QUESTION: Did I just majorly screw up?

[MedicJ]

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My school has an option to make the payments for a semester in 3 installments. AFTER I had already sent in my first payment(1/3 of tuition) I was notified about grants I had received and was not aware of them. When I factor in the grants, I figured my check(already mailed) is for 8,000 more than I needed to pay for this semester. Will they give me a portion of my check back(if I beg) or will they just apply it to my next payment? I need the money NOW. What do you think? The payment plan said I was only required to pay 1/3 of this semester's tuition. I have left several messages at the financial aid office but they are taking a long time to respond.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Grants are always paid directly to tuition. If you have loans they usually take those out before giving you the refund. It doesn't seem like you have loans by what you have said, but either you applied late for grants or something happened. Is this undergrad? Doesn't your school have some type of online student information page with your data like financial aid and amount owed? I don't know how your payment plan works with financial aid, because I know some schools handle it through third-party companies.

 

[MedicJ]

Grants are always paid directly to tuition. If you have loans they usually take those out before giving you the refund. It doesn't seem like you have loans by what you have said, but either you applied late for grants or something happened. Is this undergrad? Doesn't your school have some type of online student information page with your data like financial aid and amount owed? I don't know how your payment plan works with financial aid, because I know some schools handle it through third-party companies.

It is undergrad and my grants did go through late. I do want them to apply my grants to the total tuition...that's fine. I am talking about what I owe AFTER my grants are applied to my tuition. I still owe money but not as much. I am wondering: If they only require for me to pay 1/3 of what I owe in August, will they refund the amount I overpaid because the amount I owe is now WAY less than what it would have been before the grants. I hope that makes sense.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I'm not sure about the details of your arrangement, but I think you are out of luck. You do technically still owe the school money. They are not going to give you a refund of money you owe. Be happy you got the grant in the first place.

 

[MedicJ]

I'm not sure about the details of your arrangement, but I think you are out of luck. You do technically still owe the school money. They are not going to give you a refund of money you owe. Be happy you got the grant in the first place.

I think I am explaining it wrong. I had overpaid. They sent me a check for the amount. I had payed my amount plus the portion covered by the grant because I didn't know about the grant.

 

[Lesley]

In addition to calling, I would fax or mail a written request to your financial aid office. Keep a copy. I would detail what your grants/loans cover for the semester in question, what your balance would have been, what you paid, and what overpayment is due you. Additionally, ask for them to respond to you as soon as possible, so that your refund can be expedited. Include your student ID number along with any contact numbers/addresses. Good Luck.

 

[MassTransport]

It doesn't look like you received any federal loan money, so there's no blanket policy that we're able to cite. This is something that only your financial aid office can help you with