The majority of financial aid awards have enrollment status requirements you must meet and adhere to in order to be eligible to receive financial aid.
Federal Student Aid
Wittenberg University is required by Federal Law (34 C.F.R 668.21 (c)) to review the enrollment activity of its Federal aid recipients (Title IV Aid). A student is considered a Title IV financial aid recipient if he/she has received any of the following federal awards:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Federal Direct Loans
- Federal PLUS loans (parent and graduate PLUS loans)
Initiate Attendance or Academic Action to Establish Federal Aid (Title IV) Eligibility
Students must initiate attendance and/or complete an academic-related action for each course they are enrolled, each term in order to establish and maintain eligibility for Title IV financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate attendance and/or complete an academic related-action for each class, each semester in order to be eligible for Federal Title IV financial assistance.
The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for reviewing course attendance or other academic-action related data to ensure that each student has established eligibility for Federal Title IV financial aid.
- The Office of Financial Aid will consider a student to have established eligibility in a course if he/she earns one of the following final grades: A, B, C, D, F, I, L, S, NC, XF, or W.
- The Office of Financial Aid will consider a student NOT to have established eligibility in a course if he/she receives a NR grade. If an NR is later changed to a grade listed in the first bullet, then the student has established eligibility for federal student aid.
- The Office of Financial Aid is required to determine if a student established eligibility in a course if he/she drops their course(s) prior to grade assessment (no grade will be assigned) or receives one of the following final grades: W or F.
- Various university data will be used to determine if eligibility was established prior to dropping or withdrawing from courses.
DEFINITION OF ATTENDANCE
Attendance is defined as being physically present (or logged into Moodle for online or hybrid classes) at a class meeting, lab, or other assigned event by the faculty.
DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC ACTION
An academic action is taken when a student completes an assignment, takes a test or quiz, or participates in class activities as assigned by the faculty. This information may be used to determine eligibility when course attendance data is not available.
DROP POLICY
A drop occurs when you officially withdraw from a class while you are still enrolled and currently attending other classes in the payment period (semester) or stop attending at any point prior to completing the payment period (semester) and provide written confirmation that you will attend a course that begins later in the same payment period (semester).
You can officially drop a class either in person at the Registrar’s Office or online via the add/drop form until the designated dates for a given term. Federal student aid is subject to change when you officially drop a class and receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees. The Office of Financial Aid will return federal student loan funds that have been disbursed for a given term if you drop to less than half-time enrollment prior to the start of the term.
Important things to consider when dropping a course:
- Often dropping a class results in a reduction of your financial aid awards, which in turn creates a balance owed to Wittenberg University. It is highly recommended you contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine how the drop may affect your financial aid awards.
- Dropping a class can influence your ability to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for federal student aid.
- You must be enrolled at least half time to maintain your in-school deferment for federal loans.
Depending on when you drop a class, you may be eligible for a refund of tuition and fees. Please review Wittenberg University’s Tuition Refund Policy.
Return of Title IV Funds Policy
Wittenberg University is required by Federal Law (34 C.F.R 668.21 (c)) to review the enrollment activity of its Federal aid recipients (Title IV Aid). You are considered a Title IV financial aid recipient if you have received any of the following funds: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loans, and Federal PLUS loans (parent and graduate PLUS loans). If you have a valid FAFSA on file at the time, you withdraw and you have not yet received these funds and are otherwise eligible, you may be considered for a late disbursement of federal financial aid.
You are considered to have withdrawn if you do not complete all the days in the payment period (semester) that you were scheduled to complete. There are two types of withdrawals: Official and Unofficial. You are considered to have officially withdrawn when you drop all courses during the payment period (semester) or stop attending at any point prior to completing the payment period (semester) and do not provide written confirmation that you will attend another course that begins later in the same payment period (semester). You can officially withdraw from a class either in person at the Registrar’s Office or online via the add/drop form until the designated dates for a given term. You are considered to have unofficially withdrawn when either you stop attending a class without officially withdrawing from the class or you do not earn a grade for the class.
Title IV federal student aid recipients who officially or unofficially withdraw are subject to the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Return of Title IV Funds calculation. Based on your date of withdrawal, this calculation determines the amount of federal student aid you have "earned" and may keep versus the amount of aid that is considered "unearned" and must be returned to the federal student aid programs. The percentage of aid you have earned is calculated by dividing the number of days completed by the number of days in the payment period. For example, if you withdraw after attending 11 calendar days and there are 110 days in the payment period, you have earned 10% of your federal student aid (11 days/ 110 days = 10%).
The Federal Return of Title IV Funds calculation includes the following Title IV grant and loan funds if they were disbursed or could have been disbursed for the term the calculation is being performed. Title IV funds received during the applicable term will be returned in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Direct Loans
- Subsidized Direct Loans
- Federal Perkins Loans
- Direct PLUS Loans
- Federal Pell Grant for which a return is required
- Federal Supplemental educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) for which a return of funds is required
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant for which a return is required.
Returning Unearned Funds
Returning unearned funds to the federal student aid programs, often results in you, the student, owing a balance to Wittenberg University. If your date of withdrawal is after 60% of the term has passed, you are considered to have earned 100% of your federal student aid. If you unofficially withdraw, (receive all NR grades on your grade report), the Return of Title IV Funds policy requires Wittenberg University to use the midpoint (50%) of the term as your date of withdrawal.
Post Withdrawal Disbursement
In some cases, the amount of aid disbursed to you is less than the amount of aid “earned”, and you are eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement of earned aid that was not received. If the earned aid is a grant fund, the aid will be automatically disbursed to you within 45 days of the date the school determined you withdrew. If the earned aid is a loan fund, you will receive a letter within 30 days it was determined you withdrew. You must respond within 14 days if you would like to receive the post withdrawal loan disbursement.
Date of Determination of Withdrawal
The Federal Return of Title IV Funds calculation must be complete and all unearned aid returned to the U.S. Department of Education within 45 days of the date it has been determined you have withdrawn. The date of determination that you withdrew varies depending on the type of withdrawal. If you officially withdraw, the date of determination would be the date you completed the withdrawal form and exit interview in the Office of Student Development. If you unofficially withdrawal, the date of determination of withdrawal would be at the end of the term when all grades have been processed.
Withdrawing During the Semester
A student who wishes to withdraw from the university during a semester must apply for permission to withdraw in good standing. A withdrawal during semester form is available at the Registrar’s Office.
When the withdrawal form is completed, the student should have an exit interview with a member of the Student Development staff before leaving campus. Students are not officially considered withdrawn from the University until completion of an exit interview with the Office of Student Development.
The date of withdrawal determines the grades to be received for the courses in which the student has been enrolled:
- 1-5 weeks: Without Grade or Credit
- 6-10 weeks: W (Withdrawn)
- 11-15 weeks: F
- The student is responsible for petitioning the Registrar’s Office if there are circumstances that warrants a waiver of the above policy.
Return of Title IV for Federal Student Aid Examples:
Example #1: You are a Title IV federal student aid recipient who is enrolled in the fall semester. There are 106 days in the payment period (fall semester). You officially withdraw by completing the withdrawal form and completing the exit interview with the Office of Student Development after attending 15 days in the payment period (fall semester) therefore you have earned 14% of your federal student aid (15 days/ 106 days = 14%). This means 86% of the aid is unearned. Returning unearned funds to the federal student aid programs, often results in you, the student, owing a balance to Wittenberg University.
Example #2: You are a Title IV federal student aid recipient who is enrolled in the fall semester. There are 106 days in the payment period (fall semester). You stop attending classes and fail to notify the university. Your professors assign all NR grades for the semester therefore, you are considered to have unofficially withdrawn from the university. Since the university does not have a last day of academic related activity, the midpoint of the term is used and you have earned 50% of your federal student aid. This means 50% of the aid you received for fall semester is unearned. Returning unearned funds to the federal student aid programs, often results in you, the student, owing a balance to Wittenberg University.
State of Ohio Aid
Students must initiate attendance and/or complete an academic-related action for each course they are enrolled, each term in order to establish and maintain eligibility for State financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate attendance and/or complete an academic related-action for each class, each semester in order to be eligible for State financial assistance.
The Ohio Department of Higher Education establishes policies and procedures for the handling of State of Ohio scholarships, grants, and loans when a student drops or withdraws. Policies vary depending on the type of aid. Typically, students must be enrolled full-time to receive State of Ohio grants and scholarships but not always. State of Ohio scholarships, grants, and loans generally have the same refund policy as Wittenberg University’s Tuition Refund Policy. Contact the Office of Financial Aid (sfs@wittenberg.edu) for more information.
Wittenberg University Scholarships and Grants
Wittenberg University sponsored scholarships, grants, or tuition remission funding require students to maintain full-time attendance each semester. Should your schedule change during the semester, you may lose a portion of, or all of, your Wittenberg University sponsored scholarships, grants, or tuition remission funding.
Wittenberg University sponsored aid programs are returned at the same percentage rate as tuition is refunded. For example, if a student receives a 20% refund of tuition, 20% of Wittenberg University aid will be returned to the institutional funds.
We recommend that you review Wittenberg University’s Tuition Refund Policy for a full description of the tuition refund policy.
External Scholarships
Policies and procedures for the handling of external scholarship monies when a student or withdraws are determined by the external scholarship donor. Always contact your donor if you have any questions.
Alternative Loans
Pay close attention to the terms and conditions of your alternative loan. Your lender establishes policies and procedures regarding the handling of loan funds when a student drops or withdraws. Typically, students must be registered at least half time to be eligible for loan funds but not always. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
Veterans Benefits
Students who receive Veterans Benefits must contact Amy Barnhart, Director of Financial Aid (Wittenberg University’s School Certifying Official (SCO)) before adding or dropping classes, or prior to withdrawing from the university. Veterans benefits must be terminated or amended based on regulations from Veterans Administration.