If you leave RUSH University before your studies are complete, there may be financial aid implications. Here are some answers to questions and steps you should take to ensure your move goes smoothly, without any unintended consequences.
How do I start the withdrawal process?
If you wish to withdraw from RUSH University, first please follow the published policy of the Office of the Registrar, which is the designated office you must notify . This policy can be found in the RUSH University Catalog.
Is a leave of absence a withdrawal?
In terms of financial aid, if you take a leave of absence you are treated in an identical manner as you would be if you withdrew from RUSH, per federal rules. The terms leave of absence and withdrawal are interchangeable throughout this process.
Will I get a tuition refund?
The tuition refund policy can be found on the Tuition Refunds page and in the RUSH University Catalog. You may be found liable for tuition amounts charged for the quarter in which you are withdrawing, and you may have limited eligibility for financial assistance to pay for those charges.
How is my financial aid affected by withdrawal?
Title IV funds are awarded to you under the assumption you will attend school for the entire period for which the aid is awarded. Upon withdrawing from RUSH University, you may no longer be eligible for the entire amount of Title IV aid you were awarded and/or received. The RUSH University Office of Student Financial Aid is required to calculate how much of the Title IV assistance you earned based on the period of time you remained enrolled for a particular term: Enrolled days in term/total days in Term = percent of Title IV aid earned.
If you withdraw after 60 percent of the term has passed, you are considered to have earned all of their Title IV aid for that period.
The following funds are considered Title IV assistance and are included in the calculations described above:
- Federal Stafford Loans (Unsubsidized)
- Federal Stafford Loans (Subsidized)
- Federal Perkins Loans
- Federal Graduate PLUS Loans
- Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
Withdrawal Date and Last Date of Attendance
At RUSH University, the date of withdrawal is the date the student begins the withdrawal process or otherwise provides official notification to the Office of the Registrar of the intent to withdraw. For unofficial withdrawals, the date of withdrawal is the date the University determines the student ceased attendance. For students who do not or cannot provide notification of withdrawal, RUSH University is required by federal regulation to determine the date of withdrawal no later than 30 days after the end of the earlier of the payment period or period of enrollment, the academic year, or the student’s educational program.
In calculating earned Title IV aid, the number of enrolled days in the term is determined based on the student’s last date of attendance. Last date of attendance is provided by the student’s instructors and/or academic advisor on the official withdrawal form. Last date of attendance is the last date the student was engaged in an academically related activity. Academically related activities include the following:
- Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students
- Submitting an academic assignment
- Taking an exam, completing an interactive tutorial or participating in computer-assisted instruction
- Attending a study group that is assigned by the school
- Participating in an online discussion about academic matters
- Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course
Academically related activities do not include:
- Living in institutional housing
- Participating in the school’s meal plan
- Logging into an online class without active participation
- Participating in academic counseling or advisement
For distance education courses, documenting that a student has logged into an online class is not sufficient, by itself, to demonstrate academic attendance by the student. The University must document that the student was engaged in an academically related activity, which includes:
- Student submission of an academic assignment
- Student submission of an exam
- Documented student participation in an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction
- Posting by the student showing the student’s participation in an online study group that is assigned by the institution
- A posting by the student in a discussion forum showing the student’s participation in an online discussion about academic matters
- An e-mail from the student or other documentation showing that the student initiated contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course
It is the responsibility of the faculty member and/or academic advisor to document 1) that the activity is academic or academically related and 2) the student’s attendance at the activity.
Can I still get aid after withdrawal?
Perhaps. If the amount of Title IV aid disbursed is less than the amount you are eligible to receive, you may receive a post-withdrawal disbursement to your tuition account at RUSH University. If this post-withdrawal disbursement contains loan funds, you may elect to decline these funds so you do not incur additional debt. You will be notified of any post-withdrawal disbursements you will receive in writing. RUSH University may automatically use all or a portion of a post-withdrawal disbursement (including accepted loan funds) for tuition, fees or Center Court charges.
You must authorize RUSH to use the post-withdrawal disbursement to cover all other charges on your account. If you do not authorize the school to use these funds, they will be refunded to you, and you will be responsible for the balance due. There are some Title IV funds that you would be scheduled to receive that cannot be disbursed once you have withdrawn because of other eligibility requirements. For example, a Stafford or Perkins loan disbursement cannot be made if you have not signed the appropriate promissory note for that program.
Am I considered withdrawn if I don't pass any classes?
Yes. If you begin classes at RUSH, apply for financial aid, complete all of the requirements to obtain that aid, and then fail to receive at least one passing grade for the term, you may be treated as unofficially withdrawing from the university. In this situation, you will be considered to have completed 50 percent of the applicable term unless your instructor(s) can show that you were engaged in an academically-related activity beyond this point.
Grades of F and I (incomplete) are considered to be non-passing grades for the purposes of this policy.
Will I need to repay any aid?
Maybe. If the amount of aid disbursed to you is greater than the amount you are eligible to receive, this overage must be returned to the federal programs. If a balance is created on your tuition account, you will be billed and are responsible for these charges. You may also be required to return amounts that were given to you to use for living expenses for the term. You and/or RUSH University may be responsible for returning the assistance.
RUSH University's share is the lesser of the following:
- Total amount of unearned aid
- Institutional charges for the term multiplied by the percentage of unearned aid
In general, you are responsible for returning any amounts of unearned aid in excess of the amount calculated above. Any loan amounts that must be returned must be repaid in accordance with the terms of that loan's promissory note (e.g., you will make scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time).
However, RUSH University will return any grant amounts identified as your obligation. These returned amounts will be charged to your tuition account, and you will be responsible for paying any amounts due to the university.
What about grants from RUSH or the state?
All state and institutional grants for the withdrawal term will be reduced if they exceed your tuition charges for that term. If you withdraw and all of the tuition is not refunded to you, any state or institutional grants received for that term can be used to help cover this expense, not to exceed tuition.
If you have taken out a private loan for the withdrawal term and you have a credit on your account after all other aid has been returned according to the regulations listed above, RUSH University will return private loan funds to your lender. The amount returned will be the lesser of the credit amount on your tuition account or the total amount of the private loan for the term. Any remaining credit will be sent to you in the form of a check from the Student Business Office.
Questions? Contact us.
If you have questions about this process, first call the Office of Financial Aid at (312) 942-6256, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.
For other questions, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 4-FEDAID, from 8 a.m. to midnight Eastern Time, seven days per week.
TTY users may check the Federal Student Aid Information Center website or call (800) 730-8913.