Cancellations and Refunds
The following is general information about cancellations and refunds. However, if you are a recipient of federal financial aid, it is critical that you also read the information below under the section Return of Federal Financial Aid.
All undergraduate students who withdraw from the University for any reason must secure from the Dean of Students (DOS) acknowledgement of their withdrawal, and arrange with DOS the details of their leaving. No refunds are made unless this procedure is followed.
If a student is dismissed after a semester, payments (if any) for the next semester will be refunded with the exception of certain non-refundable deposits.
In certain other instances, including illness, adjustments to the following schedule of refunds can be made at the discretion of DOS. Where notice of cancellation is received through the first day of classes of a semester, full refund (less non-refundable fees such as the Acceptance Fee, Room Deposit/Reservation Fee and Payment Plan Enrollment Fee) is made if fees have been paid in full.
Refundable Fees:
- Tuition
- General University Fee
- Fees Related to Certain Majors, Courses or Lessons
- Student Union Fee
- Infrastructure Maintenance Fee
- Student Government or Activity Fee
- Daily Campus Fee
- UCTV Fee
- Transit fee
- Residence Hall Fee (conditions apply)
- Dining Fee
Non-refundable Fees:
- Acceptance Fee (Enrollment Deposit)
- Room Deposit/Reservation Fee (conditions apply)
- Late Payment Fee(s)
- Continuous Registration Fee
- Payment Plan Enrollment Fee
After the first day of classes, withdrawal adjustments are made only on refundable fees according to the following schedule:
Remaining 1st calendar week………..90%
2nd week…………………………………….60%
3rd and 4th week…………………………50%
5th week through 8th week…………..25%
No fees are refundable after the 8th week of classes.
(Calendar weeks run Monday through Sunday. Regardless of the day of the week the semester begins, the following Sunday ends the first calendar week.)
Return of Federal Financial Aid
The law specifies how UConn must determine the amount of Federal Title IV program assistance you “earn” if you withdraw from school. The Title IV programs that are covered by this law are federal Pell, Iraq Afghanistan Service, and TEACH grants; Stafford and Plus loans: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants (FSEOG); and Perkins loans.
When you withdraw the following formula is used to determine the percent of unearned aid that has to be returned to the federal government:
The percent of aid earned is equal to the number of calendar days completed up to the withdrawal date, divided by the total calendar days in the payment period (minus any scheduled breaks that are at least 5 days long).
For example, if you completed 30 percent of your payment or enrollment period, you earn 30 percent of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. Once you have completed more than 60 percent of the payment or enrollment period, you earn all assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period.
Please contact the Bursar’s Office for example scenarios regarding how the Return of Title IV funds calculation and institutional refunds are processed.
When a student officially withdraws from UConn the withdrawal date is the date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process or officially notified the institution of their intent to withdraw. When a student unofficially withdraws, UConn may use either the student’s last date of attendance at an academically related activity or the midpoint of the period as the student’s withdrawal date.
If you received (or if UConn or your parent received on your behalf, less assistance than the amount you earned) you may be able to receive those additional funds. If you received more assistance than you earned, the excess funds must be returned by UConn and/or you.
If you did not receive all of the funds that you earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, UConn must get your permission before it can disburse them. You may choose to decline some or all of the loan funds so that you do not incur additional debt. UConn may automatically use all or a portion of your post-withdrawal disbursement (including loan funds, if you accept them) for tuition, fees, and room and board charges as contracted with the school.
You will receive written notification from the Bursar’s Office regarding the refund requirements and the return of Federal Title IV Aid amounts.
If UConn is not required to return all of the excess funds, you must return the remaining amount. Any loan funds that you must return (or the parent for a PLUS loan) repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. That is, you make scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time.
Any amount of unearned federal grant funds that you must return is called an overpayment. The maximum amount is half of the grant funds you received or were scheduled to receive. You do not have to repay a grant over payment if the original amount of the amount is $50 or less. You must make arrangements with the UConn Financial Aid Office or the U.S. Department of Education to return the unearned grants.
The requirements for the Title IV program funds when you withdraw are separate from UConn’s overall refund policy (see top section of this webpage). Therefore, you may still owe funds to UConn to cover unpaid institutional charges. UConn may also charge you for any Title IV program funds that the school was required to return.
Order of Returned Funds When You Withdraw
Per current federal and University policy, we will distribute refunds of financial aid as follows:
- Unsubsidized Direct Federal Stafford loan
- Subsidized Direct Federal Stafford loan
- Federal Perkins Loans
- Federal PLUS Loans
- Federal Pell Grants for which a return of funds is required
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants for which a return of funds is required
- Federal TEACH Grants for which a return of funds is required
- Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant for which a return of funds is required
- State, private or University aid
- Student if funds remain after paying the above
Time frame for the Return of Title IV Funds
Federal regulations state that a school must return unearned funds for which it is responsible as soon as possible, but no later than 45 days from the determination of a student’s withdrawal.
A school will be considered to have returned funds timely if we do one of the following as soon as possible, but no later than 45 days after the date it determines that the student withdrew:
- Deposits or transfers the funds into the school’s federal funds bank account;
- Initiates an electronic funds transfer (EFT) to an account belonging to the student;
- Initiates an electronic transaction that informs the Department of Education to adjust the borrower’s loan account for the amount returned; or
- Issues a check
How to Handle a Grant Over Payment
Students who owe funds to a grant program are required to make payment of those funds within 45 days of being notified that they owe this over payment. During the 45 day period students will remain eligible for Title IV funds. The university will notify the U.S. Department of Education of the student’s over payment situation at the same time it notifies the student. If no positive action has been taken by the student within 45 days, the student will no longer be eligible for Title IV funds until they enter into a repayment plan with the U.S. Department of Education. During the 45 day period, the student can make full payment to the university. We will forward the payment to the U.S. Department of Education and the student will remain eligible for the Title IV funds.
Withdrawal Checklist
Use this checklist as a guide to help you make sure you haven’t forgotten something important before you leave UCONN:
- Contact the Dean of Students (DOS). It is your responsibility to initiate the withdrawal process; non-attendance at classes or non-payment of fees does not constitute a University withdrawal or relieve you of your financial obligations.
- Pay any remaining tuition, fees, or other charges on your student account at the Bursar’s Office, if applicable. Past due accounts may be referred to a collection agency and result in legal action. Request a refund of any balance due you.
- Depending on the date of withdrawal, a withdrawal may affect your financial aid and could result in your owing the University money. Check with the Bursar’s Office before leaving the University.
- Contact Student Health Services if you have questions regarding your school coverage or check with your private insurance carrier regarding your health coverage as some insurance providers discontinue coverage if a student is not enrolled full time at a college or university.
- Contact Residential Life to request a cancellation of housing and meals. Housing contracts are binding for the entire academic year so you should inquire as to the amount of housing or meal fees that may remain on your account. Proper check out procedures must be followed and all belongings must be removed.
- If you have a Perkins Loan, and you will not be attending, you must complete an exit interview.
- Contact your on-campus employer if you have a student job on campus.
- If your address is changing, notify the Registrar’s Office or change it in PeopleSoft.
- If you are receiving financial aid, you may need to contact your lender regarding repayment of loans. Federal Stafford and most private loans have grace periods of 6 months after you stop attending school. It is important that you avoid becoming delinquent on your loans while you are out of school. It could result in ineligibility for further aid and make it impossible for you to return at a later date.
- Return any books, equipment, or materials on loan from the University.
- If you have a credit balance on you Husky Bucks Account, contact the One Card Office for a refund.