Changes in Enrollment

Changes in enrollment during an academic period (such as official withdrawals from The University, dropping classes, or otherwise ceasing to attend all courses, or change the number of credits taken during the period) may impact the aid awarded for that period. Changes to your program of study that occur during an academic period may also affect your financial aid award. For federal student aid, only courses that count towards meeting the requirements of your degree can be used to determine your enrollment status (i.e. full-time, 3/4-time, half-time, less than half-time, not enrolled). This means your enrollment status for federal student aid eligibility may be different from your enrollment status in your Academic Record. The Financial Aid Office may be required to return all or a portion of your aid for that period. 

Students who withdraw (officially or unofficially) before completing 60% of the academic period in which they were enrolled are subject to the federal Return to Title IV calculation, and a portion of any federal student aid received for that academic period may need to be returned. Title IV is the section of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) which creates the federal student aid programs and the regulations that govern them. Withdrawal date is defined as the date on which the student began the institution’s official withdrawal process, the student’s last date of recorded attendance or academically related activity, or the midpoint of the semester if the aforementioned dates cannot be determined. The withdrawal date is determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Faculty award the grade of "NF" (no-show, failure) to any student who has not officially withdrawn yet has stopped participating at some point in the semester.  The "NF" grade is equivalent to an "F". The Financial Aid Office will review all students who earn all “NF” or all “F” grades in an academic period to determine if a return of funds is required. Students who earn all '"NF" or all "F" grades may be considered to have 'unofficially withdrawn' from the academic period. 

Students who withdraw during an academic period may also lose future aid eligibility. See the section on Renewal of Awards for more information.