Tuition Refunds

If a student's payments exceed the debt on the account, the system reflects that overpayment as a credit balance.  The business office runs refunds for such accounts monthly.  Refunds are not generated for a current term until the census date of that term.

Students shall be eligible for a refund for those credit hours dropped during the add/drop period for the session. The refund will be at the full credit rate. After the add/drop period has passed, there will be no refunds except as provided below in extenuating circumstances. This deadline should not be confused with the last day to withdraw without academic penalty. For the standard semester, the last day to drop with refund is published in the college calendar. Refunds are issued to the registrant only. In order to be eligible for refund under any of the circumstances set forth in the foregoing paragraph, a student must execute an official drop form at the college or drop classes on the internet using the VCCS Student Information System (SIS) by refund dates published by academic term.  Full refunds will be made when a course is canceled by the college.

Official withdrawal for a student shall become effective on the date that written notification is received by the Office of Admissions and Records or the date the student drops the course(s) online using the VCCS SIS.  The official withdrawal date is not the date of the last class attended unless the two dates coincide. Requests for course withdrawals should be presented in person or by the student’s authorized representative whenever possible.  Students, not the college, are responsible for making contact with instructors except in extreme circumstances.  

All services shall be withheld from a student who owes money to the college or the college bookstore for any reason or who has books or materials outstanding from the college.

The college is authorized to issue a tuition refund based only on the following:  (1) administrative error, (2) documented extenuating circumstances (e.g., major medical emergency, extreme financial hardship, death of an immediate family member, etc.), or (3) a national emergency or mobilization declared by the President of the United States and in accordance with Section 23-9.6.2 of the Code of Virginia.   If a tuition refund is required as a result of actions of the college, the student may be granted a tuition refund notwithstanding earlier provisions of the section.  In addition, if a tuition refund is required due to a highly unusual emergency or extenuating circumstance, any such refund shall be approved in writing by the Vice-President of Academic and Workforce Programs or his/her designee.

If you have questions about the refund policy, contact the Business Office. Students receiving any type of federal financial aid should also see the Title IV Refund Policy in the Financial Aid section of this catalog

Students who paid using a debit/credit card will receive their refund back to the card used to make the payment.

Students who paid with financial aid funds, payment plan by ACH, check, or cash will receive their refund by check through the mail or direct deposit (if that option has been chosen).

SVCC has contracted with Nelnet to process refunds through direct deposit. To sign up for direct deposit, visit your SIS Student portal and click Manage Refunds.  If it is your first time logging in, you will need to set up your profile with Nelnet. Once into the Nelnet site, click on “Manage Refunds” to set up direct deposit and enter in your bank information.

According to VCCS policy 4.3.2.3 (a), should a student be ordered to active duty (for reservists) or be mobilized (active military) as described in the Code of Virginia, Section 23-9.6:2, and he/she requests to be withdrawn from the college after the census date, the student may elect either to be deleted from the registration file and be awarded a full refund or to be administratively withdrawn with no refund and assigned a grade of "W". The college shall provide, at the option of the student, for such refunds to be retained and to be applicable to tuition and fees charged in the semester or term in which the student returns to study.
Military students requesting to be deleted from file or administratively withdrawn after the final drop date must contact the Admissions and Records Office (A & R) for the proper procedures and paperwork that must be submitted. The tuition refund/debt removal request process is outlined below.
Military students wishing to be deleted or administratively withdrawn after the final refund date must complete the delete/withdrawal process.

• The military student goes to the A&R Office or nearest SVCC location to complete the add/drop form indicating preference for delete or withdrawal, and provides a copy of military orders requiring the change in enrollment.
• Military students with financial aid will be required to communicate with a financial aid representative to discuss implications.  Military students with veteran's benefits will be required to communicate with the Veterans Affairs representative to discuss implications.  The financial aid representative and Veteran's Affairs representative will initial the add/drop form to verify that those funds were not used for tuition payment.

The A & R office verifies that appropriate documentation and signatures are in place before processing the delete or withdrawal.  If a refund is involved, the documentation will be sent to the business office for processing.