WITHDRAWALS AND FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
Financial aid is awarded with the expectation that you will attend school for the entire period for which that aid was intended. Withdrawing from classes can have short-term and long-range effects on your eligibility to receive the financial aid payments you applied for.
For example, you may discover after withdrawing from a class or classes that your tuition charges remain the same, but your financial aid is greatly reduced or eliminated. Or you may be asked to pay back money you received in a financial aid payment because you subsequently withdrew from your classes. Then again, you might find that you are not eligible to receive a payment in the current semester because you had too many withdrawals in past semesters. These situations can leave you having to pay tuition bills and other school expenses out of your own pocket.
You may wish to factor the information provided here into any decision to withdraw from a class or classes. We do suggest that you speak with your professors and an academic advisor if you think you have to withdraw from a class. Decisions related to your academic program should not be based solely on financial considerations, and an advisor can perhaps lead you to a better solution--one that doesn't require you to withdraw.
NEW YORK STATE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Short-term effects
If you meet the TAP definition of full-time between the first day of classes and the end of the add/drop period, you keep your TAP award for that term even if you withdraw from your classes.
Long-range effects
To continue receiving TAP or other New York State awards, you must meet the state's academic performance requirements every semester you receive a payment. Excessive numbers of withdrawals in any TAP-supported semester could negatively affect your ability to meet the academic performance requirements and endanger your ability to continue receiving TAP in subsequent semesters. See TAP chart for details.
FEDERAL PELL GRANT
Short-term effects
There are many variables that can have short-term effects on your Pell award. Before you drop or withdraw from one or more of your courses, we strongly recommend that you speak with a financial aid representative.
Long-range effects
All course withdrawals recorded on your permanent record may affect your eligibility to meet federal satisfactory academic performance requirements and could result in a loss of Pell Grant eligibility in a future semester.
FEDERAL WORK-STUDY, FSEOG, FEDERAL PERKINS, AND FEDERAL DIRECT LOANS
Short-term effects
You must maintain at least half-time enrollment to receive these grants and loans. If you fall below half-time status, you may not receive disbursements of these funds.
If you completely withdraw from school before the end of the term, the college must calculate whether any federal aid (except FWS) must be returned according to the return of federal aid regulations.
If you are working in the FWS program, you must stop working from the day you cease to be enrolled at least half-time. You do not have to repay any monies you have already earned.
If you are in receipt of a federal loan, your grace period will begin from the day you cease to be enrolled at least half-time. If you have not returned to school on at least a half-time basis before your grace period has expired, your loan will enter repayment.
Long-range effects
All withdrawals recorded on your permanent record may affect your ability to meet federal satisfactory academic progress requirements, and consequently endanger your eligibility for continued federal financial aid payments in future semesters.
HELPFUL HINT
Before you drop or withdraw from one or more of your courses, we strongly recommend that you speak with a Financial Aid representative.
