Student Withdrawal and Return of Title IV Funds Policy
In accordance with the federal code of regulations 34 CFR668.22, when a federal financial
aid recipient withdraws from all classes(officially or unofficially, as defined by
regulations) during a term, the University of Dallas must determine the withdrawal
date and use a federally-mandated calculation to determine the amount of grant and/or
loan assistance that the student earned. If a student received less assistance than
what was earned, s/he may qualify for those funds. If the student received more
assistance than earned, the unearned “excess” funds must be returned by the school
and/or aid recipient to the appropriate federal aid program.
Note: The Return of Title IV Funds calculation is different from the University of
Dallas tuition and fee refund calculations (Gupta College of Business or Constantin/Braniff Graduate School/Neuhoff School of Ministry).
Academic Calendar
University of Dallas operates on credit hours with terms based on payment periods. Each
term contains modules (except the spring term for undergraduate, Braniff, and School
of Ministry students).
Payment Period and Total Number of Calendar Days
A return of title IV funds (R2T4) is computed for a payment period. A payment period
is either the standard semester of Fall (including intermester if enrolled) or Spring
or Summer.
For R2T4, the total number of calendar days in a term is defined by the student’s
scheduled course enrollment, i.e., start and end dates of courses, excluding scheduled
breaks of at least five consecutive days. The days are counted from the start date
of the earliest course to the end date of the last course scheduled to complete (e.g.
has the latest end date), excluding scheduled breaks. This may be less than the full
length of a term.
Scheduled Breaks
Scheduled breaks must be at least five consecutive days to be excluded in the R2T4
calculation. It includes periods when University of Dallas is not scheduled in session,
e.g. holidays, and when the student is not scheduled to attend a course within the
term (5 or more days between the end of one class and the beginning of the next).
Treatment of Drop/Add Courses
In the count of total days in the payment period, a course that is officially dropped
prior to a student ceasing attendance is not included as days that a student was scheduled
to attend, unless the student remained enrolled in other courses for those days.
A course that is officially added prior to the student ceasing attendance is included,
even if the student never began attending. Note: Due to modules starting and ending
within the term, more than one add/drop period will exist.
Does Not Require Taking Attendance
University of Dallas does not require attendance be taken, as federally defined.
Designated Official(s) or Office(s) to be Notified of College and Course Withdrawal
University of Dallas has designated the Registrar’s Office to be notified of a university
or course withdrawal. Though reporting intent to withdrawn to another office, such
as Financial Aid, Student Account Services, or an Academic Dean, will be considered
having started the withdrawal process, and that date will be used for the R2T4 calculation.
Withdrawal from the University
In accordance with the federal code 34 CFR 668.22(a)(2)(i),a student is considered
to have withdrawn from a semester/module if the student does not complete all the
days in the semester/module that the student was scheduled to complete.
Completed Scheduled Days – Not a University Withdrawal
A student has completed a term if:
- passing grades are received in all courses that the student was scheduled to attend
during the term
- a non-passing grade in the last course or courses the student was scheduled to attend,
and it can be documented to have been completed (i.e. the student earned a failing grade).
Did Not Complete Scheduled Days — University Withdrawal
For federal aid purposes, a student will be treated as a University withdrawal, unless
determined otherwise, if a student:
- submits course withdrawal(s) from all courses scheduled for the semester/module.
- submits a course withdrawal from the last course or courses scheduled to attend, i.e.,
the course with the latest end date in the scheduled enrollment, whether or not any
other course(s) was completed prior to ceasing attendance.
- receives all non-passing grades in the courses scheduled for the semester/module
- receives a non-passing grade in the last course or courses scheduled to attend
Withdrawal Date
For the purpose of calculating Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4), a student’s withdrawal
date depends on the type of withdrawal.
Student-Initiated Notification – Official Withdrawal
An official withdrawal occurs when a student withdraws (and/or drops) from:
- all courses in the term or
- all course(s) scheduled to complete for which a grade(s) is yet to be assigned.
The withdrawal date will be the date the Registrar’s Office receives notification
from a student of his or her intent to withdraw via personal, postal, electronic,
or fax delivery, or a phone call. The written notification may be a University of
Dallas Course Withdrawal Form, Form 160, or a written request.
*The last day of official withdrawal from a course is included in the academic calendar
of each term. See Academic Calendar.
No Student-Initiated Notification – Unofficial Withdrawal
An unofficial withdrawal occurs when a student:
- receives all non-passing grades in courses scheduled to complete
- receives a non-passing grade in the last course(s)scheduled to complete
The withdrawal date will be the midpoint of the term.
If there is no student-initiated notification because of circumstances beyond the
student’s control, i.e., illness, accident, grievous personal loss or other circumstances,
the date related to the onset of that circumstance will be used as the withdrawal
date.
Last Date of Attendance
The University may always use as the withdrawal date the date that is reported as
the last date of attendance at an academically related activity by a faculty member
on a class roster, grade roster/sheet, online grading system, or other documented
source.
Date of Determination of Withdrawal
The date of determination that a student withdrew varies depending upon the type of
withdrawal.
Student-Initiated Notification – Official Withdrawal:
For an official withdrawal, the date of determination of withdrawal is the same date
as University of Dallas recorded as the withdrawal date.
No Student-Initiated Notification – Unofficial Withdrawal:
For an unofficial withdrawal, the date of determination of withdrawal is the date
of the report used to identify that a student had withdrawn. The date will be within
30 days of the end of the term.
If circumstances beyond a student’s control cause an unofficial withdrawal, the date
of determination is the date the Financial Aid office makes a decision and establishes
a university withdrawal date, often in conjunction with other campus offices.
Calculation of Earned Title IV Assistance
Federal Aid Used in R2T4 Calculation
Federal aid used in the R2T4 calculation includes Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized
Loans, and Direct PLUS loans that have been disbursed or are yet to be disbursed.
Federal Work Study is excluded.
Other Aid used in R2T4 Calculation
The University also considers the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) in the R2T4
calculation. TEG along with institutional aid (merit scholarship and need-based aid)
will be returned at the same rate used for federal aid. An exception is made in the
case of a medical withdrawal.
Percentage of Title IV Aid Earned
The amount of Title IV federal aid assistance earned by the student is determined
on a prorated basis up to the end of 60% of the term (i.e. more than 60% of the term is found to be attended). For example, if the student completed 30%
of a term, 30% of the aid originally scheduled to be received funds would have been
earned. Once a student has completed more than 60% of a term, all awarded aid has been earned.
Total Days Scheduled to Complete
Total days scheduled to complete is the denominator in the calculation of percentage
of earned aid. The days are counted from the start date of the earliest course to
the end date of the last course scheduled to complete (i.e., has the latest end date),
excluding scheduled breaks of at least five consecutive days.
Total Days to Date of Withdrawal
Total days to date of withdrawal are the numerator in the calculation of percentage
of earned aid. The number of days reported is the total from the start date of first
course to the withdrawal date, excluding scheduled breaks of at least five consecutive
days.
Amount of Title IV Aid Earned
After calculating the percentage of aid earned, a calculation of the amount of aid
earned will be performed. The total aid disbursed and yet to be disbursed for the
term is multiplied by the percentage earned rounded to the nearest dollar amount.
Post-Withdrawal Disbursements
If the total amount of the Title IV grant and/or loan assistance earned as of the
withdrawal date is more than the amount that was disbursed to the student, the difference
between the two amounts will be treated as a post-withdrawal disbursement. In the
event that there are outstanding charges on the student’s account, University of Dallas
will credit the student’s account for all or part of the amount of the post-withdrawal
disbursement of grant assistance (not loan), up to the amount of the allowable charges
(i.e., tuition, fees, and authorized book and other charges).
Post-Withdrawal Disbursement of Grant Funds
A post-withdrawal disbursement of grant funds is applied towards outstanding term
charges on the student’s account and may pay up to the amount of the allowable charges
(e.g. tuition, fees, and authorized book and other charges).
Any remainder of grant aid is paid to the student. The student will be notified within
30 days of the date of determination of withdrawal of the post-withdrawal disbursement.
A refund will be sent as soon as possible but no later than 45 days of the date that
University of Dallas determined that the student withdrew (officially or unofficially).
Post-Withdrawal Disbursement of Loan Funds
A post-withdrawal disbursement of loan funds may be paid if the student is eligible
to receive the funds. The student (or parent if a PLUS loan) will be notified within
30 days of the date of determination of withdrawal that loan funds are available.
The student will be given the opportunity to accept, decline, or reduce the amount
of loan, generally two weeks. Upon receipt of a timely response from the student
(or parent), University of Dallas will disburse the loan funds as soon as possible
but no later than 180 days of the date of determination of the student’s withdrawal
date. Loan funds will be applied towards the outstanding term charges on the student’s
account. The funds may pay up to the amount of the allowable charges (i.e., tuition,
fees, and authorized book and other expenses). Any remainder will be paid directly
to the student (or parent).
University of Dallas maintains the right to decide whether or not to make a post-withdrawal
disbursement if the student (or parent if a PLUS loan) responds after 14 days of the
date that the notification was sent. If University of Dallas decides not to make
the post-withdrawal disbursement, it will inform the student in writing within 15
days of the decision.
Return of Unearned Funds to Title IV
If the total amount of Title IV grant and/or loan assistance that was earned as of
the withdrawal date is less than the amount that was disbursed to the student, the
difference between the two amounts will be returned to the Title IV program(s) and
no further disbursements will be made.
Funds Returned by University of Dallas
Amount of Funds to be Returned:
If a student has received excess funds, University of Dallas will return the entire
amount of the excess funds to the appropriate aid program.
Order in Which Funds are Returned
The funds will be returned in the order below as prescribed by federal regulations,
within 45 days from the date of determination that a student withdrew.
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans
- Subsidized Federal Direct Loans
- Federal Direct PLUS loans
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
A student will be notified of any funds returned by University of Dallas within 45
days of the date of determination that the student withdrew.
Unearned Aid Returned and Repayment by Student
All funds returned by University of Dallas to Title IV programs will be charged back
to the student’s account at UD, meaning a balance may be incurred once all funds have
been returned to the original sources.
Enrollment After Title IV Funds Have Been Returned
When a student returns to the University within a semester/module after withdrawing,
and unearned Title IV funds have been returned to their respective program accounts,
the aid may be reinstated if University of Dallas is able to recover the funds for
disbursement and the student is eligible.
NOTE: The return of Title IV funds is separate from the College’s tuition and fee
refund policy.
