Learning about Disbursements
When you qualify for financial aid, you might get payments called “disbursements” or “refunds.” These payments usually begin the week before classes start each semester.
Here's what you need to know about disbursements
- Will my financial aid be applied to an outstanding account balance first?
Most of your financial aid will be used to pay for balance on your student account, like mandatory state and campus fees. - What happens to leftover money?
After all your charges are covered, any leftover financial aid is sent to you. - Chafee Grant exception
Chafee Grants are handled differently and may not follow the same process. - How can I utilize my financial aid?
Some grants are disbursed to you directly through BankMobile to use at your discretion for educational and living expenses: - Financial aid types that does not get disbursed are:
Some grants are applied towards your tuition and fees automatically and others are paid/disbursed based on the work or community service completed.- CA College Promise Grant
- MiraCosta Promise
- Federal Work-Study (pays monthly based on hours worked)
- Dream Service Incentive Grant (pays based on community service hours or volunteer work)
Disbursement Dates
Each grant is disbursed in different increments and at different times of the semester. To receive your disbursements you must submit your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, clear holds, complete any required tasks and, submit required documents (if applicable). Processing time will vary based on the task and documents requested. See below for more details.
Steps to determining what date you will receive your aid:
- Student's Responsibility
First, the student has to have all of the following completed:- Must have the current academic year FAFSA or CADAA submitted
- Must be enrolled by the financial aid enrollment deadline
- Have all financial aid holds removed
- Have all requirements submitted to the Financial Aid Office (check your Tasks in Surf)
- Financial Aid Office Process
After all of the above are completed, the Financial Aid Office will review the documents that have been submitted.- The Financial Aid Office will review and complete the student's financial aid documents and financial aid file.
- The student's financial aid amounts may be adjusted based on the documents received. If that is the case the Financial Aid Office will adjust the financial aid amounts after they have reviewed the student's file
- Financial Aid Processing Timeline: The processing timeline of submitted documents
varies based on the documents submitted but on average processing time takes two weeks.
- This timeline will be longer during peak periods (for example during the beginning of the semester).
- Appeals: Income Appeals, Dependency Appeals, and second SAP Appeals will on average take 3-4 weeks.
- If any follow-up information is needed, this will extend the processing timeline.
- Deadline to have all of the above completed
All of the above must be completed at least 10 days before the scheduled disbursement date to ensure the student will receive their disbursement on the scheduled date.
Federal Pell Grant
First 25%
The first 25% amount is for students who have completed all requirements listed above at least 10 days before the listed date. There are multiple dates listed under the first 25%, this is so that each student is disbursed to as soon as they have completed all requirements on their student account. Students will only receive one 25% disbursement and this will be determined by the date all requirements are completed.
Remaining 75%
The remaining 75% amount is for students who have already received a 25% disbursement.
If all of the requirements (listed above) are not completed at least 10 days before any of the first 25% dates, students will receive 100% of their disbursements on the earliest possible disbursement date listed below.
Remaining disbursement dates are intended for students who did not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 Pell Grant Disbursement Dates
| FALL 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| First 25% | August 14, 2026 August 28, 2026 |
| Remaining 75% & Remaining disbursement dates | September 11, 2026 September 25, 2026 October 9, 2026 October 23, 2026 November 6, 2026 November 20, 2026 December 4, 2026 December 18, 2026 |
| SPRING 2027 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| First 25% | January 29, 2027 February 11, 2027 |
| Remaining 75% & Remaining disbursement dates | February 26, 2027 March 12, 2027 March 26, 2027 April 9, 2027 April 23, 2027 May 7, 2027 May 21, 2027 |
Cal Grant
If all of the requirements (listed above) are not completed at least 10 days before the first 100% date, students will receive 100% of their disbursements on the earliest possible disbursement date listed below.
Remaining disbursement dates are intended for students who did not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 Cal Grant Disbursement Dates
| FALL 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | September 11, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 25, 2026 October 9, 2026 October 23, 2026 November 6, 2026 November 20, 2026 December 4, 2026 December 18, 2026 |
| SPRING 2027 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | February 26, 2027 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | March 12, 2027 March 26, 2027 April 9, 2027 April 23, 2027 May 7, 2027 May 21, 2027 |
| SUMMER | |
|---|---|
| Cal Grant is not offered during the summer. |
Full-Time Student Success Completion Grant (FTSSCG)
If all of the requirements (listed above) are not completed at least 10 days before the first 100% date, students will receive 100% of their disbursements on the earliest possible disbursement date listed below.
Remaining disbursement dates are intended for students who did not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date
Fall 2025 - Summer 2026 FTSSCG Disbursement Dates
| FALL Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | September 12, 2025 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 26, 2025 October 10, 2025 October 24, 2025 November 7 , 2025 November 21, , 2025 December 5, 2025 December 19, 2025 |
| SPRING Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | February 12, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | February 27, 2026 March 13, 2026 March 27, 2026 April 10, 2026 April 24, 2026 May 8, 2026 May 22, 2026 |
| SUMMER | |
|---|---|
| Full-Time Student Success Completion Grant is not offered during the summer. |
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 FTSSCG Disbursement Dates
| FALL 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | September 11, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 25, 2026 October 9, 2026 October 23, 2026 November 6, 2026 November 20, 2026 December 4, 2026 December 18, 2026 |
| SPRING 2027 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | February 26, 2027 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | March 12, 2027 March 26, 2027 April 9, 2027 April 23, 2027 May 7, 2027 May 21, 2027 |
Federal Supplemental Grant (FSEOG)
If a student does not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date, they will receive 100% of their disbursements on the earliest possible disbursement date listed below (please see the grant type to find the earliest dates.
Remaining disbursement dates are intended for students who did not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date
Fall 2025 - Summer 2026 FSEOG Disbursement Dates
| FALL Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | September 12, 2025 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 26, 2025 October 10, 2025 October 24, 2025 November 7 , 2025 November 21, , 2025 December 5, 2025 December 19, 2025 |
| SPRING Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | February 12, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | February 27, 2026 March 13, 2026 March 27, 2026 April 10, 2026 April 24, 2026 May 8, 2026 May 22, 2026 |
|
SUMMER 2026 Disbursement Amount |
Disbursement Date | |
|---|---|---|
| 100% of Federal Supplemental Grant will be disbursed at first summer disbursement date and all following dates. | June 30, 2026 | |
| Following disbursement dates: | July 17, 2026 | |
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 FSEOG Disbursement Dates
| FALL 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | September 11, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 25, 2026 October 9, 2026 October 23, 2026 November 6, 2026 November 20, 2026 December 4, 2026 December 18, 2026 |
| SPRING 2027 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | February 26, 2027 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | March 12, 2027 March 26, 2027 April 9, 2027 April 23, 2027 May 7, 2027 May 21, 2027 |
Federal Student Loans
If a student does not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date, they will receive 100% of their disbursements on the earliest possible disbursement date listed below (please see the grant type to find the earliest dates.
Remaining disbursement dates are intended for students who did not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date
Fall 2025 - Summer 2026 Federal Student Loans Disbursement Dates
| FALL Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | August 29, 2025 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 12, 2025 September 26, 2025 October 10, 2025 October 24, 2025 November 7, 2025 November 21, 2025 December 5, 2025 December 19, 2025 |
| SPRING Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | January 30, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | February 12, 2026 February 27, 2026 March 13, 2026 March 27, 2026 April 10, 2026 April 24, 2026 May 8, 2026 May 22, 2026 |
| SUMMER 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Date | |
|---|---|---|
| 100% of Student Loans will be disbursed at first summer disbursement date and all following dates. | June 30, 2026 | |
|
Following disbursement dates: |
July 17, 2026 July 31, 2026 |
|
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 Federal Student Loans Disbursement Dates
| FALL Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| First 100% disbursement | TBD |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 11, 2026 September 25, 2026 October 9, 2026 October 23, 2026 November 6, 2026 November 20, 2026 December 4, 2026 December 18, 2026 |
| SPRING 2027 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| First 100% disbursement | TBD |
| Remaining disbursement dates | February 26, 2027 March 12, 2027 March 26, 2027 April 9, 2027 April 23, 2027 May 7, 2027 May 21, 2027 |
Scholarships
If a student does not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date, they will receive 100% of their disbursements on the earliest possible disbursement date listed below (please see the grant type to find the earliest dates.
Remaining disbursement dates are intended for students who did not complete all of their requirements by the first 100% date
Fall 2025 - Summer 2026 Student Loan Disbursement Dates
| Fall Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | August 22, 2025 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 5, 2025 September 19, 2025 October 3, 2025 October 17, 2025 October 31, 2025 November 14, 2025 November 26 , 2025 December 12, 2025 |
| Spring Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | January 09, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | January 23, 2026 February 06, 2026 February 20, 2026 March 06, 2026 April 03, 2026 April 17, 2026 May 1, 2026 May 15, 2026 |
| SUMMER 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Date | |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | June 18, 2026 | |
| Remaining disbursement dates | July 10, 2026 July 24, 2026 |
|
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 Student Loan Disbursement Dates
| FALL 2026 Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | August 21, 2026 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | September 4, 2026 September 18, 2026 October 2, 2026 October 16, 2026 October 30, 2026 November 13, 2026 November 25, 2026 December 11, 2026 |
| SPRING Disbursement Amount | Disbursement Dates |
|---|---|
| 100% | January 22, 2027 |
| Remaining disbursement dates | February 5, 2027 February 19, 2027 March 5, 2027 March 19, 2027 April 16, 2027 April 30, 2027 May 14, 2027 May 28, 2027 |
Prior School Years Disbursement Dates
Additional Information
Viewing Financial Aid Status
To check the status of your financial aid:
- Log in to your SURF account.
- Navigate to the Financial Aid section.
- Review your awards, pending documents, and disbursement details.
Contact Information
- MiraCosta Financial Aid Office: MCCFinAid@miracosta.edu or 760.795.6620.
- BankMobile Support: Visit BankMobile Support. For more detailed FAQs and guides, visit the BankMobile FAQ Page.
