<p>I wanted to buy my books ahead of time, but I’m unsure on how to do so using my financial aid money? Or is the money available until we start school? Also does this limit us to only being able to buy books from the college bookstore? I need more info on how this works. Thanks 
.</p>
<p>good question! thanks for bringing that up. I’d like to know as well :)</p>
<p>I’d like to know about that as well.</p>
<p>Financial aid is typically disbursed to your account a week before school starts. You will only receive the financial aid that remains after payment of fees a few days before school starts, though (Fall quarter, it’s the 19th.). So, there really isn’t much time between receiving your remaining financial aid and classes starting. Working this in to how you pay for books and when you buy them is up to you.</p>
<p>…you get a check.</p>
<p>…unless you are set up for direct deposit.</p>
<p>…obviously.</p>
<p>Financial Aid disbursements this year are on Sept 12, Dec 30, and March 23. The tricky part is not the books… but the Housing. </p>
<p>Housing payments are due on Sept 15, Dec 15, and March 15. So… you might be fine for September… but you will have to come up with some cash Dec 15 and March 15.</p>
<p>could someone please explain what direct deposit is and how it works?</p>
<p>Direct deposit means that the college will send the money directly into your checking account. To set it up you usually have to provide a voided check so that the college can get your banking information, but I haven’t set it up with UCD so I’m not sure if they need the voided check or have another way of doing it.</p>
<p>You can set it up here: <a href=“https://accounting.ucdavis.edu/DirectDeposit/[/url]”>https://accounting.ucdavis.edu/DirectDeposit/</a></p>
<p>Go on amazon or half.com and look for your books there. Or check out [Uloop</a> - UC Davis Classifieds - Jobs, Apartments, Textbooks, Carpools, Roommates, Tickets, Furniture, Scholarships, Travel](<a href=“http://ucdavis.uloop.com/main/]Uloop”>Resource Hub for UC Davis Students | Uloop) </p>
<p>I’m setting up a DD account as well. Just makes things easier.</p>
<p>If you have financial aid through the school to pay for housing the due date for paying doesn’t matter. UCD knows you’re getting it and it will be reflected in your account prior to the start of each quarter. The actual disbursement date, even if after the housing due date is a bookkeeping entry that will be reflected in your UCD accounts.</p>