Financial Aid

Receiving Aid

University policy requires that all aid must first be used to pay general tuition and fees, housing and food, or other institutional expenses. After financial aid is credited to the student’s account, the direct costs such as tuition, fees, housing and food will be deducted. If any excess credit is available, a refund will be issued by the Office of Student Accounts.

Institutional and Merit Aid Disbursement

  • Institutional and Merit Aid is disbursed approximately a week after the start of classes for each academic enrollment period.
  • This applies to all full-time enrolled students, both on-campus and online.
  • Full-time enrollment status for on-campus students means maintaining 12 credit hours per term for undergraduates and nine credit hours per term for graduate students.

Federal and State Aid Disbursement

  • Online students must maintain at least half-time enrollment status and must be sitting in the correct hours each term to be eligible for Direct Loans.
  • Half-time enrollment status is considered six credit hours per term for undergraduates and five credit hours per term for graduate students.
  • Federal Work-Study funds are paid directly to students in the form of a paycheck when they are employed in a student work-study position.
  • Pell Grants are disbursed based on the number of hours a student attends each term.
  • State Aid will disburse for fall and spring if the student is in full-time status and attending classes accordingly.
  • Direct Student Loans are disbursed in two disbursements during the fall and spring terms for students enrolled at least half-time at the start of the term or at the time they are sitting in half-time status.
    • The first disbursement occurs approximately a week after the start of each term.
    • The second disbursement takes place in the middle of each term.
    • If a student begins half-time enrollment during the second eight-weeks both disbursements will release after the start of the second eight-week term.
    • If a student is enrolled in both the first eight-week term and the second eight-week term at the same time, loans will disburse once you are sitting in half-time status.
  • Summer direct loan disbursements are released in one disbursement after July 6 for students attending at least half-time enrollment.
    • Summer full-time enrollment status for on-campus students means maintaining 12 credit hours for undergraduates and six credit hours for graduate students.
    • Summer half-time enrollment status is considered six credit hours for undergraduates and three credit hours for graduate students.

Disbursement Dates and Refunds

  • 2024-25 Academic Year Disbursements
  • Summer disbursement date: July 9
  • Fall disbursement dates:  Sept. 4 and Oct. 25
  • Spring disbursement dates:  Jan. 22 and March 25
  • 2025-26 Academic Year Disbursements
  • Summer disbursement date: July 8
  • Fall disbursement dates:  Sept. 3 and Oct. 24
  • Spring disbursement dates:  Jan. 21 and March 20

The Office of Student Accounts processes refunds to students’ accounts for any excess financial aid within 14 days of disbursement.

Disclosures

Read the additional disclosures for understanding and receiving your financial aid:

  • Students are encouraged to review their account information in their Husky Portal for updates and details regarding their financial aid.
  • Direct Student Loan borrowers who are enrolled less than half-time will no longer be eligible for these loans, and the funds will be returned to the lender. This may result in the student owing funds to the University.
  • Students are encouraged to make accommodations for payments due since most refunds will be released after the second disbursement.
  • Students have 14 days from the date of each disbursement to request loan disbursements to be cancelled and returned to the lender.
  • Students must be attending the correct number of hours to maintain eligibility of their financial aid awards.

Using Financial Aid for the HCU BookPass Program

In Fall 2024, the HCU BookPass Program was created.  At the time of registration, you will see the book charges on your student account.  Charges are automatically assessed when you register for each class and will automatically adjust if you add or remove classes. If you would like to have your financial aid cover your BookPass charges, answer ‘Yes’ to the HuskyNet question regarding having your financial aid cover non-institutional charges.

BookPass program fees are paid online via HuskyNet. Tuition and fee refund dates apply. See Payment Portal for more information.

You may opt out of the BookPass program at the beginning of the semester and obtain your books yourself.  HCU Campus Store will no longer have textbooks available.  For more information visit HCU BookPass Program and Book Pass FAQs.