Your term
Your term dates are on the academic calendar. Count a break only if it’s 5 days or longer (like spring break).
Your federal aid this term
Use what was paid (or could have been paid) for this term only. It’s in your aid portal or on your award letter.
Scholarships, state grants and work-study don’t count here. Your school’s own refund policy is separate; ask about it too.
Put in the first and last day of your term to see your numbers.
Before you sign anything, ask these.
- “Can I take an Incomplete instead?” Ask each professor. You finish the work later and keep the credit you’ve built.
- “Can I drop one class instead of all of them?” Going part-time can keep you enrolled. Ask financial aid how it changes your aid first.
- “Is there a medical or hardship withdrawal?” Many schools have one for illness, a death in the family or an emergency, and it can protect your grades and your aid record.
- “What happens to my financial aid next term?” Withdrawing can affect Satisfactory Academic Progress. Ask how, and whether you can appeal.
- “Is there an emergency grant?” If money is the reason, many schools have emergency or completion grants. EFF does too.