Financial Aid Disbursements & Refunds

How to access your financial aid account in myLonestar

You can always view your current status in myLoneStar

1. Login to myLoneStar
   
2. Click on My Student Center 
   
   
3. Click View Financial Aid
4. Select the current year to view your Financial Aid Information

View complete instructions for accessing your financial aid in myLoneStar

Need more help?  Visit the Student Help Center in myLoneStar at Student Help Center > How to documents

If you need to complete a loan application, click here.

Disbursements

LSCS will not disburse financial aid until all verification is complete. If a student is awarded financial aid prior to the payment deadline the aid should show online as a pending credit. The total amount of financial aid is generally credited to the student bill in two installments (half in the fall semester and half in the spring semester). Grants, loans and installment payments credited to student accounts will be applied to all outstanding tuition charges before refunds are generated. Students are issued refunds if the credited financial aid is more than the charges.

1. Students who have been awarded Federal PELL Grant before the first day of classes will be able to retain their classes without payment until the Official Day of Record for the term, provided that the student's tuition and fee debt is less than, or equal to, the amount awarded. Payment will automatically be made to the Business Office on the Official Day of Record.
2. If the student's tuition and/or fee debt is more than the award for the term the student must make that payment on or before the payment due date listed in the Schedule of Classes for the term.
3. Students who are awarded Federal PELL Grant after the start of classes for the term will be award based on their enrollment level on:
   1. the student's Official Day of Record or,
   2. the date their file is completed in the financial aid office, whichever is later
      

Outside scholarships will not be credited to a student's account until the check arrives at the college. Scholarship balance refunds are issued to students according to the donor's specifications.

Prior Year Delinquencies

Current year financial aid disbursements may be reduced by up to $200 to cover a delinquent balance due to the college for charges from a prior year.  This recovery will be posted to a student’s account prior to the refunding of excess financial aid and may reduce the amount of the refund that a student receives.

Grant and LSCS Scholarship Refunds

Financial aid refunds generally occur during the fourth week of each semester if all paperwork has been submitted in a timely fashion, and the student is registered for the amount of hours used to determine financial aid eligibility. Students who enroll in late-start classes (flex/mini-term) will be mailed the check or ACH for the balance (if any), to their mailing address approximately two weeks after the Official Day of Record for the late start class.

30 Day Waiting Period

LSCS cannot disburse loan funds until after the 30th class day. If multiple disbursements are required within one term (i.e. one term only loan), the secondary disbursement will be released after the midpoint of the semester has passed. Tuition, fees, or other allowable institutional charges remaining from the beginning of the semester will be deducted from loan proceeds and the remaining balance will be transmitted via a paper check or direct deposit (go to myLoneStar for more information). Funds will be mailed to the address on file with the Admissions Department.

Flex/Mini-term Classes

Students who enroll in late-start classes (flex/mini-term) will not have their funds released until approximately two weeks after the Official Day of Record of the class with the latest start date. Please contact the Financial Aid Department for specific information regarding late-start classes.

Dropping Courses

If a student drops below six credit hours, any portion of the loan that has not been released will be cancelled and the lender will be notified that the student is no longer enrolled at least half-time. Students are required to complete an Exit interview if this occurs.

Students who apply for loans will have their eligibility and enrollment level based on the date the loan is certified and again the date the check is released. Students who change enrollment to a level below half time, or who fail to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress after the loan is certified will have their loans cancelled.

Review Return of Title IV for more information.

Book Advances

Your financial aid file must be processed and you must be eligible for financial aid to receive book advance funds. Please be aware that book advances are only for books and supplies.

A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from a Lone Star College System affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Refund Policy

The refund policy for Lone Star College is based upon the assumption that student tuition and fees provide only a portion of the actual incurred costs to provide educational opportunities. When a student enrolls in a class a place is reserved which cannot be given to another student. This represents a significant cost to LSCS whether or not class enrollment is continued.

Title IV (Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, and Direct Loans) recipients are subject to a different policy upon complete withdrawal of classes. Refunds for tuition are processed from Lone Star College System four to six weeks after the official day of record. Refunds for courses scheduled outside the sessions listed in this section will be made on a prorated basis in accordance with the refund policy.

Semester Length Courses Fall and Spring Semesters
Prior to the first calendar day of the semester	100% refund
During the first 15 calendar days of the semester	70% refund
During the 16th through 20th calendar days of the semester	25% refund
After the 20th calendar day of the semester	No refund

Six-Week Summer Semester
Prior to the first calendar day of the semester	100% refund
During the first five calendar days of the semester	70% refund
During the sixth and seventh calendar days of the semester	25% refund
After the seventh calendar day of the semester	No refund