Students earn financial aid based on the length of time they attend classes during each semester. The percentage of aid earned is determined by dividing the number of days a student was enrolled and active in courses by the number of days in the semester. Students must contact the Office of Student Financial Aid prior to initiating a withdrawal action.
Partial Withdrawal
If a student withdraws from one or more courses but remains enrolled in others, the student is considered to have completed a partial withdrawal. The student will receive aid based on the number of courses (and semester hours) in which the student is still enrolled at the end of the drop/add period (generally the first week of the semester.) If a student withdraws from one or more classes after this period but remains enrolled in at least one course, most of their financial aid will not change for the semester. However, withdrawals may affect the student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress and financial aid eligibility for future semesters. Questions about how a partial withdrawal may affect the student’s financial aid eligibility should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Determining the Withdrawal Date for Complete Withdrawal
A student who officially withdraws from the university will have a withdrawal date determined by either the date the official withdrawal process began or the date the University was officially notified of the student’s intent to withdraw. A student who does not officially withdraw will have an unofficial last day of attendance withdrawal date determined by the last date of any documented academically related activity (for example, attends class or submits work).
A student who does not attend or participate in any classes (not even one), as determined by the attendance verification process at the beginning of the semester, is considered not to be enrolled for the semester. This means that the student’s tuition and fee charges and financial aid are canceled for the semester. This cancellation will be assessed at the Drop/Add date of each semester.
Complete Withdrawal Before the 60% Point
A student who withdraws from all courses before the 60.01% point in the semester, or fails all of the courses in which the student is enrolled during a semester, will have earned only a portion of the aid originally awarded. The financial aid award will therefore be prorated according to the percentage of the semester completed. This process is called “Return of Title IV Funds.”
The Office of Student Financial Aid calculates the “Return of Title IV Funds” after receiving notification of a student’s withdrawal. The Office of Student Financial Aid must complete this process within 45 days of the date of a student’s withdrawal. Every student must be aware that when the University is required to return unearned funds to the Department of Education, the student’s tuition and fees may no longer be paid in full, and the student may have a balance due to the University. (However, if a student’s loan disbursement has been reduced, that portion will be returned to the Department of Education which will then reduce the student’s overall loan indebtedness. The student will not be responsible for paying back the portion of the loan that was returned to the Department of Education.)
It is the student’s responsibility to pay any outstanding balance owed to the University. A hold will be placed on the student’s account and they will not be allowed to register for classes until the balance is paid.
Example: A student is registered for 9 credits during the spring semester. The student’s original award was a Federal Pell Grant for $2,082. The student stopped attending classes on 3/11/18, completing 25 out of 105 days in the semester. The student earned 23.80% of the Pell Grant award. An email notification is then sent to the student concerning the Return of Funds calculation and the balance due.
These regulations apply to students receiving assistance through the Pell Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Subsidized Stafford Loan, Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, and the Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students Programs.
Complete Withdrawal After the 60% Point
If a student withdraws from all courses after the 60% point in the semester, the student has earned 100% of the aid awarded, just as if the student had completed the semester. However, withdrawal at this point could still affect future financial aid eligibility.