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Student Refunds

There are multiple types of refunds and different reasons to receive a disbursement. After your fees have been paid in full, an overpayment will be returned through the student's account by check in the mail to the mailing address on file in the student information system or through an enrolled electronic funds transfer (EFT) direct deposit account. Credit card refunds will be returned to the credit card that made the original payment. Payments made by others on behalf of the student will be sent to the student as a refund.

  • Student Billing Services (SBS) processes refunds on Tuesdays and Thursdays (holidays may affect our processing days).

  • Refunds are issued by Accounts Payable on Wednesdays and Fridays.

    • Mailed refund checks arrive within 7 to 10 business days (Monday - Friday) after processing

    • Refunds via EFT are deposited into a bank account within 3 to 5 business days (Monday - Friday)

      • If your direct deposit is no longer active, the bank will return the funds to the university and you will be issued a paper check. You will receive an email notification when your refund has been returned.

  • You will know that a refund has been processed when there is a transaction on your student account indicating “Student Account Refund.”

    • If your bill reflects a balance with a negative sign (-) or your account shows a balance in parentheses, it indicates you have a credit balance on your account.

    • Credit balances are refunded after all factors have been reviewed and verified.

  • SBS sends students an email notifying them when their refund is processed.

  • A credit balance resulting from a payment by check or electronic check will be held for a minimum 7 business days (Monday - Friday) to ensure that the student/parent payment clears the bank.

  • No refund will be processed for a credit balance of $25 or less. Such a balance will apply to future charges. An exception is made for refunds resulting from Federal funding credit balances of $1 or more.

Refunds of Financial Aid

Grants, Loans, Scholarships, and other Financial aid will first apply to your fees. Any remaining Financial Aid, after tuition, campus-based fees, and housing costs (if applicable) have been paid, will be processed as a refund.

  • Refunds may be temporarily held due to the following reasons:

    • Student enrolled in less than 12 units

    • Student application to participate in the part-time program was recently approved, possibly requiring a financial aid adjustment

    • Student housing charges were recently reduced, possibly requiring a financial aid adjustment

Parent PLUS Loans will be disbursed to the parent, not the student.

Student Billing Services will only disburse your funds after your aid is approved and authorized by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. 

Refunds of Other Credits

Student Billing Services processes refunds of other credit balances as a result of payments from the following, but not limited to:

  • Third Party Sponsors

  • Veteran benefits

  • Housing adjustments

  • Fee adjustments

  • Account overpayments, however, we can hold and apply these payments to a future term

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

  • Sign up for direct deposit if you are expecting a financial aid refund. Your refund will be electronically transferred via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to your designated bank account.

    • You will have faster access to your funds and do not have to wait for your refund check to arrive in the mail

    • Refunds processed when you are away from campus continue to be sent to your bank account – you avoid the delay that is inevitable when checks are mailed

  • Once an EFT election is established, it will remain active for all future terms or until you ask Student Billing Services to deactivate it.

  • Students can sign up for direct deposit using our online EFT form, a link to which is located on the student portal.

  • Students can change banking information for an existing EFT election, or deactivate an existing EFT election, using the online EFT form.

    • If you have changed banks or your bank account number has changed, you must update your EFT election

    • If your debit card number has changed but your bank account number remains the same, then there is no need to update your EFT election

If you have issues signing up for EFT and you get an error message that says, “No Session found for current thread”, please click on the Return Home button and it should allow you to continue with submitting your EFT request.

How to enroll in EFT

 

 

Did You Lose Your Refund Check or Never Received It?

You may request a stop payment and reissue of your refund check if the check has not been negotiated (cashed).

  • If you have a balance due on your student account, this may reduce the amount of your reissued refund check.

  • Send SBS an email advising of the circumstances, and we will respond via email in which we will provide you with your refund check information.

  • You may have also received an Uncashed Check Notification from our office which includes the check information.

  • Instructions on how to request a stop payment:

    • Before submitting a request, make sure to have the following information available:

      • Check number

      • Check issued date

      • Check amount

      • Click on this link to the DFA Service Catalog

      • Enter all the required information identified with the asterisk (*) on the ticket request