Withdrawal Policy

FINANCIAL AID RULES REGARDING WITHDRAWAL AND DROP
*The following information is included in the Amridge University Academic Catalog – Section 5

A withdrawal occurs when a student totally withdraws from all registered courses at the University during a semester.

Withdrawal Financial Responsibility for all Students

Withdrawal beginning on the first day of the semester will result in the charge of a $75 per course Drop Fee and a percentage of the tuition calculated at 10% of the total tuition cost per working day of the semester, regardless of either the date the student registers or the first day the course meets. Scholarships will be reduced by the same percentage. Fees are not refundable.

The University utilizes the federal statutory pro-rata refund method for students whose last date of attendance occurs prior to sixty percent (60%) of the period of enrollment.

UNOFFICIAL WITHDRAWAL FOR STUDENTS WITH A FEDERAL LOAN OR GRANT

Students receiving Title IV funds at Amridge University must maintain certain academic requirements for the continuation of their aid as well as the retaining of their aid.

Adjustment of Title IV Funds due to Discontinuance of Study

Federal regulations require that schools use a “Return of Title IV Funds” calculation for cases in which a student receiving Title IV funds discontinues study during a given semester. When a student discontinues study (drops or withdraws from all courses in the semester) and has previously been awarded these funds, the University must determine if these funds are required to be returned to the appropriate Title IV programs.

The University is required to perform the calculation within thirty (30) days of the determination of the discontinuance of study.

The “withdrawal date” is the date the student withdraws, as determined by the school. If by the 50% point of the semester the student has not participated in their course/courses the University may unofficially withdraw the student and perform a return of Title IV funds. “Return of Title IV Funds” is the federally mandated process by which a school calculates the amount of Title IV funds to be returned for a Title IV recipient who begins attendance and subsequently withdraws, who ceases attendance during a semester, or who never begins class participation. The calculations may result in a reduction of the student’s Title IV funds to reflect the percentage of the semester that the student attended if he or she attended 60 percent or less of the semester. Based on these calculations, the school, and the student may be required to return any “unearned” Title IV funds.

Failure to Pass

Title IV funding regulations require that any student who began attendance but failed to earn a passing grade in at least one course in the semester and who did not officially withdraw shall be considered as having unofficially withdrawn unless the institution can document that the student completed the period of enrollment and earned the grade F.

Within 30 days of the end of the payment period or period of enrollment (the official end of each semester), the Amridge University Financial Aid Department will, after review of academic grade reports or academic transcripts, identify Title IV recipients who have no passing grades, and will determine the students who will be unofficially withdrawn during the payment period or period of enrollment, with a withdrawal date at the midpoint (50% of the semester indicated on the academic calendar) or the latter date of the semester. Students are identified based on having received all grades of F for the semester. Based on those grades, the semester’s Title IV funds will be recalculated to determine what portion of the Title IV funds were “earned” by the student.

The Return of Title IV Funds calculation will be performed for students determined to have been unofficially withdrawn, using the midpoint (50% of the semester indicated on the academic calendar) or later date of the semester as the withdrawal date. Based on these calculations, the school will be required to return any “unearned” Title IV funds within 30 days after determining the student earned no passing grades, resulting in a charge to the student’s account. Students will receive notification of this action via an email, a certified letter and an updated billing statement. All accounts must be paid in full before a student can register for another semester or receive an official transcript. Accounts that are not paid in full are subject to collection procedures.

POLICY FOR DISBURSING PELL GRANTS (FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID) TO STUDENTS

The full amount of the Federal Pell Grant award will be disbursed between the number of remaining semesters in the academic year. (Example: If a student qualifies for $3,000 and there are three semesters in the academic year, the Pell disbursement amount will be calculated at $1,000 per semester for fall, spring and summer.) The only exceptions are the graduation semester or summer is the first semester of enrollment. Example – Applying in the Fall semester, aid will be divided into three semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer).

A student enrolled less than full-time may be eligible for a pro-rated Pell Grant Award.

FEDERAL PELL GRANT DURATION OF ELIGIBILITY

The duration of a student’s eligibility to receive a Federal Pell Grant is twelve (12) semesters (or the equivalent). The calculation of the duration of a student’s eligibility will include all years of the student’s receipt of Federal Pell Grant funding.

STUDENT FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT

Student aid for all programs, Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Subsidized, and Unsubsidized Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal GradPLUS Loans, and Signature Student Loans for students are credited to the student’s account. Please refer to Section 5: Financial Aid, Tuition and Fees – Payment of Tuition and Fees of this catalog for detailed information on Payment of Tuition and Fees.

STUDENT FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT BY SEMESTER

In accordance with federal regulations, all Direct Loans (subsidized, unsubsidized, and PLUS) loans must be disbursed in two disbursements. The disbursement schedule is based upon your period of enrollment. In addition, federal regulations require a 30-day delay of disbursements for first-time, first-year borrowers. These loan funds will be disbursed no earlier than 30 days after the beginning of the first semester of at least half-time enrollment.

SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT

Returning Students attending Fall and Spring Semesters

Two loan disbursements will be made (one at the beginning of the Fall semester and one at the beginning of the Spring semester).
The Fall loan disbursement for first-time, first-year borrowers will be disbursed no earlier than 30 days after the beginning of the semester.

Returning Students attending one semester only within an academic year.

Two loan disbursements will be made within the semester (one at the beginning of the semester, and one after the midpoint of the semester).
The first loan disbursement for first-time, first-year borrowers will be disbursed no earlier than 30 days after the beginning of the semester, the second will be made after the midpoint of the semester.

Note: Loan disbursements are made subject to eligibility requirements. Disbursement will be made following the receipt of all required financial aid documents and verification of participation in all classes once the semester has begun. If there are remaining funds after tuition and fees have been covered, the student will be provided the funds within ten (10) business days of the disbursements being received and participation verified.

First-time Amridge University students and students on financial aid warning or probation

There will be two (2) financial aid disbursements per semester for students who are in this category and the direct loan amount will be divided by two to determine disbursement amounts. The first disbursement will be made following the receipt of all required financial aid documents and verification of participation in all classes once the semester has begun. A second disbursement will be made in week seven (7) of the semester after class participation again has been verified. Upon verification, if there are remaining funds after tuition and fees have been paid, the student will be provided a refund within ten (10) business days of the disbursement is received. Students in good financial aid standing with the University at the completion of three (3) semesters may receive their financial aid funds in one disbursement per semester. This will be at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.

Disbursements of Federal Direct Loan, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal GradPLUS Loan, and Signature Student Loan Funds
- A late disbursement occurs only if Amridge University has an eligible ISIR prior to the end of the semester and the delay was no fault of the student. If the disbursement date for a Federal Direct loan is within 120 days after the end of the loan period, or within 120 days after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time, then the financial aid officer will retain documentation in the student file stating the reason(s) for a late disbursement.
- Students are notified of the number of disbursements and the method of disbursement.
- A student may request the institution to hold excess subsidized or unsubsidized loan proceeds on account to help the student manage those funds. The request must be in writing.
- Subsidized and unsubsidized loan monies are returned to the lender within 30 days of a determination that the borrower has not registered or has not participated in all classes
- Disbursement of FSEOG or Pell Grant Funds

The institution will not disburse FSEOG or Pell Grant funds for a payment period or release loan proceeds to any student who has not yet registered for classes for that payment period or loan period.

Disbursement of Federal Work-Study Funds

Federal Work-Study students receive a check monthly.

FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID OVER-AWARDS

Definition – When students receive federal funds, their financial need is established according to federal guidelines. Students may not receive more financial assistance than the cost of attendance. This occasionally occurs when students receive funds from other sources after the Financial Aid Office issues a financial aid award. This situation is called an over-award.

Solution – When over-awards occur, the Financial Aid Office is required to adjust the financial aid the student has been awarded. Students may be required to repay some of the funds they have already received.

Prevention – To prevent over-awards, students should take the following steps:

Notify the Financial Aid Office of any assistance from outside sources such as scholarships, ROTC, Veterans benefits, etc., not listed on the award letter.
List all sources of financial assistance on the Financial Aid Application.
Check with the Financial Aid Office before applying for financial assistance from other sources.

THE VERIFICATION PROCESS

Verification is defined as the process of proving the accuracy of the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Department of Education begins the verification process by either selecting applications at random or by choosing those applications that do not meet a series of federal edicts. (These edits are not published and are not provided by the Department of Education.)

Amridge University follows procedures established by federal regulation to collect from the student documentation necessary to verify required FAFSA items. The following items are required by the Department of Education for verification: household size, the number enrolled in college, adjusted gross income, U.S. income tax paid, and certain untaxed income and benefits. Amridge University requires an independent student who has been selected for verification to complete a Verification Worksheet for the Independent Student. Likewise, a dependent student must complete a Verification Worksheet for a Dependent Student. The parent(s) of a dependent student must also complete the Verification Worksheet for a Dependent Student. An IRS tax transcript for the appropriate year is required if the IRS retrieval tool is not used when completing the FAFSA. A Tax-Non-Filers form is required for the student who does not file a tax return. If conflicting information is found or the financial aid officer has any reason to believe application information is incorrect, documentation needed to resolve the discrepancy will be required.

A student who has been selected by the Department of Education for verification is notified on the Student Aid Report (SAR) which the student receives directly from the Department of Education.

The Amridge University Financial Aid Office will inform the student by email that verification is required. The Verification Worksheets and the appropriate IRS transcript must be received in the Financial Aid Office before federal funds can be disbursed.
Failure to provide the requested verification documentation in a timely manner will result in loss of Title IV loan monies for the semester.
A new Award Letter will be sent to the student if there has been a change in any of the student’s federal funds.

If the information received from the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), has the Unusual Enrollment History flag, the University may require additional information from the student about previously attended institutions.

Amridge University will make every effort to resolve conflicting information before any federal aid funds are disbursed. If the University discovers discrepancies after disbursing funds, it must reconcile the conflicting information and return any federal funds for which the student was not eligible. The student will be responsible to repay the University any funds returned.

UNUSUAL ENROLLMENT HISTORY VERIFICATION PROCESS

If the information received from the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), has the Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) flag, the University may require additional information from the student about previously attended institutions. This information could result in the student being placed on an academic plan in order to continue receiving Title IV funds. If the student fails to meet their UEH academic plan and loses Title IV eligibility the student may file an appeal through the University’s standard appeals process. The appeal must contain a plan for how the student plans to raise their cumulative grade point average (CGPA) to the minimum required CGPA for their chosen curriculum. A change of degree plan will not reinstate Title IV eligibility under these circumstances.

DEPENDENCY OVERRIDE POLICY

The Financial Aid staff will perform a dependency override only when the Financial Aid Administrator has made a documented determination of independence by reason of unusual circumstances such as (1) when a student’s parent cannot be located, (2) where an otherwise dependent student has been a victim of domestic violence and is no longer residing with the parents, (3) an abusive family environment, or (4) the student has been abandoned by their parents or (5) the student is a ward of the court.

The dependency override determination of unusual circumstance(s) will be made each award year and sufficient documentation to support the determination will be required each academic year. Third-party written documentation supporting the student’s unusual circumstance is also required. Determination of independent status by another institution is not binding on Amridge University.

Upon making a determination that a dependency override is warranted, the Financial Aid officer will prepare a written statement of that unusual circumstance upon which the determination was made. Amridge University will place all documentation regarding this determination in the student’s financial aid folder.

PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT/SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Professional Judgement is the ability for the financial aid director to change a student’s financial aid based on unusual circumstances. Circumstances may include, but are not limited to, decrease in income, change in family size, loss of assets, unusual medical expense, divorce or separation.

Students/Parents complete the FAFSA which uses the prior year’s income to estimate the financial strength for the current year; however sometimes the current year is more accurate due to unusual circumstances. When this is the case a student may complete a Professional Judgement/Special Circumstance Request, email financialaid@amridgeuniversity.edu. This request must be completed in its entirety and all required documentation attached and submitted to the financial aid office. This will be reviewed, if sufficient evidence is provided the changes will be sent to the Department of Education and once a decision is received you will be notified of the results.

ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATION

Student enrollment status is reported four times during each semester to the National Clearinghouse. Reports are transmitted electronically at the beginning of the semester, two times during the mid-term and at the end of each semester.

This is done to verify the enrollment dates and withdrawal dates of students who have received Federal Direct Loans. A student can verify their reported enrollment status at https://studentaid.gov.

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH FINANCIAL AID

As consumers, students have the right to:
- Be informed of correct procedures for applying for aid, cost of attendance, aid available, how financial need is determined, criteria for awarding aid, how academic progress is determined, and what he or she must do to continue receiving aid.
- Be informed of the type/amount of their assistance, how much of their need has been met, and how/when he or she will be paid.
- Appeal financial aid office decisions about their application.
- View the contents of their financial aid file, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
- Know the job description and pay rate for any work-study job he or she accepts.
A student’s responsibilities are to:
- Complete applications correctly and submit them on time.
- Read all materials sent to them by the Financial Aid Office.
- Read, understand, and keep copies of all forms he or she signs.
- Know and comply with the rules governing aid he or she receives.
- Provide additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by the Financial Aid Office.
- Register for the required number of hours by the time of the aid disbursement.
- Notify the Financial Aid Office before he or she drops a course or withdraws from the University.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress defined within the latest edition of the Academic Catalog.
- Notify the Financial Aid Office of all resources received from outside the Amridge University Financial Aid Office and any aid not listed in their award letter. Outside funds may require a reduction or repayment of aid equaling the amount that exceeds their financial aid eligibility.
- Keep their local and permanent addresses current with the University.
- Notify Amridge University when his or her email address changes by visiting the MyAmridge page and selecting the Update by Profile form located at http://www.amridgeuniversity.edu/myamridge/.
- Please include the full name of the student, student identification number, old email address, and new email address in the message.

EDUCATIONAL TAX CREDIT – TAX FORMS 1098-T

The University will provide the Tax Forms 1098-T by the due date as required by the Internal Revenue Service.

EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS FOR MILITARY STUDENTS/VETERANS

Amridge University is certified by the State Approving Agency for VA Benefits. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the Financial Aid Office of intent to use VA educational benefits and provide the necessary documentation as required by the Veterans’ Administration to include a certificate of eligibility. Most VA benefits are paid directly to the eligible veteran. All admission requirements must be completed and the VA recipient must be fully admitted and enrolled at Amridge University before he or she will be certified for VA benefits. Any questions regarding the VA benefits and regulations specified in the following subsections should be submitted to the Amridge University VA official. The Amridge University VA official may be contacted by telephone at: 1.888.790.8080, extension 7523; or by email at: financialaid@amridgeuniversity.edu.

Tuition and Fees

Payment of tuition and fees is due at the time of registration. Amridge University does not participate in the advanced payment program; therefore, the student is responsible for paying all tuition and fees involved in attending Amridge University. View Military Tuition Rate.

Students utilizing VA education benefits shall not be charged a penalty, including assessment of late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or be required to borrow additional funds because of the individual’s inability to meet their financial obligations due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Curriculum/Degree

All VA recipients are required to declare a particular program of study or degree. If the student registers for a course not required in the program of study, Amridge University’s VA Official will automatically delete the hours for that course from the semester’s certification. Assistance in determining a course of study or a change of program will be furnished by the Amridge University VA Official with concurrence of an academic advisor.

VA recipients must not register for any course(s) in which credit may be awarded from another college, a military evaluation, technical school or any other source where credit may be received. If transfer credit is awarded for an acceptable course(s) from any other source, the VA will not pay for that course to be repeated.

Repeated Courses for Veterans Receiving Educational Benefits

If a veteran fails a required course, he or she may repeat that course with pay. However, he or she cannot repeat a course just to improve a grade and receive payment through the Veterans Administration.

Tuition Assistance

Eligible veterans who are presently on active duty may also qualify for Tuition Assistance (TA) which is an additional educational benefit. The amount varies depending on the branch of service and the amount of funds available through the student’s Education Service Office, but can be up $1000 per course (4 semester hours) with a fiscal year maximum of $4500. Since tuition and fees at Amridge University exceed the amount covered by TA, a service member eligible for MGIB-Active Duty, CH30, can elect to receive MGIB benefits for all the remaining expenses listed on the TA authorization. This add-on payment is called “TOP-UP”.

TOP-UP claims are handled differently from claims for MGIB without TA. The service member should see the Education Service Officer, ESO, not the school certifying official. TOP-UP is payable for any course for which TA is payable under Department of Defense criteria, therefore, a certification from the school is not needed.

A National Guardsman or Reservist eligible for MGIB, CH1606, may receive both MGIB benefits and TA.

More information on VA-related programs is available at http://www.gibill.va.gov.

The Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program at Amridge University is based on the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the Veterans’ Administration and as such is subject to change without notice.

More information on VA-related programs is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.gibill.va.gov.

Adjustment of Tuition Assistance Funds due to Discontinuance of Study

The Department of Defense requires that schools utilizing tuition assistance (TA) funds must perform a return of funds calculation for cases in which a student receiving tuition assistance funds discontinues study during a given semester. When a student discontinues study (drops or withdraws from all courses in the semester) and has previously been awarded these funds, the University must determine if these funds are required to be returned to the appropriate military service branch.

The University is required to perform the calculation within thirty (30) days of determination of the discontinuance of study.

“Return of Tuition Assistance Funds” is the government mandated process by which a school calculates the amount of TA to be returned for a TA recipient who begins attendance and subsequently withdraws, who ceases attendance during a semester, or who never begins class participation. The calculations may result in a reduction of the student’s TA funds to reflect the percentage of the semester that the student attended, if he or she attended 60 percent or less of the semester. Based on these calculations, the school, and the student may be required to return any “unearned” TA funds.

Schedule of “Return of Tuition Assistance Funds

14-week Course Withdraw submitted

Before or during week 1	100% return
During week 2	95% return
During week 3	90% return
During week 4	80% return
During week 5	75% return
During week 6	65% return
During week 7	60% return
During week 8	50% return
During week 9	45% return
During week 10	0% (60% completion)

10-Week Course Withdraw submitted

Before or during week 1	100% return
During week 2	90% return
During week 3	80% return
During week 4	70% return
During week 5	60% return
During week 6	50% return
During week 7	0% (60% completion)

8-Week Course Withdraw submitted

Before or during week 1	100% return
During week 2	90% return
During week 3	75% return
During week 4	65% return
During week 5	50% return
During week 6	0% (60% completion)

Note: The educational institution’s week of instruction is counted as 7 days.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies