Student Refunds

Adjustments to charges, prepayments, financial aid disbursements and overpayments often result in credit balances on student accounts. A credit balance is indicated on the student account by parentheses ( ) surrounding the balance.

Tuition & course fees are refunded to both full and part time students according to the Schedule of Refunds for Withdrawal or Continuous Enrollment.
Online Counseling Programs are refunded according to the Online Counseling Programs Refund Schedule.
Mandatory fees such as transcript, Deacon Health fee, Student Activity fee and Technology fee are nonrefundable after the first day of classes.
Wake Forest charged housing & meal plans are refunded according to the Housing & Dining Agreement.
Food Dollars are non-refundable. Unused Food Dollars within a meal plan carry over from week to week through the end of the spring semester and then expire. Food Dollars purchased outside of a meal plan roll over from year to year until a student graduates or leaves the University and then expire.
The Vehicle Registration fee is non-refundable if the parking sticker has been placed on the vehicle.
Refunds of online payments made via Workday or by check will not be processed until 10 business days have passed since the receipt of the last payment.

Financial aid disbursement refunds are processed after the start of classes for the fall and spring semester and three to five business days after the credit appears on the account.
Credits resulting directly from a Parent Plus loan will be refunded according to the election on the Authorization form.
If a refund is requested for a credit balance after the first day of class, the refund is issued to the WFU student unless it is a Federal Parent Plus Loan, a trust payment or a return of an outside scholarship due to withdrawal.

If a student/authorized party takes out a Nelnet Business Solutions monthly payment plan, no refunds can be processed until the last payment has been paid and that results in a true credit balance on the student account.
Student Financial Services only accepts funds that cover a student’s educational expenses. If a payment is received that is not for payment of educational expenses for the current term, a student can request to either: (1) Leave the funds on their student account to cover future term educational expenses or (2) Wake Forest will return the funds via the original method of payment to the originator of the payment.

Deacon Dollars remain on the Deacon OneCard until depleted or until a student graduates or leaves the University. When a student graduates or leaves the University, remaining Deacon Dollars are transferred to the student’s account and any outstanding fees are deducted. Any remaining balance is refunded to the student.
Wake Forest University is committed to providing students whose applications and awards are completed prior to the opening of school with credit balances from federal financial aid. If you receive a Pell Grant, which when added to your other financial aid, exceeds your University charges, we will provide you with the means to purchase books within seven days of the first day of the semester. This can be either in the form of a student refund or credit on your Deacon One Card. Please contact Student Financial Services, if your financial aid award is complete, and you have concerns about the ability to purchase books. If your financial aid award is not complete, please contact the Financial Aid Office.