Withdrawing From Class(es)

Withdrawing From Some Classes

Important note before reading further: Dropping or withdrawing from some classes but remaining enrolled in others in the same academic quarter has different consequences, from a financial aid perspective, than dropping or withdrawing from all classes (that is, ceasing to be enrolled).

If the student is considering dropping or withdrawing from all classes within the same academic quarter, please read section below. 

Depending on several factors, adjustments to financial aid may be required for students who drop some, but not all, of their classes for the same academic quarter.  Students who are considering or have decided to withdraw from one or more courses, and are recipients of Financial Aid, are suggested to speak to the Student Financial Services Office to determine any outcomes of withdrawing before proceeding. 

Withdrawing From all Classes

Important note before reading further: Complete withdrawal from all classes in an academic quarter has different consequences, from a financial aid perspective, than withdrawing from some classes but remaining enrolled in others in an academic quarter. Students considering withdrawing from some, but not all, of their classes, please refer to the topic on this website.

Students who receive financial aid and are considering withdrawing from all of their courses for the quarter are required to contact a Student Financial Services Counselor prior to completing the withdrawal process. A Financial Aid Counselor signature is required on the form if the student is a financial aid recipient. 

If a student received federal student loans while in attendance at Seattle University, federal law requires that the student complete loan exit counseling through Seattle University as part of the withdrawal process.  That counseling will give the student information about the status of the loan.  Loan repayment will begin at the end of the grace period as defined by the loan's promissory note(s) that was completed by the student prior to the loan's transmittal to the student's account.

In order to understand how the student's withdrawal from all classes may impact future aid eligibility, please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress

An undergraduate student's official withdrawal date is determined by either:

  • The date of the first signature of a university official on the completed withdrawal form, if the completed form is submitted to the Registrar's Office within five days of that date, or
  • If the completed withdrawal form is submitted to the Registrar's Office more than five days after the date the first university official signed the form, the official withdrawal date will be the date the form is received by the Registrar's Office.

 A graduate student's official withdrawal date is the date assigned in the online system when the student completes his or her withdrawal online. 

The Student Financial Services Office will determine eligibility for a refund of charges for the quarter based on the student's official date of withdrawal as described above. Refer to the Important Dates Calendar

Students who begin attendance and then cease attending without notifying the university by officially withdrawing from their classes are, for tuition refund and financial aid purposes, considered to have withdrawn after 50% of the quarter has been completed and are not eligible for a tuition refund.

According to federal regulations, federal funds must be returned to federal programs based on the percent of the term remaining after a student is no longer enrolled unless the student has completed more than 60% of the term. If the student has completed more than 60% of the term, no return of federal funds is required. The Student Financial Services Office has 30 days in which to determine the amount of a student's federal aid was "earned" and "unearned" as defined in federal regulations, and then return the unearned aid in the following order:

  • Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan
  • Federal Subsidized Direct Loan
  • Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
  • Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
  • Federal TEACH Grant
  • Federal Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants
  • Other Title IV Programs

Seattle University is required to return, on behalf of the student, the balance of "unearned aid" to the federal programs. Work study wages earned are not included in the return of federal financial aid calculation. The student is responsible for repaying, in accordance with the terms of the promissory note, any balance owed on the federal student loans.

For Recipients of State Aid

Students who fail to attend classes, who withdraw or reduce enrollment levels prior to the start of the term, fail to commence attendance in all classes for which their enrollment level/award amount are based on or who receive funding based on fraudulent information will be required to repay 100% of the funds received.

Students who have received state aid (aid disbursed prior to the start of the term) and who change enrollment status prior to the first day of the term, must have their state aid eligibility recalculated to reflect their enrollment status as of the start of the term.

Students who fail to commence attendance in all classes for which their enrollment level/award amount is based must have their state aid eligibility recalculated to reflect only their enrollment level for those classes they attended.

The student who decreases enrollment status prior to the first day of the term will owe a repayment of the overpayment amount. Students who increase enrollment status throughout the term are entitled to additional funds for enrollment status increases.

Students who make enrollment status adjustments (up or down) after disbursement and after the start of the term will be subject to completion of satisfactory academic progress requirements outlined under 250-21-010 (16) (a-e). Enrollment status increases must include WCG awards based on that enrollment and may not exceed need. However, students may not receive more WCG than the cost of their tuition and fees.

If a student’s enrollment is adjusted during the tuition refund period and tuition is reduced, and the student failed to commence attendance in all classes for which their disbursement was made, the grant must be reduced to not exceed the cost of tuition and fees.

Student Financial Services will return institutionally funded aid to its source, based on the University's