Refund Process

Miami University processes 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.

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 through RedHawk Refunds.

Students who do not elect to have the refund direct deposited will receive a refund through postal mail in the form of a paper check. Students not enrolled in RedHawk Refunds will receive a paper check at their local address unless living in a residence hall. Refunds checks for on-campus students will be mailed to their permanent mailing addresses. It is important that each student keep their local and permanent mailing addresses current in 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, the amount will appear as a charge 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 note that refunds generated due to Parent PLUS loans are mailed to the address listed on the application in the form of a physical check. There is no direct deposit option for this type of refund.

Student Withdrawals and Schedule Changes

If you withdraw from the University or drop courses from your registration, you may be eligible for a refund based on the refund schedule. No refunds will be made until a minimum of 30 days have elapsed from the date of withdrawal.

You may 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 from your Miami email address. After the Financial Appeals Committee meets (third Tuesday of the month), you will be notified through 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 you receive financial aid greater than your fees, you may receive a refund from the University. If you have registered for the required number of credit hours at least 10 days before the term begins and have completed the financial aid process, you may receive a refund in the first week of the term if 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.