Repayment If You Withdraw – Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4)

Federal financial aid is awarded with the expectation that you will attend your classes for the entire period for which the aid was awarded.

If you completely withdraw, stop attending all of your classes, or otherwise cease attendance before completing your scheduled enrollment period, Ventura College may be required to determine how much of your federal financial aid you earned. This process is called Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4).

Thinking about withdrawing from all of your classes? Contact the Ventura College Financial Aid Office before you withdraw. A complete withdrawal may result in a reduction of your financial aid and could create a balance that you are responsible for repaying.

How Does R2T4 Work?

Federal financial aid is earned based on the portion of your scheduled enrollment period that you complete.

• If you complete 60% or less of your scheduled enrollment period, the amount of federal financial aid you earned is generally based on the percentage of the period you completed.
• If you complete more than 60% of your scheduled enrollment period, you generally earn 100% of your federal financial aid for R2T4 purposes.

If you received more federal financial aid than you earned, Ventura College may be required to return a portion of those funds. This may result in a balance owed to Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD).

The R2T4 calculation is separate from VCCCD's refund policy. Receiving a refund of enrollment fees does not necessarily mean that you will not owe a financial aid repayment.

Are There Exceptions to the R2T4 Calculation?

Yes. Federal regulations provide certain withdrawal exemptions that may mean an R2T4 calculation is not required.

Depending on your enrollment and circumstances, an exemption may apply if you:

• Complete all requirements for graduation before completing the entire enrollment period;
• Successfully complete certain coursework in a term that includes classes offered in modules or shorter sessions; or
• Meet another applicable federal withdrawal exemption.

The Ventura College Financial Aid Office will review your enrollment and attendance to determine whether a withdrawal exemption applies.

What If I Stop Attending Without Officially Withdrawing?

If you stop attending all of your classes without officially withdrawing, you may be considered an unofficial withdrawal.

Ventura College may be required to determine your withdrawal date using attendance or academic participation information and complete an R2T4 calculation.

Simply not attending class does not cancel your enrollment or eliminate your financial obligations.

What Financial Aid Is Included in R2T4?

The R2T4 calculation applies to federal Title IV financial aid.

Federal aid that may be included in an R2T4 calculation includes:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loans
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
• Federal Direct PLUS Loans
• Other applicable federal Title IV aid

Funds are returned in the order required by federal regulations.

State and institutional financial aid, such as Cal Grants, are not included in the federal R2T4 calculation. However, withdrawing or changing your enrollment may separately affect your eligibility for state, institutional, or other financial aid.

What Is a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement?

In some cases, you may have earned federal financial aid that had not yet been disbursed before you withdrew. This is called a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement (PWD).

If you are eligible for a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement, Ventura College will determine the amount you are eligible to receive and notify you when required.

Special rules and response deadlines apply to Post-Withdrawal Disbursements involving Federal Direct Loan funds.

Could I Owe Money After I Withdraw?

Yes. Withdrawing may result in a balance owed to VCCCD.

This can happen when Ventura College is required to return federal financial aid that was previously used to pay charges on your student account.

Depending on your circumstances, you could also owe a federal grant overpayment.

Do not assume that withdrawing from your classes automatically cancels your financial aid or your student account balance.

What Happens If I Owe a Balance to VCCCD?

If VCCCD returns federal financial aid on your behalf, the resulting balance may be added to your student account and you are responsible for repaying it.

An unpaid balance may affect your ability to register for future classes and may be subject to applicable VCCCD collection procedures.

Can VCCCD Withhold My Transcript or Diploma Because of a Balance?

California law generally prohibits institutions from withholding a student's transcript because the student owes a debt to the institution.

An unpaid balance may still result in other consequences permitted under applicable law and VCCCD policy, including restrictions on future registration.

What About a Federal Grant Overpayment?

In some circumstances, a withdrawal may result in a federal grant overpayment that you are responsible for resolving.

If you are notified that you owe a federal student aid overpayment, follow the instructions provided by Ventura College. An unresolved federal overpayment may affect your eligibility for future federal student aid.

R2T4 Processing Timeline

Federal regulations establish specific timelines for completing the R2T4 process.

Ventura College must generally:

• Determine the amount of federal aid earned within 30 days of determining that you withdrew; and
• Return any unearned federal funds the College is responsible for returning within 45 days of determining that you withdrew.

Additional timelines apply to Post-Withdrawal Disbursements and student notifications.

Before You Withdraw

Withdrawing from all of your classes may affect your current and future financial aid eligibility and may result in a balance owed to VCCCD.

Before withdrawing, we strongly encourage you to:

• Contact the Ventura College Financial Aid Office to understand how withdrawing may affect your financial aid;
• Speak with an academic counselor about your enrollment and academic options;
• Review applicable withdrawal and refund deadlines; and
• Continue participating in your courses until you officially withdraw.

If you have already stopped attending, contact the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.

How Can Withdrawing Affect Future Financial Aid?

Withdrawing from courses may also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) because withdrawals may count as attempted units that were not successfully completed.

SAP is separate from the R2T4 calculation. Even if you do not owe a repayment as a result of R2T4, your withdrawals may affect your eligibility for financial aid in a future semester.

Review Ventura College's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for more information.

Questions?

If you are considering withdrawing or have already stopped attending your classes, contact the Ventura College Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.

We can help you understand how your enrollment changes may affect your financial aid before you make a decision.