What Happens When I Withdraw from Class?

Undergrads – What Happens if I Withdraw from My Classes in the Spring (1/17/25 – 5/5/25)?

Partial withdrawal from one or some classes (but not all):

If you withdraw from one or more classes (but not all) and your enrollment status changes to less than half-time (less than 3 credits), disbursed federal aid will not be reduced. For any federal aid not yet disbursed yet, you are not entitled to those funds. You may still be eligible for private loan funds.

If you have disbursed State Grant funds and you withdraw from some of your classes after Drop/Add but between 1/28/25 -2/13/25, you will lose a portion of your State Grants and, in most cases, you will owe money to the University.

What happens if I withdraw from ALL my full-term classes during the Spring semester (1/17/25 – 5/5/25)?

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 1/27/25 (Last date for 100% refund from Student Accounts Office):

• Tuition and fee charges 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 awards are cancelled by the Financial Aid Office.
• Courses do not appear on academic transcript.

Between 1/28/25 – 2/13/25:

• 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, GSG, 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 2/14/25 – 3/25/25 (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 3/26/25:

• 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.

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 classes during the Spring semester (1/17/25 – 5/5/25)?

Partial withdrawal from one or some classes (but not all):

If you withdraw from one or more classes (but not all) and your enrollment status changes to less than half-time (less than 3 credits), disbursed aid will not be reduced. If your federal aid has not disbursed yet, you are not entitled to those funds. You may still be eligible for private loan funds.

What happens if I withdraw from ALL my full-term classes during the Spring semester (1/17/25 – 5/5/25)?

Before the semester starts through 1/27/25 (Last date for 100% refund by 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. Learn More About the Refund Policy.
• Financial aid award is cancelled by the Financial Aid Office.
• Courses do not appear on academic transcript.

Between 1/28/25 – 2/13/25:

• 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 (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 2/14/25 – 3/25/25:

• Billed charges do not change.
• 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 3/26/25:

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

Modular courses/programs:

Be aware that the withdrawal dates vary for any courses or programs offered in a modular format. Federal return of funds will be calculated based on the dates for individual courses/program per federal regulations. In many cases, there will be a required reduction in aid – In many cases, you will owe money to the University.

Definitions:

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

• To officially withdraw from your graduate program, you must submit a Withdrawal Form. Contact The Graduate School.
• To request a leave of absence, you must submit a Leave of Absence Form. 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.

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 return of funds 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 at SAP policies.