Receiving Your Financial Aid

WHEN will I receive my aid?
Financial aid is paid (disbursed) to you no sooner than 10 days from the beginning of the term for which you have enrolled. Thereafter, students will receive their aid within two weeks after they have:

  1. Responded to all requests for additional information.
  2. Enrolled (not wait-listed) at least half-time (6 hours of credit). Some scholarships require full-time enrollment before disbursement. Students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive financial aid.
  3. Completed and signed all applicable promissory notes. See “What to expect later” for information on what you must do to receive your loan funds.

Disbursement dates (not refund dates) are: 

  • August 21, 2023
  • November 17, 2023
  • February 23, 2024

Special Note to Students Enrolled Less Than Full-time
Your financial aid will be based on full-time enrollment. If you are not enrolled full-time by the end of the “add” period, your aid will be adjusted at that time and you will receive a revised Award Notification reflecting your level of enrollment.
If you enroll in a class and do not attend, and you later withdraw from the class, your aid will be adjusted if withdrawing results in less-than-full-time enrollment.

How will I receive my aid?
Direct application to your RHIT student account. Grants, scholarships, and loans administered by the  Office of Financial Aid are first applied directly to your RHIT student account to pay charges for tuition, fees, RHIT-operated housing, and other RHIT charges. Financial aid awarded for a specific term can only pay for charges for the same term.

-- Aid that exceeds your RHIT student account charges

Release of Funds to You (Refund)
Students whose financial aid exceeds the charges on their RHIT student account will receive a refund. You may choose to have your refund deposited directly to your personal bank account. If you do not choose this option, a check will be available in Student Financial Services.

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

A note about refund checks
If you receive a refund for a loan and you do not want the funds, we will require written notification. Not cashing the check will not cancel the loan. Here are your options:
  • Return your uncashed check to our office with a note of explanation
  • If you have already cashed the check or received direct deposit, provide us with a written request to reduce your loan to the desired amount. Once the loan has been removed from your student account you can then make an ePayment through CashNet.

Direct Deposit Authorization
To have your financial aid refunds deposited directly to your bank account:

The direct deposit authorization will cover all funds disbursed to you – financial aid and work-study wages.

--Direct Deposit is set up on Banner Web.

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