Financing and Resources

Financial Services Department
Email: financialservices@urbancollege.edu
Phone: 617-449-7429
Website: https://www.urbancollege.edu/financial-services-and-funding-options

Urban College of Boston (URBAN COLLEGE) offers several options to help students fund their education. Depending on the program of study, URBAN COLLEGE offers state, City of Boston, and federal financial aid to all eligible students.

Federal Financial Aid Application

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Website: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Urban College School Code for FAFSA: 031305

Urban College strongly encourages all eligible students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student (FAFSA) for the appropriate award year. The FAFSA will determine eligibility for need-based aid, such as Pell Grants and Direct Subsidized Loans. In addition, completion of the FAFSA will determine eligibility for non-need-based aid, such as Direct Unsubsidized Loans. The FAFSA can be completed at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa with the Urban College School Code: 031305.

To be eligible for federal financial aid, including grants, loans, and work-study funds, a student must meet certain requirements:

• Be enrolled in a degree or certificate program.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Not be in default on federal student loans.
• Possess a High School diploma or equivalent.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Students will need the following information to complete your FAFSA:

• Their parents’ Social Security Numbers (SSNs) if they are a dependent student
• Tax Return Information, including,
  • IRS W-2
  • IRS Form 1040
  • Foreign tax return or IRS Form 1040-NR
  • Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated State of Micronesia, or Palau
• Records of child support received
• Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
• Net worth of investments, business, and farms
• The student’s driver’s license number
• The student’s A-number if you are not a U.S. Citizen

If students already have a completed 2024-2025 FAFSA application, they will need to add the Urban College School Code: 031305

Assistance with Financial Aid Application

Urban College Financial Services Department
Email: financialservices@urbancollege.edu
Phone: (617) 449-7429

Urban College staff can assist students who encounter difficulty completing the FAFSA. Students who need assistance can contact Urban College Financial Services Department via email financialservices@urbancollege.edu or by phone: 617-449-7429

Dependency Status Criteria

The US Department of Education considers the following students to be independent of their parents for the purposes of offering federal financial aid for the 2023-2024 school year (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024):

• Students who were born before January 1, 2000.
• Students who are married.
• Students who are veterans of the US Armed Forces*.
• Students who have children, or will have children, if they provide or will provide more than half of the support for the child.
• Students who have dependents (other than a child or spouse) living with them, if they provide more than half of the support for the dependent.
• Students who will be graduate/professional students in 2023-2024.
• Students who are serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces for purposes other than training.
• Students who are or were emancipated minors as determined by a court.
• Students who are orphans or wards of the court, or were wards of the court as of age 13.
• Students who are or were in a legal guardianship as determined by a court.
• Students who are or were considered an unaccompanied youth who was homeless on or after May 1, 2022.

*Please answer “no” to the dependency status question for veteran status if you (1) have never engaged in active duty in the US Armed Forces, (2) are currently a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) student, cadet, or midshipman at a service academy, (3) are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee activated only for state or training purposes, or (4) were engaged in active duty in the US Armed Forces but were released under dishonorable conditions.

As the questions above illustrate, financial independence is not one of the criteria used in determining whether a student is considered dependent or independent. Parental data must be provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for students who are unable to answer “yes” to one of the listed criteria. Urban College of Boston uses the US Department of Education’s definition of dependency status for all federal and state aid programs. Students should refer to the FAFSA for specific details on each of the above criteria or contact the Urban College Financial Services Department for assistance in determining dependency status.

Prior Bachelor’s Degree

Students who possess a bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment are not eligible for certain grant programs, including the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

FAFSA Follow Up

C-Flags, Verification, Unusual Enrollment History

In some instances, the College is required by federal and state regulations to review the student’s FAFSA and confirm the accuracy of the information provided. The College reserves the right to verify any data submitted by applicants or the parents of applicants.

After the FAFSA has been signed, the application is run through a series of database matches, including but not limited to Social Security Administration, National Student Loan Data System, and the Department of Homeland Security. If the student and/or parent does not successfully pass one of the matches, the student and/or parent may be required to submit additional documentation to the university to verify the accuracy of the data provided on the FAFSA. If additional documentation is required, the student will be notified via email of the documentation requirements.

Failure to submit requested documents may result in a delay or cancellation of a financial aid offer. If during the process, data is found to be incorrect, the data may be corrected, and the financial aid offer revised.

If a student is found to have knowingly submitted falsified or intentionally misleading information, Urban College of Boston shall reserve the right to (1) refuse to offer financial aid or (2) cancel all aid that has previously been disbursed, with all fraudulent information forwarded to the Office of the Inspector General for further investigation.

FAFSA Corrections

Any corrections to a student’s FAFSA information will be reported electronically by Urban College of Boston to the Central Processing System (the CPS) for processing. When electronic corrections are made, the school will receive a corrected Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR) and the CPS will notify the student of the corrections electronically via a Student Aid Report (SAR).

Duration & Renewal of Aid

The FAFSA becomes available for the new aid year typically by October 1. By law, the US Department of Education must post the new FAFSA no later than January 1 of the aid year for which it is intended. It is the student’s responsibility to complete this application each year to meet any applicable deadlines. Students intending to use financial aid in future terms will need to file a FAFSA that corresponds with the appropriate award year.

Contact the Urban College Financial Services Department for more information on when you should renew your FAFSA.

Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance (COA) is an estimate of the student’s educational expenses for the period of enrollment. For the purposes of Urban College of Boston, the period of enrollment will be one academic year. The COA at the College follows along with federal guidelines for what are considered allowable costs and exceptions to the rules. The components of the COA are tuition, fees, books, miscellaneous expenses, transportation, and room & board. Currently, the COA will be based on on-campus enrollment, off-campus enrollment, or with-parent enrollment.

For students attending less than halftime, the COA cannot include allowances for miscellaneous expenses. In addition, the financial offer may not exceed the COA for the academic year.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measure of a family’s financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. It is an index number that the staff at the College will use to determine how much financial aid the student would be eligible for; it is not the amount the student’s family are required to pay. The student’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) are all considered in the formula. Also considered are family size and the number of family members who will attend college during the year.

Determining Financial Need

The financial need for the student is determined by a simple formula: COA minus EFC equals the student’s financial aid. This number is then used by the College to determine the amount of need-based financial aid the student is eligible to receive. Need-based financial aid includes Direct Subsidized Loans and Federal Pell Grants, as well as Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). As the COA cannot be exceeded for the academic year, the financial need also cannot be exceeded within the academic year.

Financial Aid Offer Package

Once the COA, EFC, and financial need are determined, the student will receive the notification of a financial aid offer package electronically. After the student reviews the package, the offer may be reduced or canceled according to request. To complete a request, the student may contact the Financial Services Department at the Urban College of Boston.

Outside Resources

In addition to federal funds in the initial financial aid offer, the student may receive additional outside resources to assist with educational expenses. This additional assistance may include, but is not limited to, employer reimbursement, tuition waivers, private scholarships, and fellowships. Any outside resource that is used by the student will need to be reported to the financial aid office and be included in the student’s financial aid package. If the student fails to inform the school of the additional funds, the student may be required to repay the school or the government all or part of the need-based financial aid package.
If the student’s financial aid offer with the outside resources exceeds either the COA or need, the student’s financial aid package will be adjusted, even if the financial aid has already been disbursed. Should the additional funds result in a change to a student’s financial aid status or eligibility, they will receive notification of the change.

Use of Aid

Funds listed on financial aid offers may be used only for education-related expenses incurred at the College for the respective academic year.

Federal Funds

Pell Grants

Federal Pell Grants are gift aid entitlement grants for eligible students with exceptional financial need. Applicants need to be enrolled in a degree program (associate or certificate) and must not have already earned a bachelor’s degree. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and any required documents to receive a Pell Grant. Pell Grants do not have to be repaid. More details are available on the US Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid website: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell.

Federal Pell Grant Lifetime Limit

An eligible Federal Pell Grant recipient has a lifetime limit of 12 full-time semesters or six full years of eligibility. This federal policy is retroactive to whenever a student first received a Federal Pell Grant and includes payments received at colleges or universities that the student attended prior to Urban College.

Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant

Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) is a campus-based federal grant program with awards ranging from $100 to $300 per year, depending on demonstrated need and availability of funds. Grants are awarded to students with exceptional financial need, and typically to students receiving Federal Pell Grants.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

A student may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if they are not eligible for a Pell Grant, and their parent or guardian was a member of the US Armed Forces and died as a result of service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. Additional rules require the student to be under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least halftime at the time of the parent or guardian’s death.

Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship

A student may be eligible to receive the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship if the following terms are met: the student is eligible for a Pell Grant and the student must have been less than 24 years of age or enrolled at an institute of higher education at the time of their parent’s or guardian’s death. The student becomes eligible if the parent or guardian died in the line of duty as a result of service while performing as a public safety officer or military service person. Unlike the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, a student is not eligible for this scholarship if they are not Pell Grant eligible.

Federal Work-Study

Urban College of Boston participates in the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program. FWS provides part-time jobs for undergraduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. It provides part-time employment while students are enrolled in school either full or part- time. The FWS Program emphasizes employment in civic education and work related to your course of study, whenever possible. A student must complete the current year’s FAFSA to determine the student’s eligibility for this program.
Urban College Work-Study students earn at least the current federal minimum wage. However, students may earn more depending on the type of work that they do, and the skills required for the position.

A total work-study award depends on:

• when a student applies
• their level of financial need, and
• The College’s funding level.

Students cannot work as many hours as they like, as the amount a student earns can’t exceed their total Federal Work-Study award. When assigning work hours, the employer or the College’s financial aid office will consider a student’s class schedule and academic progress. Please email studentservices@urbancollege.edu or call 617-449-7380 for more information about the Federal Work-study program.

Disclaimer

The College does not guarantee employment to students for any of our positions. Several students may be applying for a particular job at the same time.

Education Loans

Direct Loans

These are fixed-rate student loans for undergraduate and graduate students to help pay for the cost of their education. The lender of the loan will be the US Department of Education. The Direct Student Loan programs offer the following types of loans for students in eligible programs:

Direct Subsidized Loan

Available to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. The US Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan while the student is in school at least halftime, and for the first six months after the student leaves the institution.

Direct Unsubsidized Loan:

Available to eligible undergraduate and graduate students. In order to be eligible, the student does not need to demonstrate financial need. Unlike the Direct Subsidized Loan, the interest begins accruing once the loan disburses on the student’s account. Repayment of the loan begins six months after a student is no longer maintaining a minimum enrollment status of halftime.

*Grace Period

For Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans, the grace period is the period of time after the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment. During this time, the student is not required to make payments.
You are not required to apply for a student loan, but should you decide to, students must complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN).

Federal Direct Loan Lifetime Limits

All student types are subject to aggregate lifetime borrowing limits. Please see the chart below:

*As of the 2013-2014 award year, graduate students are no longer eligible to borrow Direct Subsidized Loans

Disbursement of Federal Financial Aid Funds

After confirming enrollment and attendance, Urban College credits all available financial aid funds (excluding Federal Work-Study) to the eligible charges on the student’s account. Eligible charges include tuition and any associated fees. Once the charges are covered, any remaining financial aid funds will be released to the student in the form of a refund in the manner that complies with the Department of Education’s requirements for refunding federal financial aid. All refunds are paid to the student via a check mailed to the student. If subsequent charges occur on the student’s account after a refund is processed in a given semester, the student will be responsible for these new charges.

In the event that noneligible financial aid funds are disbursed in error, the student agrees to repay the full amount to Urban College of Boston. If a mistake was made, whether by the student, the College, or another agency, federal regulations require that the mistake be corrected, and funds returned.

Financial Aid Enrollment Status

As mandated by the US Department of Education, for financial aid purposes, only courses that are considered a requirement to complete the program can be included when the financial aid office determines the student’s enrollment status.

For repeat coursework, students may retake coursework until they receive a grade above an F. If a student passes a course but would like to receive a higher grade or it is required by their program, the student may retake the course one time while receiving financial aid.

The student’s financial aid eligibility is based on two parts: enrollment status and participation. The student’s enrollment status is reviewed at the time of disbursement and throughout the given term of enrollment. The student’s participation is defined as the submission of a graded project or discussion, for online forums. The student must participate in any given class to receive disbursement.

Loan Counseling and Federal Student Loan Repayment Options

Entrance Counseling

Federal law requires any students who have not previously received a subsidized or unsubsidized loan (or PLUS Loan) to complete Entrance Counseling. The purpose of completing this process is to gain a greater understanding of the student’s rights and responsibilities in borrowing through the Direct Loan program. While completing entrance counseling, the student will learn about what a Direct Loan is, how the loan process works, how to manage educational expenses, other financial resources, and what repayment programs are available. Entrance Counseling can be completed online at studentaid.gov. Or through the Urban College Online Financing Portal.

Financial Awareness Counseling

Unlike Entrance Counseling, Financial Awareness Counseling is not a requirement by federal law. However, Urban College encourages all students to complete Awareness Counseling routinely to stay up to date with Direct Loan information. This counseling includes topics such as understanding your loans, managing spending, repayment plans, avoiding default, and how to make finances a priority. Financial Awareness Counseling can be completed online at studentaid.gov.

Exit Counseling

Like Entrance Counseling, Exit Counseling is a federal requirement of all students who received subsidized, unsubsidized, or PLUS loans under the Direct Loan Program or the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program to complete once the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment. As part of the Exit Counseling requirements, the student will be reminded of their obligations to repay, along with other information on deferment, forbearance, avoiding default, and how to make finances a priority.

Students at the College will receive an Exit Counseling Packet via their Urban College email if they withdraw or graduate. Borrowers of Federal Direct or Graduate PLUS loans can also complete the online Exit Counseling requirement at studentaid.gov.

Federal Loan Repayment Options

Loan Repayment Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the student borrower to repay student loans. This is true even if financial circumstances become difficult. Students are encouraged to understand their repayment options should they choose to borrow federal direct loans to cover the cost of their tuition. Borrowers can find several repayment options at studentaid.gov.

Prepayment of Student Loans

There are no penalties for paying on student loans prior to repayment or making larger monthly payments than is required. By doing this, the student will reduce the total interest applied to the loans and will pay less over the repayment period. Students are encouraged to understand their repayment options should they choose to borrow federal direct loans to cover the cost of their tuition. Borrowers can find several repayment options at studentaid.gov.

Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator

To help students review and compare loan repayment options, Urban College encourages all students to use the Federal Student Aid Repayment Estimator to see what options will fit for their financial circumstances. The Federal Student Aid Repayment Estimator will allow students to make use of an interactive online tool to look through the above repayment options. It can be found online at https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/

Deferment

A deferment is a period during which payments of principal are postponed. No interest accrues on Direct Subsidized loans. Interest is charged on Direct Unsubsidized Loans and may be paid or allowed to accrue and capitalize. Borrowers must meet specific eligibility criteria and request the deferment from their lender(s).

Forbearance

Forbearance is defined as a period in which your monthly loan payments are temporarily suspended or reduced. It is important that the student works hand in hand with their lender to obtain a grant of forbearance if the student is unable to make loan payments due to certain types of financial hardships. During the time of forbearance, principal payments are postponed but interest will continue to accrue.

Visit https://studentaid.gov/h/manage-loans to learn more about the payment plans, payment deferment, and payment forbearance options that are available.

Return of Title IV Funds

Return of Title IV funds requirements apply to a Title IV grant and/or loan recipient or eligible recipient who withdraws or ceases attendance from Urban College of Boston before completing the payment period.
The payment period is the academic period established for which financial aid is offered and disbursed. Students are encouraged to learn and understand their program’s payment period definition.

URBAN COLLEGE will perform a Return to Title IV calculation and notify the student of any Federal Student Aid (FSA) fund return within 30 days of the date of withdrawal or the last date of attendance.

URBAN COLLEGE has 45 days from the date of determination that the student withdrew to return all unearned FSA funds that it is responsible to return.

URBAN COLLEGE divides the number of days attended for the student (numerator) by the number of days scheduled in the period (denominator), excluding breaks of five days or more. Once this calculation is completed, it will show the percent of earned aid. However, if the student has earned greater than 60% of the payment period, they are considered to be 100% earned.

The percent earned multiplied by the total federal aid (grants and/or loans) for the payment period is the amount the student earned based upon their withdrawal date or last date of attendance. If this amount is greater than what was actually disbursed, then Urban College of Boston will offer the student a post-withdrawal disbursement, provided the funds meet the conditions for a late disbursement. If the amount that was actually disbursed is greater than the amount earned, the excess is considered unearned federal aid.

The College will return a portion of any unearned FSA based upon the student’s institutional charges for the payment period. Institutional charges will include tuition. The total amount of institutional charges is multiplied by the percent earned to determine the unearned amount of institutional charges. The College will return the lesser of the unearned institutional charges or the total amount unearned.

Return of Funds

The College will return FSA to the programs from which the student received aid during the payment period in the following order, up to the net amount disbursed from each source:

• Direct Unsubsidized Loan
• Direct Subsidized Loan
• Direct PLUS Loan
• Federal Pell Grant*
• Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant*

*There is a 50% grant protection allowance for the student built into the Return to Title IV calculation. Students are also not required to return unearned funds of $50 or less for Title IV grant programs.

Students are responsible for immediate payment on account balances that are a result of a Return to Title IV calculation.

Within the Return to Title IV calculation, there is also an amount of unearned Title IV aid due from the student.

Title IV grant funds are typically repaid by the College and the student is responsible for payment to the University. The College will waive any grant repayment and will not report an overpayment for any affected individual covered by the HEROES Act.

Direct Loans are to be repaid in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in the student’s signed Master Promissory Note (MPN).

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement

There may be an instance of a student who is subject to a return of unearned aid as a result of a Return to Title IV calculation, but may also be eligible to receive a portion of earned, but undisbursed aid. In this case, the student must decide if they would like the post-withdrawal disbursement of aid applied to their account. Post-withdrawal disbursements fall into two categories when it comes to authorization: (1) grants do not require authorization, while (2) Direct Loan funds require student authorization.

Student Financial Services will notify the student in writing if they are eligible for any Direct Loan post-withdrawal disbursement. In order to receive the post-withdrawal disbursement, the student must sign and return the authorization letter within fourteen (14) days of the date of the notice. The Direct Loans are to be repaid in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined in the student’s signed Master Promissory Note (MPN).

Return of Title IV Fund Requirements

Return of Title IV funds requirements do apply to a student who:

• Officially withdraws during a payment period; or
• Unofficially withdraws during a payment period (student stops attending without providing notification to the university); or
• Ceases attendance during a payment period

Return of Title IV funds requirements do not apply to a student who:

• Graduates during a payment period; or
• Successfully completes 49% (a non-rounded percentage) of a payment period that is constructed of modules (successful completion equates to earning a passing grade); or
• Withdraws from some classes but remains enrolled in other courses during the same payment period at Urban College of Boston, or
• Never attended any classes, or for whom Urban College cannot document academic engagement in at least one class for the payment period or period of enrollment. If the student never attended any classes or Urban College cannot document the student’s academic engagement in at least one class, the student did not establish Title IV eligibility for the payment period and all funds must be returned.

State Financial Aid

MASSGrant

The MASSGrant Program is funding awarded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to eligible full-time students; these grants do not have to be repaid. Massachusetts part-time Grants are awarded by the College to eligible students who complete at least 6 but fewer than 12 credit hours for the Fall and Spring terms; these grants are estimated to be from $125 to $400 for fall and spring and do not have to be repaid. More information is available online: https://www.mass.edu/osfa/programs/massgrant.asp.

Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the deadline to be considered.

State of Massachusetts Early Childhood Educators (ECE) Scholarship

The ECE Scholarship “is designed to provide financial assistance for currently employed early childhood and “out of school time” educators and providers who enroll in an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree program in Early Childhood Education or related programs.” More information is available online: https://www.mass.edu/osfa/programs/earlychildhooded.asp.
Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the ECE application by the deadline to be considered.

Special Assistance Funding

City of Boston Financial Aid

Tuition-Free Community College Expansion Program
Contact Information
Urban College Admissions
Email: financialservices@urbancollege.edu
Phone: (617) 449-7428

This City of Boston program covers up to three years of tuition and fees for eligible students. In general, students are eligible if they have received their high school credential (diploma, HiSET, or GED), and are a City of Boston resident. The program covers a $250 stipend per semester, tuition, and fees costs until December 2026 and up to $2500 in past due debt from a partnering institution. Please speak with an Admissions Officer at Urban College or call Urban College Financial Services department for more information. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the deadline to be considered.

The City of Boston Tuition-Free plan details are available for students to review: https://www.boston.gov/departments/workforce-development/tuition-free-community-college-plan.

Urban College of Boston Institutional Aid

Private Funding

Employer Support

Many employers pay for some or all the cost of their employees’ courses. Students should check with their employer to see if this is an option.

Student Payment Plans

Urban College allows students to make payment arrangements for tuition that they cannot pay in full up front. These payment plans allow students to pay on tuition balances over the course of the semester.

For paying through employer support or by setting up Student Payment Plans, contact Urban College Business Office.
Email: studentpaymentplans@urbancollege.edu
Phone: (617)449-7430

Tuition and Fees

Urban College Business Office
Phone: (617) 449-7430 or (617) 449-7428

To increase access and opportunity, the College offers its courses at affordable rates. URBAN COLLEGE reduces economic barriers by providing substantial financial support to each student. The Financial Aid section details various sources of outside funding available to students.

Student Accounts and Payment Procedures

• When a student registers for a course, they are responsible for paying in full all tuition and fees by the established due date.
• Tuition and fees are expected to be paid in full at the time of registration or by the establishment of a payment plan with payment to be paid by the due date.
• The College accepts cash, checks, money orders, all major credit/debit card(s), and requests for billing from the student’s employer. To pay by phone, please call business office. To pay via a check or a money order, mail a check or a money order to Urban College of Boston Business Office, 2 Boylston Street, 2nd Floor, Boston MA 02116.

Tuition

Fees

The College reserves the right to adjust tuition, fees, or schedules as necessary.

Tuition and Fees Nonpayment, Financial Holds, and Other Implications

Students are advised to keep their student account free of outstanding balances and follow the payment plan schedule. Outstanding balances can create barriers for students’ own progress through college as follows:

• The College reserves the right to drop students from their classes for nonpayment. Late payments may prevent a student from reentering a class from which they were dropped if the class is full.
• The College may place a financial hold on a student account with outstanding balance from a previous semester that may prevent the student from registering for classes.
• Students will be allowed to register for the next semester after outstanding balances have been paid in full.

Withdrawal, Drops and Refunds 

Students may drop courses during the first two weeks of the semester or term start during the drop period and not incur tuition charges. Courses dropped after the drop period are considered withdrawn and full tuition charges are assessed. 

Students with financial aid who withdrawal from the semester are treated as withdrawn students for financial aid purposes. Tuition owed and refunds are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. For more information on how these calculations are performed, refer to Return to Title IV of Funds. 

Tuition Refund 

• Course Drops and Administrative Course Drops: 

  • During Week 1 (add/drop period): No tuition charged or 100% refund if full payment is made. 

  • During Week 2 (drop period): No tuition charged or 100% refund if full payment is made. 

  • After Week 2 (withdrawal period): 100% tuition charged or no refund if payment is submitted. 

• Course Withdrawals and Administrative Course Withdrawals: 

  • Students are not eligible for any tuition refunds for course withdrawal(s) or administrative course withdrawal(s) at any point in the semester. 

• Semester Withdrawals and Administrative Semester Withdrawals: 

  • During Week 1 (add/drop period): No tuition charged or 100% refund if full payment is made. 

  • During Week 2 (drop period): No tuition charged or 100% refund if full payment is made. 

  • After Week 2 (withdrawal period): 100% tuition charged or no refund if payment is submitted. 

Military Semester Withdrawal

Enrolled active-duty military personnel may withdraw from a semester if they are deployed to a location that has no civilian internet access. Any tuition refund requires students to provide a copy of military orders and a letter from the superior officer confirming the lack of civilian internet access. In appropriately documented cases, a student may be eligible to withdraw from a semester with a full tuition refund if his or her withdrawal is predicated on an injury or illness directly related to his or her military service. Any such refund requires the student to provide supporting medical documentation. 

Registration and Tuition Refund Appeal Process  

Students may be warranted to an exception from certain rules, procedures, or deadlines. When such situations happen, students may appeal to the College for relief from a process, a deadline, a payment, or a ruling.  

Appeals are meant to address unusual circumstances and exceptions, such as: 

• Death of a student or an immediate family member  

• Serious injury/accident to the student or an immediate family member  

• Student or immediate family member’s hospitalization  

• Unexpected job loss  

• Homelessness 

If a student believes they have one of the unusual and/or extenuating circumstances listed above which justifies, with evidence, an exception to the standard registration policies, the student may appeal to the Academic Policy Appeal Committee.  

All appeals should begin with a conversation between the student and the Director of Student Services and Support, who will assist the student in preparing and submitting their appeal.  

• The appeal process is limited to enrolled courses 15 days from the posting of the withdrawal from the course. (Appeals for time periods beyond this limit will not be reviewed). Appeals are limited to one per student per semester or term.  

Students must complete their own appeal; appeals made on behalf of a student will not be reviewed. Students must submit their appeal in English. 

Add/drop and withdrawal deadlines are widely publicized. Therefore, appeals based on lack of awareness of these issues will not be reviewed. The Committee’s decisions are final. 

References 

Students should also be familiar with Academic and Financial Services Policies regarding dropping or withdrawing from courses: 

• Withdrawal from the Semester and Administrative Withdrawal from the Semester 

• Withdrawal from the College and Administrative Withdrawal from the College Academic Policies 

• Return of Title IV Funds 

Refund Schedule Fall 2025 

Fall 2025 Semester - September 2 - December 22 

Courses that start September 2nd 

Courses that start October 28th 

Refund Schedule Spring 2026 

Spring 2026 Semester - January 20 - May 18 

Courses that start January 20th 

Courses that start March 24th

Refund Schedule Summer 2026 

Summer 2026 Semester - June 2 - July 27 

Courses that start June 2