Financial Aid Office

Standard Enrollment (15 weeks, 12 weeks, Accelerated and Summer)

Continuous Enrollment

Applicability: Thomas Jefferson University

Note: This refund policy does not apply to winter break study abroad or other winter break short courses.

Contributors/Contributing Departments: Office of the Provost, Finance, TJU Colleges

Policy Statement

A student who withdraws, is dismissed for academic reasons or who is granted a leave of absence from the University is eligible for a tuition and University fees refund in accordance with the policy that is applicable to the corresponding academic year enrollment associated with their program.

This policy does not cover:

• Departmental or program fees. Refund of departmental or program fees is determined by the applicable College, School and/or Department.
• Housing and Residence Life fees. Refund of Housing and Residence Life fees are determined by the policies of that division.
• Health Insurance. Health Insurance charges and applicable refunds are determined by the Health Insurance provider.

The effective date of separation is the date on which the Office of the Dean receives a written request for withdrawal from the University or leave of absence from the student or the official date of the dismissal from the University as documented by the appropriate academic program official.

Refund calculations include cancellation of tuition and University fees that have not been charged, refund of personal funds and/or Return of Title IV federal aid funds as referenced in the applicable section below.
NOTE: A student who is suspended or dismissed from the University because of violation of College or University policies receives no refund by reason of such suspension, withdrawal or dismissal. 

Scope

This policy applies to all full-time, part-time, matriculated and non-matriculated students at all Thomas Jefferson University locations.

Definitions

Academic Year Enrollment: Course enrollment as detailed (in terms of starting date and final date) on the program’s academic calendar for a specific academic program. 

Accelerated Session/Term: In-class or online academic term that does not exceed eight weeks. Accelerated sessions/terms do not include clinical, clerkship or other experiential learning placements. 

Continuous enrollment: Periods of enrollment that: 

• Are 11–12 months during which a student is enrolled on a modular (not semester or quarter) basis. Modular enrollment includes accelerated sessions, clinical rotations, clerkships and other experiential learning placements; or
• Include both pre-fall and fall terms in the term paid tuition; or Include both spring and summer in the term paid tuition.

Dismissed/Dismissal: A student is no longer enrolled based on the institution’s assessment that the student is:

• Not maintaining satisfactory academic progress;
• In violation of an institutional community standards policy; and/or
• In violation of program policies and/or clinical, clerkship or other experiential learning placement policies. 

Enrolled/Enrollment: A student has active coursework for a specified term(s) (registered) and the official class sessions have started and are in progress.

Half-time Status: Half of the minimum full-time standard for a term. For example, full-time undergraduate status is defined as a minimum enrollment of 12 credits per term; six credits is therefore the half-time status. Half-time status for graduate students is based on the full-time status as defined per program. Half-time status must be maintained to receive any federal aid funds. Last Day of Attendance/Otherwise Ceases to be Enrolled: The day the student ceases to be enrolled is the date the student stopped attending class on at least a half-time basis. This definition is used for both online and onsite attendance.

Leave of Absence: A temporary absence from the University when intent to return is evident. Students are advised to refer to the appropriate handbook to determine all parameters related to a leave of absence.

Matriculated: A student has applied, been accepted and has enrolled into a degree or certificate granting program.

Non-matriculated: A student has not been accepted into a degree or certificate granting program. This status is assigned if a prospective student has not applied for admission or their application is in process and the decision to accept has not been finalized. Students may be enrolled as nonmatriculated.

Number of Days Enrolled (as indicated in the chart below): Number of calendar days in the entire payment period for which the student was enrolled.

Registered: A student has active coursework for a specified term(s).

Satisfactory Academic/Scholastic Standard(s): While enrolled the student meets all academic and community standards requirements of the University. Students are advised to refer to the appropriate handbook to determine all parameters related to satisfactory academic/scholastic standard(s).

Suspended/Suspension: A student’s enrollment is temporarily discontinued based on the institution’s assessment that the student is in violation of:

• Institutional community standards policy; and/or
• Program policies and/or clinical, clerkship or other experiential learning placement policies. A student may return after the suspension period if they have satisfied all stipulations referenced in the suspension decision. 

Term Paid Tuition: A payment for a specific period of enrollment at the University.

Tuition Payment: Payment for all tuition and fees assessed to the student account for a specified term(s).

Withdraw/Withdrawal from the University: When a student voluntarily removes themselves from a college, school, or program at the University. Students are advised to refer to the appropriate handbook to determine all parameters related to withdrawing from the University*. 

Components

Standard Semester or Accelerated Session Tuition and University Fees Refund Policy

The following tuition and University fees refund schedule applies to a student who: is enrolled:

• In a standard 15-week semester,
• In an accelerated term of no more than 12 weeks; or
• In a summer session of a minimum of five weeks; and
• is charged tuition and University fees separately for each term in which they are enrolled during the academic year; and
• Withdraws from the University; or 
• Is dismissed from the University for academic reasons; or
• Is granted a leave of absence from the University

A student will be eligible for a refund of tuition and University fees according to the following schedule: 

Continuous Enrollment Tuition and University Fees Refund Policy

The following tuition and University fees refund schedule applies to a student who: is enrolled:

• Continuously for at least 11 months who is charged two tuition and University fees payments to cover the entire period of enrollment for that academic year; or
• In a term that includes both pre-fall and fall terms in the same term paid tuition; or
• In a term that includes both spring and summer in the same term paid tuition; and
• Withdraws from the University; or
• Is dismissed from the University for academic reasons* ; or
• Is granted a leave of absence from the University.

A student will be eligible for a refund of tuition and University fees according to the following schedule: 

Return of Title IV Funds

Please note, the above policy is for tuition and University fees refund purposes only. Additionally, students who are federal financial aid recipients (e.g., Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Direct PLUS, Pell Grants, FSEOG Grants, Other Title IV aid) who withdraw, or otherwise cease to be enrolled before the end of a term will be subject to the Return of Title IV Federal Funds Policy. Title IV financial aid funds are awarded under the assumption that a student will attend for the entire period in which they are enrolled. When a student withdraws from all courses, stops attending, or enrolls for less than half time status, the eligibility for the full amount of Title IV aid may be forfeited. Therefore, a student may be eligible for a tuition and University fees refund under the University’s Tuition and University Fees Refund Policy and may also be subject to the Return of Title IV Federal Funds Policy which may require the return of applicable federal financial aid funds.

The University is required to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who complete less than 60% of an enrollment period (based on the number of calendar days). Once the term has been 60% completed, the student is considered to have earned 100% of the Title IV funds. 

View the Return of Title IV Funds Policy.