Tuition Refund

Students who take a leave of absence or officially withdraw through the Dean of Students’ Office (or through the MALS office for graduate students) may be eligible to receive a refund of tuition and certain fees. 

• New students‬‭ in the first semester of their‬ first year at Reed College are not eligible for a leave of absence during the first‬‭ two weeks of the semester. Such students must officially defer their admission‬ ‭through the admission office and may be responsible for some tuition and fees.‬
• If you are taking a leave for medical reasons and did not waive the tuition insurance, you may be eligible for a benefit under the tuition insurance plan.
• No refund shall be made to students who have been suspended or dismissed from the college.
• Failure to initiate and/or complete the institutional leave, withdrawal, or deferral process will result in zero tuition refund. Visit the leaves and withdrawals webpage for more information about the process.

The refund policy applies to all undergraduate and graduate students who withdraw, take a regular leave of absence, or take a medical leave of absence, whether or not they have federal Title IV financial aid. 

Approved Leave, Withdrawal, or Deferral and Tuition Insurance

• Tuition, room, and board base is refunded based on the refund schedule below and the effective date as determined by the college. (The effective date is the date the leave, withdrawal, or deferral is initiated in IRIS, as long as students complete the process within five business days. In cases where an emergency absence is converted to a withdrawal or leave, the effective date will be the start date of the emergency absence.)
• Unused board points will be refunded.
• The student body fee is non-refundable.
• If you did not waive the health insurance:
  • If you have not attended at least 30 days of a semester, the premium will be refunded and the coverage canceled for the entire coverage period. 
  • If you have attended at least 30 days of a semester, the premium will not be refunded and you will continue to be covered for the term. 
  • Note regarding spring semester: If you were covered by Reed health insurance in the fall and are on a medical leave of absence the following spring semester, you have the option to purchase Reed health insurance coverage for spring. You must submit your request to purchase the spring insurance by email to the business office before January 31.
• Tuition insurance not waived will be refunded if the leave is effective before the third week of classes.
• Financial aid recipients earn their aid as the semester progresses. When a federal aid recipient takes a leave of absence, withdraws, or defers admission, a pro rata schedule is used to determine the federal aid funds the student has earned at the time of separation.
• Non-federal financial aid, including but not limited to Reed grants, state grants, and private loans, will be refunded according to the refund schedule below.
• Outside scholarships will be refunded according to instructions received from the issuing agency, if provided.
• Students who do not earn any credits and do not take a leave of absence or withdraw will have their Title IV aid re-calculated from the mid-point of the semester, or the last date of an academically related activity verified by Reed even though they would not qualify for a tuition refund.

No deviations from the refund schedule will be made except in extreme cases, as determined by the college.

Refund Schedule for Leaves of Absence, Withdrawals, and Deferrals

The leave/withdrawal/deferral effective date determines the refund %.

*Review the full Federal Financial Aid Refund Policy.

**Fall/spring break does not count as a week in the schedule above.