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Tuition Cancellation Policy

Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Tuition and special course fees are cancelled only in the following situations:

  1. When a student is separated from the University for academic reasons prior to the end of a semester;
  2. Officially withdraws from any course or courses, regardless of the method of instruction, by filing a written notice to the University; or
  3. Officially withdraws using the Portal at portal.pace.edu.

Please note: Application, technology, general institution, and university health care fees are not refundable. Tuition cancellation will be made according to the schedule associated with the term of enrollment. Please see the Tuition Cancellation Schedule for more information.

Note: It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from courses for which the student has registered. Failure to officially withdraw will result in tuition liability. Students may withdraw online through the Portal at portal.pace.edu or by filing with the Office of the Registrar. Non-attendance of classes, informing the instructor of withdrawal, or stopping payment on a check does not constitute official withdrawal and does not relieve the student of his or her financial obligation, or entitle the student to a refund. A student who registers for class and does not attend class remains fully responsible for all financial obligations. In addition, federal financial aid recipients who cease attending classes for a term, but do not officially withdraw, will be deemed to have unofficially withdrawn and will have a portion of their federal aid cancelled after the close of the term when their failure to complete their courses is recorded.

It is important to note that all charges and cancellations are based upon tuition commitments for the full semester. The effective date of withdrawal and cancellation, if any, will be the date when formal application is filed with the Student Accounts (notification to the instructor is not sufficient) or withdrawal via the Portal at portal.pace.edu. In the case of withdrawal by mail, the official postmarked date of the correspondence will be the effective date of withdrawal.

Students registered for a monthly payment plan are responsible for completing all payments if a balance exists after cancellation of tuition. Application, technology, general i

Cancellation Because of Business Transfer

Students leaving the area during the first eight weeks of class because of a permanent business transfer may receive a prorated refund of all the semester’s tuition and special course fees, provided they submit a tuition appeal in accordance with policy. Written substantiation from the employer must accompany the request for a refund. A change of employer, work responsibility, hours, or required business travel does not qualify as a business transfer.

Note: Students who are financial aid recipients and receive a cancellation due to a business transfer are subject to financial aid review and possible aid adjustment.

Cancellation Because of Military Service

To comply with the new Department of Defense policy, Pace University will return any unearned TA funds on a prorate basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. These funds are returned to the military Service branch.

Cancellation because of Military Service: Any student required to discontinue attending classes because of induction into or activation in the U.S. military service (i.e. National Guard or Reserve activation or periods of Active Duty for Training) may be eligible for a complete refund of all tuition and fees, if orders to report for active duty are received within the first two weeks of class. Thereafter students may choose either a prorated refund or an application of full credit of tuition and fees to future enrollment. Once Student receives notice of call-up, they need to immediately inform their Professors, Advisors and Pace University’s Veteran Services Office.

Financial Aid Refund and Repayment Policy

When a student who is receiving financial aid withdraws from or drops classes for any reason, the resulting refund, credit, or cancellation of tuition, fees, dormitory charges, or meal plan charges must be credited first to the financial aid programs from which the student was receiving funds for that semester. The amount credited to each financial aid program is determined by the type of aid received, the number of credits the student had before and after the drop or withdrawal, the length of time the student was enrolled, and the amount of any adjustment to charges.

Please note that to officially withdraw from classes, a student must withdraw online at the Pace Portal or file for withdrawal with the Office of the Registrar. Students should consult with their advisor.

Federal Financial Aid Recipients Who Withdraw From All Classes

Federal Title IV financial aid includes: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Loans, and Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students or Graduate PLUS loans). For students who withdraw from all classes for a semester, federal regulations require that the Financial Aid Office perform the Return to Title IV Funds calculation.

If the student has withdrawn within the first 60 percent of the semester, the student is considered to have "earned" the portion of disbursable Title IV funds equal to the ratio of the number of days the student was enrolled to the number of days in the semester. The calculation will require the return of all federal aid that exceeds the "earned" portion. The amount of aid returned to each program is dictated by the federal calculation.

The Return to Title IV Funds calculation also determines the amount of awarded but not yet disbursed aid, if any, that can be credited to the student’s account. Students may not apply for additional federal aid after withdrawing from all classes.

If a return of funds is required, it must be distributed to the various financial aid programs in the following order prescribed by law:

  1. Federal Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan
  2. Federal Subsidized Direct Stafford Loan
  3. Federal Perkins Loan
  4. Federal Direct PLUS Loan (for parents or graduate students)
  5. Federal Pell Grant
  6. SEOG (Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant)

Note: In certain circumstances a student may be required to repay a portion of a refund back to the federal government.

Federal Financial Aid Recipients Who Withdraw Below Six Credits (Note: The procedure varies by program.)

Federal Work Study (FWS) – A student working under the FWS program who drops or withdraws below six credits must stop working immediately because he/she no longer meets the federal guidelines for FWS.

Pell Grant – A Pell Grant Award is determined by the student’s Effective Family Contribution and enrollment status. Pell awards may be adjusted for changes in enrollment that occur during the first 4 weeks of a semester.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) – If a student receives a refund, credit, or cancellation of any institutional charges and SEOG has been disbursed to the student’s account, an adjustment may be required as a result of the change in Cost of Attendance. If the grant has yet to be disbursed, eligibility may change.

Federal Perkins Loans , Direct Stafford Loans, and Plus Loans – If a student receives a refund, credit, or cancellation of any institutional charges and a loan has been disbursed to the student’s account, an adjustment may be required. If a loan has yet to be disbursed, loan eligibility may change. In addition, any undisbursed second disbursement of a Direct Stafford Loan or Direct PLUS Loan must be cancelled.

All Federal Aid – Students may not apply for or be awarded additional federal aid after withdrawing below six credits.

Recipients of Pace University Scholarships and Grants Who Withdraw From Any Classes

If a student withdraws from any classes and receives a refund, credit, or cancellation of tuition, fees, dormitory charges, or meal plan charges, any University aid the student has received that is applicable to the reduced charges will be adjusted if the withdrawal resulted in the student being enrolled in fewer than the minimum required number of credits for the type(s) of aid received. Most University scholarships and awards are applicable to tuition; other types of University aid are applicable to other combinations of charges. The amount of each type of aid reduced will equal the ratio of the reduced charges to the original charges.

Recipients of New York State TAP and Other State Grant Programs Who Withdraw

New York State regulations govern the reduction or cancellation of TAP in cases where students withdraw or drop classes. New York State TAP and most other state grant programs are applicable only to tuition. If a student withdraws and receives a refund, credit, or cancellation of tuition and/or fees, New York State awards must be reduced to ensure that the award amount does not exceed the remaining applicable charges. In addition, other adjustments may be necessary. The student should contact the 

nstitution, university health care, student activity fee, and non-course fees are not refundable.