What Happens When I Withdraw from Class?

Undergrads – What Happens if I Withdraw from All My Classes in the Spring (1/16 – 5/7)?

Official Withdrawal/Leave of Absence – when you withdraw from ALL of your classes for the spring semester, the following schedule applies:

Before the semester starts through 1/23/24 (Last date for 100% refund from Student Accounts Office):

• Tuition and fee charges are canceled by Student Accounts; room and meal charges may be prorated if you were in on-campus housing. [Montclair refund policy is available here.]
• Financial aid awards are canceled by the Financial Aid Office.
• Courses do not appear on academic transcripts.

Between 1/24/24 – 3/4/24:

• Tuition charges are reduced.
• Courses will have a W/D grade.
• The Federal Calculation formula is required based on the official withdrawal date. This calculation will determine how much federal aid (Pell, SEOG, Stafford and/or PLUS loans) must be returned to the government.
• NJ state aid (TAG, EOF, NJSTARS and/or Distinguished Scholarship) not applied to billed charges must be cancelled.
  • If state grants were credited to the bill, they must be adjusted based on NJHESAA policy.

• Check NEST and email for updates.

In many cases, you will owe money to the University.

Between 3/5/24 – 3/29/24 (within 60% of term):

• Billed charges do not change.
• Courses will have a W/D grade.
• The Federal Calculation formula is required based on the official withdrawal date. This calculation will determine how much federal aid (Pell, SEOG, Stafford and/or PLUS loans) must be returned to the government.
• NJ state aid (TAG, GSG, EOF, NJSTARS and/or Distinguished Scholarship) not applied to billed charges must be cancelled.
• If state grant funds were disbursed prior to the withdrawal date, state grants are not changed.
• Check NEST and email for updates.In many cases, you will owe money to the University.

On or after 3/30/24:

• Billed charges do not change.
• Federal Calculation formula is not required.
• If state grant funds were disbursed prior to the withdrawal date, state grants are not changed.
• NJ state aid (TAG, GSG, EOF, NJSTARS and/or Distinguished Scholarship) not already disbursed is cancelled.

Parts of Term/Modular courses/programs – Dates will vary from the above schedule for any course(s) or programs offered in a modular format such as 7-week or 8-week courses. State grant reductions and R2T4’s will be calculated based on the dates for individual courses/program per state and federal regulations. In most cases, you will owe money to the University.

Other types of Withdrawals:

Unofficial Withdrawals

Unofficial Withdrawals: This happens when you end the semester earning “0” credits through any combination of “F’s” and/or “WD’s” for all courses. The Federal calculation will apply for federal financial aid (Pell, FSEOG, Stafford Loans and/or PLUS Loans) and the University is required to return 50% of the total federal aid. Any state grant funds will be cancelled or reduced per HESAA policy. Even though NO adjustment to the billed charges will occur, in most cases, you will owe money to the University.

Partial Withdrawals – If you are a full-time student with disbursed State Grant funds who withdraws from some of your classes after Drop/Add but between 1/23/24 –3/4/24, you will lose a portion of your State Grants and, in most cases, you will owe money to the University.

Impact of Withdrawals on Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) – Withdrawals and F grades impact your continued eligibility for financial aid due to federal requirements. Review the SAP policies.

As a graduate student, What Happens if I Withdraw from All My Classes in Spring (1/16 – 5/7)?

Official Withdrawal is when you withdraw from all of your classes.

• To officially withdraw from your graduate program, you must submit a Withdrawal Form.
  • Please contact The Graduate School.
• To request a leave of absence, you must submit a Leave of Absence Form.
  • Please contact The Graduate School.
• Submitting either form will NOT withdraw you from any registered classes. It is your responsibility to officially withdraw via NEST from all registered classes.

For an official withdrawal, the following schedule applies:

Before the semester starts through 1/23/24 (Last date for 100% refund from Student Accounts Office):

• Tuition and fees are cancelled by Student Accounts; room and meal charges may be prorated if you were in on-campus housing.[Montclair refund policy is available here.]
  • Financial aid award is cancelled by the Financial Aid Office.
  • Courses do not appear on academic transcript.

Between 1/24/24 – 3/4/24:

• Tuition charges are reduced.
• Courses will have a WD grade.
• The Federal Calculation formula is required based on the official withdrawal date. This calculation will determine how much federal aid (Stafford and/or GRADPLUS loans) must be returned to the government.
• Check NEST and email for the updates.In many cases, you will owe money to the University.

Between 3/5/24 – 3/29/24 (within 60% of term):

• Billed charges do not change.
• Courses will have a WD grade.
• The Federal Calculation formula is required based on the official withdrawal date. This calculation will determine how much federal aid (Stafford and/or GRADPLUS loans) must be returned to the government.
• Check NEST and email for updates.In many cases, you will owe money to the University.

On or after 3/30/24:

• Your billed charges do not change.
• Federal Calculations formula is not required.

Parts of Term/Modular courses/programs – Dates will vary from the above schedule for any course(s) or programs offered in a modular format. State grant reductions and R2T4’s will be calculated based on the dates for individual courses/program per federal regulations. In most cases, you will owe money to the University.

Other types of Withdrawals:

Unofficial Withdrawal is when you end the semester earning “0” credits as determined by any combination of “F’s” and/or “WD’s” for all courses. If you are receiving federal financial aid (Stafford Loans and/or GRADPLUS Loans), the Federal calculation will apply and the University is required to return 50% of the total federal aid. It should be noted that NO adjustment to the bill will occur and, in most cases, you will owe money to the University.

Impact of Withdrawals on Standards of Academic Progress (SAP)

Withdrawals and F grades impact your continued eligibility for financial aid due to federal requirements. Review the SAP policies.