Withdrawing from a class after the semester begins, as well as any course withdrawals recorded on your permanent record, may affect your eligibility to meet Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and could result in a loss of future federal financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements (PDF)

Withdrawing from a class while not attending another class within the term, even if registered for future classes, will be considered a withdrawal. To avoid withdrawal status, please provide a written statement to College of The Albemarle (COA) indicating your intent to attend a future class within the term. If you don’t attend that future class, a Return to Title IV calculation will be required.

Please speak with your instructor and an advisor before withdrawing from a class. If your decision to withdraw is due to financial considerations, an advisor may be able to offer alternative solutions.

Effects of Withdrawing

Your semester tuition and fees will be adjusted according to COA’s tuition refund policy.

Federal Awards

Students awarded federal financial aid, including the Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (SEOG), will be subject to the Return of Title IV Funds policy.

Federal law specifies how a school must determine the amount of federal financial aid that you earn if you withdraw, drop out, are dismissed or take a leave of absence prior to completing more than 60 percent of a payment period.

The amount of federal financial aid assistance that you earn is determined on a prorated basis. Once you’ve completed more than 60 percent of the payment period, all financial aid assistance is considered to be earned. This means that you may have to repay all or part of the financial aid disbursed for the semester in which you withdraw if you do not complete more than 60 percent of that semester.

Percent earned equals number of calendar days completed up to the withdrawal date, divided by the total calendar days in the payment period, with an allowance for any scheduled breaks that are at least five days long.

Percent unearned equals 100 percent, minus the percent earned.

When you receive federal financial aid in excess of earned aid, COA returns the lesser of:

• Institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage
• Title IV federal financial aid disbursed multiplied by the unearned percentage

Any loan funds are to be repaid by the student in accordance with the terms of the promissory note (scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time). Any grant amount you have to return is a grant overpayment, and arrangements must be made with COA or the Department of Education to return the funds.

You’ll be billed by the Business Office for funds that COA is required to repay. Accounts not paid within 90 days are turned over to a collection agency.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) students who fall below half-time status (6 credit hours) will need to notify the Financial Aid Office. Federal student aid, including FWS funds, may be adjusted.

State Awards

Any student receiving the North Carolina Scholarship and/or the North Carolina Longleaf Commitment Grant (NCLCG), who withdraws prior to 35 percent completion of the semester, will be required to repay a portion of these funds.