Refunds & Withdrawals

Per federal regulations, a student earns their aid based on the period of time they remain enrolled. Unearned Title IV funds, other than federal work-study, must be returned to the appropriate federal agency. During the first 60 percent of the enrollment period, a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time they remain enrolled. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60 percent point earns all the aid for the payment period. For example, if the period of enrollment is 100 days and the student completes 25 days, then they have earned 25 percent of their aid.

The remainder of the aid must be returned to the appropriate federal agency. Unearned aid must be returned to specific programs, in order, up to the total net amount disbursed from each source. The order of return is as follows: Unsubsidized Direct Loan, Subsidized Direct Loan, Perkins Loan, Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, Direct Parent PLUS Loan, Pell Grant, FSEOG, Iraq & Afghanistan Service Grant.

If a student has not waived the health insurance and withdraws from the college during the first 31 days of the period for which coverage is purchased, they will not be covered under the plan and a full refund of the premium will be made.

Insured students withdrawing after 31 days will remain covered under the plan for the full period for which the premium has been paid and no refund will be made available. They will not be offered the opportunity to enroll in the plan for semesters in which they are not enrolled in the college (i.e. students who withdraw during the fall semester 31 days or more after the date of enrollment, will remain enrolled in the health insurance plan for the fall semester but will not be enrolled in the health insurance plan for the spring semester. Coverage would be terminated January 14).

If a student medically withdraws, they can choose to continue their health insurance enrollment with written notice which must be received by September 12 for the Fall semester or February 11 for the Spring semester. Students on an approved Medical Leave of Absence, who have been previously insured under this Plan for at least one year prior to the Medical Leave, are eligible to enroll in this insurance Plan for a maximum of two semesters.

Any student on personal leave, leave to study in the U.S., 12-College Exchange, or the Princeton Exchange will not be enrolled and/or will be automatically withdrawn from the health insurance plan for the semester or semesters they are on leave from Smith College.

Credit balances for traditional students are refunded upon request, using a Refund Request form or by requesting the refund in writing from your official Smith email account.

Any refund required by federal regulation will be sent within the required time period. Credit balances from parent loans are generally refunded to the parent borrower. Parents may authorize the refund to be paid directly to the student by selecting the appropriate choice during the PLUS loan application process.

Ada Comstock Scholars and graduate students will generally receive automatic refunds for credit balances over $100. These refunds will be processed weekly. (During college closures refunds will be processed the following week.) Refunds for credit balances under $100 may be requested at any time.