Disbursement

The Office of Student Financial Aid determines your eligibility for financial aid and the University Billing Office is responsible for the disbursement of your financial aid (except Work-Study). Refer to the University Billing Office Financial Aid Disbursement web page for more detailed information.

The University Billing Office will apply your financial aid funds to your University Bill (Ubill) when the funds are released to them by the Office of Student Financial Aid. This process begins on the first day of classes. Prior session charges must be paid before financial aid funds can be released.

If part of your financial aid package includes loans, check ISIS to see if you need to complete a promissory note and/or entrance counseling. These must be completed before your loan funds will be disbursed. When in ISIS, be sure you select the appropriate session (i.e., Fall 2012, Spring 2013). Click on the heading Student Records. Under the Financial Aid heading, click on Loan Document Status.

If you are receiving a privately-funded scholarship (i.e. Rotary Foundation) and the funds are not reflected on your U-bill, contact the donor. Inform them that you have received your U-bill and ask if they need additional information to disburse the scholarship funds (PDF form).

U-bills are generated on the first working day of each month and are available on ISIS. Tuition for the summer session will be billed in June, fall session in August, winter in December and spring in January. In addition to showing tuition and fee charges, these U-bills will show an estimate of all of your approved financial aid (except Work-Study). If part of your aid includes scholarships and grants, they will be used before any loans to pay for contract charges. Any excess financial aid (any financial aid over and above what is used for contract charges on your bill) will be refunded to you by the University Billing Office beginning the first day of class.

In accordance with federal regulations, University of Iowa policy requires that all excess financial aid refunds and all other credit balances from your U-bill be electronically deposited to the financial institution account of your choice. This policy also covers refunds from PLUS loans to parents. Parent PLUS loan borrowers should print the form from the University Billing Office web site. For prompt refund processing, it is important that you sign on to ISIS and provide your bank account information into the secure ISIS portal. Electronic refunds will be processed daily and in your account within two days. If you do not provide your financial institution information, your excess refund could be delayed up to 14 days.

You can also authorize the University Billing Office to pay for any other current session charges before any amount is refunded. This authorization form (PDF form) can be printed from the University Billing Office web site. Sign and return the authorization form to the University Billing Office, Room 5 Calvin Hall.

You may contact the University Billing Office at:

The University of Iowa, Office of Student Financial Aid
208 Calvin Hall, Iowa City, IA, 52242-1315
financial-aid@uiowa.edu, 319-335-1450
Fax 319-335-3060