Policy for the Return of Financial Aid Received Through Title IV Funds

Attendance Policy

Concordia University faculty is expected to monitor and maintain an accurate attendance record for each student in each class taught. Faculty is required to supply attendance information promptly when requested by the Financial Aid Office.

Definitions

The term "Title IV funds" refers to the federal financial aid programs authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended) and includes the following programs:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• TEACH Grant
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
• Perkins Loan
• Federal Subsidized/Unsubsidized William D. Ford Direct Loan Program (DL)
• Federal PLUS Loan

The calculation for the return of Title IV funds (and state funds, if applicable) is determined by the student’s last date of class attendance or academically related activity.

Institutional Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawals and Drops

1. A Return of Title IV (R2T4) Fund recalculation may be required for any student that began attendance in a term regardless of the drop date/census policy in effect. A student that never began attendance within the entire period of the term, is considered an enrollment change and a R2T4 calculation is not required.
2. A student that ceases attendance after the drop/add deadline that does not initiate an official withdrawal is considered an unofficial withdrawal and the financial aid office must conduct a R2T4 calculation. Last date of attendance will be confirmed by attendance as reported by the faculty.
3. At the end of each academic semester, students with grades of “F” are subject to review to determine whether or not the student “earned” the grade based on completion of course objectives. Faculty must enter the last date of student attendance into the grading system when a student receives an “F” for the period. Any student, which has a last date of attendance prior to the end of the course, is required to have an R2T4 calculation completed.
4. Student services for Graduate/Adult Education will check enrollment reports for any student that has missed 14 days of class without notice from the student. Student services will attempt to make contact with the student to confirm their intent to remain in the program. If student services is unable to make contact, an administrative withdrawal will be processed. The financial aid office will conduct a R2T4 if applicable. Undergraduate students will be monitored by the S.O.A.P program. Students missing consecutive days of class will be reported by the instructors. Students will then be contacted by the Director of Career Development for further counseling and determination of students' intent to withdraw or attend class.

Withdrawal Procedures (Official and Unofficial)

Students seeking to withdraw from Concordia University are required to complete a withdrawal/attrition form. Undergraduate students must report to the Director of Career Development and Retention Services to initiate the attrition process. Graduate students must notify and make a request to their student services advisor to begin the withdrawal process. Withdrawal information is provided to the registrar and financial aid office.

If a graduate student plans to withdraw only from the current course and return for the next scheduled class a written intent to return is required. This can be facilitated on the class withdrawal form under the section labeled “intent to return.”

Notification must be received by the financial aid office as soon as possible (no later than 30 days) after the date is determined the student has withdrawn, in case a student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. This will insure timely processing of a Return of Title IV Fund calculation, if necessary.

Tuition Refund Policy

Withdrawing from courses is a formal procedure that requires action from the student. Tuition refund percentage is determined by the day the student submits completed forms to the appropriate office.

Please note, when withdrawing from module A while remaining enrolled in module B, the tuition refund from module A, if any, will remain in the student account until the end of module B 100% drop deadline.

Student Notification

The financial aid office will notify the student with the results of the R2T4 calculation as well as relevant information applicable to the withdrawal. This includes, but is not limited to, loan repayment and Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students will be notified of the amount of unearned aid that will be returned by the school as well as any post-withdrawal disbursement amounts the student is eligible to receive.

Return of Ineligible Funding

Concordia University will return any unearned funding owed by the student resulting from the R2T4 calculation within 45 days of the date the school determined the student withdrew. Balances due to the university as a result of funds returned are the obligation of the student.

Earned federal aid

Federal law requires that, when a student ceases attendance or withdraws from all registered classes during an enrollment period, the amount of financial aid assistance "earned" up to that point is determined by a specific formula.

The enrollment period for a program measured in credit hours is one semester. The amount of financial aid earned by the student is determined on a pro-rata basis. For example, a student completes 25% of an enrollment period prior to withdrawing from all courses will have earned 25% of the amount of federal aid they were entitled to receive for the payment period. The earned portion of aid is used (except Federal Work-Study earnings if applicable) to pay any outstanding charges that remain on the student’s account.

Below is an example of the Return of Title IV Funds calculation.

1. Establish the withdrawal date and calculate the percentage of aid the student may retain.
   • John withdraws on 9/24/2016.
   • 9/24/2016 is 29 days into the semester, which is 116 days long. Therefore, he has completed 25% of the semester.
   • This means that he may keep 25% of the aid awarded to him, however 75% must go back to the aid programs. (Once a student has completed 60% or more of the semester, no aid will need to be returned.)
2. Calculate the percentage of unearned aid.
   • John received $3,668 in Title IV aid.
   • 75% of $3,668 in financial aid must be returned: $2,751.
3. Calculate the maximum percentage of aid based on cost that the school will have to return.
   • John's bill for the Fall of 2016 was $2,276
   • 75% of the cost, $2,276, is $1,707.
4. Calculate the amount of aid the school must return.
   • The school then returns the lesser of $1,707 (percentage of cost) or $2,751 (percent of unearned financial aid) to the aid programs.
   • The school returns $1,707 on John's behalf.
5. Aid the student must personally return.
   • John's grant aid is returned on his behalf by the school and therefore becomes part of the bill that must be repaid to the school.

The balance of John's loan not paid by the school will go into repayment in accordance with the terms of the promissory note.

The student may be eligible for federal funds that have not been disbursed to the student account prior to the date the student ceased attendance or withdrew.  In this event a R2T4 calculation may indicate eligibility for post-withdrawal disbursement(s). The financial aid office must notify a student of eligible amounts of funding. The student must formally accept a post- withdrawal disbursement before it can be paid by the school.

The following order of “return of funds allocation” will be used to determine which funds are returned.

Return of funds allocation

In accordance with federal regulations, financial aid funds are returned in the following order, if applicable:

1. Unsubsidized DL
2. Subsidized DL
3. Direct PLUS Loan
4. Federal Pell Grant
5. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
6. Federal SEOG
7. TEACH Grant
8. Other Title IV programs
9. Other state, private and institutional aid
10. Student

Institutional and student responsibilities

Concordia University is responsible for the following as they relate to return of Title IV/state funds:

• Provide each student with the information written in this policy
• Identify students who are affected by this policy and complete the Return of Title IV and/or state funds calculation in accordance with federal and state regulations
• Return any Title IV funds and state funds to the appropriate program(s)
• Students are notified of adjustments/account balance.

The student is responsible for the Return of Title IV/State funds when:

• Title IV funds were disbursed directly to the student and the student was determined not to have earned those funds in accordance with federal and state regulations.

All policies are subject to change as may be required by federal and state regulations.