The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 regulate how colleges and universities handle Title IV funds when a recipient withdraws from school. This policy is separate from the university’s refund of institutional charges. The return of Title IV funds includes Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, PLUS/GRAD PLUS Loans, Perkins Loans and Stafford Loans. The policy states that up through the 60% point in each semester a pro-rata schedule will be used to determine how much Title IV aid the student has earned. For example, if the student has attended 31% of the enrollment period, the student has earned 31% of his/her Title IV aid and 69% of the aid must be returned to the federal government. After the 60% point in the semester, the student has earned 100% of the aid for which the student was eligible. Additional information on the return of Title IV funds available from the Office of Admissions and Student Advancement.
The official date of a student’s withdrawal is the date that the Registrar receives the student’s written notification of withdrawal. The percentage of time completed in the enrollment period is determined by calculations made with the department of education formula by the financial aid office. If 60% of the semester is completed, there is no return of Title IV funds.