Refund Guidelines

• Withdrawal from the University
• Full Refund of Mandatory Tuition and Campus Fees
• Pro-Rata Refund of Registration Fees and Nonresident Tuition
• Unit Load Change for Residents
• Unit Load Change for Non-Residents (International & Out of State Students)
• Late Refund Request
• Refund Check Disbursement

Withdrawal from the University

Full Refund:

Students who officially withdraw from the University prior to the first day of instruction will receive a 100% refund, less a $20 administrative fee, of mandatory tuition and campus fees, and other applicable program fee/s, and non-resident tuition.

Pro-Rata Refund:

Between the first day of instruction through the 60% date of the semester, refunds will be on a pro-rata basis using the official withdrawal date.

Students are not eligible to receive a refund for dropping all classes or officially withdrawing after the 60% date.

The pro-rata refund will be calculated by the number of CALENDAR days from the first day of the semester to the date of withdrawal.

Refunds will first be applied to any outstanding debt owed to the University.

Exceptions will be made in the following circumstances only:

1. The mandatory registration charges were assessed or collected in error.
2. The course for which the mandatory registration charges were assessed or collected was cancelled by the University.
3. The University made a delayed decision that the student was not eligible to enroll in the term for which mandatory registration charges were assessed or collected and the delayed decision was not due to incomplete or inaccurate information provided by student.
4. The student was activated for compulsory military service.

Students who find it necessary to cancel their registration or to withdraw from all classes after enrolling for any academic term MUST follow the University’s official withdrawal procedures and submit a completed Refund Request Form within the refund schedule.

Failure to follow formal University procedures may result in an obligation to pay student charges/fees in addition to the assignment of failing grades in all courses and the need to apply for readmission before being permitted to enroll in another academic term.

You must contact the Admissions and Records Office/s to get accurate and complete information on cancelling registration and withdrawal procedures.

Note:

Financial aid students who wish to cancel their registration or withdraw from all classes after receiving financial aid funds MUST contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Withdrawal from the University during an academic term or a payment period, may require students to return and/or repay the amount of grant or loan assistance received.

Following the federal regulations, all refunds will be credited back to the appropriate Title IV Financial Aid programs that were used to pay University charges.

Full Refund of Mandatory Tuition and Campus Fees and Non-Resident Tuition

Deadline: Prior to the first day of the semester

Eligibility:

• Student must drop all classes or cancel their registration prior to the first day of instruction for the semester.
• Student must withdraw from the University by submitting a completed Withdrawal Form as required by the Registrar's Office at the One Stop Student Services Center.

The official withdrawal procedure facilitates the refund process.

Otherwise, for unofficial withdrawals and/or cancellation of classes, refund calculation will begin after the 60% point of the attendance period.

Refund Calculation:

Students will receive a full refund less a non-refundable administrative fee of $20.00.

Sample refund calculation:

Pro-Rata Refund of Registration Fees and Non-Resident Tuition

Period Covered: On the first day of the semester through 60% point of the attendance period

Eligibility:

• Students must cancel their registration, drop all courses, or officially withdraw between the 1st day of instruction and 60% point of the attendance period.
• Students MUST withdraw from the University and complete the official withdrawal process as required by the Registrar's Office at the One Stop Student Services Center.

The official withdrawal procedure facilitates the refund process.

Otherwise, for unofficial withdrawals and/or cancellation of classes, refund checks will not be processed until after the 60% point of the attendance period, unless a Refund Request Form is submitted to the Bursar’s Office.

Calculation:

Students will receive a pro-rata refund less a non-refundable administrative fee of $20.00.

The pro-rata refund is determined on the basis of the student's withdrawal date and the length of the semester.

The length of the semester is calculated from the first day of the semester through final exams and excludes any breaks of 5 days or more.

Refund checks are processed and forwarded to the student's home address within three weeks from the official withdrawal date.

A Refund Request Form is not necessary to complete the refund process.

Example Scenarios:

1) Undergraduate resident student A enrolls for 6 units, paying the $1,764.00 tuition fee and $883.00 local fees (total fees paid: $2,647.00).

Student withdraws 22 days into the 110-day semester.

Student was enrolled for 20.0% (22/110) of the semester and receives a refund of 80.0% of the total tuition and registration fee, $529, less $20.00 non-refundable administrative fee and less $2.00 Student Involvement and Representation Fee (SIRF), resulting in a final refund of $2,140.00.

2) Undergraduate international student B enrolls for 6 units, paying the $1,764 tuition fee, $2,520.00 ($420.00 x 6 units) nonresident tuition and $883.00 local fees (total fees paid: $5,167.00).

Student withdraws 22 days into the 110-day semester before the pro-rata deadline date for the nonresident tuition.

Student was enrolled for 20.0% (22/110) of the semester and receives a refund of 80.0% of the total fees paid, $1,033.00, less $20.00 non-refundable administrative fee and less $2.00 Student Involvement and Representation Fee (SIRF), resulting in a final refund of $4,114.00.

Unit Load Change for Residents: Partial Refund of Tuition Fee

Deadline and Eligibility:

Students are eligible for a partial refund of the Tuition fee if payment is made for 6.1 or more units, but only officially registered for 6.0 or fewer units as of the published drop date.

Please see the information below:

Note:

Education Leadership Doctoral program requires full-time enrollment so there is no partial refund.

Example Scenario:

An undergraduate resident student enrolls for 9 units, paying the full tuition of $3,925.00 for 6.1 or more units.

The student drops 3 units by the ending date of the designated drop period which is 5 days into the 112-day semester and receives a refund of $1,278.00, less $20.00 non-refundable administrative fee results in a final refund of $1,258.00 (Refer to fee schedule above).

If the student, after receiving a partial refund, subsequently withdraws 40 days into the semester, the student would be subject to a pro-rata refund based on the maxed number of units they were ever enrolled in when the semester began (9 units), less the non-refundable administrative fee and less the partial refund, which they have already received.

The percent of attendance for 44 days is 40.0% (40/110) and a refund of 60.0% of the full-time tuition and registration fees of $3,925.00 is $2,355.00, less $20.00 non-refundable administrative fee and less $1,258.00 partial refund, which the student have already received, resulting in a refund of $1,097.00.

Notes:

1. Refund checks will be processed after the 60% point in the academic period. This prevents inadvertent issuance of partial refund checks to students whose classes start at a later time and for those students waiting/holding to add classes.
2. A Refund Request Form is not required unless students want to expedite the partial refund check processing, which takes normally ten (10) business days from the date the Bursar's Office receives and stamps the refund form to begin the refund process.
3. If a partial refund check is issued and classes are added resulting in a full-time unit load of 6.1 or more, students must return the refund check or pay the additional tuition and registration fees, and have the add forms validated by the Bursar's Office. The administrative fee of $20.00 assessed for refund check administrative is non-refundable.
4. If a partial refund check was requested and issued and the student withdraws from the University between the first day of instruction and the sixty percent (60%) point in the academic period, the remaining refund check will be calculated using the withdrawal pro-rata schedule for the original full-time tuition and registration fees paid less any partial refunds issued and non-refundable administrative fees.

Unit Load Change for International & Out-of-State Students: Non-resident Tuition Refund

Deadline: On the first day of the semester through the Published Drop Deadline Date.

Eligibility:

A nonresident student who drops units on or before the published drop deadline, shall be entitled to a pro-rata refund of applicable tuition and registration fees less a non-refundable administrative fee of $20.00.

The pro-rata refund is determined on the basis of the drop date that results in a lower tuition and registration fee charges and the length of the semester.

The length of the semester is calculated from the first day of instruction for the semester through final exams and excludes any breaks of 5 days or more.

Calculation:

Students will receive a pro-rata refund less a non-refundable administrative fee of $20.00.

Refund checks are processed and forwarded to the student's home address on file within 2 - 3 weeks from the published drop date.

Otherwise, students who signed up for direct deposit, their refunds will be electronically transmitted to the students’ financial institution.

A Refund Request form is not required unless students want to expedite the refund check processing, which takes normally ten business days from the date the Bursar's Office receives and stamps the refund form to begin the refund process.

Example Scenario:

An Undergraduate international student B enrolls for 12 units.

The student drops a 3 unit course (3 units at $420 = $1,260) 5 days into the semester.

The student will receive $1,260.00 of the non-resident tuition fee for the 3 units, less $20.00 non-refundable administrative fee, resulting in a final refund of $1,240.00.

Note:

Students will not be eligible for non-resident tuition fee refund for unit load change that results in lower nonresident tuition fee charges after the Published Drop Deadline Date unless a total withdrawal or cancellation of all classes takes place by the 60% point in the academic period.

Late Request for Refund

Title V of the California Code of Regulations provides for late application of refunds only in the case of death or disability, or if a University rule prevents the student from continuing.

The student must submit a Refund Request Form and a Petition for Waiver of Financial Regulations Form at the Bursar's Office in Administrative Building room 155 or at the Student Services Building room 103.

The Petition for Waiver of Financial Regulations is applicable for the current semester only.

Under special circumstances, a petition may be reviewed for up to one year from the last day of the semester identified in the petition.

Administrative Fee:

The $20.00 administrative fee is non-refundable but Title V of the California Code of Regulations only allows exceptions under the following conditions:

• The tuition and registration fees were assessed or collected in error
• The courses for which the tuition and registration fees were assessed or collected was cancelled by the University
• The student was activated for compulsory military service

Refund Check Disbursement

Refunds are always made payable to the student unless the refund is caused by excess funds from a Parent Plus loan. Refund checks are processed and forwarded to the student's home address on file within three weeks of the official withdrawal date.

Students who signed up with the Direct Deposit in the Student Center, the refund amount will be electronically transmitted to the bank on file.

A Refund Request Form is not necessary to complete the refund process.

Additional Important Information:

1. If a refund check is issued as a result of total withdrawal or non-enrollment from the University and the student wishes to register again, full payment for tuition and registration fees and/or nonresident tuition along with any applicable late and/or administrative fees must be made. Approved add forms will be validated at the time of payment.
2. For unofficial withdrawals and/or cancellation of classes, refund checks will not be processed until after the 60% point of the attendance period, unless a Refund Request Form is submitted to the Bursar’s Office.
3. College of Professional & Global Education (CPaGE) students can access deadlines and refund information at the CPaGE Drops and Refunds page.
4. For refunds under Student Housing, please contact housing at housingfinancials@sfsu.edu.