Bursar

Refunds

There are two types of refunds: tuition and fee credits and excess credit refunds.

Tuition credits occur when a class is dropped within the refund period. Excess credit refunds will only occur when aid or payments exceed charges due.

Students could be due a tuition and fee credit or excess credit refund because of late class cancellations, schedule changes, academic program changes, etc.

Tuition and Fee Credits

Students are entitled to a 100% tuition credit for courses that are dropped in Catalyst before the 100% refund deadline. Students who withdraw after the deadline receive no tuition credit (0%). 

The 100% refund deadline can be found in Catalyst by viewing your class schedule and clicking on the deadline calendar icon to the right of each course.  Upon clicking this icon, the 100% refund deadline is listed.  Different courses can have different deadlines depending on the length of the course.

If there was a balance due for the course before the course was dropped then a decrease in the balance due will be evident if the student is not full-time.     

This policy is governed by UC Board of Trustees Rule 20-31-05. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Students enrolled full-time are charged a flat rate meaning enrollment changes may not result in a decrease in the total tuition and fees.

  • Undergraduate students are considered full-time between 12 and 18 credit hours.
  • Graduate students are considered full-time between 10 and 18 credit hours.
For example, if you are enrolled for 18 credit hours (full-time status) and drop a 3 credit hour class (still full-time status) your total fees would not change and a tuition and fee credit would not occur.

Excess Credit Refunds

An excess credit refund occurs when the posting of all credits (grants, loans, scholarships, and other payments) exceeds the charges posted on a student’s account. How an excess credit refund is processed can vary depending on the payment type that is creating the excess credit. When processing refunds, priority is given to students who are enrolled in direct deposit.

This includes Federal aid such as the Pell Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans. It also includes scholarships, departmental aid, and alternative loans.

These credits begin to be applied to a student’s account ten days before their classes start.

These credits can be restricted and are not always refundable to the student. If an excess credit is not refundable it will show on the term bill under unapplied aid as “non refundable credit.”

  • If a student is enrolled in direct deposit, we will begin processing any excess credit refunds electronically simultaneously as federal aid is disbursed.
  • If a student is not enrolled in direct deposit, we will process federal aid refunds via paper check the first Thursday after classes start.
    •   Paper check refunds for scholarships, departmental aid, alternative loans etc. will only be issued upon a students request.

Excess credit refunds from Federal Parent PLUS Loans are refundable to the borrower of the loan (i.e. the parent). The loan holder would need to be enrolled in direct deposit, via their Delegated Access Catalyst login to receive an electronic refund. Otherwise a paper check will be sent to the loan holder the first Thursday after classes start.

These credits include electronic checks, personal checks, money orders, 529 checks, some employer payments, Flywire payments, etc.

Excess credits from this payment type are not refunded until after the 15th day of the semester. In addition, these payments are held for 14 days, after the payment posted to the account, before refunding.

  • Excess credits from this payment type will automatically be refunded if the student is enrolled in direct deposit and the calendar deadlines mentioned above have been met.
  • If the student is not enrolled in direct deposit, the excess credit will remain on their account and be applied towards future charges.

Excess credits from this payment type are not refunded until after the 15th day of the semester. After the 15th day of the term, it can take up to 30 days for the refund to be processed.

Credit balances originating from a credit card payment on the account will be refunded back to the original credit card.

The 2.75% U.S. or 4.25% international credit card service fee is NOT refunded.

If you anticipate enrollment changes, other changes causing a balance due, or wish to keep the funds on the account to pay future term charges, please contact the Bursar Office within 5 days of the excess credit being created to request that the refund not be processed.

If the credit card payment was made more than 60 days prior to the credit balance being created, refunds will be issued via direct deposit. We cannot accept requests to keep credit card refunds on the account for more than 60 days unless you are requesting for the funds to pay charges.