Withdrawing and Financial Aid Eligibility

Federal Aid

Return to Title IV Funds (R2T4)

 

Federal student aid is awarded with the expectation that you will attend school for the entire period for which your financial aid was intended.

To establish eligibility for any federal financial aid payments, you must establish a record of attendance in each of your courses. The college uses your instructors’ records of attendance to determine whether or not you have actually begun attendance*.

Once you start attending classes, the federal government requires that you “earn” your financial aid awards in direct proportion to the number of days you do attend. If you completely withdraw from school before completing the term, the school must calculate according to a federally approved formula the portion of financial aid you have earned and are therefore entitled to receive up to the time you withdrew.

If you receive (or the college receives on your behalf) more assistance than you earn, the unearned excess funds must be returned to the Department of Education. If, on the other hand, you receive (or the college receives on your behalf) less assistance than the amount you have earned, you may be able to receive these additional funds.

For example, if you complete 40% of the semester, you earn 40% of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. The remaining 60% of your scheduled awards remains unearned and must be returned to the federal government.

After it has been determined that you have withdrawn, either officially or unofficially, the college will perform the necessary calculations and notify you if you are eligible for further payments or if you must return any of the aid you already received. This notification will also indicate what you must do to receive additional payments or repay any funds that you were overpaid.

Courses attempted prior to withdrawing will count in the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). SAP is calculated annually (at the end of the Spring semester). You could be denied future aid if you do not meet our Standards of SAP.

*Note: If you receive a financial aid payment for a class or classes you have never attended, you must return that payment immediately to Queens College.

Official Withdrawal (W Grade)

Depending upon the date of withdrawal, one of the following situations will apply:

  • If the semester has not yet begun and you drop or cancel your registration, you will not be eligible to receive financial aid. However, failure to cancel your registration and failure to attend classes will result in the cancellation of your financial aid, and you will be responsible for the tuition charges. You may contact the Bursar’s Office regarding payment.
  • If you drop all classes prior to the first day to officially withdraw, you will be billed for tuition charges for that semester. (See Bursar’s tuition liability schedule).
  • If you officially withdraw from your courses before the 60% point of the semester has lapsed, the Office of Financial Aid Services will recalculate your Title IV aid based on the Federal Return of Title IV formula. You will be responsible for any balance due to Queens College.
  • If you officially withdraw from your courses after the 60% point of the semester, you will not be required to return any Title IV aid you received for the semester up to the point of withdrawal.

Direct Loans will be subject to a return to Title IV calculation for the current semester. However, if funds have not yet disbursed for the current and future semesters within the same academic year, your loan will be cancelled by the college. Also, if your enrollment status drops to less than half-time (six credits), your loan will be cancelled.

If you have an outstanding balance on a Direct Loan, the date you drop to less than half-time is the date used for the start of your grace period; you will go into repayment as soon as six months after. Please let your lender(s) know when you drop to less than half-time. If you withdraw or drop to less than half-time, you must complete an Exit Counseling for your Direct Loan, which will go into repayment six months after you are less than half-time.

Unofficial Withdrawal (WU Grade)
If you stop attending classes and do not initiate an official withdrawal, it is unlikely that you will receive passing grades for the semester and will incur significant financial aid penalties, including full or partial cancellation of the financial aid you received for the semester. 

Direct Loans will be subject to a return to Title IV calculation for the current semester. However, if funds have not yet disbursed for the current and future semesters within the same academic year, your loan will be cancelled by the college. Also, if your enrollment status drops to less than half-time (six credits), your loan will be cancelled.

If you have an outstanding balance on a Direct Loan, the date you drop to less than half-time is the date used for the start of your grace period; you will go into repayment as soon as six months after. Please let your lender(s) know when you drop to less than half-time.

If you withdraw or drop to less than half-time, you must complete an Exit Counseling for your Direct Loan, which will go into repayment six months after you are less than half time.

Withdraw Drop (WD Grade)

A WD grade is assigned for official drops. Financial aid will not be affected unless all classes are dropped, which will result in a Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation. If a Return of Title IV aid is required, the Office of Financial Aid Services will return the unearned portion of Title IV financial aid funds to the federal programs on behalf of the student. Any return of financial aid funds made by the college on behalf of the student will be charged to the student’s account. Payment for these charges is due on demand. Please visit the Bursar’s Office for payment options.

Administrative Withdrawal (WA Grade)
If you have not met all of the immunization requirements a grade of WA will be applied to each course for which you are registered. An in-state student is given 30 days and an out-of-state student is given 45 days to take the missing dose(s) of a vaccine(s); otherwise the student is administratively withdrawn and may result in a R2T4 calculation.
Withdrawal - Never Attended (WN Grade)

A WN grade is given to students who never began attendance in a course. Students will be considered not to have earned any Title IV aid and will be liable for the tuition. Please visit the Bursar’s Office for payment options.

Overview of order of Return Changes Effective July 1, 2021 (R2T4)
  • Unsubsidized Loan
  • Subsidized Loan
  • PLUS Loan
  • PELL
  • Iraq & Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG)
  • FSEOG
  • TEACH
Federal Work-Study (FWS)

For purposes of complete withdrawal and the Return of Title IV funds, Federal Work-Study is not considered. However, in all total withdrawal cases, you cannot continue to work under the Federal Work-Study Program after your date of withdrawal. In addition, any student whose enrollment falls below six credits because they drop/withdraw or stop attending classes must stop working immediately. You will be paid only for the hours worked up to your official withdrawal date. Students are responsible to notify their site supervisor regarding changes in class schedule/enrollment and contact the FWS Staff via email at QCWorkstudy@qc.cuny.edu or schedule a virtual appointment via Navigate.

State Aid

Aid for Part-Time Studies (APTS)
If you are enrolled for less than 12 credits and withdraw from any of your courses after the refund period (21st day), you will be eligible to keep the APTS award you received. However, you will have utilized half of your state aid eligibility for the semester and your next state aid payment could be affected.

If you withdraw from all of your courses, you may forfeit your next state aid payment. Students may be eligible for a one-time waiver. For more information regarding the one-time waiver, please visit our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) page and click the Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal.

Excelsior Scholarship
The Excelsior Scholarship requires students to earn 30 credits per year. The academic year consists of Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. 
Search for Education, Elevation & Knowledge (SEEK)
You must maintain at least 12 credits to be eligible for SEEK funds. SEEK students may only drop below full-time with the permission of the SEEK department. If you withdraw completely from your courses, you will become ineligible for any funds as of the date you withdraw.
Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

Depending upon the date of withdrawal, one of the following situations will apply:

  • If you drop courses (WD grades) in between the start of the semester and before the end of the refund period (21st day), it may affect the TAP award you were estimated to receive. If your enrollment status changes from full-time to part-time, your tuition will be reduced. Therefore, your TAP award will be prorated based on the reduced tuition amount.
  • If you are enrolled for 12 credits and withdraw from any of your courses after the refund period, you will be eligible to keep the TAP award you received. However, you will have utilized one TAP payment of eligibility.
  • If you withdraw from all of your courses, you may forfeit your next TAP payment. Students may be eligible for a one-time waiver.

For more information regarding the one-time waiver, please visit our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) page and click on the New York State Aid Waivers.