of net cost that subtracts any scholarships or grants being offered from the estimated total cost of attendance. |
Undergraduate and Graduate: This information appears on the Special Messages tab of your on-line financial aid award notice in FALCONlink. Search for “Financial Aid Award” and, once you have accessed your award notice, navigate to the Special Messages tab (the last tab on the far right). At the top of the tab, you will see the “What Will I Owe?” calculation. Be aware that this calculation is only an estimate. It is NOT your bill from Messiah University. |
| Requirements | Where Information is Provided |
| Information regarding whether or not the financial aid is being offered only for the upcoming academic year or if it is renewable for subsequent academic years. If the financial aid is renewable for subsequent academic years, the information shall include any requirements that must be met in order for renewal of the financial aid. |
Undergraduate and Graduate: Information concerning the nature of each individual award can be found by accessing your on-line financial aid award notice in FALCONlink. Search for “Financial Aid Award” and, once you have accessed your award notice, navigate to the Award Overview tab. In the “Financial Aid Award by Term for the Award Year” section, hover over the name of each award in order to see this information. |
| A history of the previous academic year's tuition. |
This information can be found in the Messiah University Fact Book. |
| An estimate of the total tuition that the student will be charged in each academic year necessary for the student to receive a degree in the student's major. |
Please contact the Messiah University Financial Aid Office to receive this estimated information: Financial Aid Office |
| An estimate of the total amount of fees charged to a student in each academic year necessary for the student to receive a degree in the student's major. |
Please contact the Messiah University Financial Aid Office to receive this estimated information: Financial Aid Office |