UCSC Financial Aid Policies for Midterm Withdrawals

The first step of the withdrawal process begins when you (the student) notify your college (academic preceptor) of your intent to withdraw.

When you withdraw during the quarter in which you are enrolled, the amount of federal aid you have earned up to that point is determined by a specific federal formula. UCSC is an institution that does not take attendance. If you are enrolled in courses, you are considered a student in that term until you notify your college of your intent to withdraw, regardless of your physical presence. The date you notify your college of your intent to withdraw is the date used for federal, state and campus financial aid award adjustments. If you received less aid than the amount you earned, you may be eligible to receive the additional funds in the form of a post-withdrawal disbursement. If you received more aid than you earned, the excess funds must be returned.

• Federal financial aid (Pell Grant, SEOG, ACG, SMART Grant, Perkins Loan, PLUS, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans) is prorated based on the federal Return to Title IV Refund policy (R2T4), on a day-to-day percentage basis. The pro-ration is derived from the date the student informs their college of their intent to withdraw prior to the completion of a given quarter.

• If you did not receive all of the funds that you earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, you may choose to decline (all, or a portion of) the loan(s) so that you do not incur additional debt. Your school may automatically use all or a portion of your post-withdrawal disbursement (including loan funds, if you accept them) to pay outstanding charges. In some cases, depending on the type of charge, we may need your written permission to use the post-withdrawal disbursement. If you do not give your permission, you will be offered the funds; however, it may be in your best interest to accept the funds to reduce your current debt at UCSC.

• If you are a work-study (federally funded) employee, you are no longer eligible to work once you withdraw.

• Cal Grant A and the fee portion of the Cal Grant B are adjusted according to the actual fees assessed by the Registrar’s Office. If the campus lowers the fees as a result of a withdrawal less than the Cal Grant award, the Cal Grant is adjusted to reflect the adjusted fee amount. The Cal Grant B Access Award adjustment is calculated based on a day-to-day percentage basis.

• Campus-based aid (UC Santa Cruz Grant, University Loan, UC Santa Cruz Regents Scholarship and other UCSC Scholarships) is prorated on a day-to-day percentage basis, similar to the pro-ration of the federal aid. An additional standard allowance is factored for “start up costs” when a student withdraws prior to the completion of thirty-one percent of the quarter. Students who withdraw on or prior to the first day of instruction will have their awards cancelled for the withdrawal quarter and will not benefit from the day-to-day percentage basis.

• Students who are eligible for a fee and/or tuition refund from the Office of the Registrar as a result of their withdrawal, will have this refund applied to reduce any financial aid that was billed as a result of the withdrawal calculations.

• Students with a withdrawal date after sixty percent of the quarter has elapsed are entitled to all aid for the withdrawal term.

• Students who request and receive a W grade for all courses in any given quarter will be considered (by the Financial Aid Office) as withdrawn for that quarter using the date of the last grade W petition as the date of withdrawal.

• For guidance on how to handle past or future disbursements of scholarship funds, the Financial Aid Office will contact outside loan and scholarship agencies (if necessary) when a student withdraws.

• University fee and tuition credits resulting from a student’s withdrawal are applied first to financial aid charges to minimize the student’s bill.

• Based on federal regulations, all withdrawals are processed within thirty days (30) from the date of withdrawal. An email is sent to all students whose aid has been adjusted as a result of their withdrawal referring them to MyUCSC to view their revised awards for the term.

• Should you have any questions regarding your withdrawal and your financial aid, please contact Margie Spano or Liz Martín-García in the Financial Aid Office at (831) 459-2963.