How & When Financial Aid is Paid
Paying Tuition
Your tuition and fee charges will be paid if you have authorized financial aid available on your account. Please check your MyValley account to determine if your financial aid has been authorized to your account. Go to MyValley, then Quick Links, then View or Pay Tuition. If your authorized financial aid does not fully cover your charges, you will need to pay your balance or enroll in a payment plan by the tuition due date or your classes may be dropped. Please review the class schedule to determine semester tuition dates.
If your tuition and fees are paid, and your financial aid award is greater than the amount of your tuition and fees paid, this will result in a credit balance on your student account. This balance will be disbursed to you in the form of a KVCC bookstore authorization and/or a credit balance/refund. Depending on when the credit balance occurs, this will determine if you are eligible for an authorization and/or a credit balance/refund.
Summer 2026 Semester
The earliest date your credit balance/refund could be available to you is Friday, June 5, 2026. For more accurate disbursement information based on your class start dates, please see the Summer 2026 Financial Aid Disbursement Information & Important Dates.
Fall 2026 Semester
The earliest date your credit balance/refund could be available to you is Friday, October 2, 2026. For more accurate disbursement information based on your class start dates, please see the Fall 2026 Financial Aid Disbursement Information & Important Dates.
Winter 2027 Semester
The earliest date your credit balance/refund could be available to you is Friday, February 5, 2026. For more accurate disbursement information based on your class start dates, please see the Winter 2027 Financial Aid Disbursement Information & Important Dates.
Buying Books with Financial Aid Funds
If you have a credit balance on your account, a book and supply authorization up to a maximum of $725, or the balance of your award, whichever is less, will usually be available the week before the semester starts and continuing midway through the third week of the semester. Book and supply authorizations can only be used for books and supplies needed for your coursework. This does not include the purchase of food, clothing, cards, etc. Book authorizations are available only at the KVCC Campus Bookstore during the following time period:
- 2026 Summer Semester: May 1, 2026 - May 28, 2026
- 2026 Fall Semester: August 31, 2026 - October 1, 2026
- 2027 Winter Semester: January 2, 2027 - February 4, 2027
If you have classes that start during different weeks in the semester, you may not have sufficient funds to buy your books for your classes during the time authorizations are available. You should contact the Financial Aid Office for other options.
Buying Bus Pass with Financial Aid Funds
Metro Transit Bus Pass Information
Kalamazoo Valley students who frequently utilize the Metro Transit for transportation are eligible to purchase a bus pass that provides unlimited access to rides throughout the duration of the semester using financial aid.
To request use of financial aid to obtain your pass, complete the Financial Aid Bus Pass Authorization form during the timeframes listed below:
- Fall: September 1st through September 30th - pass expires December 31st
- Winter: January 1st through January 31st - pass expires April 30th
- Summer: May 1st through May 31st - pass expires August 31st
Visit Metro Transit Bus Pass Information webpage for more information
Credit Balance/Refunds
Credit balance/refunds are run weekly and are available on Fridays beginning the fourth week of the semester. A credit balance/refund will be available if you have financial aid funds remaining after your tuition, fees, and book and supply authorization have been deducted. Financial aid refunds are issued after financial aid eligibility has been reviewed and your instructors have verified that you have met their class attendance standards. Changes in enrollment status due to dropping classes, withdrawing after the refund period or not meeting class attendance standards, may result in refund delays or a reduction in your financial aid, which may result in you repaying financial aid and/or tuition or book costs.
Financial Aid Disbursement
You must meet class attendance standards before federal financial aid disburses to your account. Class attendance standards include participation as defined by each instructor. Financial aid pays to your account when classes start and after class attendance standards have been verified. For example, if you registered for 6 credit hours and have 3 credits which begin at the start of the semester and 3 credits which start later in the semester (ex. late September or mid October), your classes will be held, but financial aid will only disburse based on the amount eligible at 3 credits until your attendance standards can be verified in your remaining 3 credits. For loan borrowers, this means loans will not disburse until attendance in all 6 credits can be verified, which could mean a loan disbursement in mid November for fall semester, mid March for winter semester, and mid June/July for summer semester.
Student Choice Refunds
Kalamazoo Valley Community College has partnered with Nelnet Business Solutions, a leading provider of campus commerce for higher education, to offer an easy way to get your refund each semester if money is due back to you. The best part is you get to choose how we send you your refund. The three options are:
- Direct Deposit – Simply provide your bank account information and we’ll deposit your refund directly into that account. (You can use your Higher One account if you have an existing Higher One card.)
- Prepaid Debit Cards – We can load your refund to any reloadable debit card.
- Paper Check – We can mail a paper check to the address on file with the college. Please be sure the college has your current address.
If you have any questions about how the refund process works, contact the Pay Station at paystation@kvcc.edu or 269-488-4162.