Once you have been awarded, your financial aid will be credited and disbursed to your
student account to pay for your tuition and any applicable fees. If there is an excess
of funds, a refund will be issued to you. Charges, credits, and refunds (if
applicable) can all be viewed in
Self-Service. Refunds are issued as a direct deposit/e-refund (recommended) or as a check, mailed
to the address on file.
What does “disbursement of federal financial aid” mean?
Disbursement is the releasing and payment of federal financial aid and scholarship
funds to your CEI account.
All federal aid eligibility criteria must be met for your financial aid to be
released to your student account. All financial aid awards, except Work-Study, are
applied to your account.
The earliest your aid can be disbursed toward your student fees is 10 days prior
to your first day of class (5 days prior to summer classes).
Students that do not have financial aid ready for the first disbursement, CEI must
confirm attendance of all your courses during the first 10 days, before releasing
the funds.
Financial aid funds are disbursed in equal installments at the first of each
semester, for example, Fall and Spring semesters. If a student only attends one
semester, disbursement of loans will be made in two equal disbursements, one at
the beginning of the semester and one halfway through the semester. This is only
applicable for students attending the Spring or Summer only.
After the first disbursement has been applied, the next disbursement occurs after
our attendance verification process. Attendance verification generally takes 3
weeks to complete, after the first day of class, before financial aid can be
released.
What is a refund? If applicable, when will I see my refund?
If the total financial aid funds exceed your total charges, a refund will be issued to
you. Refunds are issued as a direct deposit/e-refund (recommended) or as a check,
mailed to the address on file.
Refunds will occur 5-7 business days after the funds have disbursed depending on
your selected refund preference.
Important - If you do not complete the financial aid application
process by the financial aid priority deadline, your refund may not be processed
until after attendance verification is completed.
Questions concerning the status of your refund should be referred to the cashier
at 524-3000 ext. 3
Are there any holds for loan borrowers?
First-time borrowers who are first-time CEI students will have to wait 30 days from
the beginning of the semester before their loan funds will be disbursed.
Loans will be disbursed in two disbursements (Fall-Spring). If attending only one
semester, loans will be disbursed in two disbursements within that semester
(Spring-Summer). The first disbursement will be at the beginning of the term and
the second at mid-terms.
If you qualify for and accept loans, loan proceeds are transmitted to the CEI
Business Office and applied directly to the student's school account. Remaining
funds will be refunded to the student.
The Entrance Counseling and Master promissory Note is required for loans to
disburse.
Disbursement Schedule for 2023-2024
Term
1st Disbursement
2nd Disbursement after attendance is verified
30-Day Delay* Disbursement
2nd loan disbursement -attending only Spring or only Summer
Fall 2023
August 11
September 5
September 21
NA
Spring 2024
December 29
January 23
February 8
March 2
Summer 2024
May 29
June 18
July 2
July 1
*Automatic 30-day delayed disbursement for first-time loan borrowers.
Late Start Courses & Disbursements
If you register for a late start course (Block B), you may not receive a disbursement
until your attendance has been verified in those course(s).
How do I view my tuition charges and student account?
To view your charges and the financial aid you have accepted, log into your student
Self-Service, select “Student Account Information”. Click on the “Account Activity” and select
the correct term.
Account Activity displays the following:
Charges - Your CEI tuition and applicable fees
Balance - Your charges minus financial aid. If your aid exceeds
your charges, your balance displays the amount of refund you will receive as a
negative amount. If your aid does not exceed your charges, your balance displays
your outstanding balance.
Financial Aid - The total amount of your accepted financial aid.
This will include a breakdown of the: award name, type, and amount. It will
also display the amount that has been disbursed to your account or the amount
that is anticipated to be disbursed.
NOTE: Aid offers are based on the number of required credits a
student is enrolled in. If students make changes in their course load, after
disbursement, they will be responsible for any additional tuition and fees.
Financial aid policies and procedures are subject to change without notice to assure
compliance with federal regulations.
