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213 - Course Drops and Withdrawals

Responsible Office:  Academic Affairs
Responsible Officer:  Vice President of Academic Affairs
Related Minnesota State Board Policy and Procedure: 5.12.2 Tuition and Fee Due Dates, Refunds, Withdrawals and Waivers

PURPOSE: To comply with Minnesota State College and University Board policy for the refund of tuition and fees and for the period in which a student may drop or withdraw from a class.

1.  POLICY

Students can drop from a course until the 5th day of a standard term. Withdrawal from a course will be allowed after the 5th day of the standard term and until the 60th day of the term or until 80 percent of the course has been held and will be shown as a W on the transcript. After that point withdrawals will not be allowed and students will be graded according to their performance in the course.

Definitions

Course drop. A course drop is the removal of a class from a student's record to show no record of enrollment. Course drop deadlines are established each term in accordance with Minnesota State College and University Board policy.

Course withdrawal. A course withdrawal is the official way for a student to remove them self from a class they do not intend to complete. The course withdrawal period follows the course drop period. Course withdrawal deadlines are established each term in accordance with Minnesota State Board policy. Withdrawn courses remain on a student's record with a grade of W.

College-initiated course drop or withdrawal. College administration may initiate a course drop or withdrawal according to policies established by the College and Minnesota State Board of Trustees.

Subpart A: Financial Implications of a Course Drop or Withdrawal

  • A student who drops a course or withdraws from all courses may be entitled to a refund or partial refund of tuition and fees.
  • A student who drops or withdraws from a course after the semester disbursement of financial aid may be subject to the cancellation of a portion or all of the financial aid the student received. The student may be obligated to return financial aid overages disbursed to them and may be required to pay the tuition and fee charges that were previously covered by the student's aid award.

Subpart B: Academic Implications of a Course Drop or Withdrawal

  • A student who drops or withdraws from a class, or who has been administratively dropped or withdrawn from a class, is no longer eligible to participate in that class.
  • A dropped course is no longer considered enrolled credits, effective first day of the term. A withdrawn class is no longer considered enrolled credits, effective from the date of withdrawal.
  • Withdrawn credits are considered attempted but not earned for the calculation of percent completion when assessing satisfactory academic progress.

Subpart C: Course Drops or Withdrawals

During the first five days of the fall and spring semesters and the first five days of the summer session, students may drop a class (remove it from their academic record). Post- Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) students may drop a class within the first 14 days. For late- starting classes, weekend classes and other classes that do not meet the full length of the term (including classes that begin after the fifth day of the summer session), students can drop through the end of the business day following the first class meeting (or online course begin date).

The course withdrawal period immediately follows the course drop period. Course withdrawal allowed until the 60th day of the term or until 80 percent of the course has been held. The College's student information system automatically calculates the withdrawal deadline. Withdrawal deadlines are published in eServices, and published course schedule. Withdrawn courses remain on a student's record with a grade of W.

College administration may initiate a course drop or withdrawal as a result of the student's failure to pay tuition, failure to attend classes, failure to meet course prerequisites, failure to meet the standards of satisfactory academic progress, violations of the code of conduct and other situations.

Subpart D: Financial Implications

A student who drops a course or withdraws from all courses may be entitled to a refund or partial refund of tuition and fees.

A student who drops or withdraws from a course after the semester disbursement of financial aid may be subject to the cancellation of a portion or all of the financial aid the student received. A student may be obligated to return financial aid overages disbursed and may be required to pay the tuition and fee charges previously covered by the aid award.

A student who has been administratively removed from a class may not be eligible for a refund of tuition or fees.

Financial aid recipients who completely withdraw from or stop attending a term prior to the 60% point of that term are subject to the Federal Return of Title IV fund rules for any federal aid not earned. Students are also subject to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education refund calculation for Minnesota State grant, scholarship or loan aid. If the student received financial aid, a portion of the refund will be returned to the grant or loan program from which it was received and the student may owe the college for a portion of the tuition and fees.

The Federal Return of Title IV Funds formula dictates the amount of federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student. The federal formula requires a return of Title IV aid if the student received federal financial aid and withdrew or stopped attending all classes on or before completing 60% of the semester. The percentage of Title IV aid to be returned (that which is unearned) is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the semester divided by the total number of calendar days in the semester. Scheduled breaks of more than four (4) consecutive days are excluded. After 60% of the semester, the student has earned all financial aid and is not subject to the return of funds.

The responsibility to repay unearned aid is shared by the institution and the student in proportion to the aid each is assumed to possess. The institution's share is allocated among the Title IV programs, before the student's share, in the following order: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, and Federal SEOG. Any remaining unearned aid is the responsibility of the student, must be collected from the student, and then must be allocated among the Title IV programs in the order indicated above.

Official Withdrawal: The date the student officially withdraws from all courses is used to determine the portion of the Federal Title IV aid earned to be used to pay institutional charges.

Unofficial Withdrawal: Students who stop attending and receive failing grades in all courses are assumed to be an unofficial withdrawal. The date of withdrawal for the Return of Title IV calculation is determined by the last date of attendance as recorded by faculty at the time of grade submission.

Post Withdrawal Disbursement: A student may withdraw from all courses before disbursement. Title IV grant funds will be applied to any unpaid tuition and fees balance for the term, once determined that the student began attendance in all courses and qualified for earned aid. The student is notified of their eligibility and right to return funds within 45 days of notification. If Title IV loan funds are part of a post-withdrawal disbursement, the student (or parent, in the case of a Direct PLUS loan) will be contacted in writing to approve or decline any post-withdrawal disbursement amount. Accepted loan funds will be disbursed within 180 days of the date the school determined the student withdrew. If the post-withdrawal disbursement creates excess financial aid on the student's account, the funds will be disbursed to the student in the manner selected within 4 days of the funds being applied to the account.

The college will calculate its share of unearned Title IV funds and notify the student no later than 30 days after it determines that the student withdrew (official or unofficial) and will return the funds within 45 days. Students return their share of unearned aid attributable to a loan under the terms and conditions of the promissory note. The college allows the student to repay unearned aid attributable to a grant under a payment arrangement satisfactory to the college. The student need not repay any grant calculation that is $50 or less.

Subpart E: Academic Implications 

A dropped course is no longer considered enrolled credits, effective from day one of the term. A withdrawn class is no longer considered enrolled credits, effective from the date of withdrawal.

Withdrawn credits are considered attempted but not earned for the calculation of percent completion when assessing satisfactory academic progress.

After 80% of term, withdrawals will not be allowed and student will be graded according to their performance in the course.

 

Approved: June 17, 1997
Reviewed: February 7, 2011, February 2021
Revised: February 15, 2000; June 30, 2004; September 29, 2008; December 28, 2010; October 23, 2013 , February 2021