Withdrawal From ESU

A student withdraws from a class or classes during or after the add/drop period but remains enrolled in some hours in the semester:

• If during the add/drop period, your aid will be adjusted to reflect the number of hours you are enrolled for the semester. Dependent on the type of aid being received, amounts may be prorated or cancelled if the new enrolled hours drop the student below the minimum number of hours to be eligible.
• If, after the add/drop period, unreleased aid may be adjusted to be reflective of the actual hours enrolled (State Aid), there could be an adjustment of the financial aid that was originally awarded.
• If the student is enrolled in a part of term class that has not begun yet, aid will be adjusted to reflect the total remaining hours.
• Withdrawal from a class after aid has been disbursed may result in adjustment of future disbursements of aid for the academic year.

It is in a student’s best interest to contact the Office of Financial Aid to inquire about the possible impact a course withdrawal may have on their individual enrollment status and the types of financial aid awarded.

A financial aid recipient withdraws from the university from all classes in a term may be required to return all, some, or none of that semester's financial aid to the various aid programs dependent upon the types of aid being received and when the student withdraws from the semester. This process is formally known as the Return of Title IV Funds Process (R2TIV or R2T4) and is mandated under federal law.

The date of the withdrawal is determined by the last day of academically related activity, NOT the date on which the student submits the withdrawal request or tells the university that they have ceased participating. This date is used to complete the R2T4 calculation.

The amount of aid that will have to be returned is based on the student’s last date of academic activity and is proportionate to the portion of the semester completed by the student.

If a student drops all his/her courses during the add/drop period, the full amount of their federal financial aid will be returned.

If the student has completed more than 60% of the term, then the student has earned all their Title IV assistance, and no federal aid must be returned to the government.

If the student withdraws after the 100 percent refund period, but on or before the 60% point of the semester is completed (measured in days and including weekends), then the percentage of Title IV (Federal) aid returned is the lesser of either the student's unearned aid or unearned charges for the semester. Federal regulations dictate that the distribution order funds must be returned. See distribution order below:

• Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
• Subsidized Stafford Loan
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan
• Pell Grant
• SEOG (Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant)

Students who do not earn any credit during a semester will be reviewed as “unofficial withdrawals”.

For students who are reviewed as unofficial withdrawals, professors will be contacted directly by the Student Enrollment Center to determine the last date of academic activity. The Office of Financial Aid will utilize the reported last date of academic activity in the R2TIV calculation. If a date cannot be determined by the professors, then the 50% mark in the term will be utilized as the default.

Students with a reported last date of academic activity within the last two weeks of the semester are considered to have earned their failing grades and will not be reviewed as an unofficial withdrawal.

When a student completely withdraws from the university in the first 5 weeks of the semester they are entitled to a reduction of the charged tuition and fees. The amount of this reduction is based on the week of the semester in which the student withdraws. Please review the ESU Tuition Refund Chart.

The R2TIV Process is a federally mandated calculation to recoup funding received by the student for the portion of the semester they did not complete. R2TIV calculations must be completed for any student who withdraws at or before the 60% point in the semester and is calculated by the number of days completed as compared to the total number of days in the semester. The portion of unearned aid must be returned to the federal government. A student subject to an R2TIV calculation may or may not see a reduction in their tuition and fees.

Students who plan to return to the university after they have withdrawn from a semester and apply for aid for subsequent semesters may or may not be eligible for aid due to their withdrawal affecting their Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements.

Again, students are encouraged to talk to the Financial Aid Office staff about the impact withdrawing will have on current and future aid eligibility.

Institutional scholarships and grant assistance will be adjusted in line with the adjusted tuition amount based on the institutional tuition refund policy.

For example, if you are withdrawing during the third week of the term at a 40% tuition charge, you will only be eligible to keep 40% of your scholarship for the term.

Scholarship Renewal: Students who do not earn at least 30 credits per academic year and meet GPA requirements of the scholarship are not eligible for institutional scholarship renewal.

A student who has withdrawn from the University in each semester is considered to have left the university. In accordance with federal regulations, a student who has borrowed a Federal Direct Loan while attending ESU has agreed (as part of loan acceptance, in entrance counseling and on the promissory note) to notify the federal government of the change in enrollment status and degree intentions. This is done through Federal Loan Exit Counseling and is completed through the Federal Student Aid.