Muhlenberg College Refund Policy
This policy applies to students who:
- Fail to register for the period of enrollment for which he/she was charged or
- Withdraw, drop out, are dismissed or take an approved leave of absence or otherwise fails to complete the period of enrollment for which he/she was charged
Prior to completing 60% of a semester, a refund will be calculated based upon the Total Amount Paid (cash), the Total Amount of Title IV** Earned by the student less the Amount Retained by the College (charges incurred while the student attended).
The formula for determining this is:
Percent = # of days completed up to the withdrawal date*
Earned total days in the semester
The Office of Financial Aid will calculate the exact amount of Federal Financial Aid to return to the Federal Government based on the percent of unearned aid using the following formula:
Aid to be returned = (100% - percent earned) X the amount of aid disbursed towards institutional charges
Aid will be returned in the following order:
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan
- Federal Direct Subsidized Student Loan
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Federal Direct PLUS
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Other Federal Programs
- Other state, private or institutional sources
The distribution of refunds for students receiving federal financial aid is based on the principle that the primary responsibility for meeting educational costs rests with the family. The Controller’s Office will determine the institutional charges based on each student's unique situation, including outstanding obligations for housing, campus dining, and other charges that are not pro-rated as tuition is pro-rated. (See the tuition refund policy in the Muhlenberg Collge Catalog) Please note that the amount of federal financial aid returned is not related in any way to any amount of institutional refund of charges (tuition, etc.) that you may have received. When aid is returned, the student may have a balance on his/her account. The student will need to make arrangements with the Controller’s Office to pay any outstanding balance. If, however, after determining the amount of funds to be returned to the federal aid programs, any remaining credit balance on the student's account with the Controller’s Office will be credited against any institutional aid accounts. If a credit balance still remains after the institutional aid accounts have been adjusted, the remaining funds will be returned to the student and his/her family.
* A student’s withdrawal date is:
- the date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process (as described on page 50 of the Muhlenberg College Catalog) or officially notified by the college of the intent to withdraw; or
- the last date the student attended classes for a student who leaves without notifying the institution;
- Students in the Wescoe School 8 week sessions or Accelerated Degree Completion Program (5 week modules) who do not enroll as planned BUT give the institution written confirmation in writing that he or she will attend a module that begins later in the same payment period or period of enrollment (this confirmation must occur at the time that would otherwise have been a withdrawal) BUT then does not actually return will have their withdrawal date listed as what it would have been originally if the the student had not indicated their intent to return.
**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 Direct Subsidized Student Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal College Work Study, and the Federal PLUS loans. However, because wages under work-study programs are earned by the student and cannot be recovered, work-study funds are NEVER considered in the refund and repayment process. In addition, in calculating the unpaid charges, earned financial aid and cash payments , the College must take into account any late federal aid disbursements for which the student is still eligible even though he/she withdrew. The late disbursements will be counted in Total Title IV aid.
