Refund policy starting fall 2017

We are making it easier to understand our refund policy for courses, housing, and dining. Here is a summary of the changes, which will take effect at the start of the fall 2017 term.

TUITION

We are retiring our partial-refund schedule in favor of a single refund deadline, a practice in place at other universities:

  • If you drop a class on or before the 14th day of a semester, you may receive a full refund. (We are extending the time you can get a full refund by one week. Under the prior schedule, you would get a full refund if you dropped a class on or before the seventh day.)
  • If you drop a class after the 14th day, you may receive no refund.

The last full-refund day now coincides with the last day to drop courses without “WD” (or withdrawal) appearing on your academic record. *This policy is for 15 week courses.

Two examples:

  1. Jason, an undergraduate, starts the semester with 15 credit hours. On day 15, he drops a course. He is ineligible for a refund and a WD appears on his academic record. Jason also adds a course on the same day. Jason is not charged for tuition on that additional course because it falls within the 12- to 18-hour range in which students are charged for 12 hours. (This is called the tuition plateau. How the plateau can save undergraduates thousands.)

    Additional notes:
    • In this scenario, Jason may be charged a small amount for some credit-based fees for the added course, but nothing for tuition.
    • Were Jason a graduate student, he would be charged tuition for the added course because graduate students are ineligible for the plateau.
  1. Anne, also an undergraduate, starts the semester with nine credit hours. She drops a class on day 15 and is ineligible for a refund. She adds a course, but because she’s not in the plateau, she will be charged tuition and applicable fees for the additional course.

*This policy is for 15 week courses. This is a summary of the policy. For the binding terms, see the policies (here and here).

HOUSING

Students in our residence halls who withdraw and are no longer enrolled must vacate their residence hall space within 24 hours. These students will receive a partial housing refund based on the number of occupancy days from the first day of the term through the 28th day, after which students will be ineligible for a refund.
For students who are enrolled, they are obligated to fulfill the full term of their contracts for both fall and spring semesters. Students with extenuating circumstances may contact the Department of Residence Life and Housing to petition for contract release.

Students who are granted contract release must vacate the residence hall within 24 hours. They will receive a partial refund based on the number of occupancy days from the first day of the term through the 28th day, after which they will be ineligible for a refund.

This is a summary of the policy. For the binding terms, see the policy.

DINING

For students who are enrolled, they are obligated to fulfill the full term of their contracts for both fall and spring semesters. Students who are granted contract release will receive dining refunds from the first day of class through the 28th day of the semester. Students will be refunded the cost of the meal plan less any use to date. After the 28th day, students are ineligible for a refund.

This is a summary of the policy. For the binding terms, see Section A2 of this policy.

QUESTIONS

We are happy to answer your questions about refunds.

With tuition and fee refund questions, please write to the Office of Student Accounts at cashier@uakron.edu or call 330-972-5100.

With housing refund questions, please write to Resi­dence Life and Housing at reslife@uakron.edu or call 330-972-7800.

With dining refund questions, please write to Dining Services at myplans@uakron.edu or call 330-972-5637.

Refund home page