Grand Canyon University [GCU] review: financial aid/disbursement problems 80

I have experienced the same problem EVERY semester. I have been in the Doctoral program since August 2019 and every semester the aid doesn't get disbursed until 30+ days after class begins. This puts the student at an extreme disadvantage if they require transportation or materials needed by day 1 of the course. I have had two prior Masters programs where my aid would be available within 7 days after the start of class at the latest. This is extremely stressful for the student and needs to change.

Anyone ever had a problem with their pell grant not posting with your loans?

I am currently in the same exact situation. Except they said money stipend out, then 2 weeks later said that check was undeliverable. This has happened twice. Now I am to the point of getting the run around from my student counselors, which I do believe she is trying to help but her supervisor refuses to email or return calls. I have less than a year left and am highly considering just cutting my losses because it is emotionally draining to keep up with my work and their work too!. I hate this happened for you, but I am glad I am not the only one out there experiencing this.

What dose Refund - D UNSUB 2019-20 Refund - D SUB 2019-20 Refund - PELL 2019-20 mean

Hi everyone,

I started classes in June. Die to several personal issues I have missed several classes. So I get an email from GCU stating that I needed to do an exit interview. I done this and now my account says a refund and an ant in () and the date of 12/11/2019. Does this mean I will receive the amount in ()

Guys im so lost i was told the same thing my check was mailed on the 8th of october and now its the 23rd im very worried that something isn't right

My account saying stipend since the5th still no word eny one knows how long before they mail my check

My financial aid disbursement was mailed out on December 12, 2018, I needed a new laptop and was completing assignments at work. by Jan. 3rd when class was scheduled to begin, I had still not received the stipend and couldnt start. My student counselor told me that I could wait until the next start date January 24t and by then I should have received the stipend. I was removed from the Jan 3rd class and the following week the school discharged me, kept my stipend and told me I would owe them for the class I was removed from. Needless to say, I would welcome the opportunity to join a lawsuit because I feel completely defrauded and they have a hold on my student loans so I can't start classes at my new university for doctoral studies. There have been over 50, 000 students impacted by this form of financial aid mismanagement and it needs to stop. They need to have access to federal student loans revoked and a federal investigation needs to happen to stop them.

Same here. When I attend Walden University, I always received my funds quickly. When you call Grand Canyon, you will never be allowed to speak with the financial aid department, your call will be forwarded to the student service counselor assigned to you. The answer will be the same every time, give it a few more weeks. I think after the first few classes I might enroll back @ Walden University

September 2017 and GCU still has not worked out the "kinks" in this problem. My financial aid has not been processed due to them not receiving my undergrad transcripts. I've been in contact with my undergrad university and they have the proof of when the transcripts were sent out, which was 27 days ago! I constantly call and attempt to speak with a financial aid representative but have been informed that I am not allowed to speak with them and that I need to go through my student services counselor. I have never spoke with her directly as she is ALWAYS busy, thankfully I have been lucky enough to speak with relatively competent members of her team.

GCU financial aid department was very messy. I recieved a reimbursement check before the financial department took out all the funds needed to cover the semester Instead of being notified immediately of this "oversight" they wait until the semester has ended and I am ready to schedule my next classes. Then I receive an email stating I can not register for my next classes until I pay $2500 . mind you I m at the halfway mark for my degree at this point but dont have $2500 to pay to be able to continue. Now I have received a grant from the school sustem where I work to go back to school. Because. The financial aid department screwed up I have to start all over at the communtiy college level taking classes I have already taken at GCU because I cant get my transcript.

Hello,

I am new to GCU, they have account information on the Student Portal. The drawback I see is that I don't think it is updated much because on mind it says I owe a certain amount (technically that would mean I don't have a disbursement). Secondly, I think they rely on snail mail to issue disbursements instead of perhaps electronic deposits -- this maybe the best option for them as far as security goes. Third, if you have a disbursement, you get an alert, unfortunately, it does not let you know the amount of your disbursement -- that is also a disadvantage. Thus far, I don't know when and where and how long it will be for my disbursement (I got an alert indicating I had one) and I accepted on Monday of last week (MLK) day, as of Saturday, I have not gotten anything. I think there is a 14 day disbursement period...I don't know what happens after that. I'll update you all if I learn something new. But reading all your post, I feel for your experiences. I hope that all your issues were resolved and I hope I don't fall into the same cycle as many of you have :-(

Disgustedonceagain,

I am attending GCU and I had so many problems getting my financial aid disbursements each semester however I notice that there has been to rewards missing from my account yet GCU is covering it up at this moment. I had not received those checks in the mail and sometimes the envelopes were open when I view them in the mail. Jason Winchester is a lair lair pants on fire. I don't know what this kids problem but he needs to stop lying and taking money from students. You do not have to pass a class in order to get financial aid and he has lied to me for the last time period. I know I suppose to get a disbursement each time class ends or starts. I am military veterans who is a reservist and I think GCU is a scam however using student for their benefits like the G.I Bill. IF I have to I will file a class action suit against them and the lenders for letting GCU get always with murder. You cannot help me in this situation because I am tired of the abuse and games so do not send your email or phone number. I want my financial aid and I will not stop until get it from this scam college either it court class action suit or withdrawal from this peace of crap school. I had enough of reading the reviews of the same people who have the same problems I have from the University.

I just started at GCU in June and am already considering asking for a refund. My student advisor, Mike was amazing and helped me a bunch. He kept in contact with me and let me know updates via email. Then I get moved over to the financial aid advisor and she is a complete joke. She never keeps in contact with me. I have to call her myself, and then she doesn't answer my calls. She takes days to respond to voicemails and emails. I am still waiting on my disbursment of extra funds and I am thinking that It almost is not worth it anymore. I have a full time job that will pay me enough that I don't need a degree.

I have never had a problem with GCU up until now! I am so fed up and frustrated with the way things are going at the moment, it seems like when they changed my advisor everything went downhill from there. I have yet to receive my pell grant I have already finished one class and this is my last week in my second one. I have been told so many different stories that I don't really know what to believe anymore. I am at a lost, I need a new laptop and I have to go to the library to get any work done, needless to say it has been a lot of work. My advisor had the nerve to tell me that I might just need to take a break from school once this class is done until I can save up enough money to get my laptop repaired. Why would I do that, isn't that what my financial aid is for?! I was told there was a problem with my financial aid info, no problem sent in the paperwork they asked for still nothing. I was already approved and received both my sub and unsub loans and was told I had to wait until July 1 until the start of a new pell year. How is it they didn't catch a problem until now? I am so confused, it has been almost two weeks since I sent in the paperwork and still nothing. I have come too far to give up, I only have four classes left before I graduate and the way things are looking it's going to be longer than expected.

I just started my program on Thursday. I am very disturbed by what I've read. There is NO reason for FA to take this long. I need the excess money to upgrade my laptop so I can keep up. I am seriously considering withdrawing from this school. I was told it would take 4 to 6 weeks to receive a check which I find ludicrious.

Schools that take money before you start classes are not to be trusted. Thankfully GCU has been the complete opposite. As long as you are passing classes you will no problems with financial aid. I have recieved two degrees from GCU and have had zero problems.

I am currently a GCU student AND is having the same problems as everyone else. I transferred from another college thinking this college would be a better fit for me since my mom Also attends here and loves it. I started class since oct. 19th 2015 and my funds posted to my account oct. 27th, 2015 and I was told that I would get a check in the mail with my remaining funds. Now it is almost a month into the class and still no check. I never had a problem with my FA refunds. It really concerns me that they are keeping money that I have too pay back from me and are trying to say that I won't recieve anything until I complete my third course. I want to withdraw from this school because I think is a comlete rip off.

All I can say is that I am beyond frustrated with GCU at this point because like many of you I have dome everything that I am supposed to do and yet each time I wait and hear excuses. Yet again I am in the same process. My federal website says the money was transferred to them on October 1 and yet NOTHING as of today has posted to my account. Mind you my financial aid sat in a ready to certify stage for months. I have emailed and called and been told the same things that it takes weeks and yet they have the money already. After this term I am seriously not sure if I am going to continue with GCU. I work hard full time as a singe parent to keep my GPA up and work full time. I wanted to pursue my MBA immediately after this but dealing with this and waiting and constantly having to check and yes needing the stipend is draining and frustrating...and they are not being honest at the end of the day. I should have had my stipend already and they haven't even applied the money yet...I am beyond tired and frustrated trying to communicate with them has lead to nothing...thanks GCU!

(Be advised that I am writing this from my cell phone.) I too have had a few problems with my financial aid. I was one of the lucky students selected for verification. My documents were rejected 4 times! I just had to fill self-employment taxes for last year for monies made babysitting since it totaled over $400 for the year. As a single mother, enrolled full time in a university, trying to better the life for myself and my 3 little boys, this is exhausting and I am to the point of tears. I was told I would have a disbursement a month ago and I've still got nothing but denied paperwork. I have/had plans for my pell and TEACH grants that effect my ability to properly continue with my schooling (I have a broken computer). The longer this process takes, the more time I have to spend on the computer at the library, away from my children. This is frustrating. However, my student advisors have all been extremely helpful, with the exception of my finance advisor not getting back to me in a timely manner. The verification process is a joke.

Great, now I feel really nervous. I just finished second week of class. I'm hoping I have it asap! Anyone know what it means when it says ready to certify?

I strive so hard to keep my grades up to an A average and to think that every time it comes to the disbursement of my stipend and financial aid it is always a head ache I am becoming frustrated with the whole experience I believe that in this situation something needs done to better assist students and though my student advisor is nice and we get along this is ridiculous and needs to be addressed and resolved no one should have to be emotionally drained and stressed out over this I have attended other schools and never had this problem. I will further complain until something is done.

I agree with the above statement. It takes a good 3-4 months just to see a posting, which makes you wonder if GCU holds onto the loans for interest. I think this private University is designed to suck blood and money from the student, turn them our prison style, then leave them bleeding on the side of the road with no real eduacation. Robin, you can contact me!

Same here...this has been ongoing since I began and strange things occur when there is a personal problem; something I do not want to get in to right now but disturbing.

Another school year and the same problems. When will these problems be fixed, how long will it be before the school address the issues of financial aid disbursement? There are students who can't afford to pay for their book before classes begin, and when the financial aid is delaid, it put more pressure on the students. Is there any way that there issues can be resolved.

Hi GCU, why does it take you all so long to process the financial aid disbursement, when other universities and colleges process their financial the same school begin. Maybe you all need to find out how other universities are doing, so that you all can be more proficient as well. This will help with student moral.

Hello beyondaggrevated,

We'd be happy to assist you as well. Please contact the Student Resolution Team directly by emailing resolutionteam@gcu.edu or calling [protected] with the details of your issue and someone will reach out to you via phone or email within one business day. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to resolve your issue.

Also, feel free to pass this contact information on to the others you indicated may require some resolution assistance, as we'd like to be of assistance to them too.

I am having the same issues with GCU. I have been attending since July 2010 and have never received a disbursement check without having to call every day. My GCU retention credit NEVER credits to my account without my having to call and now I am on the 2 payment period of my academic year as of December 12. Up until now my award letter (online, since they don;t actually send you one in the mail like any other college I have ever attended) has stated that my next disbursement date was December 12. Now, all of the sudden, it has changed to say December 26. I called my financial aid officer who told me that he does not know why it would have ever said December 12 because disbursement dates never happen on the first day of class. Then, proceeded to tell me that I needed to call the lender to find out why they had December 12 listed as the date and now changed it. I advised him that I spoke to the lender on December 12 and they said that the school determines the disbursement date. He continued to say "I don't know why they said that, they determine the disbursement date". I have never in my life been told that they lender determines the award letter information and the disbursement date. If that was the case why does the award letter not come from the lender? Why does it come from GCU and is only available online at GCU's student portal? The only answer I can ever get from them is it will be about 2 weeks or "I don't know". It is so frustrating! I am doing what I need to do and GCU needs to hold up their end of the deal. I have 4 kids and I use the stipends from my financial aid funds in order to supplement the income in my home so I can go to school. But, when you have not even somewhat of a specific time frame as to when you expect anything from the school it make it that much harder to do. I am very close to dropping out of GCU and going to another school because of these issues. It just really sucks because GCU is a good school besides the fact that they give students the run around when it comes to their financial aid. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law attend GCU right now too and they have many of the same issues. Maybe, GCU can get their act together eventually.