Withdrawal & Tuition Refund

Students who drop every course for which they are registered in any given term are withdrawing from the University.

Students who plan to withdraw from the University should carefully read all of the information below concerning financial considerations, the withdrawal procedure, and tuition refunds.

Financial Considerations

Withdrawal Fee
All students who drop their entire academic program will be charged a $75.00 withdrawal fee, regardless of when the withdrawal takes place.

Tuition Refunds
Tuition for courses dropped during the change-of-program period is refunded in full. After the last day of the change-of-program period, the University retains a percentage of the remaining tuition (as indicated in the withdrawal schedules below) for each week, or part of a week, that the student remains registered. Bear in mind that after the last day of the change-of-program period, refunds are granted only when students withdraw by dropping all of thier courses. See the Calendar for the change-of-program periods for each term.

Any adjustment of the tuition that the student has paid or still owes is reckoned from the date on which the Office Student Affairs, 203 Lewisohn, receives the student's written notification (see How to Withdraw, below). Failure to attend classes or notification submitted only to instructors does not constitute formal withdrawal (see UW, Unofficial Withdrawal, under Grades).

Fee Refunds
Fees such as the Health Service fee, the Student Medical Insurance premium, the University facilities fee, course fees, and late fees are not refundable if the withdrawal takes place after the change-of-program period. If the withdrawal takes place before or during the change-of-program period, these fees are refunded in full. The one-time transcript fee and application fee are not refundable.

Special Note for GSAS Students Taking Summer Term Courses
Students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences who are recipients of Columbia University fellowships are advised that if they drop any Summer Term course or withdraw from a session, fellowship funds covering the tuition for that course or courses will be canceled, and the student will be responsible for payment of tuition charges incurred, as indicated in the schedules below.

How to Withdraw

A student in good academic standing who is not subject to disciplinary action may be permitted to withdraw at any time during the term up until the last day of classes (see Calendar), by doing the following:

1. Consult with the appropriate dean of students or class dean. A student on academic probation who does not consult with his or her dean of students or class dean before withdrawing may be subject to expulsion.
2. Fill out a Notice of Withdrawal form (also available in the Office of Student Affairs, 203 Lewisohn Hall, or from another dean of students office at the University).
3. Submit the form for approval to the Office of Student Affairs, 203 Lewisohn Hall.

Students under 18 years of age must submit written consent from a parent or guardian to the Office of Student Affairs with the Notice of Withdrawal form.

Students who intend to withdraw permanently from a specific program must submit written notice of their intentions along with the Notice of Withdrawal.

Withdrawal Statement on Transcript

A withdrawal statement is added to the academic transcript for each term a student withdraws from the University.

Applying for a Tuition Refund

If the withdrawing student is entitled to a refund, he or she must apply for a refund via Student Services Online.

Please note: Withdrawing students many only request a refund online if there is an actual credit (not an anticipated one) on the student's account. The option to request a refund will not appear if there is not an actual credit on the account. Each refund application is analyzed to determine eligibility. Refunds sent through direct deposit will arrive in 3 to 5 business days. If you do not have a U.S. bank account or you prefer to order a paper check, your refund will be mailed in 7 to 10 business days to the local address listed in your student profile in Students Services Online.

Fall

Spring