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Financial Aid Disbursement

TSU Student Aid – Disbursement Timeline & Requirements

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Receiving Process

How Does My Aid Get Disbursed?

Your federal financial aid is disbursed in two equal installments during the fall and spring semesters. Each term, aid is authorized to your student billing account before the semester begins. Stay informed about disbursement dates to ensure timely access to your grants, loans, and scholarships.


Your aid can only be disbursed if:

  1. You have no outstanding holds or requirements. You can always check requirements in MyTSU under Eligibility.
  2. You have been awarded and accepted your financial aid.
  3. All required promissory notes for your loans have been signed and loan counseling is complete.
  4. Your expected enrollment matches your actual enrollment. Aid is always packaged for full-time enrollment. Your budget and aid may need to be adjusted if you are less than full-time.
  5. The credits you are registered for count towards your aid eligibility. Courses may be excluded due to taking a graduate level course as an undergraduate student. 

How Does Adding and Dropping Courses Impact My Aid?

Your enrollment changes can impact your financial aid eligibility. TSU freezes aid eligibility on the official Census Date each term, determining the amount of aid you qualify for.

Stay Informed! Understand TSU policies on Census, Dropping Courses, Withdrawals, and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to ensure you meet financial aid requirements and maintain funding.

New Loan Proration Requirement
Beginning July 1, 2026, federal regulations require universities to reduce a student’s annual federal loan limit when the student is enrolled less than full-time. Previously, eligible students enrolled at least half-time could generally receive the full annual loan amount based on their grade level and dependency status. Under the new requirement, loan eligibility must now be adjusted in proportion to the student’s enrollment.
For example, an undergraduate student enrolled in the same number of hours during both the fall and spring semesters may generally receive the following percentage of the applicable annual loan limit:
For graduate and professional students, enrollment percentages will be calculated using the university’s established full-time enrollment standard for the applicable program. Because nine credit hours is generally considered full-time for graduate students, enrollment in six credit hours per semester may result in eligibility for approximately 67% of the applicable annual loan limit.
These percentages are examples only. Actual eligibility will be calculated using the total number of credit hours in which you are enrolled during the academic year compared with the number of hours required for full-time enrollment. Your eligibility may also be affected by your grade level, dependency status, cost of attendance, financial need, remaining aggregate loan eligibility, and other financial assistance.
 
Students must continue to be enrolled at least half-time to receive a federal Direct Loan:
Students enrolled below half-time are not eligible to receive a federal Direct Subsidized or Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
 
Changes to Enrollment Before Disbursement
The university must verify your enrollment before each loan disbursement. If you reduce your enrollment before a scheduled disbursement, your loan eligibility may be recalculated, and the amount of your upcoming disbursement may be reduced or canceled.
Please review your financial obligations carefully before dropping a course. A reduction in your federal loan eligibility could create or increase an outstanding balance on your student account.

 

How Does Financial Aid Work With Billing?

Financial aid disbursed to your student account pays your tuition and other university fees first. If the amount of your aid is greater than the eligible charges on your student account, the difference will be refunded to you by the Student Accounting Office. The Student Accounting Office is responsible for processing refunds from a student's account once financial aid has been applied. If you have questions about your bill or your refund, please contact the  Student Accounting Office.

Students who receive money from Federal Work-Study programs are paid wages for the hours worked during the pay period. These funds do not go toward paying student tuition and charges. Federal Work-Study funds are paid out through a regular paycheck which comes from the Payroll Department.
 

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Take charge of your financial aid experience by checking your MyTSU Portal frequently and reviewing emails for important updates or requests. Stay proactive to ensure you meet deadlines and provide any required information.

Need Help? Contact Us! Phone: (713) 313-7802 | 713-313-1859 (Fax)  Email: financialaid@tsu.edu  Visit Us: Bell Building - 1st Floor Texas Southern University | 3100 Cleburne Street Houston, TX 77004

Our team is here to assist you—call, email, or stop by with any questions!