Refund Process

We process refunds to students with Title IV Financial Aid overages on a weekly basis. All other overpayments are processed at the end of the semester, or upon request. Credit balances due to drop-in hours or a full withdrawal from the University will be refunded after the semester has ended. Requests for refunds should be emailed from the student's Miami email account to RedHawkRefunds@MiamiOH.edu. Refunds can be sent through direct deposit into any bank account in the United States. Students are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit via our RedHawk Refunds system. Students who do not elect to have the refund direct deposited will receive a refund via postal mail in the form of a paper check. During the fall and spring semesters, checks will be mailed to the student’s local address; during the summer and winter terms, checks are mailed to the student’s permanent address. Checks that do not reach their destination will not be canceled and reissued until after two weeks from the check date. It is important that each student keep their local address current. A student may update their local address via BannerWeb.

A negative balance (displayed in parentheses) on your billing statement indicates you have a credit on your account and a refund will be processed. Once the credit is processed for a refund, a charge will appear on your account. Our computer system only refunds credit balances. In order to remove the credit balance from your account and return your money, the refund amount must be applied as a charge to create a zero dollar balance on your account. Information about refund percentages for specific semesters/terms for each campus is available on our Refunds for Withdrawals or Dropped Courses page.

Reasons for Refunds

There are several reasons why an individual may receive a refund:

Financial Aid

When a financial aid award exceeds the amount of charges on an account a credit balance is created. Refunds for surplus Financial Aid are processed within 14 days after the Financial Aid disbursement. Please see Financial Aid Refunds information below.

Student Withdrawals and Schedule Changes

When a student withdraws from the University or drops courses from their registration, he or she may be eligible for a refund based on the refund schedule. No refunds will be made until 30 days have elapsed from the date of withdrawal.

A student can appeal for a refund for one or all classes in cases involving extenuating circumstances by submitting a Financial Appeals form. Extenuating circumstances are extraordinary and usually beyond the student’s control (non-attendance does not void financial responsibility). Financial appeals must include documentation that describes the extenuating circumstances. They must be submitted by the student, from their Miami University email address. After the Financial Appeals Committee meets (third Tuesday of the month), the student will be notified via email of the outcome related to the appeal. Decisions made by the appeal committee are final.

Miscellaneous Credit Balances

Credit balances occur when an appealed charge is canceled or because of an overpayment on an account. These refunds are processed as they are discovered or requested by the student.

Oxford Campus Financial Aid Refunds

If a student receives financial aid greater than his or her fees, the student may receive a refund from the University. Students who have registered for the required number of credit hours at least ten days before the term begins and have completed the financial aid process may receive a refund in the first week of the term, providing there is a credit balance after all University charges have been paid.

Regional Campuses Financial Aid Refunds

For students who are receiving federal, state, and/or institutional aid, disbursement of refunds occurs approximately one month after the start of school.