What is a Refund?

A refund is issued when the total payments and/or financial aid on your student account exceed your current charges.

Common reasons for a refund:

  • Financial aid or loan disbursements
  • Overpayments on your account
  • Adjustments to tuition, fees, or enrollment

How Refunds Are Issued

Preferred Method: Direct Deposit

  • Funds are deposited directly into your U.S. checking or savings account
  • This is the fastest and most secure method

👉 Action Required:
Set up or update your direct deposit in DukeHub (Financials tab)

When Will You Receive Your Refund

Financial Aid Refunds

  • Begin on the first day of classes
  • Continue throughout the semester as aid is applied

Overpayment Refunds

  • Processed no sooner than:
    • 10 business days after the credit appears

After Processing

  • Direct deposit typically arrives within 2–5 business days
  • You will receive an email notification from Employee Travel and Reimbursement when your refund is issued

Important Information

  • Refunds are issued after all current charges are paid
  • Refunds are typically issued to the student, except:
    • Parent PLUS loans → refunded to parent
    • Sponsor payments → may be returned to the source
    • International payments (Flywire/Convera) → Overpayments from international payment providers will be returned to the original payer.
    • 529 payments → held for future terms
  • Federal (Title IV) aid refunds are subject to federal regulations and may change if enrollment is adjusted.

Credit Balances and Future Charges

In some cases, a credit balance may remain on your account and be applied toward future charges.

  • This may occur when:
    • You are enrolled in an upcoming term
    • The credit results from certain payment types or timing 

What May Delay Your Refund

Your refund may be delayed if:

  • Financial aid has not been fully disbursed
  • Previous request made to hold the credit
  • Financial Aid/VA approval needed
  • Required loan documents are incomplete
  • Your enrollment status changes
  • A recent check payment has not cleared
  • There are outstanding charges on your account

Special Situations

  • Funds sent to Duke for non-billed expenses (e.g., rent/living expenses) should be sent directly to you
  • Duke cannot transfer funds on behalf of a third party

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to request a refund?

No. Refunds are automatically issued when a credit balance is available.

How can I track my refund?

Log in to DukeHub and review your account activity.

What is the fastest way to receive my refund?

Direct deposit is the fastest method and typically delivers funds within a few business days.

What should I do if I haven’t received my refund?

  1. Check your direct deposit setup
  2. Review your account activity
  3. Confirm no holds or outstanding charges exist
  4. Look for email from Employee Travel and Reimbursement
  5. Contact the Bursar’s Office

Contact Us

Bursar’s Office
📧 Email: bursar@duke.edu
📞 Phone: 919-684-3531

We’re here to help with any questions about your student account or refunds.

Application of Title IV Federal Financial Aid to Student Account Charges

Title IV federal financial aid funds include:

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal SEOG
  • Federal Subsidized or Unsubsidized Direct loans
  • Undergraduate PLUS loans
  • Graduate PLUS loans

The Department of Education requires that Title IV federal funds credited to your student account be applied to the following charges for the current year:

  • tuition and required fees, and
  • housing and meal plans if you live on campus or have a Duke meal plan

Without your prior approval, we are unable to use any excess title IV federal funds (funds that remain after the above charges have been paid) to cover non-qualifying fees for the current year such as parking permits, FLEX to Bursar charges or other miscellaneous fees and fines. In addition, the regulations do not allow us to apply excess Title IV funds to outstanding charges from prior school years even with your approval.

In order for us to apply excess title IV federal funds to non-qualifying fees for the current year, we must have permission from you in the form of a waiver; you can grant this waiver to us by visiting DukeHub and completing the waiver process, as follows:

  • Click the ‘Title IV Waiver’ button on the ‘Forms & Requests’ tab in DukeHub
  • Review the waiver agreement
  • Click ‘Next’
  • Check the box that indicates you have read the agreement, and click ‘Submit’
  • Upon completion, you will receive a message saying “Your permission form has been accepted.”
Example - Current year activity for fall term:
  Tuition, fees, room & board$
20,000.00
  Parking Permit 
200.00
  FLEX To Bursar 
1,000.00
Total Charges Due:$
21,200.00
Federal loan$
30,000.00

With your approval/waiver,

  • Your Federal loan funds will apply to all charges
  • The remaining excess $8,800 will be refunded to you
  • Your account balance for the current year will be zero after the refund is processed

Without your approval/waiver,

  • Your Federal loan will pay only your tuition, fees, and room & board of $20,000
  • $10,000 in excess Federal loan funds will be refunded to you
  • $1,200 in charges for current year non-qualifying fees will remain on your student account
  • You will be responsible for submitting a separate payment for these fees

New Federal Requirements for Direct Deposits Forwarded Overseas

There have been recent changes to the payment system rules for direct deposit based on guidelines issued by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control. Under the new regulations, if you are forwarding 100% of your direct deposit refund to a foreign financial institution, Duke must meet specific reporting requirements when sending your direct deposit. This regulation does not impact the amount of your payment.

We are required to comply with additional reporting standards if your refund is being sent to you via direct deposit at a U.S. financial institution, and you are transferring 100% of this payment outside the United States. If both of these conditions apply, please contact us so that we can review available options with you. Please call a student account analyst at 919-684-3531 to discuss further.

Please note that if you are not transferring 100% of your direct deposit refund, you are not impacted by this new regulation, and no action is required.