<p>Anyone know how this works together for tuition, dorm, meal plan etc? I called and my Mom called, it really wasn't explained - we were just told that I might be getting money back at the beginning of each semester.</p>
<p>My understanding is that they apply the Bright Futures to tuition and the FL Prepaid to your account for any other remaining expenses.</p>
<p>Prepaid gets to your account first. Then Bright Futures. If you have a credit balance you get the choice of a check, or go into secure apps and fill out the form for the direct deposit into your banking account. Within 2 days of the Bright Futures money being paid to FSU, any excess is applied to any balance you have then remaining money is deposited into the bank account. Waiting for a check takes 2-3 weeks.</p>
<p>Ok, so prepaid first.</p>
<p>I bank at Regions and Bank of America, do I have to have a Suntrust Acct for a refund to go into an account? Isn’t that what the FSUCard is connected to, Suntrust?</p>
<p>Yes you need a Suntrust account (its free), but having one and linking it to your FSU card is handy. Your FSU card can work as a Suntrust debit card ANYWHERE that has a pin pad (fast food, mall, etc, not just at FSU. And you can get a Suntrust visa debit card if you want want that works anywhere that does not have a pin pad. If you get a Suntrust visa debit BE SURE TO TELL THEM YOU WANT IT TO DECLINE IF YOU GO OVER YOUR BALANCE. If you don’t you can rack up $40 charges when you go over by 2 cents.</p>
<p>So it’s more than just a FSUCard, it’s like any debit card. Good point about declining if there’s not funds in the account, I’ll do that. The last thing I want to do is call my parents and tell them I have a “banking” problem. Thanks for that information, it’s very helpful.</p>
<p>Your FSU card also has a smart-chip, you can load $5-10 bucks on it for vending machines, copy machines, and laundry. If you loose your card, you loose any chip money so most folks only put on a MAX of $20 on the chip. You load the chip at machines that are all over. There is one in each dorm, and in a variety of other locations. Search for a map at FSU.edu. That is separate from the debit part. There is a set of symbols on the back that lets you know which debit networks you can use, but mostly it is any where you can swipe and put in a PIN.</p>
<p>Ok that’s what I remembered when I toured Wildwood. The student taking us on tour showed us how the card worked in the laundry room, which is why I was kinda confused about it being a debit card too. That’s got to be some card! lol So this FSUCard can also being a Visa debit card, or is the Visa debit card a separate card with the Suntrust logo? Thanks again.</p>
<p>The laundry thing is entirely separate. Your card acts as a bank debit card as sunnyflorida told you, but it also has a chip on it (think of it like a floppy disk) that you can use on campus vending machines and the laundry machines. Again, this is entirely separate of your bank account. You have to add money to your card using a cash to card machine (located in the library and by each laundry room).</p>
<p>Your FSUCard acts as a bank debit card, but most people use the Visa Debit card which is different than your FSUCard, but does the same thing. The only difference is, as SunnyFlorida said, it is accepted at more locations. Bank debit cards are not accepted in nearly as many places as VISA.</p>
<p>Ok. To clarify, the FSUCard is the laundry card, which can be used as a debit card within limits. You use your Visa or a Visa debit card for the movies, mall stores etc. - where Visa is accepted. I got it, thanks. :)</p>
<p>How do we get the suntrust bak account?</p>
<p>I would think we’d go to a local branch of Suntrust and open the account and have the FSUCard linked to it - but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>I’m sure we’ll find out at orientation. At least I hope so! :)</p>
<p>There is a branch on campus, just down from where you get your FSU card. And there are ATMs all over campus. It is easiest to open the account AT THE FSU LOCATION to activate the FSU card as the debit card. It is not a VISA debit card. That is a card Suntrust gives you and can be used BOTH where you can use a debit PIN card or where they take only CHARGE cards and not debit PIN cards. You use it like a charge card, but in actuality it is taking the money out of your bank account. The FSU card can be activated with a Suntrust account so it can be use at your ATM debit card and can be used to pay for things ANYWHERE there is a PIN pad that takes debit cards. Just can’t be used where they only take charge cards. It is a little safer to carry around a debit card because no one can use it if they don’t know your PIN. The Suntrust Visa debit card can be swiped and signed by anyone. And that puts your checking account at more risk. You can have both, but having the FSU card tied to a checking account means you can carry your FSU card an a key and not have to carry any more with you, and you have access to your account.</p>
<p>Won’t that be a little crazy opening an acct during orientation, won’t everyone be there doing the same thing? Can you open it earlier? </p>
<p>I remember we checked the “set up refund account through a Suntrust Acct / FSUCard” in the online status check site. Maybe that’ll make it a quicker process while there. :)</p>
<p>The FSUCard has your picture (and signature) on it right?</p>
<p>The bank is prepared to be busy during orientation. If you are checking into the dorm the evening before the first full day of orientation, go to get the FSU card and open the bank account before you check into the dorm. Or get up early the first or second morning and get the FSU care and open the account. If you are going with a parent, get a parent to wait in line and call you on your cell when they are close. It can be done.</p>
<p>Bottom line, you have to have the FSUCard before you can open that branch account right?</p>
<p>You can get the FSUCard before orientation?? We’re going up early day, hours before the 7 pm check in, so I can do this before we check in?</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate your help!</p>
<p>^ When I asked earlier, they said we couldn’t get the FSUCard before orientation, but they might have meant before orientation sessions start (and I believe they started this week).</p>
<p>you are definitely aloud to get your card before orientation as long as you have been accepted</p>
<p>Unless things have changed you can get an FSU card starting the day you pay your tuition deposit. As long as the FSU card center is open, you have been accepted, and you have paid a deposit… You can go to Preview and get your FSU card.</p>
<p>“Unless things have changed you can get an FSU card starting the day you pay your tuition deposit”</p>
<p>Things have changed, apparently. They didn’t let any of the incoming freshmen get their FSU cards at preview (I asked since a couple of people here said I could). I emailed to ask when we could, and I could a response saying that we could only get them when orientation started.</p>