form 1098-T

If the funds went directly to your college or university to pay for educational expenses, it means you did not have to pay those costs, so it counts as being received by you.

You do not have to receive cash or a check.

Contact you school if you believe your Form 1098-T is wrong.

If the school held back the excess to apply to your 2023 college expenses, that's why you did not receive a check. I do believe there's a selection in the program where you can indicate the school held back and applied the excess money to 2023 qualified education expenses. Assuming of course, that's what happened. Contact the school's BUSAR to get the facts on that.