Refunds are issued when payments exceed tuition, fees, and other charges and create a credit (or negative) balance on the student account.
A credit balance on a student’s account can be created by:
- Financial aid disbursements that exceed the student bill total.
- Out-of-pocket payments that exceed the student bill total.
- Dropping classes during the add/drop period.
- Complete withdrawal from WSSU.
- Reducing meal plan or housing costs
- Returning a parking pass
- Waiving health insurance after initial billing.
- Other miscellaneous credits.
How To Set Up Your eRefund Direct Deposit | view PDF
REFUND ELIGIBILITY
In order to receive their refund, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Payment must exceed student account balance.
- Payments must be fully credited.
For example: A refund can only be made after financial aid is actually disbursed. Pending financial aid does not trigger a refund. - Student’s mailing address must be up-to-date in the Personal Information tab of WSSU Banner Rams.
WHEN REFUNDS ARE PROCESSED
WSSU begins processing eligible refunds for an upcoming term the week after classes start. WSSU cannot process refunds earlier than the week classes begin. After the initial refund for the semester, later refunds are processed weekly at the beginning of each week (usually on Tuesdays) and are available later in the week.
HOW TO ACCESS REFUND MONEY
Students can receive their refund via direct deposit or through a mailed paper check. Refund checks cannot be picked up in the Cashiers Office. The fastest and most secure way to receive a refund is direct deposit.
Students who choose this option will usually receive their refund 7 to 10 days from the date the refund was posted to the student account.
Only students have access to set up an e-Refund account through their ePay student login. Authorized users cannot set up direct deposit. If the student wishes, they may use a parent’s checking account as the deposit account for their e-Refund.
How To Set Up Your eRefund Direct Deposit | view PDF | video tutorial
To set up the direct deposit refund option:
- Log in to WSSU Banner Rams with the student ID number and 6-digit PIN.
- Click on the Student tab and select “Pay online now.”
- Single Sign on will appear – sign on using Ram ID and Password.
- You have now entered the TouchNet ePay site.
- Choose the last tab that states “E Refunds” option to the right.
- If there is not already a Direct Deposit method saved, click on “Set up a new account.”
- Enter the checking or savings account information and click “Continue.”
- Read and agree to the authorization agreement and click “Continue.”
Hint: Students should double check the bank routing and checking or savings number. If this information is incorrect, the funds must be returned to WSSU by the bank before the refund can be routed to the correct bank account. This will delay the refund. If the e-refund direct deposit is returned, WSSU will send a paper check. You may re-enter the portal and update your Banking information.
Students without an e-Refund direct deposit profile will receive a printed check via mail. Refund checks can take up to two weeks to arrive after posting to the student account. The check will be sent to the student’s local off-campus mailing address as listed on WSSU Banner Rams. If the student does not have an active local mailing address in WSSU Banner, the check will be mailed to the student’s permanent off-campus mailing address. Refund checks will not be delivered through campus mail.
To avoid the possibility of the check being lost in the mail, students are encouraged to make sure their address is updated on the WSSU Banner Rams portal under Personal Information tab at least two weeks before classes start.
To receive refunds faster than by mail, students are encouraged to enroll in e-Refunds using the instructions listed in the above tab.
If it has been more than 14 days since the student refund posted and a check has not arrived, students can contact the WSSU Student Cashier office via email: cashier@wssu.edu to replace the original check. (Include your Banner ID on all correspondence.) Once Accounts Payable has voided the check, the student account will be updated. The credit from the voided check will first apply towards any outstanding charges due towards the student account. If this action results in a new credit on the student account, a new refund will be issued to the student in the following week’s refund process.
FINANCIAL AID REFUND DETAILS
Financial aid refunds are issued after aid is disbursed by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Refunds from excess financial aid funds generally do not arrive until near the first day of class, so it’s important for students to plan ahead for costs like off-campus rent or travel expenses.
If the Banner Rams shows the credit balance is due to estimated or pending financial aid, it means that aid has not yet been disbursed and the student is not yet eligible for a refund. To ensure Financial Aid is disbursed quickly, students should ensure they have completed promissory notes, entrance counseling, and accepted financial awards online.
Financial aid will automatically apply toward tuition/fees, housing, meal plans, and up to $200 in unpaid prior balances. This means that costs like parking, library fees, housing fines and citations will not automatically be paid and students must pay these items due on their account out of pocket. This inconvenience can be avoided! Students can complete the Title IV Authorization Form in WSSU Banner Rams before aid disbursement that will allow all charges to be automatically deducted from their financial aid.
For more information, view Reviewing and Accepting Your Award and Aid Disbursement in the Financial Aid section.
WITHDRAWAL REFUND DETAILS
Students who choose to withdraw from the University can do so by dropping all courses online via Banner Rams Online. Students who drop all courses within the term are considered to be withdrawn from the University and may need to reapply for admission in the future.
Students who completely withdraw from the university after the Late Registration and Schedule Adjustment period may be eligible for a partial refund as tuition and fees will be adjusted.
Students who withdraw after receiving a financial aid disbursement may be required to pay back some or all of their awarded aid. For more information about how this works, contact Financial Aid at 336.750.3296
PARENT PLUS REFUND DETAILS
Refunds that are the result of Parent PLUS Loans may be refunded either to the student or to the parent. At the time of completing the loan application, parents can opt to have any PLUS Loan refund payable to the student or directly to the parent borrower on the loan by checking the appropriate box on the loan application.
Refunds to parents will always be in the form of paper checks mailed to the borrower’s physical address provided on the loan application.
Refunds to students will be processed as either an e-Refund direct deposit or in the form of a paper check mailed to the Student. Information on how students can choose their refund method can be found above.
Parents who did not initially authorize their student to receive the PLUS Loan refund may opt to change their decision. Parents who wish to change their refund method should contact the WSSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at finaid@wssu.edu or 336.750.3296 to request a change prior to aid disbursement.
