FAFSA refund delayed - confused about 'two grants' when I only applied for FAFSA
I'm really frustrated right now. I applied for FAFSA months ago and still haven't received my refund for this semester. One of my classes starts on 10/21 and I'm wondering if that's why there's a delay? I emailed my school's bursar's office about it yesterday and their response just confused me more. They said 'both grants I received haven't been confirmed yet and it should take 2-3 weeks.' What? I only applied for FAFSA, so I have no idea why they're talking about TWO grants. Is it normal for FAFSA to split into multiple grants? I'm a first-gen college student and nobody in my family knows how this works. I was counting on this money for textbooks and my laptop is dying. Anyone know what might be going on?
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Lucas Schmidt
The FAFSA isn't actually a grant itself - it's the application that determines your eligibility for different types of financial aid. Based on your FAFSA info, you probably qualified for two different grants - likely the Federal Pell Grant and possibly a state grant (like TAG or MAP depending on your state). The 10/21 class start date could absolutely be affecting your disbursement timeline. Many schools won't process refunds until after all your classes have started and the add/drop period has passed. This is to verify your actual enrollment status (full-time, part-time, etc.) since that affects grant amounts.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Wow, I had no idea FAFSA wasn't the actual grant! That explains why they mentioned two different grants. So is the Pell Grant automatic if you qualify through FAFSA? And do you know roughly how long after my 10/21 class starts that I might get the refund? I'm trying to budget until then.
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Freya Collins
I HAD LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME ISSUE LAST SEMESTER!!! The financial aid office kept talking about "grants" (plural) and I was like what??? The problem in my case was that they were counting my Pell Grant and an institutional grant from my college as separate things even tho they both came from my FAFSA app. Check your financial aid award letter or log into your student portal - bet you'll see two different grant names listed there. And yeah the class start date is probably why it's delayed. They won't release $$ until they're sure you're actually taking the classes ur registered for.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Thank you! Just checked my portal and you're right - there's a Pell Grant and something called an "Institutional Grant" listed separately. I guess I just assumed it was all one thing. Still frustrating they're making me wait until all classes start though 😫
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LongPeri
not sure what ur specific situation is but my refund was delayed last yr bc one of my grants required verification documents. did u have to submit extra paperwork for ur fafsa? like tax transcripts or anything? could be holding things up
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Eloise Kendrick
•No, I didn't have to submit any extra verification documents (that I know of). My FAFSA was pretty straightforward. Maybe I should call and ask specifically if they need anything else from me?
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Oscar O'Neil
When the bursar's office mentions "2-3 weeks," they're probably talking about the confirmation process between the Department of Education and your school. Your FAFSA information generated eligibility for multiple aid types, like others mentioned. Just know that the delayed class start is definitely affecting your timeline. Schools have to confirm your attendance in ALL classes before processing refunds. Otherwise, students could register for classes, collect refunds, then drop courses - creating a major headache for everyone involved. If you need emergency funds, ask your financial aid office about emergency loans or hardship funds. Many schools have small short-term loans specifically for students waiting on aid disbursements.
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Eloise Kendrick
•That makes sense about confirming my attendance first. I'll ask about emergency funds - didn't know that was even an option! Do you think I should keep emailing the bursar or should I try to call them directly? Their emails aren't very helpful.
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Sara Hellquiem
have u tried calling the financial aid office instead of just emailing? u might get more info that way. emails can take forever and they sometimes dont explain things clearly
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Charlee Coleman
•This is good advice. I had a similar situation last semester and spent weeks going back and forth over email with no resolution. When I finally called the Federal Student Aid helpline, they resolved my issue in one 30-minute call. If you're having trouble getting through on the phone (which is common), I'd recommend using Claimyr.com. It's a service that will wait on hold with FSA for you and call you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration - you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Worth it to get actual answers about your specific grants and timeline instead of the vague responses you're getting from the bursar's office.
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Liv Park
lol welcome to the wonderful world of financial aid! its all confusing on purpose i swear. my fafsa always splits into like 3 different things on my account (pell, seog, and state grant). just wait til u have loans too, then u really get confused about whats coming when
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Eloise Kendrick
•It really does feel intentionally confusing! I'm trying to avoid loans as much as possible, but I might need to consider them if these delays keep happening every semester.
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Lucas Schmidt
One more thing to check - make sure your school has your correct banking information for direct deposit. Some schools default to paper checks if your banking info isn't in their system, which adds another week or two to the process.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Just double-checked and my direct deposit info is set up correctly. At least that part should be smooth once they finally process the refund!
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Oscar O'Neil
Update us when you get your refund! Knowing when it finally came through could help other students estimate their timelines.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Will do! I'll post an update once everything is resolved. Hoping it comes through soon after my 10/21 class starts.
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