How does a scholarship work if a grant covers the full cost of tuition?

I attend a community college in Illinois, and my Pell Grant covers all my tuition. Recently, I received a scholarship that will take effect two weeks after I received my Pell Grant. Should I wait to pay off my fees until the scholarship arrives, or if I pay them off using my Pell Grant, will I get a refund? Thanks for any assistance!

You’ll receive a refund for any balance that remains unused.

You can choose between direct deposit or a paper check, but I recommend saving some of the funds.

If your scholarship is specifically for tuition and your Pell Grant already covers that, then you’re correct—any tuition costs will be paid off first, and you won’t receive a refund for those amounts. It sounds like the scholarship might help with other school-related expenses, so it’s great that you’ll have that support.