College of Arts & Sciences

Bethel Refund Policy

When students withdraw from classes or drop out of school in the middle of a term, they may be eligible for a refund. There are two types of refunds: refunds of institutional charges (tuition, room, meal plan, etc.) and refunds of financial aid. A refund of institutional charges credits money to the student's account (decreasing what he or she owes). A refund of financial aid reduces the amount of financial aid available to pay the institutional charges (increasing what he or she owes).

Students planning to withdraw from all classes must notify the Office of Student Life. There they will complete a withdrawal form, a requirement before the enrollment deposit is refunded.

Tuition and Housing Refunds

Refunds for tuition and housing are based on the date of official withdrawal with the Office of Student Life.

Meal Plan Refunds

Students with a meal plan who officially withdraw or are suspended and want to cancel their meal plan should contact the Office of Campus Services (651.638.6431). These students may receive a prorated refund of their meal plan based on either their last date on the meal plan or their withdrawal date, whichever is later.

Financial Aid Refunds

Students who withdraw from all classes during the 100% tuition refund period will receive a full refund of all their financial aid unless they complete a Supplemental Withdrawal Form (available in the Office of Student Life), documenting their attendance at each class. Upon receipt of the Supplemental Withdrawal Form, the federal financial aid refund policy will be calculated. If students receive a full (100%) refund of tuition, they are ineligible for any state, institutional, or private sources of financial aid.

1. Federal (Return of Title IV Funds) Refund Policy.

   Students with federal aid who withdraw (or are expelled) after a term starts, but before completing 60% of the term, may need to return a portion of their federal (Title IV) aid. The percentage of Title IV aid to be returned is equal to the number of days remaining in the term divided by the number of calendar days in the term.  Scheduled breaks of more than four consecutive days are excluded.

2. Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) Financial Aid Refund Policy.

   Bethel is required to use the OHE financial aid refund policy when calculating refunds for Minnesota State Grants and Minnesota SELF loans. After applying Bethel’s “billing refunds” and the “Return of Title IV Funds” refund calculations to the student’s account, a proportionate share of the state aid is refunded using the following formula: “remaining refund” x (MN financial aid funds/all non-Title IV financial aid). Students retain funds earned through the Minnesota State Work Study Program prior to withdrawing from Bethel.

3. Financial Aid Refunds for Institutional and Private Funds

   After calculating the federal and Minnesota financial aid refund policies, institutional and private gift aid is reduced by the same percent as the student’s tuition was reduced.

This is a summary of the Refund Policy.  The complete policy is located in the College of Arts & Sciences Catalog (http://cas.bethel.edu/catalog/admitfa/finstucosts.html#refunds).