Timing of financial aid checks? Forum

[crombot]

Does anyone know when financial checks usually get sent out? I'm trying to figure out the timing of getting housing/car/etc. paid for, just want to be sure I will have some student loan money to pay for deposits and things of that sort.

Thanks!!!

[im_blue]

Probably on the first day of classes, or a few days before that.

[Muddy]

Does anyone know when financial checks usually get sent out? I'm trying to figure out the timing of getting housing/car/etc. paid for, just want to be sure I will have some student loan money to pay for deposits and things of that sort.

Thanks!!!

If I live off campus, does the financial aid I receive come directly to me for food, rent, car, etc.? In UG, I lived on campus, so everything went directly to the school.

[Geist13]

Does anyone know when financial checks usually get sent out? I'm trying to figure out the timing of getting housing/car/etc. paid for, just want to be sure I will have some student loan money to pay for deposits and things of that sort.

Thanks!!!

Yeah, no money until school actually starts. It's pretty silly, especially since if you have issues with your money it can take weeks to resolve. Once I got no money until November. Good thing my parents love me.

If I live off campus, does the financial aid I receive come directly to me for food, rent, car, etc.? In UG, I lived on campus, so everything went directly to the school.

They didn't give you any money for cost of living? You get a check.

[Muddy]

Does anyone know when financial checks usually get sent out? I'm trying to figure out the timing of getting housing/car/etc. paid for, just want to be sure I will have some student loan money to pay for deposits and things of that sort.

Thanks!!!

Yeah, no money until school actually starts. It's pretty silly, especially since if you have issues with your money it can take weeks to resolve. Once I got no money until November. Good thing my parents love me.

If I live off campus, does the financial aid I receive come directly to me for food, rent, car, etc.? In UG, I lived on campus, so everything went directly to the school.

They didn't give you any money for cost of living? You get a check.

Thank you. No, I lived on campus in the frat house. We were required to buy the food plan. The financial aid office paid them directly. I didn't ask for car, books, supplies, etc., expenses. My parents paid. This time, I'm taking out loans in my name only. I don't want to have to ask my parents for anymore money.

[im_blue]

Yeah basically tuition, fees, and health insurance payments get taken out by the law school, and you get a check for the remainder around when classes start. So moving expenses, rent deposits, etc will have to come out of your pocket until then.

[Muddy]

Yeah basically tuition, fees, and health insurance payments get taken out by the law school, and you get a check for the remainder around when classes start. So moving expenses, rent deposits, etc will have to come out of your pocket until then.

thank you very much!

Another question re the health insurance. I already have a health insurance policy. Do I need to use the schools?

[im_blue]

Yeah basically tuition, fees, and health insurance payments get taken out by the law school, and you get a check for the remainder around when classes start. So moving expenses, rent deposits, etc will have to come out of your pocket until then.

thank you very much!

Another question re the health insurance. I already have a health insurance policy. Do I need to use the schools?

Health insurance can usually be waived if you can prove that you already have a policy. However, some schools need you to prove that your coverage matches or exceeds their own.

[Muddy]

Health insurance can usually be waived if you can prove that you already have a policy. However, some schools need you to prove that your coverage matches or exceeds their own.

thanks again!

[angioletto]

This is a good question. I went to 2 UG universities. One of them says they aren't permitted to release our financial aid refunds any earlier than 10 days before classes begin. The other says they aren't permitted to release refunds until the day classes begin.

I am pretty sure that law schools will have the same sort of differences from school to school. On the same note the school that released 10 days early sent your check out immediately at the point. The school that waited until the day classes began didn't send checks out until that Friday, so I generally received a check from school 1 a week before classes began and school 2 two weeks after classes began.

I think it is a good idea to have enough money in the bank to keep you afloat for the first 3-4 weeks of classes.

[flowylime]

This is a good question. I went to 2 UG universities. One of them says they aren't permitted to release our financial aid refunds any earlier than 10 days before classes begin. The other says they aren't permitted to release refunds until the day classes begin.

True. The "ten days prior" is a federal regulation, so schools wouldn't be able to do so any sooner than that, but some schools may have later dates for whatever reason. I would agree to not expect it sooner than the first week of classes, especially for your first disbursement of financial aid in the 1L fall semester.

[agentzer0]

on a related note.. when can i enroll in the university's health insurance plan? I want some down time between work and school but that might not be possible if I can't figure out medical insurance to cover that time.

[flowylime]

on a related note.. when can i enroll in the university's health insurance plan? I want some down time between work and school but that might not be possible if I can't figure out medical insurance to cover that time.

I'd check with the university that you'll be attending, but I'm guessing that the insurance wouldn't cover you until the first day of class.

[im_blue]

on a related note.. when can i enroll in the university's health insurance plan? I want some down time between work and school but that might not be possible if I can't figure out medical insurance to cover that time.

It most likely starts on the first day of classes, but some schools have weird calendars. For example, Stanford's coverage roughly corresponds to calendar quarters (not academic quarters), so it starts 9/1, about a week after classes have started.