STUDENT HOUSING AND DINING REFUND FAQS

For more details about the housing and dining refunds, please visit the Housing and Dining Refund Information page.

What happens if a student owes a balance on his/her cashier account?

If the student owes a balance on account, the system will apply the credit to the outstanding balance. If the balance owed is larger than the credited amount, the student will not receive a refund. If the balance is less than the credited amount, the student will receive a partial refund for the difference in the two amounts (balance remaining – credit amount = partial refund).

What happens if a student does not owe a balance on account?

The full amount of the credit will be refunded.

Will all refunds be processed through cashier accounts?

Yes, all credits will go through the ECU cashier account system so that credits will be applied to any outstanding balances (fines, fees, payment plans, etc.).

When will the refund process start?

ECU anticipates the process will start immediately and will take no longer than 3-4 weeks. Refunds will be issued based on a student’s refund profile in TouchNet – ACH or paper check.

What date will refunds be based on for calculating the housing refund payment?

Refund calculations will start from March 26 and run through the end of the housing contract (May 7, 2020).

Will any portion of Gold Dining Plan be refundable?

Gold plans will have all unused Gold Meals translated into a dollar amount and processed as a credit to the student’s account. Unspent Gold Bucks will remain active on the student’s dining account for future use as is the current practice for unused Gold Bucks. Graduating seniors with unspent Gold Bucks will receive a refund consistent with current dining practice. All other students may request a refund of those amounts consistent with current policy.

Will any portion of the Purple Dining Plan be refundable?

All Pirate Meals for Purple Meal Plan holders will be translated into a dollar amount and converted to Purple Bucks in the student’s dining account. That individualized prorated amount will transition into the All-Access plan which determines the amount that will be credited to the student’s cashier account.

Will students receive a credit if they were awarded a full or partial scholarship (e.g. Athletes, TAs, GAs, etc.), or will the credit be issued to the original funding source?

Housing and Dining refunds for all ECU students on full or partial scholarships will be credited to the student’s account.

Will ECU students with $0 EFC (Pell, need-based), receive the credit or will it be issued to the original funding source (i.e. Federal or State Aid)?

Just like Scholarships above, Housing and Dining refunds for all ECU students with $0 EFC will be credited to the student’s cashier account.

Can refund amounts be held and applied to cashier account balances next year?  Or can students offset the housing and/or dining refunds with a roll-forward credit into next year?

No, all housing and/or dining refunds should be processed immediately based upon the student’s refund profile in TouchNet. ACH and/or check refunds provide the most immediate impact for students and credit roll-forwards may potentially impact a student’s financial aid calculation in the following year.

Will every student’s refund amount be the same?

No, the amount of refunds will vary based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, the residence hall/campus neighborhood where the student lives, any pending charges/holds on the student account, and the amounts remaining on meal plans, etc.

How can students contact ECU if they still have questions?

Students can submit an email to COVID19@ecu.edu and use the subject line “ECU Housing/Dining Refund Question.” University staff will be monitoring and responding to questions with the most up-to-date information available.

If a 529 plan distribution was used to pay amounts owed on a student’s account, are there any tax consequences if a refund is issued?

For expenses initially paid via distribution from a 529 College Savings Plan, students, parents, and authorized users are strongly encouraged to consult their plan advisor/administrator upon receipt of a refund. The IRS potentially allows for refunded amounts to be “recontributed” to a plan in order to avoid any tax ramifications, but the administration of this process is outside of ECU’s purview. Again, please consult a tax advisor and/or 529 plan advisor/administrator immediately. Failure to do so may result in tax and/or penalties being assessed by the IRS and the NCDOR.