Withdrawal
Partial Withdrawal
Students who drop a class during the regular drop/add period, but do not completely withdraw from the College, will be refunded the difference in the tuition paid and the tuition rate applicable to the reduced number of hours including fees appropriate to the classes dropped. There is no refund due to a student who partially withdraws after the official drop/add period. Student financial aid may be reduced based on a partial withdrawal which will require a recalculation of the financial aid benefit. Students must pay any resulting outstanding balance from a partial withdrawal which will require recalculation of their financial aid benefit.
Complete Withdrawal
Students who officially withdraw from all classes for which they registered before the first day of class will be refunded the total tuition and other refundable fees, less an administrative fee of 5% of tuition and fees. Students who officially withdraw completely after the first day of classes but prior to the end of the third week of classes will be refunded according to the official withdrawal date, as follows:
Refund Schedule
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Withdrawal before Classes Begin
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100% of Tuition and Fees
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Withdrawal during the First Week (Day 1-5)
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70% of Tuition and Fees
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Withdrawal during the Second Week (Day 6-10)
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45% of Tuition and Fees
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Withdrawal during the Third Week (Day 11-15)
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20% of Tuition and Fees
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No refunds will be made in case of withdrawal after 15 days of classes.
Veterans Benefit Refund Policy
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs requires all changes of enrollment to be certified within 30 days of action. For VA purposes, the effective date is the date the student withdrew or dropped the class. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will process the information regarding change of enrollment and may establish a debt on the student, based on the effective date of the change. The student is responsible for satisfying any debt established on the student by the VA or by the Institution on behalf of the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Students withdrawing from all classes in a semester will have the current and any future certifications terminated. If the student withdraws on or before the term's first day, Drake State will return the tuition and fees received, directly to the VA, upon receipt of school debt letter. If the date of complete withdrawal is after the first day of the term, any credit balances that result from a refund of institutional charges will be issued to the student within 40 days from the date a credit balance is created on the Veteran student’s account.
Financial Aid Refunds
All student refunds will be available 14 days after the published disbursement date. The disbursement date is the date that financial aid is applied to student accounts to be used to pay fees, tuition and other authorized charges. This date is published on the student’s self-service banner account.
Student Financial Services
Drake State believes that every qualified student with the desire to attend the institution should have the opportunity to do so. Financial aid is available from various sources, such as the Federal Pell Grant Program and the Alabama State Grant Program. Thus, financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, and work-study is available to students who meet the criteria for such aid.
Application Procedures
In order to determine eligibility for federal financial aid programs, the student should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form may be completed online at the U. S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa). The student should list Drake State’s school code (005260) in the section requesting the name of the college that he/she plans to attend.
Within one to two weeks after the FAFSA has been filed, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Drake State will also receive an electronic copy if s/he has listed Drake State. The Financial Aid Office at Drake State is responsible for verifying that students meet all of the Department of Education’s eligibility criteria. The student may also be asked to supply documents (tax transcripts from the IRS, wage and income transcripts, verification forms, etc.) to check the accuracy of the information reported in the SAR. If an error is found, the SAR must be returned to the processor for corrections.
Student Eligibility
Policies that govern student eligibility are established by both the U. S. Department of Education and the postsecondary institution. The federal policies are the same regardless of the institution one attends, but the institutional policies may vary.
Students must meet the following eligibility criteria in order to receive federal financial aid:
A. Have financial need;
B. Have a high school diploma or GED;
C. Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program;
D. Be a U. S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen;
E. Have a social security number;
F. Be making satisfactory academic progress;
The amount of financial aid a student is eligible to receive is based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the U. S. Department of Education, the cost of attendance at Drake State, the student’s enrollment status, whether the student is enrolled in a certificate or associate degree program and other information provided by the student