Meredith College students whose financial aid exceeds their charges may be eligible to receive a financial assistance refund in the amount of the overage. These extra funds can be paid to the student (or parent in the case of a parent PLUS loan) once all aid has been credited to the student’s account and all charges have been satisfied.  A refund can be in the form of a check, a book voucher, or a combination of both check and book voucher.  A book voucher must be used on the online bookstore and is applied like a gift card.  

If you believe that you have completed all of the necessary forms, have excess funds and would like a credit to be issued to you as a refund check: 

Refund Days: Your Check will be mailed by the Accounting Office on the following dates:

1st Refund Available Wednesday, January 27th, 2021

2nd Refund Available Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021
 

Book Vouchers

How to Ensure a Timely and Accurate Refund
In order to be eligible for any refund whatsoever, you must have all your financial assistance forms in place.  Here is a list of the most common situations and missing information that cause a delayed or inaccurate refund:

Common Causes of Delayed or Inaccurate Refund

• Signed Statement of Award– Please sign and forward the Statement of Award to our office.  You may scan/email to finaid@meredith.edu, mail your statement to our office or fax it to 919-760-2373.  If you no longer have a copy of your Statement of Award, please email us at finaid@meredith.edu.
• Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Student Loan Entrance Counseling Not Complete– To complete your entrance loan counseling for your subsidized/unsubsidized Direct Student loan, please visit www.studentloans.gov and follow the online instructions.  Failure to complete this step will prevent your loan funds from disbursing and will delay your Cam-Card and/or refund check from being processed. 
• Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Student Loan Master Promissory Note Not Signed– To complete your Master Promissory Note, please visit www.studentloans.gov. Sign in and follow the online instructions to complete the process.  If you have not yet completed your Entrance Counseling, you will need to do so in order for your loan to arrive.  Failure to complete this step will prevent your loan funds from disbursing and will delay your Cam-Card and/or refund check from being processed.
• Alternative Loan Promissory Note Not Signed or Complete– Make sure your alternative loan paperwork is signed and complete. 
• North Carolina Need Based Scholarship Form Not Complete– To receive the NC Need Based Scholarship (if listed on your award letter), please complete the NC Residency Determination Service form online at www.ncresidency.org. Any delay in the receipt of the form will delay your Cam-Card and/or refund check from processing.
• Additional Charges Incur on Account After Refund is Issued– Please consider all necessary fees (e.g. parking, lab, music, and graduation fees). These fees may not be accounted for in your refund. You will be responsible for paying any additional charges incurred after receiving your refund. 

Calculating Your Refund
To calculate the amount of your refund, subtract your semester charges from your expected financial aid for the semester.  Charges are on your e-bill issued by the Office of Accounting.  Pending financial aid is listed by semester on the Statement of Award. To ensure accuracy, you must be registered for all classes and anticipate additional charges or fees.  All necessary paperwork required by the Office of Financial Assistance must be completed for aid to credit your account and “refund” issued.

Distribution of Financial Aid Refunds (Book Voucher or Refund Check)
If you are eligible to receive a refund, you may request in the form of a check, a book voucher, or a combination of both. The actual refund day may vary by semester and is typically determined a month prior to the start of the semester.

Students Receiving Parent PLUS Loans
Students who have a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS loan) will have their refund issued either to the parent or student depending on which refund option was chosen through the application. If the parent was selected, the refund check will be issued in the parent’s name and mailed to the parent’s home address. If the student refund option was chosen, the refund will be issued in the student’s name and available for pick up in the Accounting Office. If you have further questions or would like to change your PLUS refund designation, please email us at finaid@meredith.edu. 

Requesting a Financial Aid Refund
If you believe you have excess funds you and would like a credit to be placed on a book voucher and/or issued to you in a refund check, please Request Your Refund.

Disclaimer (special rules and exceptions)

• You may receive several smaller refunds rather than a single large refund.
• Enrollment status must match financial aid packaging status (e.g., full-time, part-time, etc.). Your refund depends on the status of your financial aid. You may not receive the full amount of your refund until two or three weeks after the start of the term. You will be responsible for paying any additional charges incurred after receiving your refund. Financial aid, including loans, will now be used first to pay charges. A refund will be issued only if you have a credit after charges are paid. Refunds are divided on a semester bans. Students attending only one semester will receive the second half of any student loans halfway through the semester.
• In the event that the Accounting’s Office issues you a check in error, the College reserves the right to reclaim such funds.
• You may apply for your refund by completing a Student Refund Request.  If your “refund” checks are picked up from the Office of Accounting, these will be mailed to your home address after two weeks.