University Withdrawal Credit Policy
The distribution formula for the institutional refund to the Federal Student Financial Aid program will be calculated according to federal regulations. Any refund due will be issued within 45 days after the date that the university was first notified of the withdrawal. Examples of university refund policies are available upon request in Student Financial Services. Students who Unofficially Withdraw from the university will receive no credit of any semester charge. Please note: The below policies do not apply to the online students in the College of Professional Studies (CPS). The withdrawal credit policy for online students in CPS is available in the CPS Catalog.
If an undergraduate student withdraws from the university
- prior to the start of the semester, the university will credit 100% of the semester charges. If eligible, all institutional aid/scholarships for that semester will also be returned.
- during the first and second week of the semester, the university will credit 90% of the semester charges. All university fees (including Student Health Insurance) are nonrefundable. If eligible, all institutional aid/scholarships for that semester will be adjusted to 10%.
- during the third or fourth week of the semester, the university will credit 50% of the semester charges. All university fees (including Student Health Insurance) are nonrefundable. If eligible, all institutional aid/scholarships for that semester will be adjusted to 50%.
- during the fifth or sixth week of the semester, the university will credit 25% of the semester charges. All university fees (including Student Health Insurance) are nonrefundable. If eligible, all institutional aid/scholarships for that semester will be adjusted to 75%.
After the sixth week of the semester, students will be responsible for 100% of the semester charges and may receive up to 100% of that semester's eligible institutional aid and scholarships.
Add/Drop is defined as adding and dropping any number of courses but maintaining active registration in at least one other course in the semester. For courses offered on campus students may add or drop a course by the following deadline:
- College of Food Innovation & Technology labs (that meet twice a week or consecutively):
- Add/Drop Deadline: Thursday week 1 of the semester.
- All other courses:
- Add/Drop Deadline: Thursday week 2 of the semester.
Add/Drop deadlines are outlined on the academic calendar.
While some classes including culinary or baking and pastry laboratory classes begin later than the first week of classes, the Add/Drop period at the beginning of the semester applies to all classes regardless of the start date of the lab or course. If a student does not drop a lab or course during the Add/Drop period, full tuition charges will be assessed.
For online and hybrid courses, students may add a course by the first Saturday of the course session or drop by the second Saturday of the course session. An official add or drop must be completed via jwuLink or with Student Academic Services.
Whenever students participate in add/drop, their financial aid and account charges may be adjusted. Financial aid cannot be used to pay for classes that do not count toward degree requirements (i.e., an "unused" course). In the event students remain registered for an unused course during the semester, their net tuition expense could be higher, resulting in a balance on their invoice. Students are encouraged to visit or consult Student Financial Services to review the potential impact, especially if their enrollment status changes to or from part time/full time.
University Enrollment Dispute
Students who leave the university due to extenuating circumstances without officially withdrawing may submit a university enrollment dispute within 30 days after the end of the semester in dispute. No withdrawal disputes will be considered after that time. Students must present supporting documentation that demonstrates serious and compelling reasons justifying the withdrawal, and extenuating circumstances justifying its retroactive nature. No adjustments to tuition and fees or financial aid will be made until the dispute is researched and either approved or denied. Decisions will be made within 10 business days; students will receive notification via an email sent to the email address they provided on the dispute form.
Study Abroad Withdrawal Policy
On the date listed below for the semester or break period in which the Study Abroad program starts, students are held financially responsible for their status of "committed" to any JWU Study Abroad program. Any withdrawal or dismissal from the University or from JWU Study Abroad after that date will result in Study Abroad late withdrawal penalties posted to a student's JWU financial account.
Dates on which a status of "committed" carries financial responsibility:
- June 1st for programs in the Fall semester
- October 1st for programs in the Winter session
- November 1st for programs in the Spring semester or Spring Break period
- March 15th for programs in the Summer session
- As of the semester add/drop deadline for JWU Global Tech Experience
If a student withdraws or is dismissed prior to the dates listed above, there will be no financial penalty.
If a student withdraws or is dismissed after the dates listed above, the student will be charged varying portions of the Program Cost. The amount that is charged will be determined by the date of withdrawal as well as the program start date. Please refer to the below Withdrawal Late Fee Chart for exact amounts.
| If you withdraw after the Commitment date above and: | The late withdrawal penalty is: |
|---|---|
| 76+ days before program start date | $500 |
| 60–75 days before program start date | $1,000 |
| 30–59 days before program start date | $1,500 |
| 15–29 days before program start date | $3,000 |
| 1–14 days before program start date | $4,000 |
| After add/drop deadline for JWU Global Tech Experience | $1800 |
| On or after program start date | Balance of full program (in addition, financial aid may need to be adjusted if applicable) |
If the program host withdrawal fees exceed JWU's withdrawal penalty, the student is responsible for reimbursing JWU for those additional fees, which were paid by JWU on the student's behalf in anticipation of committed participation in the program.
All withdrawals must be in writing via letter or email to JWU Study Abroad at studyabroad@jwu.edu. A telephone call will not be sufficient. The date on which the email or letter is received will be the formal date of the withdrawal.
The withdrawal policy applies to withdrawals or dismissals from the program for any reason (this includes not receiving a Passport or Visa in time). If withdrawn or dismissed because of failure to meet financial or academic requirements, or due to violations of the JWU Student Code of Conduct, the effective date will be determined by JWU.
In case of withdrawal or dismissal after the program start date, the student must separate from the program and make their own travel or housing arrangements, at their personal expense, for departure from the program.
Armed Forces
If an enrolled student who is a member of the Armed Forces (including reserve components) receives orders “to perform a period of service” (i.e., active duty, inactive duty training, or state service), and is required to withdraw due to such member’s service prior to the end of such member’s course(s), the university will assign a non-punitive grade (i.e., a grade of “no credit”) to any course(s) that the student was unable to complete and will refund all tuition and fees (including for university housing) to the appropriate party. This does not include any monthly housing allowance provided by the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
For more information, contact the Johnson & Wales University Veterans Affairs (VA) certifying official at your campus.