Financial Aid and Scholarships: Withdrawal
Withdrawing from Mississippi State University can affect your financial aid, scholarships, loans, and university charges. Learn how a withdrawal may affect your financial aid and what you should know before withdrawing.
Before withdrawing, students should review the information below and follow Mississippi State University's official withdrawal procedures.
The information contained on this page is subject to change without notice in order to comply with federal, state, or university requirements.
Withdrawing from Mississippi State University
To officially withdraw from the University, students should complete and submit the Withdrawal Request Form through the Office of the Registrar.
If you are considering withdrawing from a class, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before withdrawing to understand how the change may affect your financial aid.
Withdrawal and Federal Financial Aid
When a federal student aid recipient withdraws, either officially or unofficially, after attending at least the first class day, Mississippi State University must complete a federal required Return of Title IV Funds calculation. This calculation determines how much federal financial aid the student earned based on the amount of the semester the student completed. If the student received more federal aid than they earned, Mississippi State University may be required to return a portion of the aid to the U.S. Department of Education, which may result in a balance owed by the student.
The amount of federal aid a student is eligible to keep depends on how much of the enrollment period the student completed:
- Withdrawal on or before the 60% point: The student earns a percentage of their federal aid based on the portion of the enrollment period completed.
- Withdrawal after the 60% point: The student is considered to have earned 100% of their federal aid for that enrollment period. There would be no return of federal aid. The fall 2026 past-60% date is October 23, 2026.
If federal financial aid must be returned, the amount due from the University and/or the student or parent is charged to the student's Mississippi State University student account and returned to the applicable federal student aid programs. This may result in a balance the student must repay.
The Mississippi State University Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will send a return-of-funds notification to the student's official Mississippi State University email address.
Federal Pell Grant
Students who receive a Federal Pell Grant and withdraw from a class or receive a non-passing grade must have attended the class to keep the Pell Grant.
The Mississippi State University Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships verifies attendance for students who receive a Pell Grant and:
- Withdraw from a course at any point in the semester, or
- Receive a non-passing grade at the end of the semester
Students who receive a Pell Grant should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before withdrawing or if they expect to receive a non-passing grade.
What happens if I never attended class?
If a student never attended a class for which Pell Grant funds were awarded, Mississippi State University will return the Pell Grant funds for that class to the U.S. Department of Education. The student is responsible for any resulting charges on their Mississippi State University student account.
Federal Student Loans
If a student withdraws before the 60% point of the enrollment period, a portion of their federal student loans will be returned. The amount returned is based on the date of the student's withdrawal.
The following federal student loans are subject to reduction when a student withdraws:
- Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan
- Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
- Direct Parent PLUS Loan
- Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
What happens to my spring loan if I withdraw from the fall semester?
If a student withdraws from the fall semester before the last 30 days of the term and their Federal Direct Loan was certified for both the fall and spring semesters, the student must reapply for their spring semester loan.
To reapply, email the Mississippi State University Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and request for your spring loan to be re-offered. A new loan will be certified for the spring-only enrollment period.
Unofficial Withdrawal
Federal financial aid recipients who begin attending classes during a semester and then cease attending or performing academic activities before the end of the semester, without completing an official Withdrawal Form, are considered by the federal government to have unofficially withdrawn.
At the end of each semester, after final grades are posted, the student's instructors will be contacted to document attendance and academic activity for students who may have unofficially withdrawn.
The unofficial withdrawal date and federal return calculation are determined based on the student's attendance and academic activity:
- No attendance or academic activity can be documented: The student is not eligible for the federal aid received and must repay the entire amount of aid disbursed for that semester or term.
- The student attended classes, but the last date of attendance or academic activity is unknown: Mississippi State University will consider the unofficial withdrawal date to be the midpoint of the semester. The federal return calculation will be based on the midpoint date.
- The student attended classes and the last date of attendance or academic activity is known: Mississippi State University will consider the unofficial withdrawal date to be the student's last day of attendance or academic activity. The federal return calculation will be based on that date.
The return of funds may require the student to repay funds to Mississippi State University. A return-of-funds notification will be emailed to the students official Mississippi State University email.
Withdrawal and Non-Federal Funds
Non-federal funds will be returned based on applicable institutional and state policies.
Non-federal funds will be returned if University records show that a financial aid recipient:
- Never attended a class during the semester or term; and/or
- Never participated in an academically related activity during the semester or term.
In these situations, the recipient did not establish eligibility for any aid funds that may have been disbursed for that semester or term.
If a student withdraws with an effective withdrawal date of the first class day, no attendance is assumed, and the student must repay the entire amount of aid disbursed for that semester or term.
A student also did not establish eligibility for aid funds if they drop all classes or void their schedule for a semester or term. The student must repay the entire amount of aid disbursed for that semester or term.
Scholarship adjustments are handled by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before withdrawing for more information about how a withdrawal may affect their scholarships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my financial aid if I withdraw from Mississippi State University?
If you withdraw from Mississippi State University, your federal financial aid may be adjusted based on the date of your withdrawal and the amount of the semester you completed. Mississippi State University must complete a federally required Return of Title IV Funds calculation to determine how much federal financial aid you earned. If you received more aid than you earned, a portion of the aid may be returned, which may result in a balance owed on your student account.
Will I have to repay my financial aid if I withdraw?
You may have to repay a portion of your financial aid if you withdraw before completing 60% of the enrollment period. The amount of aid you are eligible to keep is based on the portion of the semester you completed. If you withdraw after the 60% point, you are considered to have earned 100% of your federal financial aid for that enrollment period, and no federal aid is returned. Pell eligibility, even after 60% point is based on attendance.
What is a return of Title IV Funds calculation?
A Return of Title IV Funds calculation determines how much federal financial aid a student earned based on the portion of the enrollment period the student completed. If a student withdraws after attending at least the first class day and received more federal aid than they earned, Mississippi State University may be required to return a portion of the aid to the U.S. Department of Education.
What is the 60% point for federal financial aid at Mississippi State University?
The 60% point is the point in the enrollment period at which a student is considered to have earned 100% of their federal financial aid. If a student withdraws on or before the 60% point, a portion of their federal aid will be returned based on the withdrawal date. For fall 2026, the past-60% date is October 23, 2026.
What is an unofficial withdraw?
An unofficial withdrawal occurs when a federal student aid recipient begins attending classes but stops attending or participating in academic activities before the end of the semester and does not complete an official Withdrawal Request Form.
How is my unofficial withdrawal date determined?
If no attendance or academic activity can be documented, the student is not eligible for the federal aid received and must repay the entire amount of aid disbursed for the semester or term. If the student attended but the last date of attendance or academic activity is unknown, Mississippi State University uses the midpoint of the semester as the unofficial withdrawal date. If the last date of attendance or academic activity is known, Mississippi State University uses that date as the unofficial withdrawal date.
What happens to my Pell Grant if I withdraw from a class?
Students who receive a Pell Grant and withdraw from a class must have attended the class to keep the Pell Grant funds awarded for that class. MSU verifies attendance for students who withdraw from a course during the semester or receive a non-passing grade at the end of the semester. If a student never attended the class, the Pell Grant funds awarded for that class will be returned to the U.S. Department of Education, and the student is responsible for any resulting charges on their student account.
Do I have to attend a class to keep my Pell Grant?
Yes. Students who receive a Pell Grant must have attended the class to keep the Pell Grant funds awarded for that class. Attendance is verified when a student withdraws from a course or receives a non-passing grade.
What happens to my student loans if I withdraw?
If you withdraw before the 60% point of the enrollment period, a portion of your federal student loans will be returned. The amount returned is based on your withdrawal date. Federal loans subject to reduction include Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Direct Parent PLUS Loans, and Direct Graduate PLUS Loans.
What happens to my spring loan if I withdraw from the fall semester?
If you withdraw from the fall semester before the last 30 days of the term and your Federal Stafford Loan was certified for both the fall and spring semesters, you must reapply for your spring semester loan by emailing the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. A new loan will be certified for the spring semester.
What happens to my scholarships if I withdraw?
Scholarship adjustments are handled by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before withdrawing to understand how a withdrawal may affect their scholarships.
What happens if I never attended a class but received financial aid?
If University records show that you never attended a class or never performed an academically related activity during a semester or term, you did not establish eligibility for aid funds that may have been disbursed for that semester or term. You must repay the entire amount of aid disbursed for that semester or term.
The same applies if you withdraw with an effective withdrawal date of the first class day, drop all classes, or void your schedule for the semester or term.
Should I contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before withdrawing from a class?
Yes. If you are considering withdrawing from a class, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships before withdrawing to understand how the change may affect your financial aid and scholarships.