Failing or withdrawing from HACC
We know college can be tough but before you decide to withdraw from your classes, we strongly encourage you to talk with someone about your options. Many students find that by meeting with their instructor they are able to get back on track and finish successfully. If you do decide to withdraw, be sure to talk with Financial Aid who will help you determine how it will affect your financial aid for the term and in the future. You must officially withdraw if you stop attending your classes during the term. Immediately contact the Welcome Center if you stop attending class. Learn more about how failing or withdrawing from HACC can affect your financial aid.
How does withdrawing from HACC affect my financial aid?
There are six (6) major ways that withdrawing or failing classes affect your financial aid:
FEDERAL RETURN TO TITLE IV REQUIREMENT
When a student withdraws from classes, he/she may be entitled to receive money back which had been paid to the College. The College may be able to refund all or a portion of the tuition, fees, housing costs, etc., the student paid. If the tuition, fees, housing costs, etc., were paid with Federal financial aid funds, then all or a portion of the student's refund must be returned to the SFA programs from which the money was awarded. A student who receives a cash disbursement to assist with living expenses and then withdraws, drops out, or is expelled, may be required to repay money to the aid programs from which the money was awarded (Federal Unsubsidized and Subsidized Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, FSEOG, TEACH Grant, other Federal Aid).
HACC’s Return of Title IV Funds policies and procedures are disseminated to students via the HACC website and myHACC. Students may receive additional information from the Financial Aid Office.
All Federal financial aid recipients who cease attending prior to the end of the term, and/or fail to pass any credits for the term, will be reviewed to see if a Return to Title IV funds calculation should be performed. Students whose circumstances require that they withdraw from all classes are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid Services and their academic advisor before doing so. At that time, the consequences of withdrawing from all classes can be explained.
HACC’s Return of Title IV Funds policies and procedures were formulated based on the following Federal concept and requirements:
The date used to calculate the refund is determined as follows:
Calculations
The federal government mandates that students who withdraw from all classes may only keep the financial aid they have "earned" up to the time of withdrawal. Title IV funds that have been disbursed in excess of the earned amount must be returned to the federal government. Thus, the student could owe aid funds to HACC.
The unearned amount (total aid disbursed minus the earned amount) must be returned to the federal government. If the total aid disbursed is less than the earned amount, a post-withdrawal disbursement will be processed. The Office of Financial Aid Services will notify students when aid is returned to the source and of the amount the student may then owe to HACC.
When it is determined that a return calculation is required, the following steps are used to calculate the amount of funds to be returned (or, if applicable, the amount of post-withdrawal disbursement owed to the student):
Example:
ALLOCATIING RETURNED TITLE IV (FEDERAL) AID
Funds that are returned to the federal government are used to reimburse the
individual federal programs from which the student received the aid. Financial
aid returned by HACC must be allocated, in the following order, up to the net
amount disbursed from each source:
POST-WITHDRAWAL DISBURSEMENT
If a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement has been calculated, the Office of Financial Aid Services will notify the student of any Post-Withdrawal Loan disbursement so that the student has the opportunity to request the Loan funds in writing. Any additional Grant funds will be posted to the student’s account so the Office of Student Accounts can disburse the additional amounts. If the student submits a written request for additional eligible loan funds, the extra loan amounts will be authorized so the Office of Student Accounts may disburse the appropriate amount.
RETURNING UNEARNED FUNDS
Upon determining the amount of Title IV aid that is required to be returned (including for Direct Loans), the Office of Financial Aid Services will adjust the award amounts for any unearned Grant or loan funds (per the established process for each fund), so the Office of Student Accounts is notified to return the excess funds to the appropriate Federal aid program(s). An email to the student notifying them of the aid adjustment/return, and the possible repercussions of the change in aid is simultaneously scheduled to transmit to the student.
Institutional Refunds
HACC’s institutional refund policy is in direct accordance with regulations set forth by the
Pennsylvania State Board of Education.
Students who choose to withdraw from courses according to published deadlines may receive a refund. The refund amount is based upon the total cost of the course and the premise that a student paid the
balance in full. A refund is calculated as follows: full refund of all tuition charges and fees up to the end of the first week of classes (or the equivalent for shorter parts of terms), refund of one half of tuition charges up through the third week of classes (or the equivalent). Course drops or withdrawals are not eligible for a refund after the third week of class of the major part of term or the equivalent for shorter parts of term. Refund dates are published on the reverse side of the Schedule/Bill and at www.hacc.edu.
Example:
Students dropped or withdrawn for disciplinary reasons may not be eligible for a refund. Students who withdraw prior to the completion of 60 percent of the term and are receiving federal grants or loans, such as a Federal Pell Grant, SEOG and Direct Loan, will have their financial aid recalculated which may result in a balance owed to the College.
Students may officially withdraw from the college either online through myHACC or by submitting a Drop/Add/Withdrawal form to the campus Welcome Center.
In extenuating circumstances, exceptions to the refund dates may apply. Students may inquire
about eligibility for reversal of tuition charges at the campus Welcome Center. Deadlines to apply for the reversal of tuition charges are: June 15 of the same year for spring term classes, September 1 of the same year for summer classes, and January 15 for prior year fall term classes.
See College website for term-specific information, including deadlines.