Attending Classes

Prior to the start of classes, you will most likely meet with an academic advisor to discuss the classes needed for your degree program. When you register for these classes, you are expected to attend them. Your financial aid will be dependent on the number of classes you register for. Keep these points in mind regarding attendance of classes:

• Your financial aid is based on the number of credit hours you enroll in. Most types of financial aid have a minimum enrollment requirement.

  • For instance, to receive the maximum amount of a Pell Grant, you must be enrolled as a full time (12 credit hours or more) student. To be eligible for Stafford student loans, your enrollment must be a minimum of part time (or 6 credit hours).

• Your professors will report your attendance throughout the semester. If you do not attend a class, it may affect your financial aid.

  • For example, if you enroll in 6 credit hours, but you do not attend a class (or do not show up often), your professor might report you as “not attending” to the Registrar’s office. If this happens, your enrollment hours are reduced to 3 credit hours and this will be reported to your lender. You will receive a letter to complete an Exit Interview and you might be put into repayment on student loans. This situation can only be resolved by talking with your professor. If your loans have been returned to your lender, when you show enrolled in 6 credit hours again, a request to have your loans re-instated may be completed with the Financial Aid office.

• If you change your mind about enrollment, you must withdraw so you will not owe. Unfortunately, some students believe if they do not attend classes, they will not owe for those classes. This is not the case. If you register for a class, you owe money to the Bursar’s office unless you withdraw in OASIS or with the Registrar’s office. Refund periods for classes may be found in the Billing Process Section.

• If you have taken out a loan and fail a class, you still owe that loan back. You may retake the class the following semester and financial aid will still pay for that second class. Essentially you will have paid for that class twice.

• Your attendance may affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Whether you withdraw from a class, fail a class, or pass a class, this will affect your SAP. If you pass all your classes, it will have a positive affect on your SAP. Likewise, if you fail, withdraw, or do not attend your classes, it will have a negative affect on your SAP. You may read more about Satisfactory Academic Progress in the Financial Aid Process section.

Your best decision regarding classes is going to be to attend them. If your find yourself in a situation in which you must drop a class or multiple classes, see your academic advisor and the Financial Aid office. Not all situations are the same, so you do not want to take your roommates' word that you will be fine if you drop this class or that class. Always make sure by checking with your advisor and the Financial Aid office.

IPFW Return of Financial Aid Funds Policy
for Students who Withdraw from the University

 

Who is affected by this policy and what does it mean?

• If you withdraw from all classes, you may be required to pay back some of the financial aid you received. The university will pay the funds back to the state or federal program. The university may use a collection agency to help recover funds you owe.

When did you withdraw and what is the impact of your withdrawal?

• If you withdraw from all classes after 60% of the semester has been completed, you will not have to pay back funds.
• If you withdraw from all classes before 60% of the semester has been compelted, you must pay back some of the financial aid you received.
• If you withdraw from all classes early in the semester/summer session and receive a full or partial refund of fees, the amount you are required to pay back will be adjusted..
  
• If you withdraw from some, but not all of your classes, you will not be required to pay back financial aid, unless you drop below 12 credit hours during the first four weeks of classes during fall or spring semester AND have a Higher Education Award or a 21st Century Scholarship. In that case, you will owe the full amount of the grant or scholarship back to the school.

If you stop attending classes, but do not officially withdraw from them, we will follow federal rules to set a withdrawal date. We will also calculate a withdrawal date if all of your grades during a semester are W, F, or I.

What money will you have to pay back?

If you are required to pay back financial aid, it will be repaid to the following programs in this order:

• Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
• Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
• Federal Perkins Loan
• Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS loan)
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) or SMART Grant
• Other Title IV grant programs
• Institutional or State Funds

How will we calculate the amount to be paid back?

• We will compare the number of days of enrollment to the number of days in the semester/summer session. Example: If you withdrew from all classes when 30% of the term had been completed, 70% of your aid will have to be paid back.

What will happen to my bill if I am required to pay back some aid funds?

• We will reduce or cancel the aid from your bill.
• If you received a refund, we will send you a bill for the amount you owe.
• If you owe the university money, you must make payment arrangements within 45 days. If you do not make payment arrangements, you may lose eligibility for further federal and state aid.

How will this affect Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculations?

• Withdrawing from classes always affects SAP, regardless of any refunds or repayments.
• To maintain SAP, you must successfully complete at least 67% of your classes and have a satisfactory GPA.

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