Tuition Refund Policy

Tuition and Financial Aid

Learners who completely withdraw from Capella University will have a percentage of tuition and fees refunded in accordance with federal and state regulations. Learners who receive financial aid will have their unearned monies returned to the appropriate funding agency. The amount of the refund is in direct correlation to the learner's approved date of withdrawal as determined by the Registrar's Office.

Capella University's Refund Schedule

Refund schedules stated below do not apply to Florida, Georgia, and Wisconsin residents.

Doctoral Learners

PhD learners in business, education, or human services who drop all of their courses will be refunded based on the day the last course was dropped.

Refund Procedure for Financial Aid Recipients

Financial aid recipients who completely withdraw from a term or stop attending prior to the 60% point of that term are subject to the federal return of Title IV fund rules for any federal aid not earned and the MHESO refund calculation for the SELF Loan program. Examples of both calculations are available in the financial aid office at the student's request. The student may also be eligible for a refund of a portion of the tuition and fees paid to Capella University for the quarter, according to the Capella University refund policy. If the student received financial aid, then a portion of the refund will be returned to the grant or loan program from which it was received and the student may owe Capella University for a portion of the tuition and fees. If a student will be withdrawing completely from a term, he or she must do so according to Capella University withdrawal policies.

The federal formula requires a return of Title IV aid if the student received federal financial aid and withdrew on or before completing 60% of the semester. The percentage of Title IV aid to be returned (that which is unearned) is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the quarter divided by the number of calendar days in the quarter. Scheduled breaks of more than four consecutive days are excluded.

The responsibility to repay unearned aid is shared by the institution and the student in proportion to the aid each is assumed to possess. The institution's share is allocated among the Title IV programs, before the student's share, in the following order: Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, PLUS Loan, and Federal Pell Grant. Any remaining unearned aid is the responsibility of the student, must be collected from the student, and then allocated among the Title IV programs in the order indicated above.

Capella University will calculate and return its share of unearned Title IV funds no later than 30 days after it determines that the student withdrew or stopped attending. Students return their share of unearned aid attributable to a loan under the terms and conditions of the promissory note signed with the lender. Capella University may allow the student to repay unearned aid attributable to a grant under a payment arrangement satisfactory to Capella University.

Capella University's Refund Policy exists for calculating the refund of institutional charges. The federal "Return of Title IV Funds" formula dictates the amount of federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student.

Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Wisconsin residents

Regulations in the states of Florida, Georgia, and Wisconsin require Capella University to apply a separate refund policy to learners from these states. Refund credits will be processed in two steps. Each may be reflected on separate days and/or separate monthly statements. Capella's refund will be recorded first, and the state's refund (if applicable) will be recorded as a second line item. All refunds will be applied within 40 days of the withdrawal date.