Disbursing Financial Aid

Financial Aid and Enrollment Services begins disbursing federal, state and institutional aid just prior to the first day of class for each semester. Students must be enrolled for the required number of hours as budgeted before aid will be disbursed. You must accept your financial aid awards through ASAP and have completed any actions required to complete your financial aid file before funds will be disbursed to your student account. This includes ensuring you have no financial aid holds or outstanding requirements.

It is vital that you frequently check your email and ASAP account. Emails are sent to students' preferred email accounts as indicated on ASAP to inform you of updates and notifications of outstanding requirements. You may also check your financial aid status on ASAP. View our tutorials for guidance on how to navigate ASAP for financial aid.

If you are a first-time freshman, please note that final high school transcripts must be received and processed by admissions in order for financial aid to disburse.

Disbursement Dates
Enrollment Requirements for Disbursement
Refunds & Checking if your Financial Aid has Paid on ASAP
Adding Money to your UTSA ID Card
Using Financial Aid to Pay for Housing

Disbursement Dates:

The earliest any funds will be disbursed to your student account is 10 days prior to the start of each semester. Funds will not be disbursed to your account until you have accepted your award and you have a complete financial aid file. Provided files are complete and there are no outstanding holds or requirements, funds are disbursed as follows:

Grants

Federal PELL Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, TPEG Grant and Institutional Grants (such as UTSA Grant) - automatic disbursement begins 10 days prior the start of each semester.
TEXAS Excellence/State Grants - automatic disbursement for the fall term will begin after September 1st. Disbursement for the spring term will begin 10 days prior to the start of the semester.
TEACH Grant - disburses on Census Date of the term (see Academic Calendar for Census Date)

Loans

Stafford Loans - Disbursement begins 10 days prior to the start of each semester. Stafford Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note must be complete before disbursements will be issued for student loans.
B-on-Time Loan - will begin disbursements for the fall semester after September 1st. Funds are electronically applied to your student account after receipt from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). THECB only releases loan funds after the student has completed and returned the B-on-Time Promissory Note to the Coordinating Board. Spring disbursement should take place 10 days prior to the start of the spring term.
College Access Loans (CAL) -will begin disbursement for the fall semester after September 1st. You will be notified once the funds have been disbursed to your student account.
Perkins Loan - automatic disbursement begins 10 days prior to the start of each semester if you have completed the Perkins Promissory Note and Perkins Entrance Counseling.
Alternative Loans - automatic disbursement begins 10 days prior the start of each semester if you have completed the 3 disclosures to the borrower regarding their loan application, approval and acceptance status.

Scholarships

Scholarships - automatic disbursement begins 10 days prior to the start of classes unless otherwise stipulated by the donor or department. Some outside agency scholarships, such as San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP), disburse after Census Date.
Stipends - Stipends do not automatically disburse to your student account. Payments are paid by the individual departments giving the stipends and issued every two weeks through Fiscal Services.

Work-Study

Work-study is paid based on hours worked on the 1st and 15th of every month

Refunds & Checking if your Financial Aid has Paid on ASAP

All of the financial aid and scholarships listed above (with the exception of work-study) will be paid towards your tuition and fees and other education charges that appear on your student bill. If your financial aid is in excess of all student billing charges, the remaining amount will be refunded to the student.

Refunds appear as a "General Refund Account" on your billing statement and will be sent either via US Mail or direct deposit 3 business days after your account balance shows as zero. Refunds are not generated the same day your aid disburses. You can sign up for direct deposit on ASAP.

The mailing address as indicated on ASAP will be where Fiscal Services sends your refund. If it is not correct, checks will not be forwarded, but rather returned to UTSA and will have to be picked up by the student. If you did not receive an expected refund, email fiscalservices@utsa.edu.

Applying Financial Aid Funds to your UTSA Card

Prior to disbursement of your financial aid, you can apply up to $600 each semester to your UTSA Card, in $100 increments, as long as your financial aid exceeds the charges on your billing statement. You can begin applying financial aid to your UTSACard online approximately 30 days prior to the start of each semester. You simply log onto ASAP and select the following options in order: 'Student Services', 'UTSA Card', 'Add Money to Your UTSACard using Financial Aid'. You can then use the applied funds to purchase your books at the UTSA bookstore or any other place Rowdy Dollars are accepted.

Typically funds added to your UTSA Card appear within 90 minutes. The amount added will appear as a charge on your billing statement and will be deducted from your financial aid once it disburses.

Paying for Housing and Meal Plan Using Financial Aid

Meal Plan

Meal plan charges automatically appear on your student billing statement. Since it appears on your billing statement, financial aid will pay meal plan charges after tuition and fees if there is enough in financial aid to cover the charges.

Living at Chaparral Village or Laurel Oaks

If you live at Chaparral Village or Laurel Oaks, your housing charges automatically appear on your student billing statement on ASAP approximately a month prior to the start of the semester. Since it appears on your billing statement, financial aid will pay rent charges after tuition and fees if there is enough in financial aid to cover the charges.

Living at University Oaks or Chisholm Hall

If you live at University Oaks or Chisholm hall, your housing charges DO NOT automatically appear on your student billing statement on ASAP. This means if you have financial aid in excess of your tuition and fees and are issued a refund, you will be responsible for using your refund to pay your rent directly to University Oaks or Chisholm Hall. If you have financial aid in excess of your tuition and fee bill, you may charge rent (up to the amount of financial aid available) to your tuition and fee bill by contacting fiscalservices@utsa.edu.

Living Off Campus

If you live off campus, your housing charges DO NOT automatically appear on your student billing statement on ASAP. This means if you have financial aid in excess of your tuition and fees and are issued a refund, you will be responsible for using your refund to pay your rent directly to your landlord.