Refund Policy

CHANGE IN STUDENT STATUS

For tuition purposes, the permanent status of a student is ordinarily determined at the time of the student’s admission to the Law School. Students seeking to change their status from full-time to part-time or part-time to full-time, or to enroll in fewer than seven credit hours in the part-time division, must first apply for and receive permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean may require the student to submit additional information and/or to receive financial aid counseling, academic counseling or other counseling. The approval or disapproval of an application for change of status is committed to the sound discretion of the Associate Dean who may allow, deny, or defer a change of status application.

• Full-time to Part-time:  When a full-time student elects to take a reduced course load in a given semester, this does not alter the student’s tuition status and, therefore, does not obviate the student’s obligation to pay full-time tuition. To pay part-time tuition, students must apply for and receive permission from the Associate Dean to change to part-time status.
• Part-time to Full-time: Part-time students are enrolled in nine credit hours per semester for their first two semesters and in 12 credit hours for subsequent semesters. Starting with the spring semester 2024, part-time students will be enrolled in 12 credits hours. After the end of 2 semesters of enrollment and at least 18 credit hours of first-year courses, part-time students are eligible to apply to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for a change to full-time tuition status. 
• Taking Fewer than 7 Credit Hours in a Fall, Spring, or Required Summer Standard Semester: Any student in the part-time division who wishes to enroll in fewer than 7 credit hours division in a fall, spring or required summer standard semester must obtain the written approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Approval will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

1. During the fall and spring semesters, the Charleston School of Law will provide to students who withdraw from the Law School a pro rata refund consistent with regulation 62-18 of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, but in no event less than:

Before fall, spring semester or summer standard semester begins – 100%

• On calendar days 1-7 of semester = 80%
• On calendar days 8-14 of semester = 60%
• On calendar days 15-21 of semester = 40%
• On calendar days 22-28 of semester = 20%
• On and after calendar day 29 of semester = 0%

2. The following policies relate to students who completely withdraw from all summer sessions during expected summer enrollment:

Before Maymester or summer session begins – 100%
For Maymester session:

• On calendar day 1 = 100%
• On calendar day 2 = 80%
• On calendar day 3 = 60%
• On calendar day 4 = 40%
• On calendar day 5 or later = 0%

For summer session:

• Before or During Add/Drop = 100%
• On calendar day 1 after Add/Drop = 80%
• On calendar day 2 or 3 after Add/Drop = 60%
• On calendar day 4 or 5 after Add/Drop = 40%
• On calendar day 6 or after Add/Drop = 0%

3. Tuition is refundable, consistent with above, if notice of withdrawal is made in writing to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs by submitting the appropriate form, located on the Law School’s website, or from the Office of the Registrar. Please note that the last date of attendance dictates tuition adjustments and/or refunds, financial aid and veteran benefits eligibility, Return of Title IV funds calculation and all federal institutional reporting. The date of receipt of the withdrawal form will determine the amount of tuition refunded. Students who do not formally withdraw and do not sit for examinations will receive a grade of “F” in each course.

ADMINISTRATIVE FEE

Students who have not attended class and failed to formally withdraw will be subject to a $100 administrative fee.

RETURN OF TITLE IV FUNDS

A Return of Title IV Funds Calculation is performed for all students who have federal loans when they do not complete a grading period which they have started. The Return of Title IV Funds Policy only applies if the student completely terminates enrollment (i.e., cancels his/her registration, withdraws, or is dismissed) or stops attending classes before completing more than 60 percent of the enrollment period. If a student withdraws (voluntarily or involuntarily) after completing 60 percent or longer of the grading period, then no adjustments will be made to the student’s federal loans. The Return of Title IV Funds Policy applies to federal student financial aid programs. The Office of Financial Aid will calculate the amount of a refund of fees for students who withdraw. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific details or more information.

The amount of Title IV aid that a student must repay is determined via the Federal Formula for Return of Title IV Funds, as specified in Section 484B of the Higher Education Act. This law also specifies the order of return of the Title IV funds to the program from which they were awarded. The amount of Title IV aid earned is determined by multiplying the total Title IV aid (other than Federal Work Study) for which the student is qualified by the percentage of time during the term that the student was enrolled. A repayment may be required when aid has been credited to a student’s account from financial aid funds in excess of the amount of aid the student earned during the term. If less aid was disbursed than was earned, the student may receive a late disbursement for the difference. If more aid was disbursed than was earned, the amount of Title IV aid that must be returned (i.e., that was unearned) is determined by subtracting the earned amount from the amount actually disbursed.

The Charleston School of Law will distribute the unearned aid back to the Title IV programs as specified by law. The student will be billed for the amount the student owes to the Title IV programs and any amount due to the Charleston School of Law resulting from the return of Title IV funds used to cover charges.

The Return of Title IV Funds Policy is a federal policy and has no bearing on the Charleston School of Law’s Cancellation & Refund Policy.