Withdrawal And Tuition Refund Policies

Taking time away from school is a significant decision, and it’s important to talk to people who support you. We understand that not all situations and circumstances are alike, and we want to provide you with individualized attention to address your needs. We are here to help you make an informed decision.

If you are withdrawing during the semester, it’s important for you to know what happens to your bill, financial aid, health insurance, and grades. Review the information below, and connect with the listed areas to discuss your decision to withdraw or transfer. We want you to have all the information and options in front of you before you finalize your decision.

Center for Student Success
2nd Floor Alumnae Library
css@elms.edu

Office of Financial Aid
1st Floor Berchmans Hall
finaid@elms.edu

Office of Student Accounts
1st Floor of Berchmans Hall
studentaccounts@elms.edu

Office of the Registrar
1st Floor of Berchmans Hall
registrar@elms.edu

Student Health Center
healthcenter@elms.edu

Withdrawal Checklist

• Academic Advising: Reach out to your advisor directly, your academic dean’s office, or if you need help connecting with an advisor, contact the Assistant Dean of Academic Student Success in the Center for Student Success at 413-265-2256, css@elms.edu

● Student Support : The Center for Student Success can meet with you to explore options, provide guidance, and help you navigate the process to ensure your questions are answered. Taking time away from school does not mean the end of your academic journey. Reach out to our office to start this important conversation.
      ■ Contact: 413-265-2287, css@elms.edu

● Health and Counseling Services : If you are planning a personal leave or official withdrawal, have you considered whether a Medical Leave is right for you? If you need extra support, reach out to our team of health professionals at the Wellness Center (Health and Counseling) located at 15 Gaylord Street, by calling 413-265-2288 during office hours, or by emailing at healthcenter@elms.edu

● Health Insurance: Do you have health insurance through Elms? If you enrolled in the student health insurance plan, you may be able to remain enrolled for the full period covered by your premium even if you withdraw. Contact studentaccounts@elms.edu

● Residence Life: Do you live in the Residence Halls? Students who withdraw must vacate campus housing. Contact Residence Life to discuss how withdrawing affects your housing and meal plan. Contact reslife@elms.edu

● Are you an International Student? Before withdrawing, you must notify the Office of International Programs to discuss your intent. Failure to do so may result in termination of student status. Contact: Nancy Davis, Assistant Dean of Academic Student Success, ipoffice@elms.edu / 413 265-2462.

Elms College Tuition Refund Policy

Tuition refunds are made only to those students who officially drop or withdraw during the refund period for the course semester or session:

15-Week Courses:

• 100% refund through the last day of Add/Drop (Days 1–8)
• 50% refund during the second week of classes (Days 9–14)
• 25% refund during the third week of classes (Days 15–21)
• No refunds after the third week of classes (Days 22–end of term)

8-Week Courses:

• 100% refund through the last day of Add/Drop (Days 1–8)
• 40% refund during the second week of classes (Days 9–14)
• No refunds after the second week of classes (Days 15–end of term)

$500 Withdrawal Fee:
A one-time, non-refundable $500 fee will be assessed to any student who fully withdraws from the college after the start of classes.

Students who return from an approved Leave of Absence within their scheduled timeframe will have the $500 withdrawal fee reversed at the end of the Add/Drop period of the term in which they return. This applies only to students who return within their originally approved LOA period.

*Please note that dates may vary per semester depending on holidays; please refer to the Academic Calendar for deadlines for the current semester.

Important Notes:

• A withdrawal from any course will result in a grade of W.
• A grade of W does not affect your GPA, but is considered when awarding financial aid.
• A withdrawal may affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To learn more about SAP, see the policy.
• Students who withdraw from courses for medical reasons should go through the Student Health Office to follow the Voluntary Medical Withdrawal process.
• Students who need to comply with military training or deployment may refer to the Military Leave of Absence policy for guidance and support.

Financial Aid Withdrawal Policy

The following policy regarding financial aid is based on federal regulations. The amount of your financial aid award is based on attending the entire semester. If you withdraw from school, you must notify the Center for Student Success and/or the Office of the Registrar. If you stop attending all of your classes (officially or unofficially), a return of funds calculation will be processed based on the date you submit your withdrawal request and your award eligibility may be adjusted. This may result in a bill owed to Elms College.

While Elms does not have an attendance policy, the institution monitors attendance based on mid-semester roster checks and final grades. If the last date of attendance cannot be determined, the return of funds calculation will be processed at 50%. Whether the withdrawal is official or unofficial, once the institutional last day of attendance has been established, the refund calculation will be processed within 30 days from the time the date has been confirmed. Funds will be returned within 45 days of the confirmation of the last date of attendance. The funds are returned in the following order: Unsubsidized Stafford loan, Subsidized Stafford loan, Direct PLUS loan, Pell, SEOG, and Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grant.

Return of Title IV Funds Policy

Students who withdraw from classes beyond the 60% point in the semester will have earned 100% of their financial aid.

If a student has not yet received the full amount of aid that they are eligible for at the time of withdrawal, they may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. If this disbursement includes a loan, the student will be notified that written permission for the loan disbursement is required from the student.

After the refund calculation is processed, the student will receive notification of their new revised award amounts. It is the student’s responsibility to pay any outstanding debt owed to the institution. A hold will be placed on the student’s account and they will not be allowed to register for classes until their outstanding bill is paid. If a student’s loan disbursement has been reduced, that portion will be returned to the Department of Education which will then reduce the student’s overall indebtedness.

Hold Policy

All students are required to meet financial obligations each semester with due dates of August 3rd for Fall, January 3rd for Spring and May 3rd for Summer semesters. Failure to do so will result in one of the following holds that would be placed on your student account: Any student who carries a balance greater than $2,000 will have a hold placed on their account. This hold will prevent students from registering for future courses at Elms. Special payment arrangements can be established with the Office of Student Accounts to work on getting the balance below the threshold.