Withdrawal and Repayment Policy

The Financial Aid Office encourages students to read the withdraw policy carefully to understand your financial responsibility if you change your enrollment status. Students considering withdrawing from all classes should contact the Financial Aid Office to see how the withdraw will affect his/her financial aid and possible repayment. Financial aid is paid to students based on the student's attendance. There are unforeseen events that can occur in a student's life that may result in the withdraw from college. If this occurs, it is important you follow the proper steps to withdraw and understand the policy.

Withdrawal Policy

Federal Regulations

  • Students that receive Federal Title IV Financial Aid and withdraw from school during the period of enrollment in which they began attendance must return the percentage of unearned funds to the Financial Aid Program.
  • The Financial Aid Office recalculates the amount of Financial Aid a student is authorized when a student officially withdraws from the college or stops attending classes prior to completing more than 60% of a term.
  • A student who changes their enrollment status within the first 14 days of classes will have their financial aid adjusted accordingly and will be responsible for any balance on the student's account created by the enrollment status change.
  • A student who completes more than 60% of the period of enrollment has earned all of their Financial Aid assistance.
  • When a student officially withdraws from the school, the percentage or portion of the student's financial aid received but not "earned" must be repaid.
  • The Financial Aid Office will review official records at the end of each semester. If a student has stopped attending all classes, even if they have not officially withdrawn will have their aid reduced if they did not complete at least 60% of the semester.
  • EXAMPLE: A student who withdraws completing 30% of the term will have "earned" only 30% of Title IV Financial Aid, the remaining 70% must be returned.

Federal Title IV Funds include:

  • Federal Direct Loans - Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, PLUS-Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students
  • Federal Pell

  • Federal SEOG

Repayment Policy

  • The Financial Aid Office will notify the student of the amount of repayment due within 30 days of determining the student's withdraw.
  • The student has 45 calendar days after notification to make a repayment in full or make satisfactory repayment arrangements with Chattanooga State Bursar's Office.
  • Students owing repayments will be INELIGIBLE to receive any Title IV aid.
  • The student returns loan amounts to the lender according to the terms of the promissory note.