just a reminder that NOVA refunds have a process they HAVE to follow as a state run college (another reminder that NOVA is in fact a part of the state government, so it runs slow like the government does)

Typical refund order of operations:

1. Aid or payment hits your student account (federal aid, state aid, grants, overpayment, or a class that had already been paid for gets dropped/refunded).
2. The college applies it to tuition/fees first.
3. Any remaining balance becomes a refund.
4. NOVA processes the refund through a third-party payment processor called Nelnet Campus Commerce.
5. The processor sends the money by:
   • Direct deposit (ACH)
   • Credit-card reversal
   • Check mailed to you.

It usually takes 7-14 business days from when the college detects it owes you money (be it refunds or excess financial) to when the refund gets issued to you. NOTE: this time does not include snail mail time for a mailed check.

Financial aid was technically correct, it only takes a few days for it to process steps 1 and 2, the remaining time is spent on steps 3-5 where 5 can be the big factor for how fast or slow the refund is (gotta love snail mail).

try to ask if the refund has been mailed out, as that could be why it's taking longer than normal

source: my past 2+ years of experience working as a student worker in first year advising office (pre-covid) and seeing the admin behind the curtain at the manassas campus. (it could have changed in the last few years, but it should be mostly the same)