Receiving Your Financial Aid

Financial aid is disbursed no sooner than 10 days prior to the start of the term in which you are enrolled, once you:

Respond to all requests for additional information
Enroll (not wait-listed) at least half-time (6 credit hours)
- Some scholarships require full-time enrollment
Complete and sign all required promissory notes and loan entrance counseling for Federal Stafford loans

Disbursement Dates

(These are disbursement dates, not refund dates)

Refunds Begin

Enrollment Requirements and Adjustments

Financial aid is initially awarded based on full-time enrollment.

If you are not enrolled full-time by the end of the add period, your aid will be adjusted.
If you enroll in a class but do not attend and later withdraw, your aid may be adjusted if your enrollment falls below full-time status.

How Will I Receive My Aid?

Grants, scholarships, and loans administered by the Office of Financial Aid are applied directly to your RHIT student account to pay for:

Financial aid awarded for a specific term may only be used to pay charges for that same term.

If Your Aid Exceeds Your Account Charges (Refunds)

If your financial aid exceeds the charges on your RHIT student account, you will receive a refund.

Refunds may be directly deposited into your personal bank account
If direct deposit is not selected, a check will be available through Student Financial Services

If your parents are borrowing through the PLUS Loan Program, they should review disbursement details on the PLUS Loan application.

Important Information About Refund Checks

If you receive a loan refund and do not want the funds:

Do not cash the check — this does not cancel the loan
Choose one of the following options:
- Return the uncashed check with a written explanation to the Financial Aid Office
- If funds were received via direct deposit or the check was cashed, submit a written request to reduce your loan to the desired amount to the Financial Aid Office

Direct Deposit Authorization

Direct deposit allows your financial aid refunds and work-study wages to be deposited directly into your bank account.