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Return of Title IV Funds

Students who receive federal Title IV aid assistance and who cease attending classes and do not officially notify  the institution (unofficially withdraw) or officially withdraw from classes at CWC will be subject to Return of Title  IV. Students in either scenario will have a Return to Title IV calculation performed on their account per federal  regulations 34 CFR 668.22. This calculation determines the portions of earned and unearned aid based on  period of attendance. Based on this calculation the student may be required to repay a portion or all of the  federal aid they have received. Students earn a percentage of aid each day of the period enrolled, beginning  on the first day of the period. When a student withdraws the date of that withdrawal or last date of attendance,  whichever is more accurate, is used to then determine the number of days attended. The number of days  attended are then divided by the total number of days in that period. This calculation results in the percentage  of aid earned. If the day the student ceases to attend classes or officially withdraw occurs after the student has  completed at least 60 percent of the period of enrollment, the student is entitled to retain 100 percent of their  grant or loan assistance awarded for the period of enrollment. 

 

Steps to calculate Return of Title IV Funds:

  1. Determine percentage of the enrollment period student completed. 
  2.  Apply same percentage to total awarded Title IV aid = “earned aid” 
  3. Subtract “earned aid” from awarded aid = “unearned aid” 
  4. Distribute responsibility for returning “unearned aid” between CWC and the student. The college is  responsible to return the portion of “unearned aid” equal to the total institutional charges incurred for the  period of enrollment multiplied by the percentage of “unearned aid” awarded for the enrollment period.  The student is responsible to return total “unearned aid” minus the amount the school is responsible to  return. 

Returning Unearned Funds: If it is determined a student has unearned Title IV aid that was disbursed the College will return the unearned portion of funds, up to the net amount disbursed from each source back to the proper Title IV programs.

Title IV aid is returned in the following order: 

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans
• Direct Subsidized Loans 
• Direct Plus Loans (PLUS) 
• TEACH Grants 
• Federal Pell Grants 
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) 

 

Federal Work Study funds are NOT included in the calculation. 

Official Withdrawal: Official withdrawals result when a student formally contacts their student success coach to do a total withdrawal from Central Wyoming College.

The date of determination is based on one of the following:

▪ The date the student begins the withdrawal process OR officially notifies the institution of intent to withdraw

▪ Date on student initiated withdrawal email received by the financial aid office from the Student records office.

Unofficial Withdrawal: Unofficial withdrawals result when a student does not go through the official withdrawal process but, rather ceases attendance without providing notification to their success coach. Central Wyoming College does not require attendance to be taken. The date of withdrawal is determined by the date provided of the last Academic Related Activity.

Under some circumstances, attendance may be taken as required by:

• An outside entity (i.e., accreditor, state) for a particular student or cohort of students; or • Central Wyoming College or an outside entity has a requirement that can only be met by taking attendance or a comparable process to demonstrate attendance in courses of that program or portion of that program.

The unofficial withdrawal date is determined within 30 days after the end of each semester.

Academic Related Activities include physically attending a course where the opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and student such as:

• Submitting an academic assignment,

• Taking an exam

• Attending a study group assigned by the College,

• Participating in an online discussion about academic matters, and

• Contact initiated by the student with a faculty member regarding the subject matter being studied in the course.

Activities not considered Academically Related:

• Living in College housing,

• Participating in the College’s meal plan,

• Participating in academic counseling or advisement,

• Logging into an online course without active participation.

It is also not sufficient for a student enrolled in a distance education course(s), to only login into the course(s) without active participation. The College must demonstrate that a student has participated in an Academic Related activity, in order to be considered in attendance.

Withdrawal Dates when students are enrolled in Modules or Block Courses: If a student is enrolled in at least one module course then they are considered to be a module student. Certain conditions apply when determining a date of withdrawal for a student enrolled in modules or block courses.

  1.  After beginning attendance in the payment period or period of enrollment, did the student cease attendance or fail to begin attendance in a course they were scheduled to attend? If the answer is no, then the student is not considered to have withdrawn. If the answer is yes, then proceed to the next question.
  2. If the student ceased attendance or failed to begin attendance in a course they were scheduled to attend, was the student still attending any other courses? If the answer is yes, then the student has not withdrawn; however other regulatory recalculation provisions may still apply. If the answer is no, continue to the next question.
  3. Did the student submit confirmation that they would attend a module course beginning later in the period? (Attendance in this later course may be no later than 45 calendar days after the end of the module the student ceased attendance.) If the answer is yes, then the student has not withdrawn, unless the student does not return and begin attendance in the confirmed module course. If the student did not submit confirmation of future attendance, it is a withdrawal and a Return to Title IV calculation must be performed and all Return to Title IV requirements apply.

Written confirmation is required to be submitted to the office of Financial Aid in Rustler Central for any student who ceases attendance in a module course but, plans to return to attend a future module course within the payment period or period of enrollment. Students may also reaffirm their intent to attend a future course by registering for a future course at the time of their withdrawal. If a student confirms future enrollment but does not return for the future module course, a Return to Title IV calculation must be completed.

Withdrawing prior to completing 60% of the term: Title IV aid is earned on a per day basis during the period of enrollment. The College must determine through a Return to Title IV calculation that a student has earned 60% or more in the payment period or period of enrollment. If a student has earned up to the 60% point in the payment period or period of enrollment, the student is considered to have earned 100% of the Title IV funds received. All Title IV aid is subject to a return of funds up to the 60% point. After the 60% point has been reached, all aid is considered "earned" and no funds are required to be returned. The College must determine whether a student who has earned 60% or higher is eligible for a post withdrawal disbursement.

Post Withdrawal Disbursement: The amount of a post-withdrawal disbursement is the difference between the amount of Title IV funds already disbursed and the amount of aid earned. Central Wyoming College may not make a post-withdrawal disbursement of any of the following Title IV funds:

• Second or subsequent Direct Loan disbursements to any student who did not graduate or successfully complete the loan period.

• Direct Loan disbursement to a student who is considered a first-time, first year undergraduate who withdraws prior to completing the first 30 days of their program.

• Direct Loan disbursement to a borrower who has not completed Entrance Counseling and signed the loan’s Master Promissory Note.

• Disbursements of any Title IV funds to students for whom Central Wyoming College did not receive a valid Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) prior to the student withdrawing or by the annual deadline published by the U.S. Department of Education in the Federal register.

• Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, or Direct Loan disbursement for a subsequent payment period to a student who withdraws from a non-term credit hour program prior to completing the previous payment period for which the student had been paid. Disbursement will be made up to 30 days from the date of determination of withdrawal.

 

Post-withdrawal notification:

• The College is permitted to credit a student’s account with the post-withdrawal disbursement of  Title IV grant funds without the student’s permission. 
• If the post-withdrawal disbursement is produced from a Direct Student Loan the College is  required to notify a student, or parent for Direct Parent Plus Loan before making any post  withdrawal disbursement of loan funds. 
• Central Wyoming College will notify the student by email or letter sent through the US postal  service, to request confirmation that the student, or parent, for Plus Loans, want to receive the  post-withdrawal payment of loan funds. 
• Notification will be sent within 30 days of the withdrawal date, and the student/parent will be given  14 days to respond. 
• A written response from the student/parent will be required. 
• If no response is received by the deadline established, Central Wyoming College is not required to  make the post-withdrawal disbursement and funds will be returned to the appropriate Title IV  programs. 
• The College is permitted to choose to make a post-withdrawal disbursement when an acceptance  is received after the College’s deadline. If the College chooses not to make the post-withdrawal  disbursement when the acceptance was received after the deadline, the College must notify the  student/parent in writing, that the disbursement will not be made and the reason why. 
• If funds still remain after being applied to the student account, those funds will be disbursed as a  direct disbursement to the student. This disbursement will be made as soon after the credit  balance is determined but, no later than 14 days after the calculation of the Return to Title IV has  been processed. 

 

All loan funds accepted for post-withdrawal disbursement are funds that the student or parent, in the case of a parent Plus loan, will be responsible for paying back when entering repayment

Deadlines:

  1. Within 30 days from the date the College determines the student has withdrawn, Central Wyoming College will offer a post-withdrawal disbursement, if applicable.
  2. Within 45 days from the date the College determines a student has withdrawn, Central Wyoming College will return all unearned funds to the proper program(s). The student will be required to pay the funds to the College.
  3. Students will be given 30 days from the date of notification to make payment in full or contact the Business office to discuss payment options and set up a plan for repayment. Failure to do so may result in the student becoming ineligible for future federal student aid.
  4. Any unpaid balance over $100 on the student account will result in a hold being placed on the student account prohibiting future enrollment, and is subject to the college's collection process.

Notification of Return of Title IV: The student will be sent a letter addressed to their current mailing address on file once the R2T4 calculation has been completed. The letter will indicate the following: percentage of aid earned, amount of aid unearned and to be returned, the current account balance, who to contact to set up an option for repayment, and the ramifications for unpaid balances.

Overpayment Resolution for Overpayments Occurring Prior to Withdrawal:

• For an overpayment made by the College that occurred prior to the student withdrawal, the College must repay the overpayment prior to conducting the R2T4 calculation. The overpayment is not to be included in the calculation.

• For a student liable overpayment that was determined to have occurred prior to the student withdrawing, the overpayment is not to be included in the R2T4 calculation.

o If the student withdraws after the 60% point, the College should attempt to collect the overpayment from the student; if not successful, then the overpayment needs to be reported to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and referred to the U.S. Department of Education Default Resolution Group.

o If the student withdraws prior to the 60% point, the College is permitted to reduce the post withdrawal disbursement by the overpayment, or add the overpayment to the overpayment amount determined by the R2T4 calculation, whichever is applicable.

Special Circumstances: The College will use the date the College was notified that the student could no longer attend (i.e., hospitalization, death, incarceration, etc.) when a student is unable to complete the process of an official withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances.