Aid Repayment Policy

Return to Title IV (R2T4) Policy

Students are awarded federal aid funds under the assumption that they will attend the entire period for which the aid was awarded. The Return to Title IV Policy is applies when a student unofficially or officially withdraws from all credits and/or when a student completes zero credits*. Students who remain enrolled through at least 60 percent of the payment period (quarter) are considered to have earned 100 percent of the aid received and will not owe a repayment of federal Title IV funds. If a student completes at least one course, they will be subject to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, rather than the Federal Return of Title IV Funds Policy. This policy does not apply to work study earnings.

*For Financial Aid purposes, (W) Withdrawal, (N) Audit, (I) Incomplete and/or (NC) No-Credit, and 0.0 grades do not count toward completed credits.

Withdrawal Date

The date of withdrawal used to determine if repayment of financial aid funds is required and the amount of the repayment are determined based on the date of last reported attendance in the student management system. A student’s withdrawal date is one of the following:

1. The date the student began the institution's withdrawal process by notifying the institution, in writing of intent to withdraw. 
2. The midpoint of the quarter for a student who leaves without notifying the institution.
3. The student's last date of attendance at a documented academically related activity.

Timeline

Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculations must be submitted within 30 days of the school’s determination that the student is withdrawn. Unearned Title IV funds must be returned within 45 days of the school’s determination of withdrawal.

R2T4 Calculation Process

There are six basic steps to the formula for calculating the amount of funds that must be returned to the Title IV programs:

1. Determine date of withdrawal and percentage of payment period attended by the student.
2. Calculate amount of Title IV aid earned by the student.
3. Compare amount earned and amounts disbursed to determine amount unearned.
4. Determine late disbursement if amount earned is greater than amount disbursed.
5. Determine amount of Title IV aid must be returned if amount earned is less than amount disbursed. 
6. Calculate portion of funds to be returned by institution and student.

Returning Unearned Funds

Unearned funds are returned to the Title IV programs within 45 days of the school’s determination of the withdrawal by the Financial Aid Office on behalf of the student. The returned funds are the student’s debt to the Institution. Students must make satisfactory payment arrangements with Student Accounts for repayment of the debt. If North Seattle College is required to return funding, the student will be notified in writing by mail or email to the address on file with the college.

The order that NSC returns these funds is as follows:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan 
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan 
• Federal PLUS Loan 
• Federal Pell Grant 
• Federal SEOG Grant

Failure to Repay

Consequences for failure to repay unearned funds could result in holds being placed on the student’s records and the student’s account being sent to collections. 

Recalculation of Title IV Debt Owed to Institution

Return to Title IV funds calculations are a federal requirement and therefore students may not appeal their debt calculation. However, if a student feels the last date of attendance was reported in error or a grade change has been initiated, the student must notify the financial aid office in writing by the last day of the subsequent quarter in which the calculation occurred. Students must request a recalculation and submit proof of last date of attendance (ie. Confirmation from Instructor, graded assignment, etc.) or the signed grade change form to the Financial Aid Director.  If the R2T4 calculation occurred as a result of fall grades, students would have until the end of Winter quarter to request a recalculation.

Institutional Tuition & Fee Refund Policy

For specific details on the institution's refund policy, you can visit the Refund Policy page and the academic calendar with withdrawal deadlines for the current and future quarters.

Examples of Repayments can be requested from the Financial Aid Director in writing at NSCCFinancialaid@seattlecolleges.edu.