Disbursement of Financial Aid
The information below explains how financial aid is disbursed at the University of West Florida. Financial aid disbursement is when your scholarships, grants, loans, and other aid are applied to your Transact student account. During this process, you can view your anticipated aid, charges, and any updates to your account in Transact.
1.) Before Financial Aid Disbursement
- Your financial aid is authorized (or “memoed”) to your Transact account to show how much will apply toward your semester balance.
- You will see a dated line item in Transact showing the type of funds and the amount authorized.
- If your financial aid is more than your semester charges, you will not need to make a payment for that semester. Your Term Balance Due will show as $0.00 in Transact.
- Some awards, such as tuition waivers, are not paid out as cash. Instead, they show up as credits applied to your account. You can view these credits in the Activity Details section of Transact.
You can always view your Term Balance, Term Authorized Aid, and any Term Balance Due in the Transact app through MyUWF.
You can also view details for individual course costs, including any material/supply and/or equipment fees, by selecting the “Show T&F Details” in the Cost by Course app in MyUWF.
If you make schedule changes before the drop/add deadline, your authorized aid may change and could result in a balance due. Please note that financial aid adjustments are not immediate and may take overnight processing. Be sure to keep an eye on your account if you make enrollment changes.
If you have questions about the Transact app or your semester charges, you can contact Student Accounts at stuacct@uwf.edu or call 850-474-3035.
Students who have extra financial aid may be eligible for the Bookstore Deferment Program, which allows purchasing of books and supplies before aid is disbursed. The bill, which cannot exceed $800, will be added to your Transact account as part of your semester charges.
For additional details and step-by-step instructions see Bookstore Financial Aid Deferment Plan.
If you have financial aid in excess of your semester charges, but you do not see a PIN, contact Student Accounts at stuacct@uwf.edu or by calling 850-474-3035.
If you do not have financial aid authorized to your Transact, contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@uwf.edu or by calling 850-474-2400.
- Your financial aid is offered assuming full-time enrollment, so it might be reduced if you’re taking fewer classes.
- Federal financial aid only counts courses that apply to your degree when determining your enrollment status. If you’re taking classes that don’t count toward your degree, your aid could be reduced.
- Federal financial aid will not pay for a third attempt on a previously passed coursework. If you are repeating a course that you have already passed twice, your financial aid may be reduced.
You can find enrollment requirements based on the type of fund in the financial aid app of your MyUWF. Be sure to watch our video tutorial to learn how to navigate the financial aid app and view fund messages.
You must use an alternative payment method. Failure to pay your term balance due by the fee payment deadline will result in a $100 late payment fee. The Student Accounts & Cashier’s Office provides Acceptable Payment Methods and a Payment Plan. Fee payment deadlines will be visible in Transact and listed on the Academic Calendar.
Other financial aid options may include:
The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the leading campus advocate for military, dependent and veteran students. The Financial Aid Office does not process military benefits. For questions about your military benefits, please contact the MVRC directly at mvrc@uwf.edu or by calling 850-474-2550.
The Florida Prepaid College Program is not considered financial aid. Instead, it is a third-party billing plan that is processed by the University Cashier’s Office.
Students who participate in Florida Prepaid are automatically identified through the Florida Prepaid system. Billing to Florida Prepaid happens automatically each semester based on your undergraduate credit hours and the number of Florida Prepaid hours you have available.
For questions, please contact the Cashier’s Office at cashier@uwf.edu or by calling 850-474-3035.
2.) Drop/Add Period
- See the Academic Calendar for specific dates each semester.
- You can adjust your schedule during this period.
- Financial aid eligibility is based on the number of hours you are enrolled at the end of drop/add (the first week of classes).
- Federal Pell Grant amounts may change if your enrollment changes during the drop/add period. Once drop/add ends for your part of term, no further adjustments will be made to Pell Grant.
If you make schedule changes before the drop/add deadline, your authorized aid may change and could result in a balance due. Please note that financial aid adjustments are not immediate and may take overnight processing. Be sure to keep an eye on your account if you make enrollment changes.
If you have questions about the Transact app or your semester charges, you can contact Student Accounts at stuacct@uwf.edu or call 850-474-3035.
Please visit the Student Accounts & Cashier’s Tuition Refunds & Withdrawals webpage. The academic calendar provides specific drop/add and withdrawal dates, and the Office of the Registrar offers additional information about withdrawals. If you have questions, please use the hyperlinks to locate the appropriate contact information.
3.) Attendance Confirmation
- Attendance is confirmed during drop/add week and continues afterward.
- Financial aid is disbursed once your attendance has been confirmed by your instructors. Aid is disbursed twice a week after the fee payment deadline.
- If your attendance is confirmed within seven days of the course start date, your financial aid will be disbursed on the normal timeline. If attendance is confirmed eight or more days after the course start date, financial aid will be disbursed within 2-3 business days following confirmation.
- You can check if your attendance has been confirmed through the Classmate app in MyUWF.
The Financial Aid Office does not confirm attendance. If you need attendance confirmed, please contact your instructor directly. You can find your instructor’s name and email in the Classmate app in MyUWF. Initial or any subsequent financial aid will be disbursed within 2-3 business days following attendance confirmation.
4.) Financial Aid Disbursement
- After drop/add has concluded and attendance is confirmed, our office will disburse financial aid to your Transact account.
- You will see a dated line item in Transact showing the type of funds and the amount that was disbursed.
- The Student Accounts Office will apply your financial aid to your eligible semester charges.
Financial aid includes funding resources such as federal, state, and institutional aid. Financial aid disbursement is when your scholarships, grants, loans, and other aid are applied to your Transact student account.
Once funds are disbursed, you will see a dated line item in Transact showing the type of aid and the amount posted in the “Credit” column.
| Semester | Part of Term | Disbursement Date 1,2,3 |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Part of Term 1 | September 3, 2025 |
| Part of Term 3 | October 28, 2025 | |
| Spring 2026 | Part of Term 1 | January 14, 2026 |
| Part of Term 3 | March 10, 2026 | |
| Summer 2026 | Part of Term 1 | May 20, 2026 |
| Part of Term 3 | July 3, 2026 |
- Holidays not published in advance could impact disbursement dates.
- If you receive funding or meet all disbursement requirements after the official disbursement date, your funds are usually disbursed within 2-3 business days. If you receive funding after the semester ends, contact our office to confirm disbursement eligibility.
- If you’re enrolled in a Part of Term not listed above, your financial aid may be fully or partially disbursed on the first Tuesday after drop/add ends for that term.
Your financial aid disbursement might or might not be affected depending on your enrollment. Financial aid is released based on your confirmed enrollment in active coursework and the type of aid you receive.
You can find enrollment requirements based on the type of fund in the financial aid app of your MyUWF. Be sure to watch our video tutorial to learn how to navigate the financial aid app and view fund messages.
Example:
If you’re enrolled in 12 degree-applicable credit hours but 3 of those hours start later in the semester, federal aid like the Pell Grant will disburse for the 9 hours that have already started and will be *authorized for the 3 hours that start later. The remaining portion of Pell Grant will not disburse until after the drop/add period ends for your later starting course and attendance has been confirmed.
*After the initial disbursement each semester, it may take 1-2 business days for financial aid to re-authorize for later-starting coursework. Monitor your Transact “Activity Details” for updates. Because our office coordinates with Student Accounts & the Cashier’s Office, late payment fees should not be assessed during the period when aid is not yet re-authorized.
5.) BankMobile Refunds
If your financial aid covers all your eligible charges and there is money left over, the Student Accounts Office will issue you a refund. Refunds are sent through BankMobile Disbursements (except credit card payments), so you will need to set up your refund preferences.
- Refunds are usually processed 3-4 business days after financial aid disbursement.
- For refund preference questions or status updates, contact the Student Accounts & Cashier or BankMobile customer service.
To select how you want your refund:
- Log in to MyUWF
- Go to Financial Resources (for students)
- Click BankMobile Disbursements
- Choose how you want to receive any excess funds.
Visit Refund Choices for more information.