Drops, Withdrawals, Refunds: Procedures & Deadlines

Dropping Classes or Withdrawing from NDSCS

Dropping classes after the semester has started can negatively affect a student’s NDSCS account balance, their ability to receive current and future financial aid and their college transcript. Students should consider the following information before dropping any classes:

  • Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor or Student Success before making changes to their schedule.
  • Academic Drop Dates are often different than Tuition Refund Dates.  
      - Review the NDSCS Drop/Withdrawal/Refund Deadlines (found below) carefully to determine how dropping the applicable class will affect the student’s college transcript and/or the availability to receive a tuition refund.
      - The final day to drop a class without receiving an “earned” grade on the student’s transcript varies depending on the start/end dates.
      - A final grade is considered “earned” after the last day to drop the class.
Procedures for Dropping or Withdrawing

Students who are enrolled for the current semester, and choose to no longer attend classes for the remainder of the semester, need to initiate that request through Student Success.  Student Success will determine if the request qualifies as a “Class Drop” or a “Term Withdrawal”.  The effective date is the date of notification to Student Success. 

Note: A final grade is considered “earned” after the last day to drop the class.

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Class Drop

Student chooses to drop one or more of their classes but remain enrolled in at least one class within the semester.

  • Dropping some, but not all, classes during a semester can be done by the student in Campus Connection.
  • Dropping all classes cannot be done through Campus Connection; the student needs to initiate this request through Student Success.
  • If a student requests to drop all remaining classes and a final grade has been earned in at least one class within the current semester, the request will be processed as a “Class Drop” rather than a “Term Withdrawal”.
Term Withdrawal

Student requests to be withdrawn from all classes within the semester (no final grade has been earned for any class).

  • If a student requests to drop all classes and a final grade has not been earned in any class within the current semester, the request may qualify as a “Term Withdrawal”.  If a final grade has been earned in at least one class within the current semester, the request will be processed as a “Class Drop” rather than a “Term Withdrawal” for the remaining classes. 
  • Student needs to initiate a “Term Withdrawal” request through Student Success.
Financial Impacts of Dropping or Withdrawing

NDSCS is required to follow the ND State Board of Higher Education Policy 830.2 and Procedure 830.2 regarding class drops and/or withdrawals.

  • Refund eligibility is based on the date on which the drop/withdrawal is effective. See the NDSCS Drop/Withdrawal/Refund Deadlines (found below) for specific session dates.
  • Any cost adjustments to a student’s original charges will first be applied to the semester’s outstanding NDSCS balance before a refund is issued to the student (if applicable).
  • A class that is dropped prior to the completion of 9% of the class session will receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees for the number of credits related to the dropped class.  After 9% of the class session, no refund of tuition and fees will be received.

Financial Aid Recipients - All or a portion of financial aid may be returned to the funding source, based on the remaining number of credits for the semester and/or the date of withdrawal. This return of funds will be charged to the student’s NDSCS account, which may result in a balance owed to NDSCS. The balance will be the student’s responsibility to pay. Students who withdraw may be ineligible for federal student aid at NDSCS in the future.

NDSCS Drop/Withdrawal/Refund Deadlines