Financial Assistance Refunds
Meredith College students whose financial aid exceeds their charges may be eligible to receive a financial assistance refund in the amount of the overage. These extra funds can be paid to the student (or parent in the case of a parent PLUS loan) once all aid has been credited to the student’s account and all charges have been satisfied. A refund can be in the form of a check, a credit on the Meredith College student Cam-Card (CC), or a combination of both check and CC credit. A CC can be used in the bookstore or anywhere on campus the CC is accepted. To request a check or CC transfer, please make your request by completing the online form by clicking here.
Distribution of Financial Aid Refunds (Cam-Card or Refund Check)
If you are eligible to receive a refund, you may request it be issued in check form, a credit on your Meredith College Cam-Card, or a combination of both check and CC credit. During the regular academic year, financial aid refunds issued in the form of a Cam-Card credit are generally available two days prior to the first day of classes. The actual refund day can vary each semester and is determined generally a month prior to the start of each semester.
To calculate the amount of your refund, simply subtract your semester charges from your anticipated financial assistance for the semester. Charges are located on your Statement of Account issued by the Office of Accounting. Anticipated financial assistance is listed by semester on the Statement of Award issued by the Office of Financial Assistance. In order to ensure accurate charges, you must be properly registered for all classes and anticipate any additional charges or fees. Additionally, all necessary paperwork and tasks required by the financial assistance office must be completed in order for aid to be credited to your account and your “refund” issued.
Students Receiving Parent PLUS Loans
Students who have a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS loan) in their award package will have their refund mailed to their parent(s) home address, and the refund check will be issued in the name of the parent borrower, NOT the student. In order to issue the refund directly to the student, students and parents must complete and sign a PLUS loan refund release authorization form and return it to our office by August 25th . To download the form, please click here.
Requesting a Financial Aid Refund
If you believe that you have completed all of the necessary forms and have excess funds you would like a credit to be placed on a Cam-Card and/or issued to you in a refund check, please go to the link below .
Submit By: |
Available |
|
Cam-card |
August 11 , 2010 |
August 16, 2010 |
Refund Check |
August 25 , 2010 |
September 1 , 2010 |
Click Here To Request Your Refund
Pro-active Things to do to Ensure a Timely and Accurate Refund.
In order to be eligible for any refund whatsoever, you must have all your financial assistance forms in place. Here is a list of the most common situations and missing information that cause a delayed or inaccurate refund:
- Signed Statement of Award Please sign and forward the Statement of Award (school copy) to our office. You may mail your statement to our office or fax it to 919-760-2373. If you no longer have a copy of your Statement of Award, please call the Office of Financial Assistance at 919-760-8565 or contact us via email at finaid@meredith.edu.
- Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Stafford Loan Entrance Loan Counseling Not Complete To complete your entrance loan counseling for your subsidized/unsubsidized Direct Stafford loan, please visit www.studentloans.gov and follow the online instructions. Failure to complete this step will prevent your loan funds from disbursing and will delay your Cam-Card and/or refund check from being processed.
- Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note Not Signed To complete your Master Promissory Note, please visit www.studentloans.gov. Sign in and follow the online instructions to complete the process. If you have not yet completed your entrance loan counseling, you will need to do so in order for your loan to arrive. Failure to complete this step will prevent your loan funds from disbursing and will delay your Cam-Card and/or refund check from being processed.
- Alternative Loan Promissory Note Not Signed or Complete - Make sure your alternative loan paperwork is signed and complete.
- North Carolina Residency Form Not Complete In order to receive the NC Legislative Tuition Grant (if it is listed on your award letter), you will need to complete the form from the North Carolina Educational Assistance Authority. If you need a copy of the form, please visit http://www.meredith.edu/finaid/forms.htm and download the 2009-2010 North Carolina Legislative Tuition Grant form. Please complete the form, sign it, and return it to our office. Any delay in the receipt of the form will delay your Cam-Card and/or refund check from being processed.
- Additional Charges Incur on Account After Refund is Issued Please consider whether or not you have already been charged for all your necessary fees (e.g., your parking, lab, music, and graduation fees). These fees may not be accounted for in the issuance of your refund. Please be reminded you will be responsible for paying any additional charges you incur after receiving your refund.
Disclaimer (Special rules and exceptions)
- You may receive several smaller refunds, rather than a single large refund.
- Enrollment status must match financial aid packaging status (e.g., full-time, part-time, etc.) and the fee billYour refund will depend on the status of your financial aid. You may not receive the full amount of your refund until two or three weeks after the start of the term.Financial aid refunds are not typically available until the beginning of any given semester when lenders actually disburse the loans.You will be responsible for paying any additional charges you incur after receiving your refund.Financial assistance, including loans, will now be used first to pay charges. A refund will be issued only if you have a credit after charges are paid.Expect to receive half of your financial aid in the fall semester and the other half of your aid in the spring semester. Students attending only one semester will receive the second half of any student loans halfway through the semester.
- In the event that the Bursar's Office issues you a check in error, the College reserves the right to reclaim such funds.
- You may apply for your refund by completing a Student Refund Request. Any “refund” checks not picked up from the Office of Accounting will be mailed to your home address after two weeks.
If you have any questions regarding the refund request or the Cam-Card request process, please feel free to contact the
Office Financial Assistance at
919-760-8565
