Student Choice Refunds FAQ

Students who have a credit balance on their student account will receive refunds electronically via direct deposit or deposit to a reloadable debit card supplied by the student. The system is called Student Choice Refunds (SCR), and it will allow you to access your refund much quicker than in the past (usually 2 – 3 business days).

If you are not signed up for direct deposit or reloadable debit card, you will receive a paper check in the mail. The paper check will be mailed to the student’s home address (campus box for international students). Paper checks are usually received within 7 – 10 business days. 

Q: What is Student Choice Refunds?

It’s a system that allows you to receive electronic refunds of student account credit balances. These refunds go directly into your bank savings or checking account or the newest option which is onto your reloadable debit card that you provide.

Q: Is my bank account information secure in Student Choice Refunds?

Yes. The system uses a secured encrypted connection to process your Student Choice Refund and your account information is not accessible to anyone but you.

Q: How do I enroll in Student Choice Refunds?

It's easy. View the How to enroll in Student Choice Refunds (pdf)

Just follow these steps:

  1. Log in to Student Self-Service
  2. Select the Student tab, then select CCPay
  3. Click on the Student Choice Refunds menu option on the left hand side of screen.
  4. Select Manage My Student Choice Refunds Account button on the right hand side of screen, which will take you to a secure site.
  5. Select Edit Refund Method in center of screen.
  6. Select Bank Account or Reloadable Debit Card.
  7. You will then be directed to provide your bank account or reloadable debit card information. You must enter information into all fields. (Please note that only one bank account or reloadable debit card can be designated to receive refunds.)
  8. Once you have completed the form and reviewed it for accuracy, click Save at the bottom of the page.
  9. You will receive a direct deposit/reloadable debit card enrollment receipt via your Connecticut College email once you complete the enrollment process.

Q: How are refunds issued?

Refunds are sent via direct deposit, reloadable debit card or paper check. Students signed up for direct deposit or reloadable debit card will receive their refund usually within 2 – 3 business days after the refund has been processed. Paper checks are usually received within 7 – 10 business days.

Q: What if I am a student and receiving a refund via paper check and I need to change my mailing address?

Changes to addresses and phone numbers must be provided by the student using My Contact Info on CamelWeb. After logging into CamelWeb, hover your mouse over your name in the header and you'll see the link.

Q: What if I am not signed up for Direct Deposit?

You will receive a mailed paper check to your home address (campus box for international students), usually within 7-10 business days.

Q: How will I know when a refund has been posted to my bank account or reloadable debit card?

You will receive a message in your Connecticut College email account letting you know your refund has been processed.

Q: Is my enrollment effective immediately?

You will receive an enrollment receipt via your Connecticut College email once you complete the enrollment process.

Q: What are the student choice refund statuses?

Within Student Choice Refunds, a status column is displayed, which lists the status of the student’s refund. The statuses differ per method of disbursement (direct deposit/reloadable debit card or paper check).

The direct deposit/reloadable debit card statuses are:

  1. Pending: the disbursement record has been created but not sent for processing
  2. Sent to Processor: the direct deposit/reloadable debit card record has been sent to the bank for processing
  3. Success: the direct deposit/reloadable debit card transaction has been sent for deposit
  4. Failed: the direct deposit/reloadable debit card transaction failed due to a problem with the account provided

The paper check statuses are:

  1. Pending: the disbursement record has been created but not sent for processing
  2. Sent to Processor: the check record has been sent to the bank for processing
  3. Printed: the check has been printed by the bank
  4. Cashed: the check has been cashed

Q: What happens if I change banks or want to change to a different account?

You can update your direct deposit or reloadable debit card information any time in CCPay by clicking on Student Choice Refunds and then Manage My Student Choice Refunds Account and then Edit Profile.

Q: Will Plus Loan payments be made through Student Choice Refunds?

Yes, these will be made payable to either the student or the parent, depending on what the parent has selected on the Plus Loan application.

Q: Who do I contact if I have not received my paper check in the mail? 

You should wait 10 business days to allow for processing and mailing. After 10 business days, check on-line to ensure the status of your refund is Printed. If the status is Printed and it has been 10 business days, you can contact Nelnet Campus Commerce at 888-470-6014 or via the Live Chat button on the right hand side of the screen for assistance.

Q: Who do I contact if I have not received my direct deposit refund? 

You should wait 4 business days to allow for processing. After 4 business days, check online to ensure the status of your refund is Success.  If the status is Success and it has been 4 business days, you can contact Nelnet Campus Commerce at 888-470-6014 or via the Live Chat button on the right hand side of the screen for assistance.

Q: Who do I contact if I have not received my reloadable debit card refund? 

You should wait 4 business days to allow for processing. After 4 business days, check online to ensure the status of your refund is Success. If the status is Success and it has been 4 business days, you can contact Nelnet Campus Commerce at 888-470-6014 or via the Live Chat button on the right hand side of the screen for assistance. Also, you should contact the customer service number on the back of your reloadable debit card for assistance.

Q: What if I am a parent and receiving a refund from a Parent PLUS loan that I elected to receive the refund directly, how will I receive it?

If you elected to receive Parent PLUS loan refunds on the Parent PLUS loan application (instead of having the student receive the refund) and are an Authorized Payer in CCPay, you may elect to receive your Parent PLUS refund via direct deposit or reloadable debit card. To sign up for direct deposit for Parent PLUS refunds, select ‘Student Choice Refunds’ from the CCPay menu and follow the instructions. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, your refund will be mailed via paper check to your mailing address recorded on the Parent PLUS loan application.

If you are not an Authorized Payer on your student’s account, the default refund method is paper check and there is no action you need to take. However, if you wish to become an Authorized Payer and sign-up for direct deposit or reloadable debit card in SCR, your student must create your access to CCPay. See CCPay FAQ’s (question = How does my student set me up to view accounts and pay bills?).

Q: What if I am a parent who elected to receive a PLUS refund directly and I have moved since submitting my PLUS application, how do I update my permanent address?

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid Services at 860-439-2058 or finaid@conncoll.edu for further instructions.  Please note, physical address changes do not impact electronic refunds via direct deposit or reloadable debit card.

Q: What if I do not cash my refund check within 90 days and the check expires?

When a check expires after 90 days, Nelnet will void the check and return the refund to the College. Students and Authorized Payers will need to request the refund to be re-issued by emailing bursar@conncoll.edu.