All financial aid funds, except Federal Work Study funds, are applied directly to your MU account established through the Cashiers Office. The account includes educational fees, MU housing deposits, meal plans, books and other charges. Usually one-half of your aid is credited to your account for the fall semester and the other half is credited for the spring semester.

If you receive a scholarship check from a source outside of Mizzou, you should mail the check to our office at 11 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211. Be sure to include your MU student’ number on any correspondence.

Requirements

In order for your financial aid funds to be applied to your MU account, you must have:

• Met enrollment requirements for your aid
• Completed all verification documents if you were selected
• Completed all loan promissory notes
• Completed the loan entrance counseling if you are a first-time student borrower

Federal Work Study

As you earn Federal Work Study funds, you will be paid through the university’s biweekly payroll system. Pay is directly deposited to your bank account.

State Funds

If you receive funds from the State of Missouri, they may be sent to the Office of Student Financial Aid several weeks after the start of each semester. We cannot apply these funds to your account until they have been received.

Apply to All

Financial aid will automatically apply toward current tuition, required fees, and housing charges. As a service and convenience to students, MU can apply any excess federal financial aid to other current charges (such as bookstore charges, library fees, etc…).

You may choose this as an option through your MyZou account after you accept or decline your financial aid awards. If this service is declined, the student is still responsible for outstanding charges. In accordance with federal regulations, financial aid will not pay outstanding charges from a prior academic year.

Excess Funds

If your financial aid exceeds your university charges, the balance is paid to you by check or by direct deposit into your bank account. Visit the Cashiers Office website for directions on how to set up direct deposit. Refunds generated from a PLUS will be mailed to the borrower.

Monthly Disbursements

Some types of aid do not disburse the full amount at once, and disburse in monthly increments instead. In this case, the first disbursement cannot occur earlier than 10 days before the start of classes. After the initial amount is released, the rest will be released on a monthly basis throughout the semester.