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Refunds

Tuition Refund Policy - Curriculum Students

In accordance with IE SBCCC900.1, a refund cannot be made except under the following circumstances:

  • A 100 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws prior to first day of class(es) of the academic semester as noted in the College calendar. Also, a student is eligible for a 100 percent refund if the class in which the student is officially registered fails to “make” due to insufficient enrollment or the student never attends the class as verified by the instructor on the official course roster.
  • A 75 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class(es) prior to or on the official 10 percent point of the semester.
  • For classes beginning at times other than the first week (seven calendar days) of the semester, a 100 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class prior to the first class meeting. A 75 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from the class prior to or on the 10 percent point of the class.
  • A 100 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from a contact hour class prior to the first day of class(es) of the academic semester or if the College cancels the class. A 75 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws from a contact hour class on or before the 10th calendar day of the class.
  • A 100 percent refund shall be made if the State Education Assistance Authority makes a final validation determination prior to the official 10 percent point of the semester and all of the following conditions apply:
    • At the time of the student's registration, the State Education Assistance Authority made an initial determination that the student was a resident for tuition purposes, as defined by G.S.116-143-(a).
    • After validation of the student's residency application, the State Education Assistance Authority subsequently determines that the student is a nonresident for tuition purposes.
    • The student officially withdraws from the course(s) within 10 calendar days of the College notifying the student of the change in residency status.
To comply with applicable federal regulations regarding refunds, federal regulations will supersede the state refund regulations stated in the rule.

If a student should die during the semester (prior to or on the last day of the semester), having paid the required tuition for a semester, all tuition and fees for that semester may be refunded to the estate of the deceased (upon request) or to the Department of Education if the student was a Pell recipient.

Financial Aid Title IV Refund Policy

If a student completely withdraws from all classes prior to the 60 percent point of the term, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV aid as originally offered for the period of enrollment. The student may owe all or a portion of Title IV aid to the College or the Department of Education. This debt is known as a financial aid overpayment. Failure to repay an overpayment may result in a hold being placed on the account. A hold prohibits registration for future classes and from obtaining an official College transcript.

Military Tuition Refund

Upon request of the student, the College shall grant a full refund of tuition and fees to military reserve and National Guard personnel called to active duty or active duty personnel who have received temporary or permanent reassignments as a result of military operations that make it impossible for them to complete their course requirements; and buy back textbooks through the College's bookstore operations to the extent allowable under the bookstore's buy back procedures.  The College will use distance learning technologies and other educational methodologies, to the extent possible as determined by the College, to help active duty military students, under the guidance of faculty and administrative staff, complete their course requirements.  Readmission of service members whose military service prevented completion of their coursework will be conducted in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR 668.18).

Financial Aid Drops, Withdrawals and Overpayments

Students who do not plan to attend classes are responsible for declining financial aid and for dropping any classes for which they are registered.  Classes are not automatically dropped when financial aid is removed.  Failure to cancel unwanted classes before the term starts may result in a balance owed to the College.

Students who reduce their course load during the term may not be eligible for the full amount of financial aid offered to them.  Students are advised to consult with the Financial Aid Office to discuss the impact dropping classes may have.  Dropping classes and withdrawing from classes can impact overall satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards and the Pell Lifetime Eligibility Limit (LEU).

Complete withdrawal of all classes before the 60% point of the term may result in a financial aid overpayment.  In this case, the student may be required to pay all or a portion of unearned funds back to the College or to the Department of Education.

If a student is offered NC Community College Grant or NC Education Lottery Scholarship funds and withdraws from all classes before the 35% point of the term, this may result in an overpayment.  The student may be required to pay all or a portion of these unearned funds back to the College or to the NC State Education Assistance Authority.

Failure to repay a student overpayment may result in a hold being placed on the student's account prohibiting registration for future classes at WCC and from obtaining an official academic transcript.  A hold will remain on the student's account until the debt has been paid in full.

Student Activity Fee Refund Policy-Curriculum Students

A 100 percent refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws prior to the first day of class(es) of the academic semester as noted in the College calendar. Also, a student is eligible for 100 percent refund if the class in which the student is officially registered fails to “make” due to insufficient enrollment.