When you complete the FAFSA and receive financial aid, the money doesn't go directly to you—it flows through your school first, covering tuition and fees before anything reaches your bank account. If aid money remains after your school's charges are paid, that leftover becomes a refund. Understanding how this process works, when you'll see the money, and what happens to it matters because the timing and mechanics differ from regular paychecks or other income.
These articles explain what triggers a refund, how long the process takes from disbursement to your account, what schools can do with unclaimed refunds, and how to track your money through each step. You'll learn the actual sequence of events—when aid posts to your student account, when your school pays its charges, and when you receive what's left.