Withdraws and Return of Title IV Funds Policy
The Federal Return of Title IV Funds policy mandates that students receiving federal aid who officially or unofficially withdraw or receives all non-passing grades (F, U, W, I, IW, NR, NG) from all classes may only keep the financial aid they have "earned" up to the time of withdrawal. State and institutional programs may require similar treatment. Financial aid funds that were disbursed in excess of the amount “earned” must be repaid. Financial aid earned but not yet disbursed will be made available.
Withdrawal or receiving F's or all non-passing grades
Withdrawing and/or receiving F's or non-passing grades from the college may have both academic and financial aid consequences. You are encouraged to understand the consequences before you decide to withdraw and/or receive F's (or other non-passing grades). Detailed information about the cancellation of registration and withdrawal from the college is available in the policies and regulations applying to all students. If you decide to withdraw, you must follow established withdrawal procedures beginning with completion of a withdrawal form available from the Registrar's Office. (Note: If intend to stop attending all courses after the withdrawal deadline, notify the Financial Aid Office of intent to withdraw).
How Withdrawing and/or Receiving F's (or Non-Passing Grades) Affects Your Financial Aid
If you complete 60% or less of the term prior to withdrawing, you may be required to repay a substantial portion of your federal financial aid.
All federal aid recipients must successfully complete at least 66.67% of cumulative attempted hours to remain eligible for financial aid under the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. Withdrawing and/or receiving F's (or a combination of all non-passing grades) from classes will affect your percentage of hours earned. For additional information, please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy or Satisfactory Academic Progress - Certificate Program Policy. (Note: Non-passing grades include F, U, I, W, IW, NR, and NG).
Unofficial Withdrawal or Received F's or all Non-Passing Grades
If you stop attending all classes during a semester or receive all F's or a combination of withdrawals (W) and F's (or U, I, IW, NR, and/or NG) and do not go through the college’s withdrawal process, you are treated as an “unofficial withdrawal”. At the end of each semester, NIC identifies all students who did not pass at least one class. NIC will work with departments and instructors to document your last date of attendance. Using that information, you will be reviewed under the Return of Title IV Funds calculation. (Note: If you intend to stop attending all courses after the withdrawal deadline please notify the Financial Aid Office).
Tuition Refund Policy
If you cancel your classes or withdraw from the college, you may be eligible for a tuition and fee refund. The Student Accounts Office determines the amount of refund you might be eligible to receive following the college's refund policy and the determined last date of attendance.
Housing Refund Policy
Housing refund policies may differ. If you live in the college's residence hall, housing will determine the assessed charges involving your room and board.
Reduced Hours of Enrollment
Financial aid is awarded with the assumption that a student will enroll full-time. If you enroll and are billed for less than full-time, i.e. less than 12 credit hours, an adjustment may be required to your aid. Enrollment status is established after the 100% refund period. If you add classes after the 100% refund period, your bill may be increased. If you drop classes after the tenth day, your bill will not be adjusted unless you registered for late start classes. There are some exceptions to these general rules for students who are enrolled in courses that only meet for part of the semester (such as eight week courses) that start after the tenth day of classes. (NOTE: If your financial aid is awarded after the beginning of a semester, your enrollment status will be based on your registration as of the date of the initial financial aid award.)
Federal Pell Grant:
You must be enrolled and billed for at least 12 credit hours in a semester to receive the amount of a full time Pell Grant awarded. If you are billed for fewer than 12 credit hours on the fourth day of the semester, the Pell Grant amount will be reduced according to your hours of registration: 3, 6 or 9 credits hours. If you never attend a course, an adjustment is made to your enrollment status at the end of the term and your Pell Grant is reduced appropriately. After the fourth day of the term, if you add or withdraw from a course there is no change to the Pell Grant Award.
State, Institutional, and Private grants and scholarships:
A student is responsible for understanding the terms of the grant/scholarship awarded to them as they may differ from Federal Financial Aid.
Calculating Earned Financial Aid
The amount of earned financial aid is calculated on a daily basis from the first day of classes. The process uses calendar days rather than school days.
Earned aid is determined by taking the number of days attended before withdrawing divided by the total number of days in the term (first day of classes until the last day of finals, excluding spring break).
For a student who withdraws after the 60% point of the term, there are no unearned funds. The calculation of the Return of Title IV aid only applies to students who withdraw prior to the 60% point of the term. Withdrawal after this point-in-time will not result in any adjustments to your financial aid for the term.
If a student enrolls in late start courses solely the term start and end dates are based on the earliest start date and the last end date among the courses. If the student satisfactorily completes at least one course, there is no Return of Title IV Fund calculation. If the student stops attending the first course (or the course with the earliest end date) and is not presently attending other courses, a return of Title IV funds must be completed, unless the student confirms his/her intention to return later in the term to take another course. If the student has all non-passing grades at the end of the term, the Return of Title IV Fund calculation will be based on the earliest last date of attendance.
The process for computing Return of Title IV funds includes:
NIC uses the federal procedure to determine the amount of aid that must be which must be returned by the school and/or the student to Title IV programs. The procedure is:
1. Determine appropriate withdrawal date
2. Determine Amount of Earned Title IV Aid
3. Determine Amount of Unearned Title IV Aid
4. Determine Title IV Aid to be Disbursed
5. Determine Title IV Aid Disbursed
6. Determine Title IV Aid to be Returned
7. Calculate the College’s Responsibility
8. Determine Amount College Returns to federal aid program
9. Determine Student’s Responsibility
10. Determine Amount Student Returns to federal aid program
Financial aid in excess of the amount “earned” is reduced in the following priority:
1. Federal Stafford Unsubsidized Loan
2. Federal Stafford Subsidized Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. Federal Parent PLUS Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
7. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
8. Federal Pell Grant (PELL)
9. State of Idaho programs
10. Institutional and departmental funds
11. Private financial resources
Calculations are done on a case-by-case basis after the withdrawal date is established.
Future Aid Eligibility
Withdrawing may affect your eligibility to receive financial aid in subsequent terms. Depending upon the type of financial aid you receive, you may be required to resubmit certain applications. Upon withdrawal, you should notify the Financial Aid Office when you plan on returning so that the Office can make all necessary adjustments to your financial aid awards. Students will be subject to Satisfactory Academic Progress provisions.