Refund Policy - Bursar

For the Fall and Spring Semesters

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors passed a new refund policy effective Fall 2009.

The refund policy at Indiana University of Pennsylvania applies to all students enrolled in programs for credit at the university, its branches, the Regional Police Academy, and the Academy of Culinary Arts, both full-time and part-time.

I. Current Semester Cancellation

Students who registered and/or prepaid and decide not to attend prior to the first day of classes are considered canceled and are entitled to a 100 percent reduction of semester charges, less applicable advance deposits, installment payment enrollment fee, and placement testing fee. Students must notify the bursar in writing of their intention to cancel. The bursar will forward to the Registrar’s office a listing of the cancellation notice, and the registrar will cancel the student’s registration and notify the appropriate university offices. A student who uses university residence halls and/or dining services prior to the start of the current semester and then cancels will forfeit an amount equal to the number of days of services received plus the full amount of any advance deposit payment.

II. Total University Withdrawal from the Current Semester

All students who register for classes (either full time or part time) and then decide to withdraw totally from the university after the the drop/add period has ended must log into URSA and web withdraw from all classes. For problems, please contact the Advising and Testing Center (undergraduate) or the School of Graduate Studies and Research (graduate). The official withdrawal date is the date the student completed the electronic web withdraw or notifies the Advising Testing Center by phone or written communication of his or her intention.

Students who reduce their credit hour load after the end of the drop period so as to qualify for billing as part-time students shall not be eligible for a refund of the amount paid which exceeds the part-time rate. After the drop period, refunds for the basic fee shall be made only for full semester withdrawal.

If a student is registered for twelve credits after the drop period (first week), withdraws from six credits in week two (receiving no refund), and fully withdraws from the remaining six credits in week three, the refund should be based upon the total number of credits for which she or he was originally charged, or twelve credits in this case.

Full-time students who are concurrently enrolled in both the regular session and late-starting sessions will be treated as regular session students for the purposes of this policy. If the student drops a late-starting course prior to the beginning of the course, refund for the course will be provided in accordance with the university’s registration policy.

In accordance with the PASSHE Policy 1983-19-A, Indiana University of Pennsylvania will not refund or adjust the Technology Fee. The only adjustment will take place the first week of classes, when, if the student totally withdraws, the technology fee will be credited, as will tuition and mandatory fees.

A student who has been approved to withdraw from courses will forfeit a portion of the semester fees in accordance with the following schedule:

Fall Term 2009-40

Percentage of Student's Total Semester Fees to Be Forfeited

Last date for 100 percent refund: September 6, 2009

Week	Dates	Percentage of Refund Forfeit
First Week	September 7-11, 2009	20 percent
Second Week	September 12-18, 2009	40 percent
Third Week	September 19-25, 2009	50 percent
Fourth Week	September 26-October 2, 2009	60 percent
Fifth Week	October 3, 2009, and beyond	100 percent

Spring Term 2009-50

Not available at this time, will be posted at a later date.

A student will be charged a full week of tuition and fees for any partial week of enrollment. Advance deposit payments, installment payment enrollment fee, and placement testing fees are not refundable. The Office of the Provost will determine the official start of classes for each semester.

III. Financial Aid Policy for Students Totally Withdrawing From the Current Semester

Refunds for students receiving financial assistance from scholarships, loans, and/or grants will be returned to the source of aid in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the funding source. Students receiving Federal Title IV aid, i.e., Unsubsidized Stafford, Subsidized Stafford, Perkins Loan, Plus Graduate Loan, Plus Parent Loan, PELL, ACG, SMART, or SEOG, will have aid awards adjusted and returned in the order given previously. The amount of aid earned is determined by a formula established by the federal government, which is the number of days attended divided by the number of days in the semester. If a student does not complete 61 percent of the semester, which is equivalent to the end of the ninth week, all funds will be prorated according to this formula. A student with Title IV aid who does not officially withdraw through the Advising and Testing Center (undergraduate) or the School of Graduate Studies and Research (graduate) will be assumed to have earned 50 percent of his/her financial aid for the semester and will be charged a minimum of 50 percent of the semester charges. A student whose withdraw date is after the ninth week (61 percent of the semester) will be assumed to have earned all of his/her disbursed financial aid for the semester. A student is considered to have officially initiated the withdrawal process at the point IUP receives a phone call, written notification of his/her intent to withdraw, or the date he/she was web withdrawn from all of his or her courses.

IV. Individual Course Reduction

An individual course reduction is a reduction in class load, but not total withdrawal from the university—for example, a student who registers for three courses and then drops one or two classes but continues with the other class or classes.

Students who reduce their class load after the first day of classes will be subject to the same tuition and fee assessment as outlined in Section II.

V. Termination of Residence Hall or Dining Service Contract

A. Residence Hall Termination: Release from a Residence Hall Housing License Agreement is not granted, except under the conditions outlined in the Residence Hall Housing License Agreement. Any student who submits a written request to the Office of Housing and Residence Life and meets the conditions for release through the first day of classes will be assessed no forfeiture and will receive a 100 percent reduction of the room fee, less applicable advance deposit. A student who totally withdraws from the university after the first day of classes or who requests in writing to terminate the Residence Hall Housing License Agreement and is granted a contract release will be granted a reduction in residence hall charges in accordance with the schedule outlined in Section II.

B. Dining Service Termination: A student who requests in writing and is released from his/her Dining Service Agreement by the Office of Housing and Residence Life through the first day of classes will be assessed no forfeiture and will receive a 100 percent reduction of dining service fees. A student who totally withdraws from the university after the first day of classes or who requests in writing to terminate his/her university Dining Service Agreement and is granted a contract release, will receive a reduction in dining service charges in accordance with the schedule outlined in Section II.

A student who uses the university residence halls or dining services prior to the end of the first day of classes and then cancels will forfeit an amount equal to the number of days of service received plus the full amount of the advance deposit payment.

Cancellation of semester block dining plans will result in forfeiture of the fees in the manner identified above or of fees equal to the actual meals eaten, whichever is greater.

VI. Other Provisions

Students who are suspended from classes, residence halls, and/or dining services will receive a reduction of tuition and fees in accordance with the schedule as outlined under Section II.

The Advising and Testing Center (for undergraduate students) and the School of Graduate Studies and Research (for graduate students) may request exceptions to these policies through the Office of the Bursar when circumstances justify it—for example, death or extreme medical conditions.

Student military reservists or members of the National Guard who are ordered to active military service by the president of the United States will receive a full reduction in tuition. Other fees will be prorated.

Examples of refund calculations are available in the Office of the Bursar, main lobby counter, Clark Hall. The Office of the Bursar is responsible for administering the refund policy. Students may appeal the decision rendered by contacting the bursar at 724-357-2207.

Summer 2009

The university employs faculty members, assigns residence hall space, and arranges for dining services in advance of each term based on the number of students who plan to enroll. A student who withdraws from the university creates vacancies that may not be filled, and incurs obligations for compensation and services that must be honored.

Because of the variety of scheduling offerings during the summer, the university has developed refund assessment amounts applicable to the period that each course is offered (please refer to Summer Refund Policy). The Office of the Provost will determine the official start and end date of each course. Students will forfeit charges according to the schedule for the period in which the course is offered.

Formal total university withdrawal procedures must be initiated through the Advising and Testing Center (undergraduates) or the School of Graduate Studies and Research (graduates) at the point of withdrawal. Students who are suspended from classes, residence halls, and/or dining service will receive a reduction of fees in accordance with the applicable refund schedule. Students whose credits drop below half time (6 credits for undergraduates or 4.5 credits for graduates) are not entitled to financial aid awards.

Summer 2009 Refund Policy

Courses are subject to refund policy applicable to the period in which they begin.

Financial Aid Refunds

Students whose financial aid is in excess of charges will have two options for receipt of financial aid refunds:

Direct deposit into the checking or savings account.
Have the refund mailed to your mailing address.

Authorization agreements for direct deposit can be picked up at the Office of the Bursar, Clark Hall, and are available on the Web. This authorization will remain in effect for the current academic year only.

If you are having your refund mailed, please check your mailing address on URSA. Remember, other important future correspondence from IUP will also be sent to this address.