Refunds

University Refund Policy
Refund of Student Charges Policy
Check Hold Policy
Refund Processing Schedule
Tuition Refund Plan
Refund FAQ
 

Check Hold Policy

Refunds of payments from personal checks or third parties will be subject to a 21 calendar day hold or until notification is provided that the funds received have cleared the bank.

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Refund Processing Schedule

Those students having loan proceeds transferred to the University via electronic funds transfer (EFT) will have refunds processed for an overpaid account without having to come to the Office of Enrollment Services. Students not having loan proceeds transferred via EFT may request a refund at the time that the loan checks are endorsed in Enrollment Services.

Disbursement of financial aid on your account is based on the first day of class. Refunds are available within 10 business days after the financial aid has been disbursed to your account, as required by Federal regulation.

During the first six weeks of the fall and spring terms, checks are printed daily; during the rest of the calendar year, checks are printed three days per week.  Checks can be issued only by the Accounts Payable automated processes; there are no manual refund checks, so students are encouraged to anticipate their financial needs.

For fall 2009, refund checks for Law students will be available after 3:00 pm, Thursday, August 26, 2009. Refunds for graduate students will be available after 3:00 pm, Wednesday, September 9, 2009. All other students with EFT loans can pick up refund checks after 3:00 pm, Tuesday, September 16, 2009. Students can check on Cardinal Station whether their refund has been processed; the check will be ready for pickup three days after the refund transaction date. An e-mail notification will be sent when the refund check is ready for pickup. Those Graduate and Law students who wish to have their refund checks mailed to them should send an e-mail request to Ms. Maria Huffer (e-mail huffer@cua.edu). Undergraduate students should send their request to Ms. Kira Yorkshire (email yorkshire@cua.edu).

Students and Parent PLUS Loan borrowers can receive refunds directly into a bank account of their choice by enrolling in direct deposit through CardinalPAY.

Students who do wish to participate in the student medical plan and expect to receive a financial aid refund should enroll proactively and as soon as they receive the brochure from The Chickering Group to ensure that the charge will be deducted from their refund.

A student picking up his or her refund check must show a photo ID.

A student authorizing another person to pick up his or her check must provide a signed written authorization and his or her CUA ID card for the authorized person to show Enrollment Services.

If a refund check has not been picked up within ten days, it will be mailed to the student's home address as listed in Cardinal Station.  Refund checks will not be mailed to a CUA residence hall address.

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Tuition Refund Plan

The Tuition Refund Plan (TRP) is a private insurance program of A.W.G. Dewar, Inc. that supplements the refund policy of The Catholic University of America.  Those enrolled in the plan are assured a refund, even though the University's own refund policy may have expired at the time of withdrawal.

A full 100 percent TRP refund applies only to medical withdrawals.

Sixty percent of the costs are insured for withdrawals for psychological reasons.

Protect your investment! Costs covered by the Tuition Refund Plan include tuition, room, board and mandatory fees for the spring and fall terms. (Medical insurance premiums and laboratory fees for courses are not included.)  Participation in the Tuition Refund Plan is optional and the University's refund schedule is applicable whether or not you enroll in the plan. However, if you do not participate in the Tuition Refund Plan, any refund is limited to the amounts allowed by the University's policy.

Should you decide to participate in the Tuition Refund Plan, you must apply and make payment to Dewar before the first day of classes. Applications will not be accepted after these dates.

For further information or to apply on-line, please visit:

A.W.G. Dewar’s Tuition Refund Plan Catholic University site

Or call A.W.G. Dewar, Inc. at (617) 774-1555.

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Refund FAQ

I misplaced my refund check and have now found it; it is more than 90 days old.  Can you issue me another one?
To have a stale check replaced, please return it to the Office of Enrollment Services.  Graduate and Law students should send the check to the attention of Graduate/Law Refund Coordinator Maria Huffer.  All other checks should be sent to the attention of Undergraduate Refund Coordinator Kira Yorkshire.  Please indicate whether you want the replacement check mailed to you or whether you wish to pick it up.

I lost my refund check; can you issue me another one?
Please give us as much information as you can about the check so that we can identify it.  Then we must verify with the University's bank that it has not been cashed.  If it has not been cashed, we will issue a replacement check.  Let us know whether you want the replacement check mailed to you or whether you wish to pick it up.

I never received the refund check that was mailed; can you issue me another one?
Please give us as much information as you can about the check so that we can identify it.  Then we must verify with the University's bank that it has not been cashed.  If it has not been cashed, we will issue a replacement check.  Let us know whether you want the replacement check mailed to you or whether you wish to pick it up.

My parent took out a Plus Loan and wants to know if the refund check can be made out to the student instead of the parent.
If the parent provides written permission (e-mail is acceptable) we will be glad to issue the Plus loan refund in the name of the student.

My loans have come in for this term and I have a balance due from a prior term; can I apply some of this term's credit balance to cover it?
We can apply funds from Federal loans, such as Stafford Loans and Plus loans, to a prior term with the written authorization of the borrower but not enough to create a balance due on the current term.

Can you transfer my refund directly to my Cardinal Card account or can I sign my refund check over to my card?
The University's food service provider will not accept an endorsed CUA check from a student to purchase Cardinal Cash.  The student will need to deposit the University's refund check in his or her bank account and write a personal check to the food service provider for the Cardinal Cash.

Can I have my refund direct deposited?
Our e-commerce system, CardinalPAY, makes it possible for students and Parent PLUS Loan borrowers to have their refunds deposited directly into the bank account of their choice. 

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