A student is considered a financial aid recipient if any of the following credit is applied to their student account:
- Direct loans (subsidized, unsubsidized, and parent PLUS)
- Federal, State, and University grants
- Undergraduate scholarships
- Graduate scholarships
- Outside agency scholarships
- Federal Perkins loans
- Federal Stafford loans (College of Medicine)
There are several eligibility requirements that are associated with each particular type of financial aid. A student must be registered for the required number of credit hours in order for the financial aid to be applied to the student account. Please reference the award packet from the Office of Student Financial Aid for the individual requirements for each type of aid.
Disbursement Process
The Office of Student Financial Aid begins to disburse aid to the student accounts approximately ten days before classes begin for students who have completed the requirements. This allows the Office of the Bursar to process refunds beginning on the first day of the term. After the term has begun, the Office of Student Financial Aid disburses aid nightly to the student accounts.
Refunds of Financial Aid Funds
Students who receive financial aid in excess of tuition and fees will automatically receive a refund from Ohio University by direct deposit or by paper check. A refund will not be issued until the financial aid payment appears on the student account. Please refer to the Refunds page for more information about refund options and the refund schedule.
Financial Aid Recipients with Personal Payments
Students who have made personal payments (cash, check, credit card, 529 payment) on their student account, prior to receiving financial aid for the same term, will have their personal payment “bumped” by the financial aid once the aid has disbursed. As Ohio University is required to use financial aid funds to pay tuition, financial aid will replace any payment that had been previously applied to a tuition charge – regardless of when that aid posts to a student account. Any personal payment that is “bumped” will apply toward any other charges on the student account, or remain as a refund-eligible credit on the student account. To request the refund of a personal payment credit, send us an email from your OHIO email account. Please include your PID.