WKU Debit Card
The “ONLY” way to select your university refund preference.
Refunds are delivered to students by the option that they choose when activating the WKU Debit Card:
1. Easy Refund to the OneAccount – Fastest Option
2. ACH Transfer (Direct Deposit) to your current bank account – Deposit funds to a bank of your choice. Selecting this method will allow funds to be available in 2-3 business days.
3. Paper Check – A paper check will be mailed by Higher One to the address you designate during activation. This option will be available to students who make a selection during the first six months of the program. Selecting this method will allow funds to be available in 5 or more business days.
NOTE: The university will NOT issue residual/refund checks, so you MUST choose an option for receiving any refund due to you. The funds are sent from the university to Higher One who then disburses the refunds according to the choice a student has made during the selection process.
Please refer to the “Frequently Asked
Questions” section below.
The WKU Debit Card – The “ONLY” Way to Select How You Will Receive Your
University Refunds
Western Kentucky University has partnered with Higher One to facilitate the
delivery of refunds from the university to the students. The WKU Debit
Card with the MasterCard logo will provide students with the options on how to
receive their refunds. The university will NOT issue refund checks, so
you MUST use your card to access the Higher One website and choose an option
for receiving any refund due to you. Provided below are answers to the
most frequently asked questions about the WKU Debit Card and refund process.
How are WKU refunds delivered to students?
Can you define Higher One, the WKU Debit Card, Easy Refund, and the OneAccount?
How do I get my WKU Debit Card?
What do I do when I receive the WKU
Debit Card?
Is this my Student ID card?
How do I choose a refund preference?
What are my options for receiving financial aid or other refunds?
What is the OneAccount?
How can I check my account information?
What are the advantages of having my refunds deposited directly
to my OneAccount?
Are there any fees for the OneAccount?
What is an ACH Transfer?
I don't think I will ever get a refund. Why should I activate the card?
Does activating mean I open a bank account with Higher One?
Why does the WKU Debit Card have the MasterCard Debit logo on it?
Where are the Higher One ATMs located on campus?
What is the Higher One communication box and where is it located?
Can I have my refund deposited to another bank account?
When will I get a refund?
How long does it take to receive my refund?
When will the university disburse the funds to Higher One?
When will I know when my refund has been processed?
I am an international student and I have not received a card.
I am a staff member (or faculty) and I received a WKU Debit Card. Do I need to activate the card?
What if I change my address?
What if I have not received my WKU Debit Card? How do I order
a replacement card?
What if I have additional questions?
How are WKU refunds delivered to students?
Refunds are delivered to students by the option that they choose when activating the WKU Debit Card:
1. Easy Refund to the optional OneAccount – More information on the OneAccount below
2. ACH Transfer (Direct Deposit) to your current bank account – Deposit funds to a bank of your choice. Selecting this method will allow funds to be available in 2-3 business days.
3. Paper Check – A paper check will be mailed by Higher One to the address you designate during activation. This option will be available to students who make a selection during the first six months of the program. Selecting this method will allow funds to be available in 5 or more business days.
NOTE: The university will NOT issue refund checks, so you MUST choose
an option for receiving any refund due to you. The funds are sent from
the university to Higher One who then disburses the refunds according to the
choice a student has made during the selection process.
Can you define Higher One, the WKU Debit Card, Easy Refund, and the
OneAccount?
- Higher One: a financial services company that specializes in student refund payment services.
- WKU Debit Card: the card used to access the Higher One website and to select an option for receiving refunds from the university.
- Easy Refund: a refund method that opens a bank account with Higher One and deposits disbursements into the OneAccount.
- OneAccount: an FDIC insured bank account offered by Higher One. If the account is opened, then the WKU Debit Card also functions as a debit card. More information on the OneAccount is listed below.
How do I get my WKU Debit Card?
Each registered WKU student will receive a WKU Debit Card from Higher
One. Your card will arrive in the mail at your current address on file
with the university.
What do I do when I receive the WKU
Debit Card?
The card is required in the selection process to determine how you receive future refunds from WKU for residual amounts or any other reason. To avoid delay in receiving any money due you, please use your 16 digit card number to access the Higher One website. During the selection process you will choose how to receive your refund money (see options above). Even if you do not receive financial aid, you may be eligible to receive a refund from WKU in the future. For example, if you drop a class during the drop/add period, or if you withdraw, you may be eligible for a refund so don’t throw the card away. Keep your WKU Debit Card somewhere safe in case you need to access future funds owed to you.
You will receive a WKU Debit Card shortly after you enroll. The card will be mailed to your current address on file with the university. If your initial card is mailed to the wrong address, please contact the WKU Debit Card Office at 270-745-5551 or in Potter Hall, room 208.
No. You still need your student WKU ID – the Big Red Card to use on
campus. Your Big Red Card is used for library services, printing
services, meal plan purchases, and is your personal identification for all
university related activities.
How do I choose a refund preference?
Go to the Higher One website. Enter your 16 digit card number in the section labeled “Get Started”, click “Go” and follow the instructions to set up your refund preference.
What are my options for receiving financial aid or other refunds?
Your options include:
- Easy Refund to the OneAccount (fastest option available).
- ACH transfer to a bank account of your choice (2-3 business days).
- Paper check issued by Higher One (5-7 business days).
The OneAccount is a full functioning FDIC insured free checking account that allows you to access your refunds quicker and easier. The OneAccount has no minimum balance, no monthly fees, and internet banking features. With it, you can use your WKU Debit Card to make purchases anywhere MasterCard Debit is accepted. You can also get cash with no fees at Higher One ATMs located on campus.
Your WKU Debit Card is used to access your OneAccount.
During activation, students have the option of selecting the OneAccount. If you
would like to change your refund preference to the OneAccount you may do so at
any time. Once you have activated the OneAccount and you have available funds,
the debit card functions will be activated and you may use your WKU Debit Card
as a debit card anywhere MasterCard is accepted.
MasterCard Zero Liability
If you have activated the OneAccount, have peace of mind knowing your card
issuer won’t hold you responsible for unauthorized purchases.
As a MasterCard cardholder your card issuer won’t hold you
liable in the event of an unauthorized use of your U.S.-issued MasterCard card.
This coverage extends to purchases made in a store, over the telephone, or
online.
Zero Liability is provided under the following conditions:
Your account is in good standing.
You have exercised reasonable care in safeguarding your card.
You have not reported two or more unauthorized events in the past 12
months.
How can I
check my account information?
Click here to log on to your OneAccount.
The OneAccount is not associated with WKU. Questions regarding the OneAccount should be directed to 1-800-815-5448 or www.WKUDebitCard.com
What are the advantages of having my refunds deposited directly
to my OneAccount?
- Depositing your refund to your OneAccount is the quickest way to gain access to your money. To have your refund directly deposited to the OneAccount, activate and choose Easy Refund to open your OneAccount. After your WKU charges have been paid, remaining funds (financial aid or other credits) will be released by the university and directly deposited to your OneAccount.
- You can use the WKU Debit Card (NOT A CREDIT CARD) to make purchases at all participating merchants that accept MasterCard including the bookstore on campus, access cash at an ATM, pay bills, and so much more.
- Your parents and friends can easily send you money online with the “Send Money” feature.
- There is no charge to you for receiving your refund directly in your OneAccount. There is no monthly fee or minimum balance.
- You can stay informed about the status of your refund or changes to your account balance with mobile alerts to your cell phone.
Are there any fees for the OneAccount?
The OneAccount offers free checking with no monthly service fees or minimum balance requirements. However, some banking services may result in a fee, such as overdrafts or non Higher One ATM transactions. Please visit the Higher One website for a complete list of fees and for information on how to use the OneAccount for free.
An ACH or Automated Clearing House transaction is an electronic funds
transfer. This option allows for your refund to be directly deposited to
an existing bank account. To setup your direct deposit you will complete
an ACH form and submit it to Higher One. You can mail or fax the
completed form to Higher One or drop it in the Higher One communication box
located on the 2nd floor of Potter Hall on the main campus, near the
bookstore entrance at the
I don’t think I will ever get a refund. Why should I activate
the card?
Even if you do not think you will be getting a refund from the university,
you never know what may happen. It may be necessary for you to drop a
class, a class may be cancelled, or you may receive a scholarship or other
assistance that you were not anticipating. If you have activated the card
and chosen your preferred method, your refund will be delivered to you in a
timely manner. Remember, the university does not issue refund checks, so
it is important that you make a choice for your refund preference. Additionally,
the university plans to utilize Higher One to process student payroll in the
future – allowing students to receive payroll directly to the OneAccount or
directly to another bank account.
Does activating mean I open a bank account with Higher One?
No, activating the card means selecting a refund preference. You do not have
to use the card or open another bank account. You have the option of having any
refund sent to your existing bank account (ACH). If you choose Easy
Refund, then you have opened a bank account with Higher One.
Why does the WKU Debit Card have the MasterCard Debit logo on it?
If you choose to open the OneAccount, then the WKU Debit Card is the card
you use to access your funds. With the MasterCard Debit logo on it, you
can use the card wherever MasterCard Debit is accepted. The card is
NOT a credit card. It is a DEBIT card. To learn how to use your WKU Debit Card for
free, visit the Higher One
website for additional information.
Where are the Higher One ATMs located on campus?
Higher One ATMs can be found at the following locations:
- 4th Floor Entrance to Cravens Library
- Outside the bookstore in
- South Campus near the
- Glasgow Campus outside the bookstore
You
can use these ATMs to withdraw cash and/or view the available balance on your
OneAccount. There is no fee when using your OneCard and the daily cash
limit is $500.
What
is the Higher One communication box and where is it located?
The
Higher One communication box is a secure drop box you can use to mail deposits
and other correspondence to Higher One. This information is mailed to
Higher One via UPS overnight delivery. The communication box is located in
the second floor lobby of Potter Hall on the main campus, near the bookstore
entrance at the
Can I have my refund deposited to another bank account?
If
you prefer, you may have your financial aid refund or other refunds deposited
to the bank of your choice. In order to have your refund deposited to
your bank, you must first use your WKU Debit Card to access the Higher One website and
select ACH transfer. For this option, you will need to complete, print
and mail or fax the third party form to Higher One. The form is available
during the refund selection process.
When will I
get a refund?
Should the student have a negative balance after Financial Aid is applied to
the account, a refund will be generated for the student. Title IV regulations
state that in most cases refunds should be processed for students within 14
days of being applied to the student’s University account. An exception is when
financial aid is applied prior to the start of classes for that term; then it
is 14 days after the first day of class. In most cases, students at WKU receive
their refunds faster than this time frame.
WKU begins processing financial aid refunds for current
semesters on Mondays. The file will
typically be sent to Higher One for processes on Tuesdays.
Please note your account will show a “Refund” or “Residual”
and dollar amount in TopNet before funds will be released to you through Higher
One. Should your account show a negative balance this does not mean that WKU
has processed a refund for you. Your account balance will have to show a zero
before funds will be released.
* Even if a student receives a refund from WKU, this does
not mean that their University Account is paid in full. Student must check
their Topnet account to verify that their account is paid. It is the
student’s responsibility to pay any outstanding balances with the University.
How long does it take to receive my
refund?
Funds are sent from the university to Higher One who then disburses the refunds according to the choice a student has made. Refunds to be disbursed into the OneAccount are available immediately after processing. Refunds disbursed by ACH transfer (direct deposit) can take 2 to 3 business days for the recipient bank to process. Paper checks which are mailed from Higher One take 5 – 7 business days.
When will the university disburse the
funds to Higher One?
The disbursement of refunds is a two step process. First, the Financial Aid and Bursar’s Offices create a refund file to send to Higher One. This is a list of all students that will receive refunds. Second, a wire transfer is sent to Higher One so the actual funds can be disbursed. This is typically a two day process. For example, if the refund list is created on Monday, the wire transfers are generally sent on Tuesday.
You will receive an e-mail from Higher One to your WKU email address when
your refund has been processed indicating the option by which you chose to
receive your reimbursement. Additionally, you will be able to see details
of your OneAccount by accessing your statement on the website or you may opt-in
to receive a text message directly to your cell phone with mobile alerts.
I am an international student and I have not received a card.
The WKU Debit Card cannot be mailed to an address outside the
I am a staff member (or faculty) and I received a WKU Debit Card. Do
I need to activate the card?
Yes. Faculty and staff registered for a credit course will receive a card in
the event they receive a reimbursement in their role as a student.
After you receive your WKU Debit Card and select a preference, any subsequent address change will need to be made both at WKU and at Higher One. Address changes can be made by logging into Topnet, Selecting Personal Information, and updating address and phone information. Allow two business days for the updated address to appear in TopNet. Changes to your WKU Debit Card can be made by logging into the Higher One website. Go to the Profile tab and then select Address & Phone.
What if I have not received my WKU Debit Card? How do I order
a replacement card?
You may visit the Higher
One website and use the “Where’s my Card” feature to track your card
delivery. The WKU Debit Card is mailed to the current address on file
with the university. Please contact the WKU Debit Card Office if your
initial card is sent to the wrong address. Active cardholders can order a
replacement card by logging into their account profile. Under the
“Profile” tab, select “Card Status” and then follow the prompts to order your
new card. A replacement card fee of $20 will be assessed and added to
your account with the
What if I have additional questions?
Answers to other questions will be addressed through email at wkudebitcard.questions@wku.edu.
Questions can also be addressed by phone at 270-745-5551.