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Financial aid

Has anyone received their refund yet? My student’s has been stuck as “Applied to Account” since 1/3, with no holds or priority tasks. How long does it usually take to move from that status to being issued?

If your student's refund status has been stuck as 'Applied to Account' since January 3, it is likely due to the timing of the semester start. ASU began releasing disbursements during the week of January 5, 2026, and refunds are processed shortly after that.

Refund Processing Timeline

Once financial aid is applied and a credit balance is created, the timeline for refunds is as follows:

  • Move to 'Refund' Status: Typically takes 1-2 business days after the aid is applied.
  • Direct Deposit: Funds are usually deposited within 2-4 business days after being processed as a web refund.
  • Paper Check: If direct deposit is not set up, checks are mailed and generally arrive within 7-10 business days.
Why It Might Feel 'Stuck'

The status may feel stagnant due to ASU's policy that financial aid refunds become available no sooner than three days before the semester starts. For Spring 2026, classes began on January 12, 2026, and many students reported updates to their refund status around that time. You can check the Financial Aid Tracker and Refunds section on My ASU for updates or contact the Student Accounts/Bursar's Office for assistance.

Recent questions at Arizona State University

Anonymous
•This response has been verified in line with school guidance.
Dining

Can we cancel a meal plan mid year? Is that possible? My daughter is moving off -campus

Cancelling a meal plan at Arizona State University (ASU) mid-year is contingent upon specific conditions related to housing status.

Eligibility for Cancellation Your daughter must first be officially released from her University Housing License Agreement to cancel her meal plan. This process involves submitting a License Agreement Release (LAR) request through her MyASU Housing portal.

Key Policies

  • Meal plan purchases are generally final and non-refundable unless the student withdraws or is released from housing.
  • If cancellation is approved, refunds are typically prorated based on the number of days the meal plan was available.
  • Requests submitted before the semester's tuition refund deadline may incur prorated charges, while those submitted later may require full payment plus a $500 cancellation fee.
Next Steps To initiate the cancellation process, your daughter should:
  • Log into her MyASU Housing portal to submit the LAR request.
  • Contact Sun Devil Dining at SunDevilDining@gmail.com or call 480-727-3463 for further inquiries regarding her meal plan balance and potential exceptions.
For detailed information on charges and deadlines, refer to the ASU Schedule of Charges and Deadlines.
Anonymous
•This response has been verified in line with school guidance.
Parking

Do freshmen usually bring a car or no? And if they were to bring a car, can they get a parking pass on-campus?

At Arizona State University (ASU), freshmen are permitted to bring a car to campus, although the university promotes sustainable transportation options such as free inter-campus shuttles and light rail services.

Parking Pass Eligibility

Any student registered for classes in good standing can purchase a parking permit. This includes freshmen who wish to have their vehicles on campus.

How to Obtain a Parking Pass

To acquire a parking permit, students must:

  • Be officially enrolled in classes.
  • Log in to the ASU Transportation Account using their ASURITE ID.
  • Select the appropriate permit type:
  • Residence Hall Permits: For students living on campus needing overnight parking, available for purchase in mid-July.
  • Commuter Permits: For off-campus students, allowing daytime parking but generally not overnight.
  • Enter vehicle information, as ASU utilizes virtual permits linked to license plates.
  • Complete payment via credit card or billing to the student account.
Estimated Costs

Parking permit costs vary based on campus location and proximity to central areas. For example, residence hall permits at the Tempe campus range from $720 to $855 annually, while commuter permits range from $280 to $780 Arizona State University Parking.

TswiftMorn
•This response has been verified in line with school guidance.
Financial aid

Can a parent be granted My ASU Guest Access that restricts them to only seeing Financing Tasks and bills, without having access to the student’s grades or health records

Arizona State University allows students to grant their parents restricted access through the My ASU Guest Access system. This access can be tailored to ensure that parents only see financial information and tasks, while excluding academic records and health information.

Access Control

Students have the ability to customize what their guests can view by selecting specific permissions:

  • Financial Access: Parents can be granted permissions to view financial aid, scholarships, student account information, and make payments.
  • Task Access: Students can allow parents to view only finance-related tasks by selecting the appropriate checkbox under the Finances section.
Exclusions

To ensure privacy, students must leave the checkboxes for "Final grades" and other academic permissions unchecked. Health records are managed separately and are not included in the My ASU Guest Access system, ensuring that parents do not have access to sensitive academic or health information.

Process to Grant Access

The process must be initiated by the student:

  1. Sign in to My ASU and navigate to the Profile tab.
  2. Click "Add a Guest" and select the desired financial permissions.
  3. After submission, provide the validation code to the parent for activation.
For more details, visit the official My ASU Parent Guest Access page.

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