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Financial Aid | Withdrawing

What should I do if I have received financial aid and need to withdraw?

If you are considering withdrawing from the University, you are strongly encouraged to first meet with a Financial Aid and Scholarships Counselor to determine how your aid eligibility may be affected. You earn the financial aid you have been awarded as you attend class during the semester.

If you have been awarded financial aid and begin attendance, but then change your enrollment or fail to attend class for the semester, the UVU Financial Aid and Scholarships Office is required to recalculate the financial aid you are eligible for based upon your adjusted enrollment. Depending on when you withdraw, you will most likely owe money back to UVU.

Policies

Return of Title IV Policy (R2T4)

Federal Regulations require that a student’s eligibility for aid to be recalculated whenever a student withdraws from the university, either officially, unofficially, or receive no credit in a course (an NC grade).

Though your aid is posted to your account at the start of each semester, you earn the funds as you complete the period. If you withdraw, the amount of Title IV program assistance that you have earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. The amount of assistance that you have earned is determined on a pro rata basis. For example, if you completed 30% of the semester, you earn 30% of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. Once you have completed more than 60% of the semester, you earn all the assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period.

When a student withdraws from their course, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will attempt to obtain proof the student began attendance in an academically related activity such as participation in class, submitting an assignment, or taking a quiz or test. If proof of attendance is received, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will use the withdrawal date recorded by the Registrar’s Office as the official withdrawal date. If the student receives an NC, UW or E grade, the professor of the course is required to put a last date of attendance. For an E grade, if a last date of attendance entered is prior to the last day of class, E grades are considered unearned (unofficially withdrawn) and may be subject to a recalculation of federal aid. The withdrawal date is determined by the last date of attendance entered by the instructor or confirmed by academic activity listed in the student's Canvas record.

A repayment of aid is required when the amount of aid disbursed is greater than the amount earned, as determined by the recalculation. The responsibility for returning aid is allocated between the University and the student. The institution will return the unearned portion of aid applied toward institutional costs and the student will return the remainder. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will send written notification with the amount that was returned to the student’s address on file. Any amount to be returned to a loan program may be repaid according to the terms of the promissory note. Additionally, a student may be billed for any aid which was applied toward institutional costs but was returned by the institution as a result of the student’s withdrawal. (The law assumes that financial aid disbursements are applied first toward institutional costs.)

The institution must return Title IV funds to the programs from which a student received aid during the semester as soon as possible but no later than 45 days after the date it determines the student withdrew.

Program funds must be returned in the following order:

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

When an R2T4 results in an amount to be returned, UVU will repay all funds to the Department of Education and the student will owe a balance to UVU.

Generally, a credit balance remaining on the student's account will be refunded within 1-3 business days.

Any time a student withdraws and receives a letter grade of I, W, and NC, it will not affect a student's GPA, but will be included in the attempted credit hours and will negatively impact a student's Completion Rate and Maximum Timeframe Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standard.

Any time a student withdraws and receives a letter grade of E, and UW it will have a negative impact on the student's GPA, Completion Rate, and Maximum Timeframe SAP standard. For more information about SAP, see the Satisfactory Academic Progress section.

Post-Withdrawal Disbursements

If you did not receive your federal aid prior to withdrawing, you may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement.

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will send you a letter explaining any necessary requirements and documentation required in order to receive the funds. You will be given fourteen days after withdrawing to notify the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office that you wish to be considered for a post-withdrawal disbursement. You may choose to decline some or all of the funds.

  • Federal Grants will be disbursed within 45 days.
  • Loans will be offered to the student within 30 days.
  • All post-withdrawal disbursements are applied to the student's account first.
  • Generally, a credit balance remaining on the student's account will be refunded within 1-3 business days.

If you do not respond within the 14 days, and have completed all requirements, the amount of Federal Pell Grant you earned will be disbursed. Loans can only be disbursed with your written consent.

Examples of a Return of Title IV Calculation

Example 1

Student receives Full Pell Grant and Full Sub/Unsub loans as a junior/senior- $6,848 in total aid received.

Student is a resident paying full time tuition of $2,910.

If the student withdraws three weeks into the semester, the amount of aid to be returned is $5,546 (approx. 19% of the semester completed). Because the student earned 19%, they can keep $1,302.

Example 2

Student receives Full Pell Grant and Full Sub/Unsub loans as a junior/senior- $6,848 in total aid received.

Student is a resident paying full time tuition of $2,910.

If the student withdraws two months into the semester (approx. 48% of the semester completed), the amount of aid to be returned would be $3,560. Because the student earned 48%, they can keep $3,288.

 
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