Refunds
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A refund will be issued to you when all charges have been paid and there is a credit balance on your student account. If you are expecting a refund, please visit the Refund Status site.
To process your refund most efficiently, we require valid bank account information and a current address on file. With this information on file, the refund will be deposited into your checking or savings account. To arrange for direct deposit to your preferred bank account, complete the online authorization using the following steps:
Online Instructions for Direct Deposit Refunding
- Log on to myUSF.
- Select “Banner Self-Service Student” from the dashboard.
- Click on the four squares icon in the top left of the Student Services homepage.
- Select Banner.
- Choose the "My Profile" option.
- Select "Direct Deposit".
- Next, click add new and enter the requested information.
You may update or change your direct deposit instructions at any time. Please allow 5 business days for the account to be verified. Refunds made prior to verification will be processed as paper checks. This information applies only to refunds of credit balances on your student. For Student Employment pay, the option to enter direct deposit information will be provided during the New Hire Onboarding process.
Generally, a refund will be generated under the following circumstances:
Overpayments
If you’ve paid more than your charges for tuition, fees and room and board (if living on campus) you may be entitled to a refund. Refunds should be requested from your usfca.edu email address to StudentAccounts@usfca.edu.
If payment was made in any part by a credit card, the credit balance may be refunded as a "credit back" transaction to the credit card used for payment.
Refund of Federal IV Funds
Federal Title IV financial aid (Federal Student and Parent Loans, Federal Pell Grants and Federal SEO Grants) will be applied to all your allowable charges (tuition, fees, room and board) for the current semester.
The application of these funds will supersede all University payment plans and contracts. Federal law states that any funds over and above allowable charges for the current semester must be refunded to the student within 14 days after disbursement.
Financial Aid Disbursement Dates
2023 - 2024 Undergraduate and Graduate (excluding law)
| Semester | Disbursement Date |
|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | August 12, 2024 |
| Spring 2025 | January 13, 2025 |
| Summer 2025 (Session 1, 2, and 4) | May 9, 2025 |
| Summer 2025 (Session 5) | May 30, 2025 |
| Summer 2025 (Session 3 and 6) | June 20, 2025 |
| Summer 2025 (Session 7) | July 11, 2025 |
| Private Loans* | *Varies depending on lender |
Dropping Classes
In order to receive a reversal of tuition charges, a student must officially drop the course(s) by 5:00 p.m. on census date. Dropping all courses will constitute an official withdrawal from the University and student will be subject to the terms of Withdrawal from University.
Exceptions to the policy may be granted by a student's academic dean through a petition process. Enrolled undergraduate students may consult with the Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA) regarding the petition process. All students are encouraged to consult with the Office of Financial Aid if they have questions regarding how their leave and petition may affect their financial aid package and future financial aid eligibility. Generally, exceptions after census date are made only in those cases where events affecting enrollment are nonrecurring, catastrophic, or life-threatening and beyond the student's control. Documentation is required.
In compliance with OAR 583-030-0035(18)(c), online degree students who are residents of the state of Oregon are granted a prorated reversal of tuition charges up until 50% of the duration of the course. Oregon Online Degree students should request assistance in obtaining prorated reversal of tuition charges from their faculty program director. The faculty program director will submit a tuition exception form to be completed by the student’s academic dean.
Please note that the last day to withdraw with tuition credit may vary by course. The last day to withdraw with tuition credit is listed in the Registration Calendars are applicable only to courses with standard start and end dates. To find what the last day to withdraw with tuition credit is for a specific course, please visit the Online Class Schedule.
Withdrawal from University
Beginning with Fall 2019 semester, students who withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University on or after the first day of the semester must comply with the official USF Withdraw or Leave of Absence policy in order to be eligible for a refund. The date paperwork is received by the Registrar's Office will be used as the official date of withdrawal or leave of absence. The pro-rated charges will be deducted from paid amount prior to a refund being issued. Students who have not paid will be subject to pro-rated charges based on the chart below. They will owe a percentage of tuition fees corresponding to the official date of withdrawal or leave of absence from the University.
| TIME PERIOD FOR fall 2024 | REFUND AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| On or before Monday, August 19th | 100% of applicable tuition fees |
| From August 20th to August 26th | 80% of applicable tuition fees |
| From August 27th to September 2nd | 60% of applicable tuition fees |
| From September 3rd to September 9th | 40% of applicable tuition fees |
| On or after Tuesday, September 10th | No refund |
| TIME PERIOD FOR fall 2024 - LAW | REFUND AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| Before the first day of class | 100% of applicable tuition fees |
| From the 1st to the 7th day of the semester | 80% of applicable tuition fees |
| From the 8th to the 14th day of the semester | 60% of applicable tuition fees |
| From the 15th to the 21st day of the semester | 40% of applicable tuition fees |
| After the 21st day of the semester | No refund |
Credit on Housing and Meal Plan Charges
This policy will apply to you if you withdraw from USF or take a leave of absence during a semester. After you have filled out a contract cancellation form and properly checked out of your residence hall space, a prorated charge will be calculated based on the date that you formally move out of your room; the housing contract cancellation fee (sliding scale), and any charges for damage to the room will be deducted from the credit balance. A credit for unused meal plan charges will be refunded based on the unused portion of the plan amount. For additional information, contact Student Housing and Residence Education at share@usfca.edu.
Refund Process and Reminders
Checks are mailed seven (7) working days from the date your refund is entered on the student account. Refunds as a result of an overpayment from a personal check may take up to fifteen (15) working days to process. Please note that refund checks should be cashed promptly. Checks over 90 days old are considered stale and may be voided. Students who are Federal Title IV (Federal Student Loans and Grants) financial aid recipients are subject to federal regulation which requires the University to return funds to the federal program if a refund check that is the result of aid is not cashed. Once the funds are returned, the University cannot request them again on your behalf and you may have an obligation to repay the University for the refund that was made to you.