Financial Aid
Loan Disbursements
Federal Direct Loans are disbursed after the end of the Add/Drop period each semester. Because loans are subject to origination fees, about 1%, the amount received from the Department of Education will be slightly less than the total amount borrowed. If there is a credit balance on your student account, a direct deposit will be made to an authorized bank account that you have set up with UWest, within in 14 days.
- Federal regulations require two (2) disbursements for all loans, including one semester loans. Students attending a single semester or summer term will receive their second disbursement at the calendar midpoint of the term.
- If a student is in the first year of undergraduate study and is a first-time Direct Loan borrower, there is a waiting period of thirty calendar days for the first loan disbursement.
- Students who drop below half-time enrollment are no longer eligible for a Direct Loans
- Full-time enrollment for financial aid purposes is defined as follows:
| Stage of Studies | Full-time Definition | Corresponding Course(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework – Undergraduate | 12 units per term | Degree Applicable Courses |
| Coursework – Graduate | 9 units per term | Degree Applicable Courses |
| Master’s Thesis, all course work complete | 3 units per term | PSYCH699A, REL700 (Maximum: 2 terms) |
| Doctoral Qualifying, all course work complete | 3 units per term | BMIN705, REL 705 (Maximum: 2 terms) |
| Candidacy, engaged in research requirement | 3 units per term | BMIN698A, 698B, 710, REL698A, 698B, 710 |
| Candidacy, research requirement fulfilled | 1 unit per term | BMIN715, REL715 |
Students should refer to the catalog for time-to-degree standards in their program of enrollment. Extending studies beyond the program standard, if approved, may affect aid eligibility.
- Loan disbursements will not be released until the instructors have completed the attendance verification. The attendance verification must be completed, or the financial aid refund will be delayed.