Withdrawal Process

Students withdrawing from UMass Lowell are required to discharge all financial obligations to the university, return all university property, and file a written notification of withdrawal with The Solution Center.

Students should meet with a financial aid advisor prior to withdrawing in order to understand the financial impacts. Instructions for withdrawing from the university are published in the University Academic Catalog available on the Registrar's website.

Return of Title IV Funds

Students earn Title IV federal financial aid by attending and participating in classes. The amount of Title IV aid a student has earned for the enrollment period is based on the percentage of time the student remains enrolled for that period.  The earned percentage is calculated by dividing the number of days attended by the number of days within the enrollment period.  Once a student earns 60 percent, the student is considered to have earned 100% of Title IV federal aid and no adjustments are required.

The withdrawal date is determined by the date the student officially submits the withdrawal form to the university, or otherwise notifies the university of his/her intent to withdraw.

The calculation of Title IV funds earned by the student has no relationship to the student's incurred institutional charges.

Federal Title IV funds will be returned in the following order:

  1. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
  2. Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan
  3. Federal Perkins Loan
  4. Federal PLUS Loan / Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
  5. Federal Pell Grant
  6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
  7. Federal TEACH Grant

Federal Work Study earnings are not included in the return of funds calculations. Students may not continue working once they cease attendance.

Any unearned Title IV funds required to be returned will be processed within 45 days of the student’s withdrawal date.

Unofficial Withdrawal

An unofficial withdrawal occurs when a student enrolls in courses and either never attends any courses or stops attending all courses at some point during the semester without providing official notification to the University.  Students receiving Title IV federal aid who unofficially withdraw will have their aid recalculated in the same manner as an official withdrawal.

For a student who unofficially withdraws, the University determines the last date of attendance based on the student’s last date of an academically related activity.  

Post Withdrawals

A student may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement of federal Title IV aid if the return of funds calculation indicates the student earned more aid than was disbursed prior to the student’s withdrawal. Post-withdrawal disbursements of Title IV grants must be completed within 45 days of the student’s withdrawal date, and any loan funds accepted by the student within 180 days of the student’s withdrawal date.

Return of Non-Title IV Funds

The university will calculate return of non-Title IV funds in accordance with the appropriate state and institutional refund policy. Massachusetts state funds are calculated based on the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) policy guidelines.

Institutional funds will be returned on a case-by-case basis following appropriate administrator review of aid earned and balance due.

Note: All information is subject to change based on changes to federal law, regulation, or university policy and procedure. If changes are made, students must abide by the new policy.