Financial Information - Undergraduate Programs

B. Return of Title IV Funds/Institutional Refund Policy
This policy applies to students who withdraw voluntarily or involuntarily, and refunds for these students are determined according to the following policy:

1. The portion of tuition to be refunded to withdrawing students will be as follows:

   Week 1	100%
   Week 2	75%
   Week 3	60%
   Week 4	50%
   Week 5	25%

2. For refund calculations, spring semester starts on the first day of January term.  No J-term refunds are issued after the second day of J-term classes.  Students who withdraw after January term, but before the spring-term add date, will be treated as part-time students for refund purposes.
3. Students who withdraw after the completion of the fifth week of classes will not receive a refund of tuition or residence fees.
4. Student Government, Student Services, lab, and other course-related fees will not be refunded after the first week.  Nursing course-related fees are not refunded unless the major is dropped prior to the first day of class.
5. Dining Services fee refunds are pro-rated weekly through the fifth week.
6. Refunds and adjusted bills will be sent to the student's home address following withdrawal.
7. There are no refunds for incomplete independent study courses or internships.
8. There are no refunds for enrolled students vacating a room after the start of the semester.
9. In accordance with federal regulations, when federal financial aid refunds are involved, the amounts are allocated in the following order: Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, Subsidized Federal Direct Loans, TEACH Grant, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Federal SEOG.
10. 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 Federal Direct Stafford Loans, subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans, TEACH Grant, Federal Perkins loans, Federal Direct PLUS loans, Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Work-Study.
11. Institutional and student responsibilities in regard to the return of Title IV funds:
    • Messiah College's responsibilities:
      • Providing each student with the information given in the policy.
      • Identifying students who are affected by the policy and completing the Return of Title IV Funds calculation for those students.
      • Returning any Title IV funds that are due the Title IV programs.
    • Student's responsibilities:
      • Returning to the Title IV programs any funds that were disbursed directly to the student and which the student was determined to be ineligible for via the Return of Title IV Funds calculation.
12. Other financial aid will be refunded in proportion to and along the same schedule as tuition.
13. A student's withdrawal date is:

• the date the student began the institution's withdrawal process (as described in the Messiah College catalog and in item #10 of the "Information Found in Other Publications" section of this booklet); or
• the midpoint of the period for a student who leaves without notifying the institution; or
• the student's last date of attendance at a documented academically-related activity.

14. How a Medical Leave of Absence Impacts the Return of Title IV Funds

• Students who are granted a leave of absence are treated in the same manner as students who withdraw from the college. These students must be reported out of school for loan purposes even though Messiah College still considers them to be enrolled. A complete copy of the Medical Leave policy appears in the Student Handbook.
• See Medical Leave of Absence under "Items Found in Other Publications" for more information on this process.

The fees, procedures, and policies listed above supersede those published previously and are subject to change at any time. Not all fees are listed.

Any notification of a withdrawal or cancellation and request for a refund should be in writing and addressed to the appropriate institutional official. These would be respectively the Registrar, an Admissions Office representative, and the Controller.

If you believe that your individual circumstances warrant that your charges or refund should be determined in a manner other than the published policy, or you would like examples of the refund policy, contact: Cathy Poiesz, Director of Student Financial Services, Messiah College, One College Avenue, Suite 3011, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.