Wharton Campus
911 Boling Highway
Wharton, TX 77488
Administration Building Rm. 101
979-532-6345
(Fax) 979-532-6937
finaid@wcjc.edu

Return of Title IV Funds

Printer Friendly Version

Federal regulations require return of funds for all students who receive Federal Title IV aid and subsequently withdraw during a payment period (i.e. a semester). The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 changed the formula for calculating the amount of aid a student and school can retain when the student totally withdraws, stops attending, is expelled or takes a qualified leave of absence from all classes in a given semester. Students who withdraw from all classes prior to completing more than 60% of any enrollment period will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the period completed.  For example, a student who withdraws completing only 30% of the term will have “earned” only 30% of any Title IV aid received.  The remaining 70% must be returned by the school and/or the student.  Aid adjustments may cause the student to repay a portion of any financial aid received.  Students will be notified of any indebtedness to WCJC.  Students who withdraw after completing 60% of the term will be considered to have “earned” 100% of the aid.  If a student is thinking about withdrawing from all classes PRIOR to completing 60% of the semester, he or she should contact the Financial aid Office to see how withdrawal of classes would affect his or her financial aid.   Students not receiving federal funds are subject only to Wharton County Junior College’s refund policy.

Official and Unofficial Withdrawals

This policy shall apply to all students who officially or unofficially withdraw from Wharton County Junior College, and receive financial aid from Title IV funds:

The term “Title IV Funds” refers to the Federal financial aid programs authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended) and includes the following programs: unsubsidized FFEL loans, subsidized FFEL loans, FFEL PLUS loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG, and the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG).  The calculation does not include the Federal College Work-Study program.

A student’s withdrawal date is: the date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process or officially notified the institution of the intent to withdraw.  For a student who leaves without notifying the institution, the withdrawal date will be determined by the midpoint of the period or the student’s last date of attendance at a documented academically-related activity.

 The refund is applied to their financial-aid awards in the following order:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan

2. Federal Stafford Student Loan

3. Federal PLUS Loan

4. Federal Pell Grant

5. Academic Competitiveness Grant

6. Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant

7. Other state and local aid

Time line for Return of Title IV Funds

Refunds and adjusted bills will be sent to the student’s home address on file with the Office of Admissions and Registration following withdrawal.  Students are responsible for any portion of their institutional charges that are left outstanding after Title IV funds are returned.  The Business Office will send each student collection notices, allowing outstanding balances to be paid within 90 days.  Delinquent accounts are assigned to an outside collection agency and are reported to the credit bureau.  Students who have an outstanding balance on their WCJC student account will remain ineligible to register for courses in upcoming semesters until the account is paid in full. Post withdrawal disbursements will be processed based on the date the student became eligible for the disbursement.

Wharton County Junior College makes all refunds in compliance with current Federal regulations.