As a recipient of federal financial aid, you are expected to complete the entire enrollment period for which your Title IV funds were awarded. Federal financial aid (Title IV funds) includes the Federal Pell Grant, Direct Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). When you withdraw from all classes before completing 60% of the term, Citrus College must calculate the amount of aid earned and, if necessary, return any unearned funds in compliance with federal regulations.
Determining Earned and Unearned Aid
Title IV funds are earned based on the percentage of the enrollment period you complete. If you withdraw before completing more than 60% of the period, Citrus College will determine the amount of Title IV aid earned using a federal formula. This calculation is done on a pro-rata basis, which means that the amount you keep matches the portion of the enrollment period you completed. For example, if you complete 30% of the enrollment period, you earn 30% of the disbursed aid. If you complete more than 60%, you are considered to have earned 100% of the Title IV funds for that enrollment period.
Example Calculation
If the enrollment period is 100 days long and you attended 30 days before withdrawing, you would complete 30% of the enrollment period. Therefore, you would earn 30% of your scheduled aid. For instance, if your total aid was $2,000, you would keep $600 (30% of $2,000).
Calculation of Earned Aid
Withdrawal Date
The withdrawal date is based on the last documented date of your academic engagement. If you do not officially withdraw but fail to complete any coursework, Citrus College will use the midpoint of the term as the withdrawal date unless a more recent date of academic engagement is provided.
Definition of Academic Engagement
Your "Last Attended Date" is determined by your most recent instance of academic engagement within a course. Academic engagement is defined as active participation in instructional activities related to your course of study. Such activities include, but are not limited to:
- Attending Instructional Activities: Participating in synchronous or asynchronous classes, lectures, recitations, field activities, or laboratory sessions, where interaction between the instructor and students is facilitated.
- Submitting Academic Work: Completing and submitting academic assignments as required.
- Taking Assessments: Participating in exams, quizzes, or other formal assessments.
- Interactive Learning: Engaging in interactive tutorials, webinars, or other computer-assisted instruction.
- Collaborative Learning: Participating in study groups, group projects, or online discussions assigned by the institution.
- Instructor Interaction: Communicating with instructors about academic matters.
Important Note: The definition of academic engagement does not include activities where a student may be present but not academically engaged, such as logging into an online class or tutorial without any further participation or participating in a student-organized study group.
Documentation of Academic Engagement
A student's self-certification of academic engagement is insufficient. Faculty will report the last attended date using institutional documentation, such as attendance records or submission dates for assignments, as required to verify academic engagement.
Earned Aid Calculation: The percentage of aid earned is based on the percentage of the enrollment period you completed. If unearned funds have been disbursed, they must be returned by Citrus College and/or you.
Post-Withdrawal Disbursement
If you received less aid than the amount you earned before withdrawing, you may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. Federal Pell Grant funds from a post-withdrawal disbursement are automatically credited to your account for tuition and fees. Any remaining funds may be disbursed directly to you. Citrus College will notify you or your parent borrower (for Direct PLUS Loans) to obtain permission to disburse any loan funds. You will have 14 calendar days from the date of the notification to accept the disbursement. You can decline any loan funds to avoid additional debt. If a response is not received within the permitted time frame, no post-withdrawal disbursement will be issued.
Return of Unearned Aid
If you withdraw before earning all your aid, Citrus College and/or you must return the unearned portion as outlined in federal guidelines. The amount to be returned is the lesser of:
- The institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage, or
- The total amount of excess Title IV funds.
Funds are returned in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Direct Loans
- Subsidized Direct Loans
- Direct PLUS Loans
- Federal Pell Grants
- FSEOG
Funds are returned in this order to prioritize loan repayment before grants, following federal guidelines. Citrus College will return unearned funds on your behalf and will notify you of any repayment obligations.
Timeframe and Notification
When a Return of Title IV funds is required, both Citrus College and you may share responsibility for returning unearned funds. Any funds not the responsibility of Citrus College must be repaid by you. You must resolve any outstanding overpayments to remain eligible for future federal aid.
Citrus College must return unearned funds for which it is responsible as soon as possible, but no later than 45 days from the determination of your withdrawal. Such funds will be added as a debt on your Citrus College account, which you must pay directly to the college. This balance remains as a debt with Citrus College.
Within 30 days of determining that you must repay all or part of a Title IV grant, Citrus College will notify you of your repayment obligation. This notification will inform you that:
- You owe an overpayment of Title IV funds,
- Your eligibility for additional Title IV funds may end if the balance is not paid within 45 days from the date of notification, and
- You are responsible for resolving any outstanding balance owed to Citrus College resulting from a required return of unearned Title IV aid.
You will need to resolve this debt directly with Citrus College, as any unpaid debt may result in a registration hold and restrict access to other college services until resolved. Citrus College reserves the right to send any unpaid debts to collections.
You can view the results of any Return of Title IV Funds calculations online by accessing your Financial Aid Dashboard. The results are available as soon as Citrus College performs the calculation.
For Loan Funds That You Must Return
For any loan funds that you must return, you (or your parent for a Direct PLUS Loan) must repay according to the terms of the promissory note. This means you will make scheduled payments to the loan holder over a period of time.
Implications of Withdrawal on Financial Aid
The Return of Title IV Funds policy is separate from the Citrus College refund policy, meaning you may still owe a balance to the college after funds are returned to the federal government. Any outstanding debt to the college will block future enrollment and may be sent to collections. You are encouraged to consult with Financial Aid and Student Services before withdrawing to understand the impact on your financial aid and any potential debt obligations.
For more details, please review the Citrus College refund policy and drop/withdrawal policies available in the Citrus College Catalog