Receiving Payment
A Note of Caution
Checks issued by the University will not be produced until you are registered for the minimum credit hours required for the aid you are scheduled to receive. Additionally, if you do not meet all of the terms and conditions cited in the award contingencies your aid will not be released.
Disbursement Procedures
The Office of Student Financial Aid applies aid to each student's account. The Office of Student Accounts disburses any remaining funds to the student in the form of a check, or funds are directly deposited into the student's account unless there is an administrative hold on the record. Checks will be mailed from the Office of Student Accounts based on the Office of Students Accounts disbursement schedule. Please visit the Tuition and Fees section regarding financial aid disbursement; it lists schedules for each semester.
If you receive your award notification after you have paid your fees, the check(s), except for Federal Direct Loans (see next paragraph about Federal Direct Loan), will be mailed five working days after you return a signed Notification of Financial Aid Award and you meet all other requirements. However, no funds will be mailed until grades from the previous term have been reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Federal Direct Loan
All Federal Direct Loan recipients are required to attend entrance counseling before receiving their first disbursement at Georgia State. Loan funds will not be released or credited to your account until entrance counseling is completed. Receive loan counseling online at http://www.ed.gov/DirectLoan.
Federal Direct Loan and other outside loan checks are disbursed based on the following eligibility requirements:
- You must have registered as at least a half-time (6 - 8 hours) student in eligible courses work for the semester the loan is intended. (Refer to the back of the Award Notification for a definition of eligible course work)
- You are maintaining Satisfactory Progress as defined by the policy administered by the Office of Financial Aid.
- Promissory notes are returned.
- You have attended entrance counseling if you are a first time borrower at Georgia State.
If you accept loan funds that are released to you based upon hours for which you have registered and you do not attend those classes for any reason, you will be required to return the full amount of the loan disbursed immediately, and you will lose your eligibility for additional financial aid until all funds you received for which you were not eligible have been repaid.
Alternative Enrollment
Georgia State offers a number of alternative enrollment options (cross registration, Study Abroad, transient study, etc.) that necessitate special action by you in order to receive your financial aid. Be sure to contact a counselor in the Office of Financial Aid at least one term before you plan to attend under any alternative enrollment program.
Federal Work Study (FWS)
If FWS is included in your award offer, you may apply for a vacant position with prospective hiring departments on the Georgia State campus. If you accept your award, procedures will be mailed to you.
A limited number of FWS positions are designated as community service. These positions provide services available to members of the local community. All community service positions will be identified in the job listing.
If you are unsure of the procedure to follow, or if you encounter any difficulty in obtaining a position, contact the Student Employment Coordinator in the Office of Student Financial Aid. The amount of your award is the maximum amount you are eligible to earn. More information will be mailed to you if you accept the FWS award offered.
