Bookstore Credit

ABOUT BOOKSTORE CREDIT

You may be eligible to receive a credit to purchase your books and other school supplies at the University Bookstore.

To be eligible for a Bookstore Credit, you must have financial aid funds scheduled for disbursement greater than the cost of tuition and fees, housing and your meal plan (if applicable.)

If you chose to use your refund/credit at the University Bookstore, you are authorizing the use of Title IV funds to pay for your books/school supplies. 

If you choose not to purchase your books using a Bookstore Credit, your full refund will be dispersed to you directly.

THE BASICS

• Maximum Amount Available: up to $600 per semester.
• Must have an anticipated financial aid refund.
• The bookstore credit will become available 10 days before the start of the semester. 
• Financial aid refunds are processed 7 days before first day of the semester and will continue throughout the semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays thereafter. Because of this, only first time freshman undergraduates will continue to be able to purchase books through two weeks after the start of the semester.  All other undergraduates and graduate students will be able to purchase books for the semester once their refund has been processed.  

THE DETAILS

If you have completed the financial aid process, you have the ability to use a portion of your financial aid refund to make textbook purchases at the University bookstore. To be eligible for a bookstore credit, all students must have financial aid funds scheduled for disbursement greater than their semester charges.

Students must have:

• Registered for at least 6 credit hours.
• Completed the Authorization of Title IV Aid questions in JagApp.
• Completed entrance counseling (if receiving loans).
• If receiving loans, applications must be processed to the point of approval/guarantee and awaiting disbursement (promissory note complete, etc.).
• Have anticipated financial aid exceeding institutional charges.

Below is an example of how the bookstore credit amount is determined. The financial aid office conducts a review of the aforementioned requirements. Any approved refund, not to exceed $600, will be available as a bookstore credit. If the student is eligible for the bookstore credit, he/she will receive an e-mail notification from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships indicating the amount of the credit and the dates the student is able to utilize this option. Students may then purchase their books online. Detailed instructions will be provided in the notification.This bookstore credit is only available for a limited time period prior to the start of each semester. Typically, this time period runs from the date tuition charges are placed on a students account to the day before refunds are processed. Purchases with the bookstore credit become charges on student accounts. After the credit period has closed, the students refundwill be processed as normal. (See the examples below.) A student is not required to take advantage of this bookstore credit. If a student chooses not to purchase his/her books with this credit, no action is necessary on his/her part and the full amount of the normal refund will be processed.

EXAMPLE 1

Student Charges	$5,000
Approved Financial Aid	$6,100
Available Bookstore Credit	$   600

 

EXAMPLE 2

Student Charges	$4,500
Approved Financial Aid	$4,700
Available Bookstore Credit	$   200

 

NOTE: If the student does not enroll in the upcoming semester, or otherwise becomes ineligible for all or part of their financial aid package, the student will be responsible for repaying the amount of anticipated aid used to purchase text books.