Refund Process
If your financial aid and/or payments are more than your institutional charges, you will be refunded the difference. We strive to process refunds as quickly as possible.
Registered students will receive an email with instructions on how to establish an account. If you do not receive an email or lose your email, you can register by visiting wvu.afford.com.
The fastest way to receive your refund is through ACH (direct deposit) to a U.S. bank account. Once you are registered, the eRefund system is available for you to check the status of your refund, view eRefund history, update your profile or change your payment method.
If you have any questions or need help, please check the FAQs below or call 888-425-1138.
- What are my refund options?
- When should I expect my refund for the fall 2019 semester?
- What happens if I do not choose a refund option?
- How do I change the address that the paper check refund will be sent to?
- How do I change my refund preference?
- What do I do if my Student ID is not working to create my wvu.afford.com account?
- What if I am having issues logging into my wvu.afford.com account?
- My direct deposit returned for Account Not Found, so I updated my information. What do I do now?
- I'm a parent who is due a refund from a Parent PLUS loan. What is my Parent ID Number?
- Is my tuition reduced if I drop classes?
- Who does WVU partner with for refunding services?
What Are My Refund Options?
Sometimes your refund method depends on the most recent payment on your account.
- Credit Card: If your most recent payment was a credit card transaction, we will refund it to that card.
- E-Check: If your most recent payment was an e-check, we will refund the balance to your checking account. There is a 14-day waiting period on all checks to guarantee clearance.
- eRefund (Direct Deposit): If your most recent transaction was financial aid or paper check, then eRefund is the fastest way to get your refund! Your funds can be transferred to any U.S. bank of your choice by signing up for eRefund. To sign up, go to wvu.afford.com
- Paper Check: If none of the above options apply, we will mail the student a paper check made payable to the student. The check will be mailed to the mailing/local address on file in the STAR system (which you can access and update via your WVU Portal). This process can take up to 14 business days after payment/aid disburses to your student account.
When Should I Expect My Refund for the Fall 2019 Semester?
Financial aid disburses 10 days prior to the first day of the fall or spring semesters if it is ready to pay (no unsatisfied requirements). Use the Checklists page to make sure your financial aid is ready.
For fall 2019, aid will disburse as payment toward your fall bill on August 11. If your payments and aid are more than your institutional charges, the refund process will begin. Refunds may be available in bank accounts on or around Saturday, August 17 (for those who signed up for direct deposit by August 9).
What Happens if I Do Not Choose a Refund Option?
If an option has not been chosen and you are due a refund, the system automatically defaults to a paper check that will be mailed to your local address in the STAR system (which you can access and update via your WVU Portal).
How Do I Change the Address That the Paper Check Refund Will Be Sent to?
Update your address in the STAR system (which you can access via your WVU Portal) and this information will be transmitted to the eRefund system the next business day (cutoff time for changes is 2:30 p.m.).
How Do I Change My Refund Preference?
Log into wvu.afford.com and change your preference. If a refund is already in process, it will go to the current selected method. Once the method is changed, then any new refunds will be the new preference selected.
What Do I Do if My Student ID Is Not Working to Create My wvu.afford.com Account?
Review your Authentication questions to make sure you are answering them correctly. If that still doesn’t work, call 888-425-1138 for assistance.
What if I Am Having Issues Logging into My wvu.afford.com Account?
You may encounter an issue logging in from work computers or other public computers. Try logging in from your home computer. If it still does not let you in, call 888-425-1138 for assistance.
My Direct Deposit Returned for Account Not Found, so I Updated My Information. What Do I Do Now?
Once your information has been updated, your refund request will be resubmitted within 24-48 business hours.
I'm a Parent Who Is Due a Refund from a Parent PLUS Loan. What Is My Parent ID Number?
Your ID number consists of the following: Student ID number + Parent First Initial + Parent Last Initial + Parent date of birth as MMYY.
- Example Parent: Patty Parent was born on 05/01/1973 and her student’s ID number is 701123456.
- Log in Question 1: Parent ID is 701123456PP0573
- Question 2: Parent Date of Birth in the YYYY-MM-DD format is 1973-05-01
- Question 3: Last four letters of the parent's last name are RENT
Is My Tuition Reduced if I Drop Classes?
It depends. Students who withdraw from classes during certain time frames may be entitled to a reduction of all or a portion of their tuition, depending on the length of the class, date of withdrawal, and how many credit hours the student is enrolled in. See the Withdrawal page for more information.
Who Does WVU Partner with for Refunding Services?
WVU partners with Tuition Management Systems, LLC to provide refund services to WVU students.
Per Department of Education Regulations for Cash Management (34 CFR 668), below is WVU’s contract with Tuition Management Systems.