Summer 2020 billing, payment, and refund information can be found on our Summer Billing Information and Summer FAQs pages.
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 through the TMS Refund Portal. If you do not receive an email or you lose your email, you can register by visiting the TMS Refund Portal.
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 refund 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 2020 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 TMS Refund Portal account?
- What if I am having issues logging into my TMS Refund Portal 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 for direct deposit?
- 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 post your refund to that card.
- eCheck: If your most recent payment was an eCheck, we will refund the balance to that 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 a 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, visit the TMS Refund Portal.
- Paper Check: If none of the above options apply, we will mail 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 2020 Semester?
Refunds may be available in bank accounts on or around August 19 (for those who were signed up for direct deposit as their refund option at least a week prior to their potential refund date).
To kick off the refund process, financial aid disburses as payment toward your balance due 10 days prior to the first day of the fall and spring semesters if it is ready to pay (no unsatisfied requirements). Use the Checklists page to make sure your financial aid is ready. If payments and aid are more than your institutional charges, the refund process will begin.
What Happens if I Do Not Choose a Refund Option?
If an option has not been chosen at least a week prior to your refund date, 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 in to the TMS Refund Portal and change your preference. If a refund is already in process, it will go to the previously 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 TMS Payment Portal 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 TMS Payment Portal Account?
You may encounter an issue logging in from work computers or other public computers. Try logging in from your personal computer. If it still does not let you in, call 888-425-1138 for assistance.
My Direct Deposit Was Returned to the University, so I Updated My Information. What Do I Do Now?
If your refund disbursed to your bank acount through your direct deposit but was returned because the bank account information was incorrect, the refund will be reissued after you update your direct deposit information. Once it 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 for Direct Deposit?
Parents due a refund from Parent PLUS Loan funds remaining after institutional charges have been paid can choose to sign up for direct deposit on the TMS Refund Portal.
Before a parent borrower can sign up:
- The Parent PLUS Loan must have been approved.
- The Parent PLUS Loan application must have been received and processed by WVU (i.e. showing as accepted on the student's financial aid).
- The parent borrower must have indicated they wanted the refund to go to the parent - not the student - when they submitted their PLUS application.
After the PLUS application is received and processed, the parent borrower will receive a registration email from the TMS Refund Portal (wvu.afford.com) usually within 3 business days if the criteria above have been met. If you lost the registration email, don't worry! You can go to the TMS Refund Portal and attempt to log in with the email address listed on the Parent PLUS Loan application or click the "Resend Registration Link" under the login button.
To sign up, the parent borrower will need their Parent ID Number. This ID number consists of the following: the student's WVU 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
Please note that depending on various factors – such as your student’s other financial aid – a refund may be generated to your student based on remaining funds from their other financial aid and/or you based on remaining PLUS loan funds after institutional charges have been paid. If there are PLUS loan funds remaining after the balance due is paid, you may receive a refund. Please note this applies specifically to situations where there are PLUS loan funds remaining after the balance is paid. It is possible that a refund could be generated to your student instead because the refund is caused by other financial aid – such as institutional or state scholarships or grants – instead of the PLUS Loan.
Also, please remember that as part of your loan application, you affirmed that your PLUS funds would be used for your student’s educational expenses. Educational expenses may include tuition and fees; on-campus room and board (or a reasonable housing and food allowance for off-campus students); and books, supplies, transportation (excluding car payments), loan fees, and, if applicable, dependent care. It can also include other expenses like an allowance for the rental or one-time purchase of a personal computer, costs related to a disability not covered by other funds, or costs for eligible study-abroad programs.
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. We recommend students consult their academic advisor as well as the Mountaineer Hub before withdrawing from classes to ensure they're aware of any financial effects the changes might have.
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.