Student Refunds Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Questions

  1. When will my refund be available?

  2. How will I be notified that I have been issued a refund?

  3. Are there any rules as to what I can spend my refund on?

Refund Checks

  1. Can I cash my refund check anywhere?

  2. I have not received my refund check.  What do I need to do?

  3. I think I lost my refund check.  What do I need to do?

Direct Deposits

  1. Why should I sign up for direct deposit?  How do I sign up if I’m interested?

  2. I signed up for direct deposit, but the money is not in my bank account.  What should I do?

Answers!

  • Refund checks are generated by the Business Office every week.  Accounts are updated within Self-Service throughout the week, and an email will be sent to students once refunds are processed.  The refund option you select determines when you will receive your refunds:
    • Direct Deposit — approximately 3 business days from the refund date in Self-Service.
    • Checks — approximately 7-10 business days from the refund date in Self-Service.
  • The best way to determine if a refund has been generated for you is to log into Self-Service.  By clicking on Finances, then Balance, then Charge/Credit Details, you will be able to see if there is a Student Refund on your account.  In addition, you will receive an email from Trinity at approximately 2 PM on the date that your refund is processed.  If your account does not show a Student Refund, but you feel that you should be getting a refund, please contact Enrollment Services at enrollmentservices@trinitydc.edu.  Please note that if your student accounts shows “Refund Third Party,” the refund will not be made payable to you, and will instead be mailed to the payee by Trinity. 
  • According to the Department of Education regulations, you may use the money you receive only to pay for education expenses at Trinity.  Education expenses include school charges such as tuition, room and board, fees, books, supplies, equipment, dependent childcare expenses, transportation, and rental or purchase of a personal computer.  For more details, please contact Enrollment Services at enrollmentservices@trinitydc.edu.
  • With the prevalence of check fraud in today’s environment, many banks are hesitant to cash any checks unless you have an account with them and are able to show multiple forms of ID.  Trinity does not recommend cashing your refund check, as it is unsafe to carry around great sums of cash.  Instead, we recommend that you open up a free bank account at a local bank to deposit your refund check.  A list of local banks and their student bank account programs can be found here.  Please note that Trinity does not recommend or endorse any specific bank, and receives no compensation from listing the banks on the attached list.  Choosing a bank is your personal decision.
  • If you have not received your refund and it has been 10 business days from the date that the refund was issued in Self-Service, please contact the Business Office at 202-884-9527 to inquire about the status of your refund.  We will be able to help you further.
  • If you have received your refund check, and have lost the refund check, please contact the Business Office at 202-884-9527 to request that a stop payment be placed on your check and a replacement be reissued.  A stop payment fee may apply. 
  • All direct deposit recipients will receive an email to their Trinity student email address at least one day prior to the direct deposit being initiated.  If you have not received your refund, please check to see if you have received an email from us.  Please also check to be sure that you are scheduled to receive a refund check through logging into Self-Service.  If you have received the email from us, and show a refund check in Self-Service, please first contact your financial institution to inquire about the direct deposit.  At this point, if you still have an unresolved issue, please call the Business Office at 202-884-9527 and have your account number and routing number available.  A Business Office staff member will investigate the issue further.  If you have provided an incorrect account or routing number, we must wait to obtain notification from our bank that the funds have been returned.  This can take up to 3-5 days.  At the point that the funds are returned, a paper check will automatically be generated and will be mailed to the address on file.  You will receive an email when this occurs.  Please allow 7-10 business days from the date of this email to receive your refunds.  Please be sure that the refund information you are entering is correct!!!
  • Signing up for direct deposit means that you get your money sooner!  You don’t need to wait to get the check mailed to you, and you don’t need to take the check to the bank to have it added to your account.  You won’t have to worry about your check getting misplaced before you get to cash it.  It’s more environmentally friendly, as well, since most of the work is able to be done through a paperless system.  If you’re interested in signing up for direct deposit, you just need to log into Self-Service to select your refund option.

 

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