Refund Policies and Methods
Students with credit balances on their student account may be eligible for a refund by paper check, to a US-based checking account, or to the credit card from which payment was made.
Please note that Harvard is not responsible for fluctuations in international exchange rates or interest charges due to the timing of credit card refunds.
TAP fees are non-refundable.
Refunds for Payments by Credit Card
Credit card refunds are issued when the amount of the credit balance is equal to or less than the total amount of credit card payments.
- Credit card refunds are processed to the card most recently used up to the amount charged on that particular card, regardless of term. If a credit balance remains after the initial credit card refund, the next most recently used card will be refunded, up to the amount paid.
- Once a refund is processed, it can take three to five business days for your issuing bank to show the refund on your account. See below for additional information on check refunds.
Refunds for Payments by Check or e-check
Refunds by check or eRefund are issued when you paid by check, e-check, money order, bank check, wire or similar form of payment, or if you have a credit balance due that exceeds the amount paid by credit card.
- If you paid by electronic or paper check (personal or company) and have a credit balance, your refund will be processed after a 14 business day waiting period to allow time for your payment to clear the bank. You may log in to MyDCE to view the original check processing date.
eRefunds (Direct Deposit)
eRefunds are the fastest and most secure method to receive your refund. Electronic refunds are deposited into your bank account within five business days after your refund is processed from your student account.
- If you have a U.S. checking account you may enroll in eRefunds by creating an eRefunds profile through the MyDCE student finance portal.
- You must create your eRefund profile in advance of your refund being processed on your student account before your refund can be direct deposited into your U.S. checking account.
Refund by Paper Check
- If you do not create an eRefund profile or you do not have a U.S. checking account, any refund will be made by paper check, payable to you, the student, and mailed to the current mailing address on record in MyDCE. If you are expecting a refund, please log into MyDCE and confirm your Mailing Address is current. If not, you may update your contact information through MyDCE at any time.
Timing of Refunds
Refunds are processed on an on-going basis.
When your refund by credit card or eRefund is processed, you will be sent an email notification. Please allow 3-5 business days for your financial institution to update their records and reflect the refund on your account. If your refund is issued by paper check, please allow three weeks for the check to arrive by mail.
Course Change Refunds
The amount refunded for course changes and drops depends on the date of the change. See the Calendar for important dates and deadlines. You should keep documentation of all changes for your records.
Financial Aid Refunds
Students with financial aid in excess of tuition and fees should see How Aid is Disbursed for information on the timing of financial aid disbursements and refunds.
