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Receiving Your Funds

Disbursal varies for different forms of funding that you are eligible to receive. Please see below the differences in how various forms of aid are delivered to you.  

Federal Work-Study Fund Disbursal

Once you obtain a Work-Study job, you will need to have your Work-Study employer complete an Employment Authorization Form. Please email studentemployment@uchicago.edu if you have questions about the Employment Authorization form or on how and when your payroll check will be delivered.

If your Federal Work-Study begins in the Summer quarter (as indicated on your award letter), you may begin work as early as the first day of the Summer quarter and continue through the last day of the quarter. If your Federal Work-Study begins with the Autumn quarter, you may start work as early as the first day of the quarter and continue through the last day of the Spring quarter (or you cease enrollment for the year, whichever comes first). Please consult our Federal Work-Study page for more details about this program.

Federal Work-Study is disbursed to you via a paycheck and is not paid directly to your account in the Office of the Bursar.

Loan Disbursal

Federal Direct Stafford and Direct GradPLUS loans are sent directly from the Federal Government to the University and applied to your tuition account one week before the start of each quarter. Most alternative loan funds are sent to the University via an electronic disbursement method and applied to your tuition account. 

Refunds

Students receive a refund when financial aid disbursements exceed tuition and fee charges for the quarter. Tuition and fees as well as financial aid disbursements can fluctuate for a variety of reasons (change in enrollment, change in federal aid eligibility, etc.). Confirm your refund is correct before expending any funds. Students are encouraged to sign up for Direct Deposit. Learn more about signing up for Direct Deposit and receiving your refund here.

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