A student who officially withdraws or is granted continuous enrollment status during a semester may be entitled to a refund of tuition, housing, and dining charges depending on the student’s date of withdrawal, date of continuous enrollment status, and/or the last day residing in University housing. A withdrawal, official or otherwise, or grant of continuous enrollment status also affects financial aid eligibility, as outlined in the federal Return of Title IV Program Funds Policy and the Return of Non-Title IV Program Funds Policy. A student using scholarships, grants, or loans to pay educational expenses, whose account was paid-in-full prior to withdrawal or grant of continuous enrollment status, is likely to owe the University after withdrawal or grant of continuous enrollment status. Procedures for such changes of status are coordinated by the Office of Academic Advising.
Refund of Charges Policy
Tuition and Fees
Tuition refunds are based on the date of official withdrawal or the effective date of continuous enrollment status. Please refer to the official “Schedule of Refunds for Withdrawal or Continuous Enrollment” for the respective semester of enrollment. Refunds will be reduced by the amount of any outstanding charges on a student’s account. If refunded charges leave a credit balance on the student account, the student is responsible for completing an online student refund request at (http://finance.wfu.edu/sfs/student-refund/) or the credit balance will remain on the student account and will be applied for future semesters. If the credit is a direct result of Title IV aid, the credit is automatically refunded to the student.
There are no refunds for mandatory fees after the first class day in a semester as reflected in the academic calendar.
Vehicle registration fees will not be refunded unless the issued permit is returned to Transportation and Parking Services before the first day of class. Students graduating or studying abroad for spring semester may receive a prorated refund of the vehicle registration fee by returning the issued permits to the Transportation and Parking Services office.
For students studying abroad, the WFU Participation and Withdrawal Policy for Study Abroad/Away applies to both Wake Forest sponsored and Affiliate programs.
Schedule of Refunds for Withdrawal or Continuous Enrollment
Fall & Spring Semesters
| Official Date | Tuition Refunded |
|---|---|
| Before semester begins | 100% tuition, less deposit |
| First week of semester | 85% |
| Second week of semester | 75% |
| Third week of semester | 50% |
| Fourth week of semester | 30% |
| Fifth week of semester | 20% |
| After fifth week of semester | 0% |
Summer Sessions I & II (6 week sessions)
| Official Date | Tuition Refunded |
|---|---|
| First three days of session | 100% tuition, less deposit |
| Fourth day of session | 75% |
| Fifth day of session | 50% |
| Sixth day of session | 25% |
| After sixth day of session | 0% |
Full Summer Session (12 week session)
| Official Date | Tuition Refunded |
|---|---|
| First five days of session | 100% tuition, less deposit |
| Sixth - Ninth day of session | 75% |
| Tenth - Twelfth day of session | 50% |
| Thirteenth - Fifteenth day of session | 25% |
| After fifteenth day of session | 0% |
Students are responsible for officially dropping courses to be eligible for a refund. Nonpayment for classes for which a student is registered or non-attendance in a registered class does not release the student from financial obligations and will not drop the student from the class. Student Financial Services calculates the refund of charges and will apply the amount of tuition refunded in the applicable refund schedule listed above. Student Financial Services has available an example of the application of the University Refund of Charges Policy. If charges originally paid by financial aid funds are no longer covered after financial aid funds are returned to the respective programs, the student is responsible for the remaining balance.
Housing and Dining
Housing and dining refunds for the fall and spring semesters are based on the student’s official check-out date from University housing and are calculated based on the official Schedule of Refunds for Withdrawal or Continuous Enrollment, or the University Disruption Refund Policy, for the applicable semester.
Students with dining plans who do not reside in University housing will receive a refund of dining charges based on the date of official withdrawal or the effective date of the continuous enrollment status. Dining refunds are only applicable to dining charges billed to the student account. If a student’s dining plan balance is less than the eligible calculated refund then the lesser of the two amounts will be refunded.
Summer Sessions:
Housing
Any refund of charges under the Housing Agreement will only be available if a request for cancellation is received by Residence Life & Housing (RL&H) prior to the first day of classes. Once classes begin, no refunds will be made for housing charges.
Meal Plans
Summer meal plans may not be changed once selected. Any refund of charges under the Dining Agreement will only be available if a student withdraws from classes and a request for cancellation is received by RL&H prior to the first day of the first session of summer classes.
Conduct or Honor Code Violations
Tuition, fees, housing, dining and all other charges will not be refunded when a student is suspended or expelled from the University as a result of a conduct or honor code violation. Similarly, housing charges will not be refunded when a student is suspended or expelled from University housing. Return of Title IV funds are handled in accordance with federal law.
*Refunds will be reduced by the amount of any outstanding charges on a student’s account.
Pursuant to The Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018
GI Bill® and VR&E beneficiaries (Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 beneficiaries) may attend a course of education or training for up to 90 days from the date the beneficiary provides to the VA Certifying Official ONE of the following:
- A Certificate of Eligibility, or a Statement of Benefits obtained from the VA’s eBenefits web site
- VR&E (Chapter 31) authorization, delivered via the Tungsten Network system
- Notification of intent to use benefits, pending confirmation of eligibility via the VA's Enrollment Manager system.
The student beneficiary must provide proof no later than the first day of a course of education. The student must provide any additional payment amount due that is the difference between the amount of the student’s financial obligation and the anticipated amount of the VA education disbursement to Wake Forest University.
This policy allows a student to attend the course until the VA provides payment to Wake Forest University. Wake Forest University will not impose a penalty, or require the beneficiary to borrow additional funds to cover tuition and fees due to late payments from the VA.
University Disruption Refund Policy
Circumstances may arise during a semester that cause significant disruptions to University operations and result in the University closing the campus. These circumstances include, without limitation, extreme weather, fire, natural disaster, war, labor disturbances, loss of utilities, riots or civil commotions, epidemic, pandemic, public health crisis, power of government, or any other circumstance like or unlike any circumstance mentioned above, which is beyond the reasonable control or authority of the University.
In the event of a significant disruption to University operations either:
- During a semester that results in the University closing campus for the remainder of the semester;
- At the beginning of a semester that delays or prevents the University opening campus; or
- During a semester that results in the University closing campus temporarily during the semester
The University will issue refunds for housing and dining charges and wellness and parking fees to students where applicable and according to the refund schedule below. There will be no refunds for tuition or Deacon Health, Student Activity, or any other fees paid by or on behalf of students. Refunds (if applicable) will be calculated at the end of the semester.
This policy applies to significant disruptions where the University closes campus. It does not apply where students officially withdraw from the University or are officially granted continuous enrollment status during a semester. Refunds, if any, in those circumstances are governed by the University’s Refund of Charges Policy.
Fall & Spring Semesters - University Disruption Refund Schedule
| Number of Whole or Partial (Sunday-Saturday) Weeks When Campus is Open | Refund Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 | 100% |
| 1 | 85% |
| 2 | 78% |
| 3 | 71% |
| 4 | 64% |
| 5 | 57% |
| 6 | 50% |
| 7 | 43% |
| 8 | 36% |
| 9 | 29% |
| 10 | 22% |
| 11 | 15% |
| 12 | 10% |
| 13 | No Refund |
| 14 | No Refund |
| 15 | No Refund |
| 16 | No Refund |
Summer Sessions I & II (6 week sessions) - University Disruption Refund Schedule
| Number of Whole or Partial (Sunday-Saturday) Weeks When Campus is Open | Refund Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 | 100% |
| 1 | 75% |
| 2 | 50% |
| 3 | 25% |
| 4 | No Refund |
| 5 | No Refund |
| 6 | No Refund |
Full Summer Session (12 week session) - University Disruption Refund Schedule
| Number of Whole or Partial (Sunday-Saturday) Weeks When Campus is Open | Refund Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 | 100% |
| 1 | 85% |
| 2 | 75% |
| 3 | 65% |
| 4 | 55% |
| 5 | 45% |
| 6 | 35% |
| 7 | 25% |
| 8 | 15% |
| 9 | No Refund |
| 10 | No Refund |
| 11 | No Refund |
| 12 | No Refund |
Return of Title IV Program Funds Policy
The 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 (Section 484B), and subsequent regulations issued by the United States Department of Education (34 CFR 668.22), establish a policy for the return of Title IV, HEA Program grant and loan funds for a recipient who withdraws.
A student who is not officially withdrawn or granted continuous enrollment status, is nevertheless considered to be withdrawn for the purpose of Title IV, HEA Program funds, upon ceasing academic engagement during a semester.
Wake Forest University’s continuous enrollment policy does not exempt any student from the requirements of the Return of Title IV Funds policy; nor does it extend federal student loan deferment benefits.
Title IV Funds subject to return include the following aid programs: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education Grant, Federal Direct Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized), and Federal Direct PLUS Loan.
Title IV aid is awarded and paid on a payment period basis. For students enrolled in a single session or module of a payment period (such a summer), the single session or module is the payment period. For students who are awarded Title IV aid based on a reported registration in multiple sessions or modules of a payment period, the payment period is the beginning (start date) of the first session or module through the end (last day of exams) of the last session or module. Students who do not complete a payment period upon which Title IV aid was awarded, are considered to be withdrawn from the payment period and are subject to the Return of Title IV Program Funds Policy.
The percentage of the payment period completed is determined by dividing the total number of calendar days comprising the payment period (excluding breaks of five or more consecutive days) into the number of calendar days completed. The percentage of Title IV grant and loan funds earned is:
- up through the 60% point in time, the percentage of the payment period completed,
- after the 60% point in time, 100%.
The amount of Title IV grant and loan funds unearned is the complement of the percentage of earned Title IV funds applied to the total amount of Title IV funds disbursed (including funds that were not disbursed but could have been disbursed, i.e., post-withdrawal or post-grant of continuous enrollment status disbursements).
If the amount earned is less than the amount disbursed, the difference is returned to the Title IV programs. If the amount earned is greater than the amount disbursed, the difference is treated as a late disbursement in accordance with the federal rules for late disbursements.
A student who completes all the requirements for graduation from his or her academic program before completing the payment period, is not considered to have withdrawn.
In a program offered in modules, a student is not considered to have withdrawn if the student successfully completes one module that includes 49 percent or more of the number of days in the payment period, excluding scheduled breaks of five or more consecutive days and all days between modules.
In a program offered in modules, a student is not considered to have withdrawn if the student successfully completes a combination of modules that when combined contain 49 percent or more of the number of days in the payment period, excluding scheduled breaks of five or more consecutive days and all days between modules.
In a program offered in modules, a student is not considered to have withdrawn if the student successfully completes coursework equal to or greater than the coursework required for definition of a half-time student for the payment period.
Institutional charges (costs) include tuition and required fees, institutionally-controlled housing, and meal plan. Federal aid is considered as first applied toward institutional charges, regardless of other non-federal aid received.
Unearned funds, up to the amount of total institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of funds, are returned by the University; the return of Title IV Program funds may be rounded to the nearest dollar for each aid source.
The student returns any portion of unearned funds not returned by the University. A student (or parent for PLUS loans) repays the calculated amount attributable to a Title IV loan program according to the loan’s terms. If repayment of grant funds by the student is required, only 50% of the unearned amount must be repaid. A student repays a Title IV grant program subject to repayment arrangements satisfactory to the University or the Secretary of Education’s overpayment collection procedures.
Funds are returned in the following order: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education Grants, and other Title IV funds for which a return of funds is required.
The Office of Student Financial Aid calculates the amount of unearned Title IV grant and loan funds, and has available examples of the application of this federal policy and a copy of the relevant Code of Federal Regulations section (CFR 668.22).
Return of Non-Title IV Program Funds Policy
The Office of Student Financial Aid calculates the amount of non-Title IV program funds to be returned to the various programs when a recipient withdraws or is granted continuous enrollment status. The return of non-Title IV Program funds may be rounded to the nearest dollar for each aid source.
Return on non-need-based (merit-based, etc.) funds are determined by specific program rules. Return of funds to various state and private aid programs is determined by specific program rules. If rules allow, state and private loan funds are returned before gift funds. State and private funds may be retained in amounts necessary to satisfy the student’s remaining University charges or adjusted need, whichever is larger.
Aid from institutional funds for which all disbursement requirements have not been met by the student prior to withdrawal or change to continuous enrollment status are canceled and no disbursements are made.
Upon withdrawal or change to continuous enrollment status, a student’s eligibility for need-based aid programs is recalculated based on the withdrawal date, using an adjusted estimated cost of attendance.
The adjusted estimated cost of attendance (COA) is established in two parts.
- For an on-campus student, the first part equals the adjusted tuition and housing charges (not to exceed the standard allowance, and not including charges that result from a student remaining in his/her housing after the date of withdrawal) and the standard allowance for books and supplies; the second part equals prorated estimates (by weeks) of food, transportation, and personal living expenses.
- For an off-campus student, the first part equals the adjusted tuition charge and the standard allowance for books and supplies; the second part equals prorated estimates (by weeks) of housing, food allowance, transportation, and personal living expenses.
Total grants and scholarships are reduced proportionally based on the adjusted estimated cost of attendance, using the percentage of initially-awarded grants and scholarships to the initial full-semester estimated cost of attendance.
The order in which each institutional fund is reduced is determined on a case-by-case basis by the aid office, with the guiding principle being the return of funds to University accounts most likely to be needed by other students.
A student who withdraws or changes to continuous enrollment status after receiving a cash disbursement must repay Wake Forest scholarship funds up to the amount of Title IV funds that the University must return. Fines and other incidental charges not included in the financial aid COA are solely the responsibility of the student. Required returns of funds to all financial aid programs are made prior to the refund to the student.