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Student Refunds

Student refunds will only be automatically distributed to students who have enrolled in Excess Express (direct deposit). Students not enrolled in Excess Express will be required to submit a request form to have their excess refund generated and distributed in paper form.

What is a Refund?

  • A refund is a general overpayment of a student's account and bill.
  • All charges and fees MUST be paid in full before a student is eligible for a refund.
  • When a student's account is overpaid, a credit balance (appearing as -$XX.XX) will be listed as the Account Balance on SPIRE and on the Account Status page of QuikPAY.
  • Overpayments from payments made online or in person will NOT be eligible for refunds until 10 days after the payment has been posted on SPIRE.
  • Overpayments resulting from payment plan contracts (such as the UPay Payment Plan) will NOT be eligible for a refund until the contract for the term is paid in full.
  • Students who have enrolled in Excess Express will have their overpayments refunded without the need for a student request.
  • Students who are not enrolled in Excess Express are required to request a paper check each time their account is overpaid.
What is Excess Express?
  • Excess Express is a service offered by the Bursar's Office which allows students to have overpayments directly deposited into a U.S. Bank account of their choice.
  • Students can enroll with either a checking or savings account.
How do I enroll?
  • Students sign up for Excess Express in SPIRE. It is available under the Finances Section. You will need your bank account information including an account number and the bank's routing number. This information is available on your checks or your bank statements. Helpful information about how to find your account number and/or routing number is provided online during the enrollment process. Please be sure to click the ‘Save' button when done to insure the process is complete.
  • Once you have enrolled, your Excess Express information will not change unless you change it.
  • Should you wish to change your bank account information at any time (i.e., change from a checking account to a savings account), you will need to Cancel your current enrollment and re-enroll using the information.
  • To cancel your Excess Express enrollment, simply click on the Cancel box on the SPIRE Excess Express panel.
  • If our attempt to deposit funds to your bank account is rejected (i.e., invalid account number, closed account, etc.), you will be notified via email that the deposit did not complete. You will be advised to update your Excess Express enrollment information, and will be provided specific information on how to obtain your refund.
Is my bank information safe?
  • All bank account information is secure and NEVER shared with third parties. Only students have access to view/update/change through their secure SPIRE logon ID. Bursar's Office staff are NOT able to view/update/change any bank information on behalf of a student.
  • The Excess Express option is separate from student payroll. Students who sign up for Excess Express should note that only overpayments to their student bills will be refunded in this manner. Any funds from student employment are deposited through the University's payroll system, which is setup through Human Resources.
How long does it take to process a refund through Excess Express?
  • Once a refund has been processed and is showing in SPIRE and on QuikPAY, please allow 2-5 business days for the funds to be deposited into your Excess Express account.
  • An email will be sent to the student's OIT email account confirming that a refund has been deposited to his/her bank account. All email correspondence regarding refunds is sent to the student's UMass OIT email account.
What if I have not or cannot enroll in Excess Express?
  • Students who choose not to enroll in Excess Express are required to request a paper check for refund of an overpayment.
  • Any student electing this option is required to fill out a request for that is available on SPIRE. This form can be found under the Finances Section on the Student Center in SPIRE and is listed as ‘Request Paper Check Refund'. Simply Click on the ‘Process' option to request to have your overpayment issued in the form of a paper check.
  • It may take up to 3 weeks for these requests to be processed.
  • This form will need to be filled out each time a student is eligible for a refund.
  • You will be notified via email when your refund check is available for pick up.
  • Checks will be available for pick up at the Bursar Tellers Windows, room 225 Whitmore, between 9-4 on weekdays.
  • Students must present a valid photo ID to receive their refund check. 

What happens to my refund if I don't request it in paper form or enroll in Excess Express?

  • Any overpayment that is not refunded will be held on the account and credit future charges.
  • Overpayments for students who are no longer active students at the University will be processed without student action. If the student has enrolled in Excess Express, the funds will be deposited to his/her bank account. If the student has not enrolled in Excess Express, a paper check will be issued and mailed to the Permanent Address as listed in SPIRE.

UMass Amherst reserves the right to correct any erroneous refunds issued to the student through Excess Express or via paper check. This correction will be listed as a balance on the student's SPIRE account, and subject to the Bursar's billing and sanctions process.

 

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