When you register for a class, a seat is reserved for you. This obligates you to pay tuition and fees for that seat. If you decide to drop courses before the add/drop period you can drop online through eServices and you will receive a full refund. After the add/drop deadline, all course withdrawals will appear on the transcript and no refund will be processed. You can withdraw online through eServices before the end of the twelfth week of the semester. Course drops after the twelfth week of the semester are not permitted.
Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to all Metropolitan State University policies and procedures. However, in some cases, students who have experienced extenuating circumstances may petition the Registration Appeals Committee for a retroactive drop (with refund) or withdrawal within 90 days of the end of the term.
For security reasons, Records and Registration staff are not permitted to add/drop/withdraw courses for students over the telephone.
Registration cancellation for nonpayment
You should not assume that Registration Cancellation for Nonpayment will remove the tuition and fees charged to your account. If you have decided not to attend classes and want a refund, be sure to drop your classes online, in person, or by letter or fax before the end of the add/drop period.
Dropping courses with a refund
The add/drop period for standard full-term courses is through the fifth business day of the term. Courses starting after the refund deadline may be dropped within one business day of the first class meeting.
Dropping courses with a refund deadline
Payments made by credit card online will receive a refund of the paid amount. It will be applied back to the credit card used for the original payment within three weeks. All other refunds will be processed as direct deposit or check. Refunds will start processing immediately after the last add/drop date of the current semester. It can take up to three weeks to process the refund.
Dropping versus withdrawing from a course
Dropping a course refers to officially canceling a registration prior to the end of the fifth business day of the term. Dropped courses usually qualify for a refund and do not appear on the student transcript. Withdrawing from a course refers to canceling a registration after the after the end of the fifth business day of the term. Students who withdraw from a course do not receive a refund. An administrative grade of "W" appears on the student transcript to indicate a withdrawal.
Official withdrawal and the "Return of Title IV funds" policy
Official withdrawal is defined as terminating enrollment in all registered courses for an academic semester. A student must withdraw from courses via eServices. Dropping all courses on the web or in person does not constitute an official university withdrawal. To officially withdraw from the university, students must submit written requests to the Registration Office. For more information, call the Saint Paul Registration desk at 651-793-1234.
A student who will be withdrawing completely from a term must do so according to withdrawal policies. The transaction may be completed in person or online. If done online, the student must contact the Accounts Receivable Office to determine payment for any outstanding balance. If a student withdraws from all courses in one particular semester, they may be eligible for a refund following Minnesota State Procedure 5.12.4:
Fall and Spring Academic Terms
- First through fifth business day of term—100 percent refund
- Sixth through tenth business day of term—75 percent refund
- Eleventh through fifteenth business day of term—50 percent refund
- Sixteenth through twentieth business day of term—25 percent refund
- After twentieth business day of term—0 percent refund
Summer sessions and other terms at least 3 weeks but less than 10 weeks in length
- First through fifth business day of term—100 percent refund
- Sixth through tenth business day of term—50 percent refund
- After the tenth business day of term—0 percent refund
Class term less than 3 weeks in length
- First business day of term—100 percent refund
- Second and third business day of term—50 percent refund
- After the third business day of term—0 percent refund
The withdrawal must be completed by the published deadlines, and the student is responsible for understanding the impact of such action on their student account. Refund Policy exists for calculating the refund of institutional charges. The federal "Return of Title IV Funds" formula dictates the amount of Federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student. Federal regulations require Metropolitan State to give first priority to repaying financial aid programs in the event withdrawing from the university results in a refund.
Note: Parents, spouses, relatives and friends will not receive student account information or be permitted to register or drop courses for students without the signed written permission of the student.
Minnesota State board policies
Chapter 5 - Administration 5.12 Refunds, Withdrawals and Waivers