You may be charged tuition and fees when you make changes to your course registration. This section explains the University refund policy for:
- Canceling a registered course
- Dropping a course
- Changing your registration status (School of Continuing Studies Undergraduates)
- Leaving school due to military service
- Withdrawing from the University
- Policy: If you complete advance registration for a quarter and later decide not to attend the class, communicate with the dean’s office or academic advisor in your school who will help you to notify the Registrar's Office in writing before the first day of the quarter's classes.
- Charge: You will not be charged the applicable tuition and fees.
- Policy: If you officially drop a course, file a completed Change of Registration Form with the Registrar's Office within the first five days of the quarter.
- Charge: You will not be charged for any tuition or fees for the dropped course. The University cannot give refunds or reduce tuition bills for any course dropped after the fifth day of classes. Exception: Due to the Undergraduate Residence Requirement, Undergraduate students may be charged the full tuition when dropping courses, even if within the first five days of the quarter. Refer to the Undergraduate Catalog for additional information.
Changing your registration status (School of Continuing Studies Undergraduates)
- Policy: If you change your registration status from audit to credit, the additional tuition will be due at the time of the change; if you change your registration from credit to audit, you will be charged the normal auditor's fee.
- Charge: The Auditor's Fee is $600/course rather than the regular tuition rate per credit hour. These charges will be made to your financial account.
Leaving school due to military service
- Policy: If you are ordered to report for active duty in a military service during an academic term and are unable to complete course work, you must present proof of induction or recall to active duty to the Office of Student Accounts.
- Charge: You will receive a full refund of tuition and fees for the term. However, if you make arrangements with the instructor and school to receive credit for one or more courses, the refund will be prorated according to the credit received.
Withdrawal from the University
- Policy: Immediately upon withdrawal, obtain a Withdrawal Form from the Registrar's Office and get all required signatures. Masters students are required to submit their forms to their program office before filing it at the Registrar's Office.
The Offices of Student Accounts and Financial Aid consider the date the completed form is received at the Registrar's Office as the official date governing financial adjustments. If you leave the University without official notification of your intent to withdraw, the midpoint of the quarter will be recorded as the official withdrawal date. - Charge: You will not receive a refund for your tuition deposit or non-refundable fees. You may receive refunds, in the form of adjustments to your account, for refundable fees and some of your tuition.
The percentage of tuition (minus the deposit) refunded depends on your school or program, as well as the percentage of the term that had elapsed by your official withdrawal date.
Refund schedule for all Undergraduate students (except Continuing Studies), Graduate program students (including McCormick - Engineering, Medill - Journalism, Communication, Continuing Studies, Education, Music, The Graduate School), and professional students in Kellogg or Physician's Assistant:
If 0 – 10% of the quarter elapsed: 100% of tuition will be refunded
If 11 – 25% of the quarter elapsed: 75% of tuition will be refunded
If 26 – 50% of the quarter elapsed: 50% of tuition will be refunded
If 51 – 100% of the quarter elapsed: 0% of tuition will be refunded
Refund schedule for Feinberg School of Medicine - MD program students:
During the first four weeks of the year: 100% of tuition will be refunded
After week four and during the first half of the year: 50% of tuition will be refunded
After the first half of the year: 0% of tuition will be refunded
Refund schedule for Prosthetics-Orthotics program students:
Before the end of the first week of classes: 75% of tuition will be refunded
Before the end of the second week of classes: 50% of tuition will be refunded
Before the end of the third week of classes: 25% of tuition will be refunded
After the end of the third week of classes: 0% of tuition will be refunded
Refund schedule for Physical Therapy students and School of Law students:
If 0 – 25% of the term elapsed: 75% of tuition will be refunded
If 26 – 50% of the term elapsed: 50% of tuition will be refunded
If 51 – 100% of the term elapsed: 0% of tuition will be refunded
Refund schedule for School of Continuing Studies students and Summer Session students:
If 0% of the term elapsed: 100% of tuition will be refunded
If 1 - 10% of the term elapsed: 95% of tuition will be refunded
If 11-25% of the term elapsed: 75% of tuition will be refunded
If 26 - 50% of the term elapsed: 50% of tuition will be refunded
If 51 - 100% of the term elapsed: 0% of tuition will be refunded