Tuition Refunds

Direct Deposit is the fastest and most secure way for students to receive their refunds. By electing this option, students' refunds will be directly deposited into their U.S. checking account.  Direct Deposit forms can be completed online through the Direct Deposit Portal. If the student selects direct deposit, all future refunds will direct deposited to the student account.  If the student changes her bank account, the student must notify our office immediately 

If a student has not signed up for direct deposit, a check will be mailed to their campus mailbox.  Credit balances resulting from a Parent Plus Loan will be issued as a check to the Plus Loan borrower.

Payments made through Flywire or Convera will be refunded through Flywire or Convera by the original payment method/currency.

A credit balance resulting from grant aid or a Federal Direct Stafford Loan is automatically generated and issued to the student. If your account is paid in full or in part by a Parent Plus Loan and it creates a credit balance, the refund check is issued to the borrower of the loan up to the amount of the PLUS Loan disbursement.

Federal regulations require that any excess PLUS Loan funds be issued or refunded to the PLUS Loan borrower. However, the PLUS Loan borrower may submit a written authorization to transfer the credit of the PLUS Loan to the student. Written authorizations may be sent to the Office of the Bursar (via email at bursar@barnard.edu or via fax (212) 853-7433).  An email is not a valid authorization.  The authorizations are valid for one semester.

Students and families who have a credit balance as a result of the Monthly Payment Plan will not receive a refund until all monthly payments have been paid.  However, the payer may reduce their plan through the Bursar Student Account Center.  

A student incurs a legal obligation to pay tuition, fees, room, and board by registering for classes or completing a housing or meal plan application. Barnard's refund policy for withdrawals is as follows:

• Withdrawal Before Semester Start: If a student withdraws before the start of the semester and incurs no charges, any semester payments will be refunded. First-years and Transfers who withdraw before the start of the term forfeit their nonrefundable tuition deposit. If the first-year or Transfer student has incurred any charges, the deposit is applied to those charges.
• Withdrawal During the Semester: If a student withdraws during the semester, the charges will be prorated (see Refund Formula below) if the student has been enrolled for less than or equal to 60% of the term, and she completes the necessary forms with the Offices of the Dean of Studies (tuition and fees), Residential Life and Housing (complete the Housing Cancellation Form). If a student has been enrolled for more than 60% of the term, the student is not eligible for a reduction in charges.  Depending on the official cancellation date, withdrawal from housing may incur additional penalties; students should consult their housing contract and the Residential Life and Housing Office policies. Please note that for the refund formula (noted below), the semester definition is inclusive of both parts A and B.
• Refund Formula: The refund formula measures the actual number of days enrolled during the semester. It is determined by dividing the number of days enrolled by the number of calendar days in the semester (including weekends and holidays and excluding spring break) and then deducting that calculation from 100%. For example, if there are 106 calendar days in a semester, and a student withdraws on the 50th day of the semester, her charges and financial aid will be prorated to reflect that she’s been enrolled for 52.8% of the semester [i.e., 1 minus (50 divided by 106)].
• Recipients of Federal Title IV Funds: If a student is a recipient of Federal Title IV financial aid, refunds to those programs are required by federal regulation to be the first priority and must be returned in the following order: Federal PLUS, LoanUnsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Pell Grant, and Federal SEOG. A student is not eligible for a refund until all Federal Title IV programs and other scholarships are reimbursed as required and all outstanding balances with the College have been cleared. To request a refund, please submit a Student Refund Request Form. 

Fees Not Eligible for Refund

The following items are not subject to the refund policy:

• Orientation fees
• Late fees (late payment, late registration, late enrollment verification, etc.)
• Deferred payment fees
• Returned check fees
• Dormitory fines
• Finance charges

To protect your financial investment against the student's serious illness or accident resulting in the student's withdrawal before a semester is completed, consider Tuition Insurance through GradGuard. The Tuition Insurance is a private insurance program that supplements Barnard's refund policy up to $40,000.  Subscribers are assured a refund throughout the term, even though Barnard's refund policy may have expired at withdrawal time.  A refund applies to covered charges for medical withdrawals. For more information on this optional program, visit the Grad Guard website.