Financial Aid and Scholarship Disbursement

The Policy

SDSU is required to apply all financial aid funds directly to current-year institutional charges. San Diego State University policy is to apply financial aid and/or scholarship funds directly to charges for the semester's basic tuition and fees, residence hall charges, and other eligible institutional expenses (including financial aid overpayments) at the time of disbursement. Any excess financial aid will be refunded to the student directly via direct deposit (if enrolled) or check. 

Allocation of Funds

Financial aid funds will be applied to the following fees:

1. Basic Tuition/Registration Fees
2. Non-Resident Tuition (if applicable)
3. Housing & Meal Plan (if applicable)

Direct Deposit

At SDSU, direct deposit is the easiest, fastest and most secure way for students to receive financial aid and scholarships (the amount after institutional charges are deducted).

Direct deposit means that financial aid and scholarship refunds are directly deposited into a designated personal checking or savings account.

Signing Up for Direct Deposit

Please follow the instructions to enroll in direct deposit:

1. Log into your my.SDSU.edu account
   
2. Select the “Financial Account” title.
3. Select "Enroll in Direct Deposit".
4. Fill in the required fields
   

*If you do not sign up for direct deposit,  your funds will be held until you provide banking information.

Sign up for Direct Deposit

Start of Disbursement

Disbursement of Financial Aid and Scholarship funds begins approximately 10 days prior to course instruction each semester  and continues throughout the semester as new awards are processed or changes to awards occur. 

Processing Disbursement Transactions

Financial Aid disbursements process runs on the following schedule:

• Weekly on Fridays .
• ACH refunds can take up to 3 - 4 business days.
• Check refunds will be mailed to address on file.

If you receive the Cal Grant A or B Access Grant, you may opt to have funds directly disbursed to you*. This request can be made in person at any anytime. Our office is located at Student Services West, Room 2536 and is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm.

*If the grant has already been applied to fees, your request will be accommodated for future disbursements.

Federal Direct Parent PLUS loans are only eligible for eRefund if authorized by the parent on the initial loan application. This authorization will release the funds directly to the student once direct deposit has been set up by the student.

If direct deposit is not authorized, any remaining funds from these loans will be mailed to the parent at the address indicated on the application form.

Learn More About This Loan

Perkins Loans are no longer being awarded by SDSU. We still handle existing Perkins Loans which were previously awarded by SDSU.