Receiving Aid

Federal Regulations restrict the disbursement of financial aid until 10 days before classes begin each fall and spring semester (5 days for the summer semester).
If that day falls on a weekend/holiday, which is common, financial aid will disburse at the end of the next business day.

You can track which funds have been disbursed into your tuition and on-campus housing account by accessing the Student Center through your MyUW.

  • Use the Financial Account tile in your Student Center to get to your Account Balance. Use the side bar to select Account Inquiry, select the term, and you can see charges, payments received, anticipated financial aid, and processed refunds.
  • Learn more about Tuition Assessment and Billing or Housing Billing & Rates.

Payment Information

  • All types of financial aid are scheduled to begin disbursing and are applied directly to your tuition and on-campus housing account:
    • 10 days before the first day of class for the fall and spring semester, and/or
    • 5 days before your first summer session
    • If the disbursement date falls on a weekend or holiday, which is common, financial aid will disburse at the end of the next business day.
  • All financial aid is offered on an assumed full-time enrollment status. If you will be less than full-time, your financial aid may need to be adjusted before it can be disbursed to your tuition account.
  • If you have accepted a Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized or Unsubsidized) for the first time, you must complete both Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) online.
  • If you have accepted any Institutional Loans, you must complete a Promissory Note. You will need to complete a new Promissory Note each academic year you accept an Institutional Loan.
  • Missing loan requirements will delay disbursement of funds.
  • Scholarship checks should be sent to the Bursar’s Office to be applied to your tuition account. Check out the Bursar’s instructions for sending scholarship checks.
  • There are other reasons why your financial aid may not have disbursed – contact our office with any questions.

Financial aid disburses directly to your tuition and on-campus housing account balance.

The Bursar’s Office provides the tuition and on-campus housing bill as an electronic eBill and sends an alert to your wisc.edu email account and any authorized payers’ email when a new eBill is available to view. Check out:

Email payment questions to: tuition@bussvc.wisc.edu – Make sure to include your name and Campus ID number.

If you have remaining financial aid once tuition and on-campus housing have been paid in full, a refund will be processed by the Bursar’s Office.

  • eRefunds, or direct deposit refunds, are processed daily (M-F) and sent to the bank account that you set up in your MyUW Student Center. To view or update your bank account information, look for eRefund (Direct Deposit) after you click on the Financial Account tile in your Student Center. It can take 1 – 3 days for the funds to post to the bank account once processed.
  • Paper check refunds are processed weekly and mailed to the Mailing Address as listed in your Student Center. It is your responsibility to maintain your correct contact information. Please allow up to 10 business days for delivery. If you do not receive the check, you’ll need to work with the Bursar’s Office to have it reissued.
  • Parents due a PLUS Loan refund can choose to have the eRefund sent to their student or a paper check mailed back to themselves. Contact federal.aid@finaid.wisc.edu if you need to update the address on file.

Refunds can be used to pay for any expenses included in your cost of attendance, like off-campus housing, meals, and your books & supplies.