Advance Payment Method

The Disbursement Workflow outlines the entire process from the completion of a student’s Financial Aid Package Compliance Review to the final transfer of disbursed funds into the Institution’s Operating Account.

Key Steps in the Workflow:

1. Financial Aid Package Confirmation

2. Eligibility & Scheduling

3. Disbursement Processing

4. Fund Allocation & Posting

5. Funds Drawdown & Transfers

To locate a Student/Parent Loan Certification:

1. Search by Last Name, SSN, or Certification Date Range.

2. Select the loan in question.

3. Click the Print button to view both the Payment Period Date and Anticipated Disbursement Date.

If the anticipated disbursement date has not been reached, the funds are not yet eligible for disbursement.

Tracking Anticipated Disbursement Dates

The Expanded Disbursement Exception Report (EDER) can be used to track anticipated disbursement dates for PELL and Loan disbursements, provided the student’s Financial Aid Package is in a Confirmed (GC) status.

To Locate the Current Financial Aid Package Status, follow the steps below:

1. Access the FA Reports > Files Due Area of SAINT Director.

2. Seach for the student by using: 

   • Last Name or SSN

   • Budget Start Date Range

   • File Review Status

3. Verify the student's Financial Aid Package Status for the applicable start date and ensure the File Status = GC.

   • If the package is in any status other than GC, no disbursements will occur until the status is updated to GC. 

The Expanded Disbursement Exception Report (EDER) can be used to track the current File Status for PELL and Loan disbursements, provided the student’s Financial Aid Package is in a Confirmed (GC) status at some point in the packaging process.

Academic Record or Extract Record Requirements for Disbursment

In order for a disbursement to be made, the student's academic record (Integrated Clients send Electronic Extract Records) must be received and be in good standing for the specific term. Below are the key elements to ensure eligibility for disbursement:

Student Status

The student's status must be in an active, eligible condition for disbursement. The status codes are as follows:

• S = Started, In School (Eligible for Disbursement)

• F = Future (Not Eligible)

• G = Graduate (Not Eligible)

• L = Leave of Absence (Not Eligible)

• N = No Show (Not Eligible)

• C = Cancel (Not Eligible)

• T = Temporary (Not Eligible)

• W = Withdrawn (Not Eligible)

If the status is anything other than S, the academic record must be updated for disbursements to be processed.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) / Attendance

To receive Federal Student Aid (FSA) funds, the student must meet the college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy, which must be reflected in the student's academic record. The college is responsible for notifying Global of the student's academic progress.

• SAP/Attendance: Must be updated with a "YES" in the system to allow automatic disbursements.

If the student is attending and meeting SAP requirements, the campus must ensure the academic record is updated for disbursements to proceed.

Scheduled Hours: The scheduled hours on the student’s academic record will determine the Pell amount. If the academic record shows fewer scheduled hours than expected, the Pell disbursement may be reduced.

• Note: Clock and non-term credit hours are always considered full-time.

Common Issues

• Discrepancies in Pell Amount: A frequent issue is students questioning their Pell disbursement if it is less than expected. This is typically caused by an academic record reflecting fewer scheduled hours than what was awarded on the budget, leading to a reduced Pell payment.

Cumulative Hours

For institutions using non-term clock/credit hour programs, disbursements depend on the student meeting at least ½ of the required hours for the academic year. This should be reflected in the academic record to generate subsequent disbursements.

• Note: The disbursement under non-term programs is based on the latter of ½ the hours or weeks. Global will schedule the second disbursement accordingly.

Enrollment Status

The type of Title IV funding determines the required enrollment status for disbursement eligibility.

• Direct Loan Disbursements: The student must be at least half-time for disbursements to proceed. The enrollment status should not be 4 or 5 on the academic record.
  
  

  • 1 = Full-Time

  • 2 = Three Quarter-Time

  • 3 = Half-Time

  • 4 = Less than Half-Time

  • 5 = Not Attending

Actions Required:

• Ensure the academic status is S (Started, In School) and that SAP/Attendance is marked as YES for disbursements to occur.

• Verify the Cumulative Hours are updated for non-term programs to ensure eligibility for the second disbursement.

• Ensure the correct Enrollment Status is recorded for Pell and Loan disbursements.

FAOs can verify the receipt of the Student's MPN or Parent's PLUS MPN by accessing the Common Origination & Disbursements (COD) Website (click link). 

FAOs can also utilize the EDER to monitor whether or student has an Accepted MPN linked to the COD website or not. The official should work with any student or parent that does not have a valid MPN linked to the COD website. 

The Expanded Disbursement Exception Report (EDER) is a critical tool for identifying students whose scheduled disbursements were not processed. This report highlights discrepancies that prevent funds from being disbursed and helps you track the necessary corrections.

Report Overview

This report, available via the Report Server, provides the following key details:

• A list of students whose funds have not been disbursed due to file discrepancies.

• Note: The report excludes pay holds; these are placed by SAINT Director when a "W" (withdrawal) record is sent to Global.

Eligibility Criteria for Disbursements

To ensure eligibility for disbursements, the following criteria must be met:

1. Academic Status: The status must be “S” (In-School).

2. Attendance and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): Both flags must be set to "Y" (Yes).

3. File Status: The status must be “GC” (Global Complete).

4. Pay Period Start Dates: These dates must match those on the student’s academic record.

5. Non-Term Disbursements: For non-term programs, the student must have sufficient cumulative hours to support the subsequent payment.

Working with the EDER Report

Here are the steps to follow when reviewing and resolving issues on the EDER report:

1. Filter by Fund Type:

   • If working with specific fund types (e.g., Pell or loans), filter using the Fund column.

   • To see all fund types, leave this column unfiltered.

2. Academic Status:

   • Look for any status other than “S” (In-School). The statuses to watch for are:

     • F = Future

     • G = Graduate

     • L = Leave of Absence

     • N = No Show

     • C = Cancel

     • T = Temporary

   • If the status is not “S”, the disbursement cannot be processed. If the status cannot be updated, submit a Request for Disbursement along with the academic transcript.

3. Attendance:

   • If the Attendance column shows “No” for a student, disbursements cannot proceed.

   • If the status cannot be updated, submit a Request for Disbursement along with the academic transcript.

4. Enrollment Status (for Loans Only):

   • If the Enrollment Status is less than half-time, disbursement will not occur for loan funds.

   • If the status is incorrect, submit a Request for Disbursement along with the student’s academic transcript.

5. File Status:

   • The File Status must be “GC” (Global Complete) for disbursements to occur.

   • Use SAINT Director to identify the issue preventing the file from reaching the “GC” status and resolve it accordingly.

6. Pay Hold:

   • The Pay Hold column indicates students on hold due to various reasons. If the student has a “W” (withdrawn) status, they will be on hold.

7. MPN Acceptance (for Loans):

   • Check the MPN Accepted column:

     • If the status is “N”, Global has not received the accepted MPN (Master Promissory Note) record.

     • Verify the MPN status on the COD Website. Ensure that the student’s name and SSN match the ISIR; discrepancies here may prevent disbursements.

8. Origination Acceptance (for Loans):

   • For loans, check the COD Origination Accepted column:

     • If the status is “N”, Global has not received the accepted origination record.

9. PLUS Loans (Credit Decision Acceptance):

   • For PLUS Loans, check the Credit Decision Accepted column:

     • If the status is “N”, the credit decision was rejected, and the loan will not disburse.

10. Failure to Pay:

    • If all the previous checks are clear, review the Failure to Pay column. This shows any failed disbursement attempts.

    • If multiple payment attempts have failed without a clear reason, contact your Client Services Representative for further review.

Action Steps

• Review and filter the EDER Report based on the disbursement criteria.

• Address discrepancies related to academic status, attendance, enrollment status, and MPN.

• Ensure the File Status is “GC” and resolve any hold or status issues.

• If problems persist with loan disbursements, check for MPN and origination issues, and consult Client Services if necessary.

The Disbursement Projection Report is a weekly report generated and sent every Sunday, designed to help CFOs and financial staff predict their institution's cash flow over a specified period (day, week, or up to one month). This report provides visibility into the disbursement status of funds, highlights any disbursements that will not pay, and identifies the reasons behind these issues.

Officials can pull an updated report from Global's Report Server. This can be located under the Disbursements Folder.

Key Features of the Disbursement Projection Report:

• Not Award Year Specific: Includes data across all fund types, excluding Federal Work Study (FWS).

• Tabs Included:

  1. Disbursement Projection Report – A summary of disbursements, including details of amounts that will or will not be disbursed.

  2. Negative Impact Academics – Displays students with academic issues impacting their disbursement eligibility.

  3. Past Due – Shows students whose academic status does not support disbursement.

  4. Resolution Needed – Lists students with missing documentation (e.g., MPN, credit decision) or unresolved issues preventing disbursement.

Detailed Breakdown of Report Tabs:

1. Disbursement Projection Report Tab:

   • Summary of Pending Disbursements: Provides a high-level view of scheduled disbursements and those that will not occur due to identified issues.

   • Scheduled Disbursement Dates: Takes into account factors like Add/Drop periods, PrePull days, and federal holidays.

   • Academic Calendar 5 (Credit Non-Term) and 6 (Clock Hour) Students: For students in these programs, the system determines disbursement dates based on the number of hours earned and the program’s length, projecting disbursements on a weekly basis.

   • Direct Loan Amounts: For Direct Loans, the listed amounts are net, with cash match schools showing only 75% of the award amount.

2. Negative Impact Academics Tab:

   • Lists students who have Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) or Attendance issues, are no longer active (more than 30 days past due), or are less than half-time for loans.

   • Exclusion Criteria: Students here will not appear in other categories.

3. Past Due Tab:

   • Displays students whose academic records show they are active, meet SAP, and attend classes, but for whom academic status does not support payment (e.g., missing academic requirements or credits).

4. Resolution Needed Tab:

   • Contains students with unresolved issues such as missing MPN (Master Promissory Note), credit decisions, or unaccepted loan origination.

   • Students who are not meeting SAP and have no MPN will be included in the Negative Impact Academics tab.

Additional Notes:

• PrePull Days and Holidays: For continuing students, PrePull days are considered in the disbursement scheduling (only for non-Academic Calendar 5 or 6 programs). Federal holidays impacting disbursement are also accounted for.

• SAP and Attendance Tracking: The report highlights any students who are not meeting SAP or attendance requirements, preventing them from receiving disbursements.

• Loan Status: For Direct Loans, only 75% of the loan amount will appear for cash-matching institutions.

How to Use the Report:

• Track Cash Flow: Use the Disbursement Projection Report to anticipate cash flow by identifying when disbursements are scheduled to occur and any that may be delayed due to academic or documentation issues.

• Monitor Issues: Identify students with missing documentation (e.g., MPN, credit decision) or academic issues that prevent disbursement, and take appropriate action to resolve these issues.

• Resolve Pending Disbursements: Focus on students in the Resolution Needed tab to ensure that required documents or updates are submitted in order to facilitate disbursements.

This report serves as a critical tool for financial aid officers and CFOs to ensure proper financial planning and timely disbursements for students, while also identifying potential issues before they become problematic.

Check Register Details (Check Reports)

The Check Register Report, available via the Report Server, provides detailed information on Pell, FSEOG, and Direct Loan funds, as recorded in the Title IV Check Register. This report is essential for tracking and managing disbursements and refunds associated with Title IV funds.

Key Information Provided in the Report:

• Check Type:

  • "D" indicates a Disbursement.

  • "R" indicates a Refund.

• This distinction is important because the check numbering sequence for refunds mirrors that of the disbursement process.

• Fund Type:

  • Direct Loans are listed under the Fund column as "STAF" (Stafford).

• Loan Type:

  • "S" denotes a Subsidized loan.

  • "U" denotes an Unsubsidized loan.

  • "P" denotes a PLUS loan.

This report is crucial for reconciling funds and ensuring the proper allocation and tracking of Title IV disbursements and refunds. By tracking the Check Type, Loan Type, and Fund Type, institutions can manage disbursements and refunds accurately, keeping their records in compliance with federal regulations.