Provisional University Bulletin (2025-2026)

Refund Policy

A student who leaves the university without the approval of the Office of Academic Services is not entitled to a refund.

For approved or required leaves, withdrawals, suspensions or dismissals, the date of departure will be considered to be that which is approved by the Office of Academic Services.

All requests for refunds must be in writing and are subject to review and final approval by the Office of Student Financial Services.

Approved refunds follow this schedule.

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Tuition Withdrawal

Fall/Spring terms: Tuition Adjustments for withdrawal for tuition charged at a flat rate

Before the academic Period Start Date: 100%
On or before the 10th calendar day after the Academic Period Start Date: 75%
On or before the 30th calendar day after the Academic Period Start Date: 50%
After the 30th calendar day after the Academic Period Start Date: 0%

There is no refund for dropped courses for tuition and fees charged at a flat rate

Fall/Spring terms: Tuition Adjustments for dropped courses for tuition charged at a per credit rate

On or before the 15th calendar day after the Course Section Start Date: 100%
On or before the 30th calendar day after the Course Section Start Date: 50%
After 30th calendar day of the Course Section Start Date: 0%

Summer School: Effective Summer 2022 Tuition Adjustments for dropped courses

Before the Session Start Date: 100%
On the first calendar day of the Session: 75%
On the second calendar day of the Session: 50%
On the third calendar day of the Session: 25%

Effective Summer 2022: Non Summer School Undergraduate Summer programs and all Graduate Summer Tuition Refund Policy

**Prior to the first calendar day of course* or prior to the program start date: 100%

**On or after the first calendar day of courses* or program start date: 0% (*courses charged on a per course/per credit basis; ** courses charged a flat rate tuition)

When a student withdraws during a period in which he or she is receiving federal financial aid, the amount of Title IV funds (other than FWS) that must be returned to the Title IV programs is based solely on the length of time the student was enrolled prior to withdrawing.

A student's withdrawal date is defined as the date that the student began the withdrawal process prescribed by the school; the student otherwise provided the school with official notification of the intent to withdraw; or, for the student who does not begin the school's withdrawal process or notify the school of the intent to withdraw, the midpoint of the payment period of enrollment for which Title IV assistance was disbursed (unless the university can document a later date).

The university has additional latitude to determine the withdrawal date of a student who dropped out without notifying the university due to circumstances beyond the student's control, such as illness, accident or grievous personal loss.

The amount of funds earned by the student is directly proportional to time enrolled, through 60 percent of the period of enrollment. After 60 percent, the student is considered to have earned all federal aid. Unearned federal Title IV aid must be returned to the programs. However, effective July 1, 2021 a student who withdraws from a program offered in modules is not considered to have withdrawn for R2T4 purposes if the student completes:

One module that includes 49% or more of the number of days in the payment period; or
A combination of modules that when combined contain 49% or more of the number of days in the payment period

Scheduled breaks of five or more consecutive days and all days between modules are excluded from the number of days in the payment period used to calculate whether the module(s) completed by the student comprise 49% of the payment period.

The university bears the responsibility of returning funds up to the lesser of the unearned amount or an amount determined by multiplying institutional costs by the unearned percentage. The student must return any unearned amount that is not the responsibility of the university to return. Effective July 1, 2021, unearned funds are returned first to Unsubsidized and then Subsidized Stafford Loans and then to PLUS Loans. Once loans are satisfied, remaining unearned funds are distributed to Pell Grant, then to FSEOG, TEACH Grant and then to other Title IV funds that require a refund. (Federal Work-Study funds earned prior to withdrawal can be kept by the student.)

The student repays unearned funds owed to a loan program under the terms of the promissory note. Repayments to grant programs are made according to grant overpayment regulations. If a student received aid from other (private, state) sources, refunds to them will be made in accordance with the policy of the donor(s).

The refund remaining after any funds are returned to federal and outside programs will be divided between the student and university financial aid programs in the same ratio as these sources were credited to the student's account (for example, if a student paid one-half of the bill, one-half of the remaining refund will be returned to the student and one-half will be returned to the university financial aid programs from which the student received assistance).

For students whose financial aid awards exceed the university's charges (for example, students who live off campus), funds that were disbursed to support educationally related expenses (for example, room, board, books, etc.) must be repaid on a prorated basis determined by the university.

Further information on the refund policy for aided students and the calculation for any specific case is available from the Office of Student Financial Services.

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Funds

When a student withdraws during a period in which he or she is receiving Tuition Assistance funds, the amount of funds that must be returned to the program is based solely on the length of time the student was enrolled prior to withdrawing.

Policy If Brandeis Moves to All-Online Classes

Refund Policy for Dropped Courses

A student who drops courses on the per-course tuition charge basis is allowed a refund following this schedule:

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Full Semester-long Courses

Fall/Spring terms: Tuition Adjustments for withdrawal for tuition charged at a flat rate or per credit rate

Before the Academic Period Start Date: 100%
On or before the 15th calendar day after the Academic Period Start Date: 75%
On or before the 30th calendar day after the Academic Period Start Date: 50%
After the 30th calendar day after the Academic Period Start Date: 0%

Module Courses

On or before the 10th day of instruction for the module session: 100 percent of the dropped course's tuition fee. See the Academic Calendar page on the Registrar's website for a link to the list of class meeting dates for a module session.
After the 10th day of instruction for the module session: no refund.