Student Refund Processing

Financial aid awarded to a student cannot be disbursed or released to the student’s account until 10 days before the semester begins. 

If financial aid has been released to the student’s account and creates a credit balance, a refund may be issued.

When are student refunds issued?

Student refund processing begins approximately 7 days prior to the start of the semester, see start dates below.  

• Summer 2024 - May 20*
• Fall 2024 - Aug. 12
• Spring 2025 - Jan. 6

A refund cannot be issued to a student until their aid has been disbursed to their student account, creating a credit. 

*Disbursement Delay - If you were awarded federal aid and you anticipate receiving a refund, please note an unexpected delay from the U.S. Department of Education will impact our ability to disburse summer financial aid to your account. We are actively working with the U. S. Department of Education to expedite the disbursement process.

In the example below the financial aid was disbursed on Aug. 19 creating a credit of $2,925.00, which will be refunded to the student.

I am not expecting my financial aid to be ready until after classes begin.  How do I buy books if I don't have my refund?

Students who will receive a refund once their aid has been disbursed to their student account can apply to have up to $500 of their financial aid issued to their FlashCard.  These funds can be used at campus bookstores to buy books. Access the Request for FlashCash form or contact your Regional Campus to see when they issue FlashCash.

How do I know if my refund has been issued?

You can check your student account via FlashLine to see if your refund has been processed.  Follow the steps below to access your student account information through FlashLine:

• Sign in to FlashLine
• Select Student/Finances/Tuition and Payments
• Select "My Student Account Detail"

If the refund has been issued you will see the word "Student Refund," see screen below as an example.

When can I expect to receive my refund once it has been issued on my student account?

Kent State University delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information: BankMobileDisbursements

Are all refunds issued to the student?

Credit balances on the student account are typically issued to the student as the owner of the account. However, there may be instances where the credit balance may be refunded to someone other than the student. The refund priority is:

• Available Title IV credit to the parent borrower of a PLUS loan, not to exceed the amount of the loan
• Any remaining Title IV credit to the student
• Any remaining credit is refunded to a credit card, not to exceed the amount of the payment
• Any remaining credit to the student: Personal payments (cash, ACH web) as well as grants, scholarships and all other credits.
• Any remaining credit that a student is no longer eligible for will be refunded back to the original source of the scholarship or third party agency (if applicable).

According to Federal policy 34 CFR 668.164, when Kent State University disburses Title IV  program funds to a student’s account and the total amount of these funds exceeds the amount of institutional charges, Kent State University must refund the resulting credit balance to the student or parent as soon as possible but-

• No later than 14 days after the balance occurred if the credit balance occurred after the first day of class of a payment period; or
• No later than 14 days after the first day of class of a payment period if the credit balance occurred on or before the first day of class of that payment period.

When a student with Title IV program funds withdrawals, and has a credit balance on their student account after applying Kent State University’s tuition credit policy and processing a Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation, Kent State University will  refund the credit balance to the student or parent as soon as possible but no later than 14 days from the date the school performs the R2T4 calculation.

For further information on Title IV aid, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.