Withdrawal & Tuition Adjustment Policy
Susquehanna University’s Withdrawal & Tuition Adjustment policy determines the percentage of applicable charges earned and unearned by any student completely withdrawing from all classes at the university during the semester. A withdrawal from the university is defined as a student removing themselves from all enrolled classes at any point in the term or dropping below 12 credits (full-time enrollment) during the Drop/Add period. Please see the university’s academic calendar for more details on the Drop/Add period specific to each semester.
PLEASE NOTE: Once the semester begins there are several financial implications to consider when thinking about withdrawing from the university. Room, activity, and health fees are neither pro-rated nor refundable and therefore once classes begin students have earned room, activity, and health fees in their entirety. Additionally, students suspended or dismissed from the university after the first day of classes are not eligible for the adjustment of any charges or financial aid regardless of the date of suspension or dismissal.
* A week is defined as Monday through Sunday for the purposes of this policy .
Fall 2023 tuition and meal plan charges are adjusted via the schedule below:
- 100% – Week 1 of classes
- 75% – Week 2 of classes
- 50% – Week 3 of classes
- 25% – Week 4 of classes
- Week 5 of classes & beyond; all charges and institutional financial aid have been earned.
Spring 2024 tuition and meal plan charges are adjusted via the schedule below:
- 100% - Week 1 of classes
- 75% - Week 2 of classes
- 50% - Week 3 of classes
- 25% - Week 4 of classes
- Week 5 of classes & beyond; all charges and institutional financial aid have been earned.
*IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID RECIPIENTS: Students receiving federal student aid are also subject to a return calculation to determine the amount of aid earned prior to their withdrawal from the university. Susquehanna University is required to perform the return calculation by the U.S. Department of Education. See the Federal Return of Title IV Funds Policy below.
Federal Title IV Refund Policy
The Student Financial Services Office is required by federal statute to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence before completing 60 percent of a payment period or term. The Center for Academic Success will determine the student’s date of withdrawal (or leave) based on the student’s last known date of attendance or participation at an academically related activity per the established “Withdrawal from the University” policy in the university’s Course Catalog. The process to determine the date of withdrawal (or leave) will be the same for students who officially or unofficially withdraw.
Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formulas.
The percentage of a payment period or term completed = the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the payment period or term. (Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the total days in the term.) This percentage is also the percentage of earned aid.
Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid using the following formula:
Aid to be returned = (100 percent of the aid that could be disbursed minus the percentage of earned aid) multiplied by the total amount of aid that could have been disbursed during the payment period or term.
If a student earns less aid than was disbursed, the university is required to return a portion of the funds and the student is required to return a portion of the funds. When Title IV funds are returned, the student borrower may owe a debit balance to the university. If a student earns more aid than was disbursed, the university is required to make the student a post-withdrawal disbursement which must be paid within 120 days of the student’s withdrawal.
The institution must return the amount of Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 30 days after the date of the determination of the date of the student’s withdrawal. Refunds are allocated in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
- Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
- Federal Perkins Loans
- Federal Parent (PLUS) Loans
- Federal Pell Grants, for which a return of funds is required.
- Federal Academic Competitiveness Grants, for which a return of funds is required.
- National SMART Grants, for which a return of funds is required.
- Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants, for which a return of funds is required.
- Federal TEACH Grants for which a return of funds is required.
Requesting a Withdrawal from All Classes During the Semester
To obtain an adjustment of charges due to a withdrawal from the university, a student must notify the Office of the Registrar and the Center for Academic Success, in writing, that they are officially withdrawing and provide the last date of class attendance. The form, used to officially notify the university of the withdrawal from all classes, may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Mere absence from classes does not reduce a student’s financial obligation or guarantee that the university will not record a final grade. Once again, please note that room charges and student activity and health fees are nonrefundable after classes have commenced.