Attendance and Financial Aid

Classes added after the census date (end of the 50 percent refund period), even with a permit from the instructor, will not be included in determining your financial assistance disbursement.

Refer to your student schedule in myACCESS for specific refund dates or contact Student Registration Services at (630) 942-2377.

This depends on at what point in the term the class is dropped. 

Class Dropped During 100% Refund Period

• Refund periods vary for each class ‐ please refer to your student schedule in myACCESS for specific refund dates
• You will not be charged tuition for the class
• The class(es) dropped during refund period are not included in financial aid eligibility

Class Dropped During 50% Refund Period

• Refund periods vary for each class ‐ please refer to your student schedule in myACCESS for specific refund dates
• You will be charged 50% tuition for the class
• The class(es) dropped during refund period are not included in financial aid eligibility

Class Dropped After the Refund Period (Withdrawal)

• You are charged full tuition for the class
• Financial aid is not reduced, unless you are reported as not attending the class
• You will receive a “W” grade for the class(es) on your transcript
• Affects SAP completion rate

All Classes Dropped or Failed During a Term

• We are required to apply a federally mandated formula to determine how much of the federal funding was "earned" up to the time of withdrawal. This review and recalculation is called a "Return of Title IV Funds"   
• The amount to be returned will be calculated from the date on which you officially withdrew from classes and/or stopped attending.

Class Reported as Non‐Attend

• Attendance in classes is required to receive Federal financial aid, and will be monitored throughout the term.  If your instructor reports that you have not attended your class prior the census date, you will be ineligible to receive financial aid funds for this class.   
  • Example: You are enrolled in 12 credit hours, but are reported as non‐attend for one of your 3 credit hour classes.  Your financial aid eligibility will change from 12 credit hours to 9 credit hours.  

**Important: Withdrawing from classes can affect your future financial aid eligibility.  Read the following information regarding Standards of Academic Progress (SAP).

Refer to your student schedule in MyACCESS for specific refund dates or contact the Registration Office at (630) 942-2377. Actual disbursement amount will be based on your enrollment status.

• In accordance with Federal Regulations, your financial assistance must be reviewed and adjusted for any class reported that you are not attending. Federal Regulations require active participation in class to be eligible for Federal funds.
• Your Pell Grant eligibility must be adjusted to reflect only classes in which you are academically engaged. The Pell Grant is reduced for any classes that are reported as Non Attend.
• Federal Direct Loans will have no additional disbursements made if it is determined that you are attending less than six eligible credit hours.
• If you have not attended any of your classes for the semester, you will risk losing all of your financial assistance for the semester. 

• If you receive financial assistance, but never attend classes, the Office of Student Financial Assistance must return all disbursed funds to their respective federal aid programs (this applies to grants and loans). You are considered attending if you have been engaging in academic related activities pertaining to your classes. Federal assistance must be reduced for any class reported as non attend, which may result in a balance due to the school.
• Examples of an academic related activity are:
  • Exams or quizzes
  • Completion of an academic assignment, paper or project
  • Participating in an online discussion about academic matters
  • Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course
• You will be notified via your COD email if financial assistance was adjusted due to non attend.

• Federal Regulations require Title IV financial assistance funds to be awarded under the assumption that you will attend the institution for the entire period in which federal assistance was awarded. When you withdraw from all courses for any reason, including medical withdrawals, you may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds that you were originally scheduled to receive. The Return of Title IV Funds Policy is based upon the premise that students earn their financial assistance in proportion to the amount of time in which they are enrolled.
• Based on this calculation, College of DuPage students who receive federal financial assistance and do not complete their classes during a semester could be responsible for repaying a portion of the aid they received.
• If it is determined that funds must be returned to the Department of Education, a notification letter outlining the amount returned to the federal program(s) will be mailed to the student's address on file. College of DuPage will return funds on the student's behalf to the appropriate federal aid program(s) and the student’s account will be billed for any amount due as a result of the return of federal aid funds. The student is responsible for all charges and overpayments resulting from a Return of Title IV calculation.

• Federal Regulations require Title IV financial assistance funds to be awarded under the assumption that you will attend the institution for the entire period in which federal assistance was awarded. When you withdraw from all courses for any reason, including medical withdrawals, you may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds that you were originally scheduled to receive. The Return of Title IV Funds Policy is based upon the premise that students earn their financial assistance in proportion to the amount of time in which they are enrolled.
• Based on this calculation, College of DuPage students who receive federal financial assistance and do not complete their classes during a semester could be responsible for repaying a portion of the aid they received.
• If it is determined that funds must be returned to the Department of Education, a notification letter outlining the amount returned to the federal program(s) will be mailed to the student's address on file. College of DuPage will return funds on the student's behalf to the appropriate federal aid program(s) and the student's account will be billed for any amount due as a result of the return of federal aid funds. The student is responsible for all charges and overpayments resulting from a Return of Title IV calculation.

Incomplete grades are not included in GPA or credits earned. Once the incomplete is replaced with a final grade, the class will be included in GPA and credits earned and will be included for Satisfactory Academic Progress.