Withdrawal/Tuition Refund Policy
Tuition and fees are refundable only by processing a cancellation of enrollment or change of program application through the Office of Academic Records and Registrar and are entirely at the option of the university. Informing your academic department or your instructor does not constitute withdrawal from the course. All withdrawals must be processed by Web Registration or through the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.
You will be held financially liable for all classes that appear on the face of the Registration Confirmation. It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from any class which you are not attending, including but not limited to: (a) classes which have been discontinued at the university’s option; (b) situations in which you never attended even the first class meeting. All withdrawals must be requested and processed by the end of the third week of classes to be eligible for refund. If you are enrolled in a session lasting 12 or more weeks, you will receive 100 percent refund of tuition and fees for all withdrawals completed by the end of the third week of classes (see Important Dates). There is no refund for classes withdrawn from after this date. Refunds for additional charges, including but not limited to, housing and meal plans will be determined by the office assessing the charge. If you are enrolled in any session lasting less than 12 weeks, a different refund schedule applies. See the academic department for specific information.
In the event of a revocation of registration, 100 percent of any tuition paid for that semester will be first applied to any outstanding debt. Any remaining credit will be available for refund within six to eight weeks from the date of revocation. Students must request refund from the Cashier’s Office.
These policies are enforced equally for settled as well as unsettled registrations.
Withdrawal Implications for Recipients of Financial Aid
During the Drop/Add Period
During the university’s published drop/add period, students who withdraw or reduce their enrollment may be eligible for a 100 percent refund of tuition for classes dropped.
A financial aid recipient must immediately notify the Financial Aid Office in writing when he or she withdraws from one or more classes during the drop/add period if the student’s remaining enrollment differs from the enrollment plans on the student’s current Statement of Financial Aid Eligibility. The same applies if one or more classes are cancelled.
The Financial Aid Office will review the student’s new enrollment status and, if appropriate, will send the student a revised Statement of Financial Aid Eligibility based on the new enrollment status.
If a financial aid recipient withdraws from all classes or to less than half-time status during the drop/add period, all financial aid rewards will be returned to their respective programs. If the student was given financial aid funds for other expenses, he or she will be expected to return those funds to the university.
The complete policy can be found in the USC Catalogue at www.usc.edu/catalogue/undergraduate.
After the Drop/Add Period
Students who are recipients of Title IV federal financial aid are also covered by federal policies. Title IV federal financial aid is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded and thereby “earn” the award. When a student ceases academic attendance prior to the end of that period, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of federal funds that the student was originally scheduled to receive.
The federal policy requires the return of “unearned” Title IV federal financial aid to the U.S. Treasury if recipients withdraw from all classes on or before the 60 percent point in the term based on the student’s last date of attendance, even if the student is not entitled to a refund of tuition.
A student is required to immediately notify the Registrar and the Financial Aid Office when he or she stops attending classes. If the student fails to notify either office, it is possible that the 50 percent point in the term will be used to determine the student’s last date of attendance, in accordance with federal regulations. If a student withdraws from all classes, the Financial Aid Office will determine whether that student’s period of attendance resulted in the earning of all of the federal financial aid that was originally awarded. If it is determined that not all of the scheduled federal aid has in fact been earned, then the Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount to be returned to the federal financial aid programs. The Financial Aid Office will bill the student on his or her university account for the amount returned. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Cashier’s Office about settling the bill.
The complete policy can be found in the USC Catalogue at www.usc.edu/catalogue/undergraduate.