Students who have satisfied all of the predisbursement requirements for the financial aid awards that have been accepted will usually receive their financial aid disbursement within one week after the Add/Drop deadline. Award requirements can be viewed in the To Dos list on home.apu.edu and must be completed before aid will be disbursed. For those students receiving awards from outside organizations, any additional requirements will be communicated directly to the student from the awarding agency. Once APU has received confirmation from the awarding agency that the requirements have been met, the financial aid will be disbursed.

Disbursement Delays

Students should refer to their To Dos list and ensure that all financial-aid-related items have been completed. Below are some common reasons that lead to delays in financial aid disbursement. 

Enrollment

Students are required to maintain a minimum level of enrollment and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order for many types of financial aid to be disbursed. If you are enrolled less than half-time and have questions about how your level of enrollment may affect your ability to receive a financial aid disbursement, contact the Student Services Center.

Verification

Every year the Federal Student Aid program randomly selects a predetermined percentage (usually around 30 percent) of all Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications for a process called verification. Students may also be selected at the discretion of Student Financial Services. Federal regulations require collecting documentation from the student and family, if applicable, to confirm the accuracy of information reported on the FAFSA. This can include tax transcripts, information about family size, and more. In addition to individuals selected for verification, institutions are required to request further documentation when a FAFSA application and/or subsequent paperwork appears to have incomplete, inaccurate, or conflicting information. APU graduate and professional students will not be packaged for federal, state, and/or institutional need-based aid until all required verification paperwork has been submitted. Students can submit documentation via a secure online portal.

Accepting Aid

APU requires active confirmation from a student (or parent) informing us of how much you intend to borrow on a federal loan (Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, or Direct PLUS). This confirmation is required before we can begin processing your loan.

Students who elect to receive federal loans must take action by accepting their loans at home.apu.edu. Parents intending to borrow for their dependent student must submit an online Parent PLUS Loan application. For more information about receiving your federal loans, visit the Student Services Center website.

Loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note

First time Direct Loan borrowers will need to complete Loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note. For detailed information and to complete these requirements, students and parents should visit the Federal Student Aid website.

Missing Signatures

Before your financial aid is processed and ready to disburse, you’ll need to provide all required signatures. Students must sign their completed financial aid applications. Students who are determined to be dependent students based on their financial aid application must also have a parent sign their completed financial aid application.

Students with additional questions about why aid has not disbursed should contact the Student Services Center at ssc@apu.edu or (626) 815-2020.

Credit Balances

If there is a credit balance on a student account after financial aid has been disbursed, that student may be eligible for a refund. Keep in mind that some types of financial aid, or other credits, can only pay for charges and are unable to be refunded directly to a student. 

For those students who receive a refund, they will be sent via printed check or direct deposit. Students wishing to receive their refunds quicker should elect to enroll in direct deposit.

In the event of a deceased student, APU will conduct a full evaluation of the student account and make appropriate adjustments to financial aid and student charges. If a credit balance remains after this point, this balance will be refunded to the student directly.