Does a small summer semester balance prevent fall semester aid from disbursing?

Paying for College
1

I have a small balance on my student account for books from my summer semester classes.
Ive been registered for Fall 2017 classes since before registering for summer classes.
My summer aid paid my summer tuition but I charged books after my balance was paid.
The tuition and fee charges for Fall 2017 appeared on my account at the beginning of July.
The summer balance from books is $300.
The upcoming Fall semester tuition and fee balance added to that for a total of $4700.
My question is: Will my Fall semester financial aid disburse (as it usually does) the week before fall semester start spring August 21 even with a small summer balance as a part of it?
The way I see it is, I have a balance total of $4700, $300 of which is from the completed summer semester.

I usually charge my textbooks to my account before every fall semester while the fall tuition balance is on my account and my anticipated financial aid always takes of the balance even when I have one from fall semester books I’ve charged before my anticipated aid hits my account.

I’m just wondering if I have to pay my summer balance before my Fall aid can disburse. Like I said, I usually always have a balance of books before my aid disburses every fall anyway. I just need to know if having a balance from summer will prevent my aid from paying th summer balance ALONG with the fall tuition balance.

2

How would we know this? Ask your college about the unpaid bill for books for the previous term.

Some schools won’t disburse aid if you owe from a previous term.

3

Schools are not allowed to use aid from 2017-2018 award year to pay off bills from 2016-2017 award year (it’s allowed between terms, but not between award years). Talk to your school to find out what you need to do.

4

The aid might disburse for fall but if you have a balance from summer you might be dropped from your classes if it’s not paid.

Did you work this summer? Why not pay for the books now?

If your aid for fall is more than the fall charges you will get a refund later.

If you don’t have a job, see if you can mow grass and run errands for some neighbors to earn the money.

5

The school may automatically un-register you for the classes your already registered for fall if there is an outstanding balance. Can you borrow $300 from your parents and pay the balance asap? Or a grandparent?

6

My school’s student accounts office responded to my question with:

You will still be able to charge your Fall books to your account, and it will not impact your financial aid disbursement. I would just recommend that you either pay your Summer balance now, or go ahead and pay it with your Fall refund. As a side note, we cannot automatically use your Fall refund money to pay past due balances.

7

^ There should be an option on your portal to allow them to use your Title IV funds for past charges. It is not automatic because, per fed regulations, you have to authorize it.

8

Not possible if it’s in excess of $200 … per federal regs.

9

^ hmm well hopefully he only has to pay $100 out of pocket then