Disbursement of Financial Aid

Financial aid awards will typically be applied to your student account each semester about one week prior to the first day of classes, provided you have a complete financial aid file. Generally, funds are issued in two disbursements, once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester. See the sections below for details regarding enrollment status, how aid applies to your student account, excess financial aid, authorizing direct deposit, and special disbursements for particular financial aid programs.

DISBURSEMENT AND ENROLLMENT STATUS

Prior to the disbursement of any funds by the KU Financial Aid and Scholarships (FAS) office, you must follow the steps on the Application Process Checklist. Financial aid is awarded based on the information you provided on the FAFSA and is disbursed based on your enrollment status. You may not qualify for all of your financial aid if you are not enrolled in at least 12 hours as an undergraduate student or 9 hours as a graduate/professional/law student.

• What if I plan to add hours at a later date? If you are currently enrolled in fewer than the minimum number of hours required to receive one or more of your financial aid awards but plan to add hours at a later date, these awards will not credit your university account until you are enrolled in at least 12 hours as an undergraduate or 9 hours as a graduate/professional/law student. If you plan to add hours to meet the minimum hour requirement prior to the first day of classes, your awards will be disbursed, provided you have a complete financial aid file. If you plan to add hours, but cannot do so prior to the first day of classes, you will not receive your aid until you add hours.
• What if I plan to maintain an enrollment of less than 12 (undergraduates) or 9 (graduate/professional/law students) hours? If you plan to maintain an enrollment of less than 12 hours as an undergraduate or 9 hours as a graduate/professional/law student, you must complete or update your enrollment status in Enroll & Pay (Student Center > Accept/Decline Awards > Award Package Page 2). If you are not able to enroll in 12 credit hours as an undergraduate or 9 hours as a graduate/professional/law student, you may still qualify for financial aid, but FAS must receive notification of your enrollment status to determine your financial aid eligibility. Once you have updated your enrollment status, your financial aid may be adjusted. This adjustment could result in a cancellation or reduction of certain financial aid programs. If your enrollment status changes, it is your responsibility to update your status in Enroll & Pay.

For more information on the minimum number of hours required for particular programs, please see the Enrollment Requirements for Financial Aid Programs page or view the Financial Aid Programs at a Glance information sheet for the year in which you are applying.

Note: If you are a Federal Pell Grant recipient and you are enrolled or are planning to enroll in less than 12 hours, you must update your enrollment status in Enroll & Pay. FAS will review your enrollment status and adjust your Pell Grant accordingly. If we make this adjustment and you increase your enrollment on or after the first day of classes for the specified term, your grant cannot be increased for those additional hours.

HOW FEDERAL, STATE, and INSTITUTIONAL AID APPLIES TO CHARGES

Typically, funds are issued in two disbursements, once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester. Financial aid will automatically apply toward current tuition, required fees, and housing charges. As a service and convenience to you, KU will apply any excess federal financial aid to other charges (such as sports passes, library fees, etc.) You can choose to apply aid to other charges in Enroll & Pay (Student Center > Accept/Decline Awards >Award Package Page 2). If you decline this service, you will still be responsible for any outstanding charges and will continue to be billed for these charges. The university may place holds on your enrollment and/or academic transcripts until charges are paid in full.

EXCESS FINANCIAL AID REFUNDS

If your financial aid exceeds the amount due on your eBill, you will have a credit balance on your account and will receive an excess financial aid refund via Electronic Funds Transfer from the Bursar's Office. Excess financial aid refunds are typically available six business days after your financial aid file becomes complete. The first day to obtain excess financial aid for a particular semester is typically one or two days before the first day of classes. Check the Financial Aid Calendar for dates. Questions about financial aid that has not applied to your university account should be directed to FAS.

DIRECT DEPOSIT/ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFER (EFT)

Effective November 1, 2009, the KU Bursar's Office has a new refund policy for Lawrence and Edwards Campus students requiring direct deposit for student account refunds. To set up direct deposit, complete the Direct Deposit Authorization form online in Enroll & Pay (Student Center > Set Up Direct Deposit). You can also set up direct deposit by filling out the Direct Deposit Authorization Form and returning it to the Bursar's Office in Strong Hall, room 23. Once you have completed the form, any excess financial aid and other credit balances will be electronically transferred to your designated bank account each semester. If you change back accounts, you must update your bank information online or with a new Direct Deposit form. Parents borrowing a parent PLUS loan should complete the Direct Deposit Authorization for PLUS Loan form. If your parent would like the PLUS refund payable to you, the student, your parent should contact FAS for details on how to submit a PLUS Refund Request.

If you have not elected to have your excess financial aid deposited directly into your bank account, your excess financial aid refund will be mailed to your billing address. Excess financial aid refund checks will no longer be available for pickup. Questions about having excess financial aid refunds deposited into your bank account should be directed to the Bursar's Office at (785) 864-3322.

SPECIAL DISBURSEMENTS

• Disbursement of Scholarships (from donors outside of KU): Scholarships awarded through outside agencies will generally be credited to your student account once you have endorsed any checks received by FAS. Outside scholarship awards of $1,500 or more are typically divided equally between fall and spring semesters unless we are instructed otherwise by the donor.
• Disbursement of Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds: Federal Work-Study is disbursed much differently than other financial aid awards. You will receive a bi-weekly paycheck based on the hours you work. FWS funds must be earned and will never automatically credit your KU eBill. Working at an hourly rate, your are allowed to earn the total work-study amount granted to you. You and your on-campus FWS employer are responsible for monitoring the status of the FWS award. Once your earning limit has been reached, you are no longer eligible to work as an FWS student employee. At that time, your employer must either terminate the appointment or switch you to regular student hourly payroll. Please see the Work-Study Programs information sheet for more information or contact the Financial Aid and Scholarships (FAS) office.
• Disbursement of Federal PLUS Loans: Federal PLUS Loan funds will be credited each semester to your KU account typically one week before the first day of classes, provided you have a complete financial aid file. Disbursement is based on your expected enrollment status you report in Enroll & Pay (Student Center > Accept/Decline Awards > Award Package Page 2). Federal PLUS Loan funds will first apply to the charges on your account. Excess funds, if applicable, will be mailed to the parent whom borrowed the loan. If your parent would like the refund check payable to you, the student, your parent should contact FAS for details on how to submit a PLUS refund request.