Tuition Refund Policy

Courses dropped prior to the start of the semester (before the first day of classes) will have 100% of the tuition charges canceled. Courses dropped beginning the first day of classes are subject to the university refund schedule, effective Spring 2021, which governs the prorated cancellation of semester tuition charges in cases of program adjustment or withdrawal. For refunds calculated by week, the period is considered to be Monday to Sunday and is the first full week of the semester. 

For example: the Fall 2024 semester, the first (full) week starts on Monday, August 26, 2024 and ends Sunday, September 1, 2024.

Select programs are offered on a different schedule with different refund rates for dropped classes. Please visit the Law School, Public Health Online, and SEAS Online & Off-Campus Doctoral and Masters Programs to view the Withdrawal and Refund Policies specific to those programs.

Regulations governing student withdrawals as they relate to residence halls and food service charges are contained in lease agreements and/or contracts and are not governed by the above tuition cancellation schedule.

In no case will tuition be reduced or refunded because of the student’s absence from classes. Authorization to withdraw and certification for work done will not be provided to a student whose account is not in good standing.

Dropped Courses Prior to Spring 2021

Fall & Spring Semesters

On-campus courses dropped prior to the start of the semester (before the first day of classes) will have 100% of the tuition charges canceled. Courses dropped beginning the first day of classes are subject to the university refund schedule, which governs the prorated cancellation of semester tuition charges in cases of program adjustment or withdrawal:

Before the end of the 1st week of the semester (by 11:59pm Sunday)	90%
Before the end of the 2nd week of the semester (by 11:59pm Sunday)	60%
Before the end of the 3rd week of the semester (by 11:59pm Sunday)	40%
Before the end of the 4th week of the semester (by 11:59pm Sunday)	25%
After the 4th week of classes	0%

Summer Sessions

On-campus courses dropped prior to the start of the summer session will have 100% of the tuition charges canceled. Courses dropped during the first seven (7) calendar days of the session will have 85% of the tuition charges canceled. No tuition adjustments will be made for courses dropped thereafter.

During the first week of classes, students who wish to add a course(s) and drop a course(s) as an even exchange may do so without financial loss if these transaction requests are for an equal number of credit hours. Please be advised that individual program adjustments may incur tuition charges and/or fees if they are not even exchanges, or involve courses other than those at the Foggy Bottom or Mount Vernon campuses.

Note: University withdrawal and refund policies do not apply to Summer Abroad courses. Please check with the Office of Summer Sessions for specific policies associated with these programs.

Off-Campus and Online Classes

Off-Campus

From the day of the 1st class meeting until the day before the 3rd class meeting	90%
From the day of the 3rd class meeting until the day before the 5th class meeting	50%
On and after the day of the 5th class meeting	0%

Online

Please note that "distance learning" or "on-campus via distance" courses are considered main campus courses and are subject to the standard university refund schedule noted above under "Fall & Spring Semesters" or "Summer Sessions".

From the first day of the academic semester or session until the end of the second week of the academic semester or session	90%
From the first day of the third week of the academic semester or session until the end of the fourth week of the academic semester or session	50%
On and after the first day of the 5th week of the academic semester	0%