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Withdrawal and Refund Policies

Tuition Refund Policy

Students have the right to withdraw from a program of instruction at any time.  For the purposes of determining the amount the student owes for the time attended, students in all programs shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the program when any of the following occurs:

  • Notify the University of withdrawal or the actual date of withdrawal; or
  • The University terminates the enrollment; or
  • Student in an on-ground program fails to attend any classes for fourteen (14) consecutive scheduled class days excluding University holidays, as determined by the institution from its attendance records; or
  • Student in an on-line program fails to participate in any course for fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days, excluding University holidays, as determined by the institution from its attendance records.
  • Student is on an academic leave of absence*.  Since the institutional leave of absence is not considered an official leave of absence for Title IV purposes, the withdrawal date for a student who takes an institutional leave of absence is the last date of attendance prior to the leave.

*PharmD students on an approved LOA during APPE periods will not be withdrawn.  

Students are charged each payment period for the tuition, fees, books and supplies attributable to the courses scheduled for the payment period.  Note that the payment period for all on-ground undergraduate programs is the twenty-week semester; the payment period for Pharm D and all fully-online programs is the sixteen-week trimester; the payment period for all other on-ground, graduate programs is the fifteen-week trimester.

If the student withdraws from the program after the period allowed for cancellation on the enrollment agreement, the University will calculate whether a refund of tuition, fees, books, or supplies is due for the payment period from which the student withdrew.  If so, the University will remit any required refund within 45 days following your withdrawal for California and Texas campuses, or 30 days following your withdrawal for the Florida campus.  Supplies issued to students and books purchased through WCU with a book voucher are not refundable unless returned to the vendor within fourteen (14) calendar days of the first day of classes in unopened condition.  For students receiving funds through the Federal Student Aid program, unearned funds will be returned to the lenders or grant programs in the order required under Federal Law.  For non-federal student financial aid grant program funds, the institutional/state refund policy shall be a pro rata refund of moneys paid for institutional charges for students who have completed 60 percent or less of the payment period.  The pro rata percentage is calculated by dividing the number of calendar days completed by the total number of calendar days in the payment period.  For non-federal private (alternative) loan funds, funds remaining in excess of direct institutional costs after all other refund and R2T4 adjustments are complete will be returned to the lender or lenders who disbursed the loans.

Students who completed more than 60 percent of the payment period are liable for 100% of the tuition and fee charges for all courses scheduled for the payment period at the time of withdrawal, as well as books and supplies purchased through the University for the payment period.  Any federal Title IV funds remaining after the refund and R2T4 calculations will be paid according to the most recent "Authorization to Retain Funds" form on file with the financial aid office at the time of withdrawal.  If there is no written authorization on file at the time of withdrawal, any excess funds will be returned to the student (or parent, in the case of a federal Direct parent PLUS loan).

If you obtained equipment as specified in the agreement as a separate charge, and return it in good condition within fourteen (14) calendar days following the date of your cancellation or withdrawal, the University shall refund the charge for the equipment paid by you.  If you purchased textbooks through the University’s vendor and return the books to the vendor within fourteen (14) calendar days of the first day of classes in an unopened condition, you will be fully credited the cost of the books, less shipping fees.  Books returned after the fourteen (14) calendar day period or returned in an opened or used condition will be credited back to your account as used books, pursuant to the book vendor’s used book buy-back policy.  If you fail to return the equipment in good condition, allowing for reasonable wear and tear, within the fourteen (14) calendar day period, the University may offset against the refund the documented cost to the University of that equipment.  You shall be liable for the amount, if any by which the documented cost for equipment exceeds the prorated refund amount.

 

Determination of the Withdrawal Date

The student’s withdrawal date is the last date of academic attendance as determined by the institution from its attendance records. Since the institutional leave of absence is not considered an official leave of absence for Title IV purposes, the withdrawal date for a student who takes an institutional leave of absence is the last date of attendance prior to the leave.

Refund for Dropped Courses

Students that drop a course(s) during the published Add/Drop period of a term, but remain enrolled in the University, will be refunded 100 percent of the amount paid for institutional charges relating to the course(s) dropped with a deduction for equipment not returned in new, unopened condition within fourteen (14) calendar days of dropping the associated course. Refunds due will be processed within 30 days of the schedule change at the Florida campus, and 45 days of the schedule change at the California and Texas campuses. Tuition adjustments will not be made for courses dropped after the first week of the term. 

Students that drop a course(s) beyond the Add/Drop period each term, but remain enrolled in the University, will only be charged for those courses attempted beyond the Add/Drop period.

Students that do not remain enrolled and whose last date of attendance is within the Add/Drop period will be responsible for tuition charges through the end date of the previous term. Please note:  Supplies become student purchases once issued to student. Students who drop or have been dismissed after supplies have been issued will assume ownership for these items and will not be eligible for refunds. For Title IV purposes, West Coast University is required to process the return of federal financial aid funds based on the students last date of attendance, regardless of whether they withdraw during the add/drop period or not. Please refer to the Tuition Refund Policy for more details.