<p>I know this has been asked to death, but I'm still really confused about all of this.
1) what is "financial aid refund disbursement"?
2) how does that relate to BruinDirect?
3) do I need Bruindirect, and if not how would I get this "refund" thing?
4) I'm STILL not sure how we're supposed to pay tuition. Can we connect a checking account directly so we can make a deposit online? What about the loans/aid money, how is that given to us in time to pay tuition?
5) I have workstudy, but the first tuition payment is Sept. 20th, so how is that going to work?</p>
<p>I'm sorry if this sounds a bit frantic, but it starting to worry me. Any help would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Your financial aid will be given to you in disbursements to pay for your tuition.
- Any money left over after tuition is paid will be refunded to you.
- they money refunded to you is sent to your BruinDirect deposit account
- Bruindirect is how you get the refund
- you connect a checking account to your Bruindirect. Money for your tuition should be automatically taken out. Extra money will go to your checking account linked to BruinDirect, at which point you will use a check to pay for your housing (you can use credit card but they charge you a convenience fee)
- I have no idea. sorry</p>
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<p>I did all of this a long time ago and I just go with the flow now. So some of what I said may be wrong. You should wait for someone to confirm or correct me. I hope this is of some help</p>
<p>You can’t get work-study money until you secure a work-study job. It’s basically like a regular job and you’ll be paid bi-weekly. The total amount you make can’t exceed your work-study total (unless the employer has other funds).</p>
<p>Any financial aid and loans you get are automatically used to pay off the tuition and fees you owe (but not housing). Any funds you get in excess of tuition/fees gets refunded to you.</p>
<p>If you don’t have Bruin Direct, your financial aid refund is mailed to you as a check, which you would have to cash at a bank. Having it directly deposited is far more convenient.</p>
<p>Work study is just a program that pays part of your salary instead of the employer. This makes it easier for you to get a job, since employers won’t have to pay as much to hire you. If you don’t get a job, you don’t get any money from work study.</p>
<p>I think everyone else has pretty much answered your questions, but here’s a repost of a post I made awhile back about financial aid in general (<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-los-angeles/923461-applying-financial-aid-towards-housing.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-los-angeles/923461-applying-financial-aid-towards-housing.html</a>), with updates:</p>
<p>"Money —> BruinBill Account* (University fees and the like are paid automatically.)</p>
<p>Money Left over ----> Check Refund (mailed home) OR transferred to your personal checking (need BruinDirect** 4 this)…</p>
<p>Money from check / in account —> you use to pay for housing(that includes meals) online, books, party in the bahamas etc.</p>
<p>Here’s a visual version:
<a href=“http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/2719/56660277.jpg[/url]”>http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/2719/56660277.jpg</a> "</p>
<p>^ The picture references BAR account, that’s your BruinBill account. They changed the name of it this year and I’m too lazy to make a new diagram.
Also, about the check mailed home thing, I think you can get around that if you’ve changed your mailing address on URSA with sufficient time before disbursement, but don’t hold me to that. I don’t know anyone who gets their refund mailed.</p>
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<p>I think this year housing will be consolidated with university fees, so it may be different. Also, about the convenience fee (sort of) brosiedon mentioned, VISA has been stated to no longer be accepted. (I’mma miss all my reward points since all my cards are VISA >.> )</p>
<p>Slivercross, is it just VISA or are they not accepting anykind of credit cards?</p>
<p>From the housing email:</p>
<p>Account balances can be viewed at the My Housing web site by selecting the View Your Housing Account link.
Due to cost containment efforts, a percentage based convenience fee of 2.75% will be required for credit card payments once Housing transitions to the BruinBill. Visa regulations regarding convenience fees will prohibit UCLA from accepting Visa as a payment type; however, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express will still be accepted at UCLA. For more information, please visit the Student Financial Services web site at [Student</a> Financial Services | Home](<a href=“http://www.sfs.finance.ucla.edu%5DStudent”>http://www.sfs.finance.ucla.edu).</p>
![http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/2719/56660277.jpg[/url]](http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/2719/56660277.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
