PayPal said on August 19, 2026 that students and families can now pay tuition and fees with PayPal or Venmo at participating schools. The option appears in the school’s existing payment portal through new integrations with three education payment platforms: Illumia, Nelnet Campus Commerce and TouchNet.
What changed
- NewPayPal and Venmo as payment options for tuition and fees in school payment portals
- FromAugust 19, 2026 (live at some schools; more expected to join during the year)
- First schools namedBellarmine University, Butler University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, Texas Tech University
- Fundingbank accounts, credit cards, and PayPal or Venmo balances, per PayPal
Source: PayPal Newsroom, August 19, 2026 · Checked on September 27, 2026
Why it matters
Families at participating schools get one more way to pay a large bill: from an app balance, or from a card or bank account linked to PayPal or Venmo, without leaving the school’s portal.
The catch is the size of the payment. Tuition bills run into thousands of dollars, and app accounts have limits of their own. Check the school’s portal before you pay.
What to do
- Check your school’s payment portal to see whether PayPal or Venmo appears; the rollout is school by school.
- If you plan to pay from your app balance, move money into it well before the due date and check your account limits first.
- Compare any fee the portal shows with paying directly from your bank account.
- Keep the payment receipt from the school portal, not only the app notification.
For how much you can move through Venmo, see Venmo limit.
