Disbursements and Refunds

Disbursements and Refunds

If you are eligible to receive financial aid, and have satisfied all of your financial aid requirements, your grant and loan funds (if applicable) will be disbursed approximately 10 days prior to the start of classes for the semester.  Please note, graduate students in the 8 week on line modular format will have aid disbursed on day 5 of their semester, after confirmation that they have begun participation in their classes.

At the “enrollment freeze date” or DROP deadline (which is the last day students are permitted to drop a course -please see the calendar information published by the Registrar’s Office for drop deadlines), the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) will verify your enrollment. If you increase or decrease your enrollment between the disbursement date and the enrollment freeze date, your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly to ensure that it is the appropriate amount for your enrollment. If you are issued a refund, then ADD credits or other charges to your account, you will owe money on your account and must pay this from the refund proceeds you received. After enrollment freeze date, no adjustments or increases will be made to your financial aid and all financial aid payments will be final unless you withdraw from ALL your courses.   Please note, if you are registered in a part of term course that starts later, you will not be charged if you drop it before the course begins. However your aid may be adjusted for dropping a late starting part of term course before it has begun.

Enrollment Requirements

Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credits to qualify for the majority of financial aid programs. Funds may be reduced if enrolled less than full-time.

Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 4.5 credits to qualify for federal loan funds. Funds may be reduced if enrolled less than full-time.

If you change your enrollment after the enrollment freeze date (with the exception of completely withdrawing from all classes or dropping a later starting part of term course), your financial aid will not be revised and you will be responsible for any additional charges. Students, who are completely withdrawn from ALL of their classes, may be responsible for returning financial aid they received prior to withdrawing from school. This determination will be made by the OSFA through a process called Return to Title IV. For more information on Return to Title IV, visit the Withdrawing From Courses page.

Enrollment Status Definitions

Undergraduate Students

Credit Hours Enrollment Status
12 or more Full-time
9 - 11 Three-quarter time
6 - 8 Half-time
1 - 5 Less than half-time

Graduate Students

Credit Hours Enrollment Status
9 or more Full-time
6 - 8 Three-quarter time
4.5 - 5.5 Half-time
4.4 or less Less than half-time