Refunds and Disbursements

How to Select a Refund Preference

After registering in at least one course at Sierra College, you will receive a Refund Selection Kit in the mail from the District’s refund processor, BankMobile. You will also receive an e-mail from BankMobile in your Sierra College email account with instructions on how to select a refund preference. Follow the 3-steps to “Get Started” on BankMobile.

View our institution’s contract with BankMobile, a division of Customers Bank. For additional help, contact the Cashier’s Office.

Financial Aid-Related Refund Preference

Financial Aid (grants, federal student loans, and scholarships) will be used to pay for any fees, such as enrollment and health fees. If your financial aid is more than the total amount of fees, you will be refunded the difference. To receive the refund, please select a refund preference with BankMobile. 

For more information about BankMobile and timing, visit Bank Mobile’s Refund Choices. View our institution’s contract with BankMobile, a division of Customers Bank. 

For additional help, contact the Cashier’s Office.

What is a Disbursement?

Disbursement is when Financial Aid orders funds for eligible students. View Refund and Financial Aid Disbursement Dates. 

Watch a video on how BankMobile disbursement works.

Disbursement Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

• Be enrolled in classes
• Have turned in all requested financial aid documents so your file can be verified
• Resolve any problems that we’ve e-mailed you about or that appear on mySierra 

All other financial aid (scholarships from high schools and other organizations, Chafee Grants, Cal Grants, etc.) will be available when we receive the money from the State of California or the appropriate agency.

Refund and Financial Aid Disbursement Dates

You will receive your money based on the refund preference you selected with the District’s refund processor, BankMobile. For more information on timing, visit BankMobile’s Refund Choices. 

Students must be in all classes, to include late start classes by majority census of the semester. Census dates are:

• Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023 for fall
• Monday, Feb. 5, 2024 for spring
• Monday, June 24, 2024 for summer 

All funds are ordered on Monday or Tuesday and typically deposited to the refund preference by Thursday or Friday. Use the following Financial Aid disbursement schedule for refund dates each semester or use our Financial Aid Dates and Deadlines events calendar:  

Summer 2023

• June 20, 2023 – First disbursement of the summer term
• June 26, 2023
• July 10, 2023
• July 31, 2023 – Last disbursement for summer term until grades are posted

Fall 2023

• September 5 (Tuesday) – First disbursement of the fall semester
• September 11
• September 18
• September 25
• October 9
• October 16
• October 30
• November 13
• November 27
• December 4 – Final disbursement and refund until all grades are posted for fall semester

Spring 2024

• February 5 – First disbursement of the spring semester
• February 12
• February 20 (Tuesday)
• February 26
• March 11
• March 25
• April 8
• April 22
• May 6
• May 13 – Final disbursement and refund until all grades are posted for the spring semester

Summer 2024

• June 24 – First disbursement of summer semester
• July 1
• July 15
• July 29 – Final disbursement of summer semester

Find useful information about tuition costs and fees and an estimate of how much Sierra College will cost you.