Dropping or Withdrawing and Financial Aid

Federal financial aid is awarded based upon the dates and duration of your enrollment each semester. You "earn" the financial aid you have been awarded as you attend class during your scheduled enrollment period(s). If you have been awarded financial aid and begin attendance, but then change your enrollment and fail to attend class for the time period(s) originally specified, the University of Maryland Global Campus Office of Financial Aid is required to recalculate the financial aid award(s) you are eligible for based upon your adjusted enrollment. The calculation determines the percentage of the original award that was earned during the period you actually attended.

Changes to your enrollment include: dropping, withdrawing, failure to participate in classes, and receiving an FN grade. It's also important to note that disenrollment or class cancellations can also result in a change in your financial aid eligibility.

Return of Title IV (R2T4)

A Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation will occur when you make changes to your enrollment before completing more than 60 percent of your scheduled period of enrollment. An R2T4 calculation can also occur if you are disenrolled from your last class in a semester or if that class is cancelled. When you withdraw from UMGC before completing over 60 percent of your scheduled enrollment in any semester, UMGC must determine if you are considered withdrawn from the payment period. If withdrawn, UMGC must return a portion of the Title IV financial aid grant and/or loan funds you received to the respective federal financial aid program/s. The result is an immediate balance owed to UMGC.

UMGC will complete the R2T4 calculation and notify you within 30 days of the date that UMGC determined you withdrew, dropped, or stopped participating in a course. If you certify your intent to return at a later date during the same semester when you withdraw or drop, you will not require a calculation unless you do not return as indicated.

Period of Enrollment

Each student at UMGC has a specific enrollment period unique to their class registration. Because UMGC's classes are designed as modules within a term as opposed to standard semester-long classes, your period of enrollment is dependent upon your personal registration history.

Examples of Periods of Enrollment

Student A registers for two classes during the summer semester. The first class occurs during Online Session 1 (May 19 – July 13); the second class occurs during Online Session 2 (June 16 – August 10). This student's period of enrollment spans from May 19 through August 10 or the start of his Online Session 1 classes until the end of his Online Session 2 class as displayed below by this chart.

Note: Breaks of five or more days between sessions are excluded from the period of enrollment when the 60 percent date is determined.

Student B registers for three classes during the summer semester. The first class occurs during Online Session 1 (May 19 – July 13), the second class occurs during 4-week session 2 (June 16 - July 13), and the third class occurs during Online Session 2 (June 16 – August 10). This student's period of enrollment spans from May 19 through August 10, or the start of her Online Session 1 class until the end of her Online Session 2 class.

Determining Your Enrollment Period

As mentioned above, students at UMGC have individualized enrollment periods due to the numerous session enrollment options available. If you need help predicting your enrollment period, please follow these instructions.

1. Go to your Class Schedule in MyUMGC.

2. Your Class Schedule displays your session dates.

60% Completion Dates

The Office of Financial Aid provides a chart of 60 percent enrollment participation dates for various class start times throughout the semester. These tables should be used as a guide to help you identify 60 percent completion dates for common enrollment scenarios. Contact the Office of Financial Aid if you need help identifying a 60 percent completion date for an unlisted enrollment scenario or if you need further information to determine whether dropping or withdrawing from courses will have R2T4 implications.

Please click on the applicable semester to review the 60 percent enrollment patterns:

• Fall 2021

  • Undergraduate

    Session Scenario	Start Date	End Date	60% Completion Date
    UG Online & On-site Session 1 (8 week)	8/18/2021	10/12/2021	9/20/2021
    UG Online Sessions 1 & 2	8/18/2021	11/16/2021	10/11/2021
    UG Online Sessions 1 & 2 & 3	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/28/2021
    UG Online Sessions 1 & 3	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/31/2021
    UG Online Sessions 1 & 4 Week Session 3 (7 day break)	8/18/2021	11/16/2021	10/7/2021
    UG Online Sessions 1 & 2 & 4 Week Session 3	8/18/2021	11/16/2021	10/11/2021
    UG Online Session 2 (8 week)	9/22/2021	11/16/2021	10/25/2021
    UG Online Session 2 & 3	9/22/2021	12/14/2021	11/11/2021
    UG Online Sessions 2 & 4 Week Session 3	9/22/2021	11/16/2021	10/25/2021
    UG Online Session 3 (8 week)	10/20/2021	12/14/2021	11/22/2021
    4 Week Session 1	8/18/2021	9/14/2021	9/3/2021
    4 Week Session 1 & 4 WS 2 (7 day break)	8/18/2021	10/19/2021	9/27/2021
    4 Week Session 1 & 4 WS 2 & 4 WS 3 (7 day break	8/18/2021	11/16/2021	10/14/2021
    4 Week Session 1 & 4 WS 3 (35 day break)	8/18/2021	11/16/2021	10/25/2021
    4 Week Session 1 & OL 3 (35 day break)	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	11/11/2021
    4 Week Session 2	9/22/2021	10/19/2021	10/8/2021
    4 Week Session 2 & 4 WS 3	9/22/2021	11/16/2021	10/25/2021
    4 Week Session 2 & OL 3	9/22/2021	12/14/2021	11/11/2021
    4 Week Session 3	10/20/2021	11/16/2021	11/5/2021
    Asia On-Site Session 1	8/18/2021	10/12/2021	9/20/2021
    Asia On-Site Session 1 & 2 (7 day break)	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/31/2021
    Asia On-Site Session 2	10/20/2021	12/14/2021	11/22/2021
    Asia Online Session 1	8/18/2021	10/12/2021	9/20/2021
    Asia Online Session 2	9/22/2021	11/16/2021	10/25/2021
    Asia Online Session 3	10/20/2021	12/14/2021	11/22/2021
    Asia Online Session 1 & 2	8/18/2021	11/16/2021	10/11/2021
    Asia Online Session 2 & 3	9/22/2021	12/14/2021	11/11/2021
    Asia Online Session 1 &  3 (7 day break)	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/31/2021
    Europe On-site  Session 1	8/18/2021	10/12/2021	9/20/2021
    Europe On-site Session 1 & 2 (7 day break )	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/31/2021
    Europe On-site  Session 2	10/20/2021	12/14/2021	11/22/2021
    Europe Online Session 1	8/18/2021	10/14/2021	9/21/2021
    Europe Online  Session 2	9/22/2021	11/19/2021	10/27/2021
    Europe Online  Session 3	10/20/2021	12/16/2021	11/23/2021
    Europe  Online Session 2 & 3	9/22/2021	12/16/2021	11/12/2021
    Europe  Online Session 1 & 3 (5 day break)	8/18/2021	12/16/2021	10/31/2021
    Europe Seminar 1	8/18/2021	9/21/2021	9/8/2021
    Europe Seminar 1 and 2	8/18/2021	10/26/2021	9/29/2021
    Europe Seminar 1, 2 and 3	8/18/2021	11/23/2021	10/15/2021
    Europe Seminar 2	9/22/2021	10/26/2021	10/13/2021
    Europe Seminar 2 and 3	9/22/2021	11/23/2021	10/29/2021
    Europe Seminar 3	10/20/2021	11/23/2021	11/10/2021

  • Graduate

    Session Scenario	Start Date	End Date	60% Completion Date
    Graduate Online Session 1	8/18/2021	11/9/2021	10/7/2021
    Graduate Online Session 1 & 2	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/28/2021
    Cross Career Enrollment 1	8/18/2021	11/9/2021	10/7/2021
    Graduate Online Session 2	9/22/2021	12/14/2021	11/11/2021
    FTS: UCSP 635 and 636	8/18/2021	10/12/2021	9/20/2021
    UCSP 615, 620, 630: GU1	8/18/2021	9/21/2021	9/8/2021
    GU1 and GU2	8/18/2021	10/26/2021	9/29/2021
    GU1, GU2, and GU3	8/18/2021	11/23/2021	10/15/2021
    UCSP 605 and 615: GU2	9/22/2021	10/26/2021	10/13/2021
    GU2 and GU3	9/22/2021	11/23/2021	10/29/2021
    UCSP 615, 620, 630: GU3	10/20/2020	11/23/2021	6/17/2021
    ASC 601, 603, 605, 609: Session 1	10/6/2021	11/9/2021	10/27/2021
    Session 1 and Session 2	10/6/2021	12/21/2021	11/24/2021
    ASC 601, 603, 605, 611: Session 2	11/17/2021	12/21/2021	12/8/2021
    Doctoral Program (DBA)	10/6/2021	12/21/2021	11/21/2021
    DMCC Courses	9/8/2021	12/7/2021	11/1/2021
    Hybrid Standard Session	8/18/2021	11/9/2021	10/7/2021
    MBA	10/6/2021	12/21/2021	11/21/2021
    Dual MBA	8/18/2021	11/9/2021	10/7/2021
    Europe Graduate On-Site  Session 1	8/18/2021	10/12/2021	9/20/2021
    Europe Graduate On-Site Session 1 & 2	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/28/2021
    Europe Graduate On-Site Session 2	10/20/2021	12/14/2021	11/22/2021
    Europe Online /On-site Session 1 (11 week)	10/6/2021	12/21/2021	11/21/2021
    Europe Online Session 2 (12 week)	9/22/2021	12/14/2021	11/11/2021
    Europe Graduate Online Session 1 & 2	8/18/2021	12/14/2021	10/28/2021
    ASIA Onsite/Online 11 Week	10/6/2021	12/21/2021	11/21/2021

Example of How Changes in Your Enrollment Period Affect Your Financial Aid Eligibility

Example: Student A from the example above has decided to drop his third class of the semester. He drops this class on October 16 before it starts.

Student A was originally scheduled to attend UMGC from August 19 until December 15, for a total of 119 days. Since the student has a seven-day consecutive break, we must subtract seven days from this total (all scheduled breaks greater than five days must be subtracted from the enrollment period per Federal regulations), making his total enrollment period for this semester 112 days. Upon dropping his Online Session 4 class, the student changed his period of enrollment and thus only completed 56 days (August 19 – October 13). Therefore, he completed 56 days of his scheduled enrollment of 112 days, or 50 percent of his period of enrollment. Student A did not complete his Period of Enrollment. He earned 50 percent of his term financial aid, and 50 percent must be returned. Therefore, an R2T4 calculation will be completed.

Changes in Enrollment and Pell Grant

 Not all enrollment changes will result in an R2T4 calculation, but any change in your enrollment can affect your eligibility for a Pell Grant. By dropping or withdrawing from a class, you are changing your enrollment status. Even though you may have completed more than 60 percent of your enrollment period, your enrollment status has changed and therefore, your Pell Grant will adjust to match your new enrollment status.

Example: Student C is enrolled in two Online Session 1 (April 19 – June 15) classes and two Online Session 2 (June 16 – August 10) classes. Therefore, his period of enrollment spans from April 19 through August 10. He withdraws from one of his Online Session 2 classes on July 15. Since this student is not withdrawing from both of his last classes for the semester, his enrollment period is not changing, so he will not trigger an R2T4 to determine if he met more than 60 percent of his enrollment period. However, he will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid to determine if this change in enrollment affects his financial aid. Since Student C is a Pell Grant recipient, the Office of Financial Aid will adjust his Pell Grant to reflect his new 9-credit or three-quarter time enrollment.

In the above scenario, Student C's Pell Grant would have also reduced to match his active 9-credit enrollment if he had received an FN instead of a W in one if their Online Session 2 classes.