Tuition Refund Appeals

Students who wish to appeal for tuition/fee refunds based on individually dropped courses occurring after the free drop/add period or for a total withdrawal from the University, may file a Tuition Refund Appeal.

Appeal forms are available on the web or at the Business Office, Records Office, and the Hendrix Clinic and Counseling Center.
Students who discontinue class attendance based on extenuating circumstances or some situation out of their control are eligible to file an appeal. The completed form should be turned in to the Business Office, Owens 106, along with supportive documentation such as a statement from a doctor, counselor, clergy, university advisor/instructor(s), or job supervisor.

The appeal committee meets once a month or as demand dictates. Strict and confidential privacy regulations apply to all submitted appeals.

NOTE: Approved appeals relating to individually dropped classes may have an impact on financial aid eligibility. Students who are concerned with the effect of an approved refundable drop on their aid eligibility may contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office to discuss the impact on their aid prior to submitting the appeal. Financial aid programs limit the allowable time to return Federal and State funds. Refund appeals must be submitted within 90 days of the end of the term for which a refund appeal is submitted but not later than September 25 of the next academic year.

Refund of Tuition/Fees Dues to Withdrawal

MSUM will process a proportional refund of tuition and fees to the student and/or the student’s financial aid funding sources when the student totally withdraws from the University.

NOTE: Refunds of tuition and fees due to individual dropped courses will be granted only for drops occurring in the first five (5) days of the semester.

Students who withdraw from all courses or discontinue enrollment during the Fall or Spring semesters should begin the process at the Hendrix Clinic and Counseling Center. Those students who wish to withdraw during the Summer Sessions should report to the Records Office, Owens Hall 104.

Refunds of tuition and fees for total withdrawals from the University are based on the following schedules as established by the MnSCU Board, the University, or the Federal Statutory Refund policies for students receiving Title IV aid:

I. Students who have not received Federal Title IV aid funding:

• Fall and Spring Semesters
• 1st through 5th business day of term           100%
• 6th through 10th business day of term           75%
• 11th through 15th business day of term         50%
• 16th through 20th business day of term         25%
• After the 20th business day of term                 0%

• Summer Sessions and other terms at least three weeks but less than ten weeks in length
• 1st through 5th business day of term           100%
• 6th through 10th business day of term           50%
• After the 10th business day of term                 0%

• Summer Sessions and other terms less than three weeks in length
• 1st business day of term                             100%
• 2nd and 3rd business day of term                  50%
• After 3rd business day of term                        0%

NOTE: Refunds for students who have received State aid funding will be used first to repay those aid sources, up to the initial award amount received, before any funds are disbursed to the student.

II. Students who have received Federal Title IV aid funding for the term: (Title IV funds include Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Plus, and Perkins Loans, Pell, SMART, ACG, and SEOG Grants):

• Federal regulations require repayment of 'unearned' aid for students withdrawing or who discontinue attending class any time prior to the 60th percentile of the term.
• The calculation used to determine how much aid a student has 'earned' and need not repay is: Days attended divided by total calendar days in the term equals percentage earned. The amount to be repaid is the remaining percentage or 'unearned' percentage.
• Example: If the student withdraws from the University one-quarter (25%) way through the term, 75% of the Federal aid received must be repaid. The 75% is considered unused or 'unearned'.
• Federal aid is first used to pay University charges.
• The student will be required to pay the 'unearned' aid funding not repaid by the University.

Exceptions: Loan dollars are excluded from immediate student repayment on the assumption that the student will follow loan repayment according to the terms of the promissory note(s). Further, student repayment of grant funds will be reduced by 50%, after the ‘unearned’ calculation is determined and after the University’s repayment amount is subtracted.

Finally, the regulations stipulate the student's repayment choices:

• Repay, to the University, the 'unearned' aid amount in full within 45 days of the school's notification of a repayment requirement.
• Make payment arrangements with the Department of Education via NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System) (800-621-3115).

Failure to repay using one of these two methods will result in denial of any future federal aid plus the usual hold on official transcripts, diplomas, and future registration.
Students who wish to appeal refund policies and/or percentages used for determining the refund amounts may file a “Tuition Refund Appeal”.

Resident Hall Refunds are based on the number of days remaining in the term. A $50.00 Administrative Charge will be deducted from the Housing refund.

As with refunds of tuition and fees, Housing refunds for students who received Federal or State aid will first be repaid to those aid funding sources in the order directed by the Department of Education. Any remaining refund dollars will be disbursed to the student. No refunds will be granted for less than $1.00.