Withdrawing and Financial Aid Eligibility
Circumstances may necessitate withdrawing completely from Brooklyn College for a semester in which you are already registered. Withdrawing from all courses impacts your financial aid differently depending on when the withdrawal is initiated and the type of financial aid you received. However, in all cases, your financial aid must be recalculated.
Official Withdrawal
Depending upon the date of withdrawal, one of the following situations will apply:
- If the semester has not yet begun and you drop or cancel your registration, no financial aid will transmit to your account. However, failure to cancel your registration and failure to attend classes will result in the cancellation of your financial aid and you will be responsible for tuition charges.
- If you drop all classes prior to the first day to officially withdraw (college calendar), you will be billed for tuition charges for that semester (see tuition liability schedule).
- If you officially process a withdrawal form before the 60-percent point of the semester has lapsed, the Office of Financial Aid will recalculate your Title IV aid based on the Federal Return of Title IV Formula. You will be responsible for any balance due to the college.
- If you officially process a withdrawal form after the 60-percent point of the semester, you will not be required to return any Title IV aid you received for the semester up to the point of withdrawal.
Stafford Loans will be subject to a return to Title IV calculation for the current semester. However, if funds have not yet disbursed for the current and future semesters within the same academic year, your loan will be cancelled by the college. Also, if your enrollment status drops to less than half-time (six credits), your loan will be cancelled.
Courses attempted prior to withdrawing from Brooklyn College will count in the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). SAP is calculated annually and is checked when you reapply for financial aid. You could be denied future aid if you do not meet our Standards of Academic Progress.
If you have an outstanding balance on a Perkins and/or Stafford Loan, the date you drop to less than half-time is the date used for the start of your grace period; you will go into repayment as soon as six months after. Please let your lender(s) know when you drop to less than half-time.
If you withdraw or drop to less than half-time, you must complete an Exit Counseling for your Stafford Loan, which will go into repayment six months after you are less than half-time.
Unofficial Withdrawal
If you stop attending classes and do not initiate an official withdrawal, it is unlikely that you will receive passing grades for the semester and will incur significant financial aid penalties, including full or partial cancellation of the financial aid you received for the semester. Therefore, it is critical that you initiate an official withdrawal prior to the end of the semester and that you keep your personal information current with Brooklyn College.
Stafford Loans will be subject to a return to Title IV calculation for the current semester. However, if funds have not yet disbursed for the current and future semesters within the same academic year, your loan will be cancelled by the college. Also, if your enrollment status drops to less than half-time (six credits), your loan will be cancelled.
Courses attempted prior to withdrawal from Brooklyn College will count in the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). SAP is calculated annually and is checked when you reapply for financial aid. You could be denied future aid if you do not meet our Standards of Academic Progress.
If you have an outstanding balance on a Perkins and/or Stafford Loan, the date you drop to less than half-time is the date used for the start of your grace period; you will go into repayment as soon as six months after. Please let your lender(s) know when you drop to less than half-time.
If you withdraw or drop to less than half-time, you must complete an Exit Counseling for your Stafford student loan, which will go into repayment six months after you are less than half time.
Withdraw/Drop
A WD new grade is assigned for official drops. Financial aid will not be affected, unless all classes are dropped. Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation will be done.
If a return of Title IV aid is required, Brooklyn College will return the unearned portion of Title IV financial aid funds to the federal programs on behalf of the student. Any return of financial aid funds made by the college on behalf of the student will be charged to the student's account. Payment for these charges is due on demand. Pay Brooklyn College directly for these charges, not the U.S. Department of Education.
Withdrawal Never Attended
A WN grade is given to students who never began attendance in a course. Students will be considered not to have earned any Title IV aid. Students will be liable for the tuition.
Return of Title IV Formula
Title IV financial aid is recalculated based on the number of days attended, using total federal aid and total institutional charges. The percentage of unearned aid to be returned is equal to the number of days remaining in the semester divided by the number of calendar days in the semester. If you initiate an official complete withdrawal after the 60 percent point in the semester, you will have earned 100 percent of the aid you received for that semester. The date of withdrawal is counted as a completed day. Scheduled breaks of more than five consecutive days within a semester are excluded.
If a return of Title IV aid is required, Brooklyn College will return the unearned portion of Title IV financial aid funds to the federal programs on behalf of the student. Any return of financial aid funds made by the college on behalf of the student will be charged to the student's account. Payment for these charges is due on demand. Pay Brooklyn College directly for these charges, not the U.S. Department of Education.
If you are one of the few students who are eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement, you will be sent a letter of notification of your eligibility, which must be returned within 14 days from the date of the notice, or the offer will be rescinded.
Title IV FundsFunds governed under Title IV of the Higher Education Act include:
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Perkins Loans
- Federal PLUS Loans
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
- Federal Stafford Loans
- Federal Work-Study
For purposes of complete withdrawal and the Return of Title IV Formula, Federal Work-Study is not considered. However, in all total withdrawal cases, you cannot continue to work under the Federal Work-Study Program after your date of withdrawal. Also, any student whose enrollment falls below six credits because they drop/withdraw (officially or unofficially) or stop attending classes must stop working immediately. Students are responsible to notify their site supervisor regarding changes in class schedule/enrollment and the FWS staff at the Office of Financial Aid. If you have further questions contact, contact the FWS staff at 718.951.5178 or .5816, or via e-mail.
Fall and Spring Semesters
Financial aid recipients who totally withdraw before 60 percent of the term has been completed may incur repayment liability. This is in accordance with federal regulations 34CFR 668.22 e2/ Treatment of Title IV funds when a student withdraws.
The Office of Financial Aid will complete one official calculation when the official withdrawal form or information is received; mock calculations are not made.
If you have further questions about withdrawing and the result of your financial aid status before or after, contact the financial aid office at 718.951.4195,or via e-mail.
Note that partial withdrawal of classes will not result in a return of Title IV aid to the federal government; only completely withdrawing from the semester applies to the aforementioned regulatory guidelines.
Point of Contact to Initiate Withdrawal
- Complete a paper withdrawal form: Enrollment Services Center, West Quad Center (Registrar's Office).
- Online: Log on to CUNYfirst (Student Services Center)
