Frequently Asked Questions

Undergraduate and graduate non-matriculated students are classified as attending PLU part-time for a maximum of nine semester hours*, but not officially admitted to the university or to a graduate-level degree program.  Exceptions to this rule will be considered on a case by case basis and must receive approval from the Provost.  These students are required to submit a Summer Sessions Registration Request form, but not a regular application for admission.

Students who have been accepted at PLU for the following Fall Session are also classified as non-matriculate if taking a summer course before official entrance to the university. These students must contact the Office of Admission prior to completing a Summer Sessions Registration Request form.

Non-matriculated students are permitted to take up to a maximum of nine semester hours at PLU.

PLU will only accept up to nine semester hours of non-matriculated credit if a student is officially admitted to the university.

Exceptions to this rule will be considered on a case by case basis and must receive approval from the Provost.

Non-matriculated students attending PLU Summer Sessions are required to verify whether or not the course hours will transfer to their home institution prior submitting a Registration Request. Finalizing the course hour transferring after course completion varies from institution to institution, but often requires submission of an official or unofficial PLU transcript to the home institution.

PLU now offers the convenience of ordering your official transcripts online with a major credit card through the National Student Clearinghouse secure site, at http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/.

Online transcript requests are charged $10.00 for each transcript with a $2.50 – $3 handling fee for each order.  The site will walk you through placing your order, including delivery options.  You can order as many transcripts as you like in a single session.  Order updates will be emailed to you and you can track your order online.

A form is provided in Student Financial Services to order official transcripts in person.

For more information on all transcript options, please visit https://www.plu.edu/registrar/transcripts/.

If you are only taking courses in Summer Sessions, you do not need to apply for admission to the university. You only need to fill out the non-matriculated registration request form.

If you wish to become an undergraduate or graduate student at PLU, contact the Office of Admission at 253.535.7151 or 1.800.274.5678.  Visit the Office of Admission website at https://www.plu.edu/admission for further information.

Students who are newly-admitted for the following Fall Semester may take a summer course.  However, you must contact the Office of Admission on your intent to enroll in a summer course prior to your matriculation in the Fall Semester.

Contact the Office of Admission at 253.535.7151, by fax at 253.535.5136, or by email at admission@plu.edu.

Community members are welcome to attend PLU courses! In the summer, please submit a Summer Sessions Registration Request form as non-matriculated students do, but not a regular application for admission. Call 253-535-7063 with any questions.

Blended courses utilize face-to-face and online learning options in a carefully designed mix of both.  The specific format of each blended course will depend on the learning objectives and style of the instructor.  Typically, a blended course includes significant online instruction and activities, so face-to-face meetings may be reduced to ensure the total workload still equals a traditional course.

Blended online courses may be a mix between synchronous and asynchronous classes, meaning some of the course is self-study and some of the time the course meets together online.

In an online course, all instructional activities are completed through web-based interactions, with no face-to-face meetings occurring on campus.  Online courses achieve the same learning objectives as traditional courses, but include instructional activities tailored to be most effective in the online environment.  Online courses may include online modules, recorded lectures, assigned reading, online discussion group and independent activities, web conferences, and technology-enabled projects.

In a blended course, students have increased control over the time, place, pace, and path to achieving learning objectives.  Although the style of each blended course may vary, hallmarks of blended instruction often include increased collaboration with peers, one-on-one and small group interaction with instructors, and online activities that deepen and extend student learning.

Online summer courses keep students connected to PLU during a time when they may be unable to traditionally complete courses on campus.  Many online courses meet general education requirements and provide more flexibility for scheduling.

Online and blended learning requires students to work somewhat independently.  Organization and time management are skills that help students to succeed in blended and online courses.  Students should be able to use Google email and tools along with the Sakai Learning Management System to complete course work. If you are not sure if a class is online or blended, email summer@plu.edu.

Online and blended courses require students to have access to a computer and high-speed internet connection.  Speakers or headphones along with a microphone or webcam are usually recommended.  Any specialized software or equipment required by the instructors will be communicated as needed.

Blended and online courses are noted in the Interactive Course Schedule with a BL or OL designation.  Online offerings from Summer Sessions 2021 will be published shortly.

When taking a summer course from PLU, PLU students maintain their connection to the university community.  Instructors are PLU faculty who have been trained in online learning and online courses adhere to the same standards as traditional PLU courses.  Plus, there are no extra worries about transferring credits or meeting PLU degree requirements.

Students can contact the Office of Academic Advising for general information about course selection and registration.  For course specific questions, student should directly contact the instructor.

The Help Desk and Sakai support staff are committed to supporting online students in remote locations and should serve as the first point of contact for technology issues.  Support is available by phone and email during business hours.  Academic Assistance is also available in a limited capacity during the summer.  The Library’s website provides access to online resources and services, with research and reference support available by phone, email, or 24/7 chat service.

Current PLU students will register online through the Banner Web (https://banweb.plu.edu/).

Non-matriculated students can submit a registration request via the Non-Matriculated Student Registration form. An accurate email address is required for PLU communication.

Upon successful completion of the form, students will receive an email with additional action items that must be acted upon within 3-5 business days to confirm the request. Confirmed registration requests are currently being processed, in the order in which they were received and as space is available. Once fully registered, students will receive a final email confirmation with tuition payment instructions and additional important information. Please see the Registration page for further details.

Independent Study:
Independent study, cooperative education, and studio projects require an Independent Study Card.  You will need the signature of the course instructor and the department chair or dean.  Return the form to the Registrar’s Office no later than the last day to add classes for the term.

Auditing a Course:
Auditing a course means to attend a course but to receive no credit.  You will be billed for the course.  Have your instructor initial an Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form and return the form to Student Financial Services.

Courses Requiring Approval:
Some courses require the approval of the instructor, chair, or dean in order to take the course.  Have that person initial an Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form and return the form to Student Financial Services.

Course Load Exception:
Current PLU students registering for more than five credits per Summer Term and/or ten total credits in Summer Sessions requires at least a 3.00 grade point average or the consent of the Registrar.  Pick up a Course Overload Form from the Student Financial Services.  Return the form to the Student Financial Services.

Thesis Courses:
TBD

Holds:
Holds are placed on student accounts for different reasons and prevent a student from registering, receiving official copies of transcripts or diplomas, adding/dropping a course, and many other things.  For more information about holds, visit the PLU Course Catalog at https://www.plu.edu/catalog and search for holds.

PLU students are permitted to take one course, or five credit hours, per Summer Term with a total of two courses, or ten credit hours, within Summer Sessions.

Registering for more than five credits per Summer Term requires at least a 3.00 grade point average or the consent of the Registrar. Interested students should submit a completed Summer Registration Overload Form to Student Financial Services.

Non-matriculating, non-degree seeking students may attend PLU part-time for a maximum of nine semester hours.  Requests over this limit may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Students who have been assigned a PLU ID number (ex: 1234-5678) may access Banner Web at https://banweb.plu.edu/ to view final grade for any course they have enrolled in during the summer.  Grades are available within 10 days of being submitted by professors and instructors.

Official Transcripts

PLU now offers the convenience of ordering your official transcripts online with a major credit card through the National Student Clearinghouse secure site, at http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/.

Online transcript request are charged $10.00 for each transcript with a $2.25 handling fee for each order.  The site will walk you though placing your order, including delivery options.  You can order as many transcripts as you like in a single session.  Order updates will be emailed to you and you can track your order online.

A form is provided in Student Financial Services if ordering official transcripts in person.  Cash, check, or money orders (made out to PLU) are accepted as payment.

Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial Transcripts are free and can be faxed, mailed, emailed or picked up in person with photo ID.

PLU students can access an Unofficial Transcript from their Banner Self-Service account at any time.  These transcripts will not include your name.

You must submit your request in writing or on our Unofficial Transcript Request Form.

Fax:  (253) 538-2545
Email:  transcripts@plu.edu

Mail:
ATTN: Transcripts
PLU Student Financial Services
Tacoma, WA 98447

Transcript Coordinator:  (253) 535-7133 or (800) 678-3243

Independent study, cooperative education, and studio projects require an Independent Study Card.  You will need the signature of the course instructor and the department chair or dean.  Return the form to the Registrar’s Office no later than the last day to add classes for the term.

Independent study courses still need to pay the tech fee, if the student is registering through BannerWeb.

Auditing a course means to attend a course but to receive no credit.  You will be billed for the course.  Have your instructor initial an Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form and return the form to Student Financial Services.

Some courses require the approval of the instructor, chair, or dean in order to take the course.  Have that person initial an Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form and return the form to Student Financial Services.

Current PLU students registering for more than five credits per Summer Term and/or ten total credits in Summer Sessions requires at least a 3.00 grade point average or the consent of the Registrar.  Pick up a Course Overload Form from Student Financial Services.  Return the form to Student Financial Services.

The undergraduate tuition for Summer Sessions 2024 is $824 per credit hour plus a one-time $75 tech fee. Some courses carry additional fees above the tuition (i.e., labs, discussions). There is no price difference between online and in-person classes.

The tuition for non-cohort graduate-level courses varies among the programs.  Students in cohort programs (Business, Education, and Nursing) should contact the respective program upon their admission.

Tuition and fees for summer courses and programs through the Wang Center for Global and Community Engaged Education vary.  Students must contact the Wang Center at 253.535.7577.

Tuition: 100% tuition refund up to the last day to add/drop without a fee for a specific Summer Term.  No tuition refund will be given after the last day to add/drop without a fee.

Fees: 100% refund prior to the first day of class.

Summer tuition refunds are not pro-rated.

A student may withdraw from a class with an instructor’s signature after the drop deadline and before the withdraw deadline listed for each term under the Deadlines and Important Dates section of the Office of the Registrar’s Web site.

Tuition is not refunded and any additional tuition will be charged for adding any other classes. A grade of “W” is recorded on the student’s academic transcript. Faculty cannot enter a “W” grade. Students who stop attending class and who do not withdraw will receive the grade earned.

If a student is enrolled in a class, has never attended or did not drop the course before the published deadline, the student must obtain the signature of the instructor on an Add/Drop Form and will be charged a $100 registration change fee.

PLU is no longer using the Summer Aid Application and undergraduate students do NOT need to fill out an application to receive aid.

Loans: If the student is enrolled in at least six credits and wish to borrow loans, the student must email loanchg@plu.edu requesting to apply a portion of their loans to summer.

What Students Need To Do: Students are automatically awarded federal and state aid, if eligible, and there is nothing additional students must do to receive those funds outside of submitting their 2023-2024 FAFSA.

Please note: There are no refunds for tuition and fees during Summer Session.

Students may choose to make student account payments in the following ways:

Online: Student and authorized payers may visit the Student Account web page at https://www.plu.edu/financial-services/payment-methods/#Online/ to make online payments by selecting the “Make a Payment” link.  Select the “Make a Payment on My Own Account” option, log in to Self-Service, select Student Services, then Student Accounts, and click on the “Make a Payment” link.

If you are a non-matriculated student, please select the “Make a Payment on Behalf of Someone Else” option.  To make a payment using this option, you must have or know the student’s PLU ID.

Online payments may be made in the form of an electronic check or credit card.  Credit cards are subject to a 2.5% convenience fee.  There is no additional fee for electronic check payments.  The University currently accepts Visa, American Express, Discover, and MasterCard for payments to student accounts.

In-Person: Payment may be made in the form of cash; personal, business, or cashier’s check; or money order at the PLU Business Office in the Hauge Administration Building, Room 110.  Monday – Friday 8am-12, 1pm-4pm (closed 12-1pm)

Mail: Mail payments with the billing statement remittance stub to:

Pacific Lutheran University
Attn: Business Office Cashier
12180 Park Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98447

Payments by mail may be made in the form of personal or business, cashier’s check, or money order. Checks should be made payable to Pacific Lutheran University. Please do not mail cash.

Phone: Phone payments may be made by calling the PLU Interactive Voice Response System at 877.787.0661.  Payments may be made in the form of an electronic check or credit card. There is no additional fee for electronic check payments. Credit card payments are subject to a 2.5% convenience fee. The University currently accepts Visa, American Express, Discover, and MasterCard for payments to student accounts.

Wire: Payments may be made via wire visiting https://payment.flywire.com/pay/payment to obtain wiring instructions.

Please visit the Office of Financial Services for more payment options.

PLU websites adhere to payment card and banking industry standards.  E-Checks comply with NACHA standards.  ACI Worldwide is the trusted payment services partner of the United States Internal Revenue Services, 25 state governments, the District of Columbia, more than 2,500 local and municipal government agencies, more than 400 colleges and universities, and other public and private interests in all 50 states.

ACI Worldwide secures your personal information entered into their Website through Secure Sockets Lay (SSL) 128-bit encryption, which creates a protected connection between users and the Web server.  This means your card number and personal data are never sent over the Internet unencrypted.  ACI Worldwide uses the best encryption technology available.

Card information is not passed to PLU and payment data is passed using hardware encryption. Transactions are processed using a leased-line connection to the card issuers.  ACI Worldwide partners with VeriSign to ensure the highest level of security.

There is no fee if you pay for E-Check.  There is a 2.5% convenience fee if you pay with a debit or credit card.  The fee is added to your credit card payment.

American Express, Discover, Visa, and MasterCard are currently accepted for payments at PLU.

An E-Check is an online electronic check.  Enter your checking account number and bank’s routing number to transfer funds from your designated bank account to the university.

No.  You just need the routing number and bank account number for the account from which the payment will be deducted.

At the bottom, left side of each check you will find the nine-digit routing number.  The 1-17 digit account number will be next to it, followed by the check number.

You may also contact your bank for these numbers.

No.  If you use the debit card number imprinted on the front of the card, the transaction will be treated like a credit card transaction and you will be charged the 2.5% convenience fee.  To avoid paying the fee, use the E-Check option and pay out of the bank account associated with your debit card.

A hold will be placed on your account, you will incur a $30 returned E-Check fee, and possibly late fees as well.

When your payment is ready to submit online, the list of charges and the calculated 2.5% convenience fee will be itemized.  Your credit card statement, however, will show a single combined total.

If you pay via the Internet, you will be issued an onscreen digital receipt which can be printed as your record of confirmation and transaction.  Additionally, if you provide an email address you will receive an email verification on your online payment.

No.  The Business Office does not accept over-the-counter credit card payments.  Paying online with a credit card is a more secure process because no one needs to know your credit card number.  Only cash and paper check are accepted in the Business Office for payments to student accounts.

Call the Office of Financial Services at 253.535.7117 between the hours of 8am to 5pm.

If you qualify for a refund on any part of your credit card payment, the refund will be applied back onto your credit card and the convenience fee that is applicable to that amount will be refunded to your credit card.

PLU’s payment processor for international payments is called Flywire. For wire payments students should visit: https://payment.flywire.com/pay/payment

You can find important dates like add and drop dates and other important dates on the Academic Calendar. There you will also see the dates when courses begin and end, when the last day you can withdraw, and when you can add/drop with and without an instructor’s signature.

If you have any questions regarding registration dates, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@plu.edu.

In the summer a student does not have to register a car with Campus Safety.

Parking is easiest in the parking lot along Park Avenue between Garfield and Wheeler Streets, located across from the library.  Parking is also available on the lower campus at 10th Avenue by the Morken Center and Facilities Management.

As a free service, Campus Safety provides walking escorts to PLU commuters at all hours to all sites on campus and to specially-designated off-campus locations.  For further information, please call Campus Safety’s non-emergency line at 253.535.7441.

The Garfield Book Company has closed and all textbooks are now ordered online through the Lute Locker: https://www.plu.edu/student-success/course-material-resources-for-students/.  Selected course materials and other supplies can also be purchased at the Lute Locker’s physical location on the first floor of the Anderson University Center.

Student ID cards, dubbed “LuteCards,” are made at the Business Operations Office in the Anderson University Center, Room 207.  Bring proof of identity to have your picture taken and a card issued to you.  Non-matriculated students will be required to have their student ID number with them as well.

It is important that you have a valid LuteCard to cash checks on campus, print from a library computer, use a student photocopy machine, check books out of the library, access any computer lab, and use “swipes” from your Lute Card if you have purchased a meal plan. HOWEVER, if you are only taking an online class in the summer, you do not need a Lute Card.

For further questions, contact Hospitality Services or call 253.535.7411.

The Commons
University Center

The Old Main Market
University Center

The Tahoma Bakery and Cafe
Columbia Center

The Kelley Cafe
Morken Center

Hauge Espresso Cart
Hauge Administration Building

All locations accept Dining Dollars, LuteBuck$, Cash, and VISA/MasterCard.

There are several lounges on the campus.

The University Center has an open lounge on the lower level beneath and behind the stairwell area called “The Cave.”

Lounges especially designed for off-campus students are found on the upper level of the Hauge Administration Building, the first floor of the Rieke Science Center, the main lounge of Hinderlie hall, and the University Gallery in Ingram Hall.

Copy machines are available for student use in the Mortvedt Library, the Rieke Science Center, and across from the Concierge desk in the University Center.  Each machine is equipped with a kiosk at which you would swipe your LuteCard to pay for the copies.  Money may be added to your LuteCard at the Concierge desk, the bookstore or at the LuteCard Web site.  Copies cost $0.06 cents per page.

A fax machine (#253.535.7315) for students is available behind the front desk of the Mortvedt Library.  Cost is $0.50 to receive a page, $2 to send a page domestically, and $4 to send a page internationally.

You are required to put your own phone number on the fax form for all transmittals in order to ensure that the library will be able to contact you regarding information about the fax.

Personal checks (between $5 and $50) may be cashed at the Cashier’s Desk in the Business Office located in the Hauge Administration Building.  You must have a valid PLU ID. the Cashier’s Desk is open business days from 8am until 4pm.

Upon registration, the student and the student’s parents/legal guardian agree to accept the responsibility and legal obligation to pay all charges for tuition, room, meal, and other special fees incurred or to be incurred for the student’s education.  Pacific Lutheran University agrees to make available to the student certain educational programs and to provide the use of certain university facilities as applicable and as described in the course catalog.

A failure to pay all university bills when due shall release the university of any obligation to continue to provide the applicable educational benefits and services including, but not limited to, statements of honorable dismissal, grade reports, transcripts of records, diplomas, and pre-registrations.  The student shall also be denied admittance to classes and the use of university facilities in the event of financial default.

For a copy of the Pacific Lutheran University policies and procedures, please visit the Office of the Provost web site at https://www.plu.edu/provost/ for information on Academic Procedures, Computer Use Policies, Student Conduct, University Guidelines and University Policy.  You may also reference the University Guidelines in the PLU Catalog at https://www.plu.edu/catalog/.

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and is popularly known as the “Buckley Amendment”. Pacific Lutheran University has adopted a policy to protect the privacy of a student’s education records.

This act also establishes the rights of parents and currently enrolled, eligible students to inspect and review their education records; and provides guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings.

Parents and currently enrolled, eligible students will be notified of their FERPA rights annually by publication in the PLU Student Handbook.  Interested parties may review the policy in the Office for Student Life, Hauge Administration Building, Room 105.

Visit the Student Life web site for further information at https://www.plu.edu/student-life/.

Pacific Lutheran University is committed to providing equal opportunity in education for all students without regard to a person’s race, color, national origin, creed, religion, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, or any other status protected by law. The University will not tolerate any discrimination, harassment, or abuse of or toward any member of the university community.

The information contained herein reflects an accurate picture of Pacific Lutheran University at the time of publication.  However, the University reserves the right to make necessary changes in procedures, policies, calendar, curriculum, and costs.

Pacific Lutheran University is registered as a Private Institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 163A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.