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Refund Policies & Processes

Credit balances can result from overpayment of tuition and fees, scholarships, excessive financial aid applied to your student account, or a change in your enrollment.

Lesley’s Student Accounts Office will issue you a refund if the funds we’ve received exceed the charges on your student account. Our refund policies determine if you’re eligible for a refund, show the percentage you can get back, and explain how we process refunds.

General Refund Policies

  • Students must officially withdraw/drop a course, in writing, to qualify for a refund. Non-attendance does not satisfy this requirement and students who do not attend courses and do not withdraw/drop will be charged in full for course tuition and fees.
  • Course fees will not be refunded after the first class meeting.
  • Registration fees are nonrefundable.
  • University policy does not allow retroactive withdrawals or refunds.

Course Withdrawal Refund Policies

The refunded amount depends on the program or course delivery model, the date you formally withdraw from a course or from the university, or the specific program in some cases.

Did you change your enrollment status and create an overpayment on the account? Submit a ticket on the Support Hub to notify us. Make sure we have your correct contact information, including your most recent address.

  • On-Campus Semester Refund Policy

    Semester-Long Courses

    This schedule outlines the portion of tuition that will be refunded for 14–15-week courses in the Fall or Spring semesters, and 12–13-week courses in the Summer term. Residence hall residents who withdraw prior to the 7th week of classes will receive a prorated refund.

    Time of Course Withdrawal

    Refund

    Prior to the start date of the course

    100%

    Add/Drop Period: Day 1 through Day 7 of classes

    100%

    Day 8 through Day 14 of classes

    50%

    Day 15 through Day 21 of classes

    25%

    Day 22 and beyond

    No refund

     

    Short Courses, Conferences, & Travel Study

    For courses with six or fewer class meetings, J-term courses, travel-study courses, conferences, seminars, and workshops (including MTEL workshops), there is a 100% refund if the course is dropped prior to the start date of the course.

    Once the class has begun, there is no refund. Classes with six or fewer meetings typically include seminars, workshops (including MTEL workshops), and conferences.

    Please Note: Weekend intensive classes follow either the 8-week or 15–week refund policy.

  • Off-Campus Term Refund Policy

    This schedule shows the portion of tuition that will be refunded for courses delivered at off-campus locations.

    Time of Course Withdrawal

    Refund

    Prior to the state date of the course

    100%

    Add/Drop Period: Day 1 through Day 7 of classes

    100%

    Day 8 though Day 14 of classes

    50%

    Day 15 through Day 21 of classes

    25%

    Day 22 and beyond

    No refund

  • Online Term Refund Policy

    This schedule shows the portion of tuition that will be refunded for online course offerings. The percent refunded and deadlines for students who live in Maryland are a bit different.

    Time of Course Withdrawal

    Refund (non-Maryland)

    Refund (Maryland students)

    Prior to state date of course

    100%

    100%

    Add/Drop Period: Day 1 through Day 7 of classes

    100%

    100%

    Day 8 though Day 14 of classes

    50%

    60%

    Day 15 through Day 21 of classes

    25%

    40%

    Day 22 through Day 29

    No refund

    20%

    Day 30 and beyond

    No refund

    No refund

  • PhD Low-Residency Refund Policy

    This refund schedule applies to students enrolled in one of our low-residency PhD programs.

    Time of Course Withdrawal

    Refund

    Prior to and including Day 5 of the Residency

    100%

    Days 6–10

    50%

    Days 11–21

    25%

    Day 22 or later

    No refund

     

  • MFA and Low-Residency Refund Policy

    This schedule applies to students in low-residency programs and students in MFA programs in Creative Writing or Visual Arts.

    Time of Course Withdrawal

    Refund

    Prior to and including Day 4

    100%

    Days 5–10

    75%

    Days 11–29

    50%

    Day 30 and later

    No refund

  • Refund Processes

    Lesley’s Student Accounts Office manages the refund process.

    Financial Aid

    Students who receive financial aid and then withdraw or reduce their credit load during the refund period will have a reduction in their aid award.

    If the financial aid you received exceeds your direct charges for tuition and fees, the Student Accounts Office will refund you within 14 days of when the financial aid was credited to your student account.

    Credits resulting from a Federal Parent PLUS Loan will be refunded to the parent borrower.

    Payment Plans

    If you’re on a payment plan with Nelnet and you later receive enough financial aid to create a credit on your student account, cancel the payment plan with Nelnet directly. Students won’t have their credit balance refunded to them if they have an active Nelnet payment plan.

    At the completion of the payment plan, a refund will be issued to the student.

    eRefunding

    We have partnered with Nelnet to provide eRefunding services to our students.  You’ll receive an email at your Lesley address, asking you to complete your eRefunding account and to choose your refund preference.

    Refund Options

    • Automated Clearing House (ACH)/electronic check (a deposit into your bank account)
    • Paper check

    To see your account and choose your refund preference, follow this link: https://online.campuscommerce.com/signin/4NWZQ

  • Returning Your Refund to a Lender

    If you’ve received a refund, and would like to cancel or reduce your loan, make sure the proper amount is returned to your lender so it is reflected on your student account.

    Returns up to 30 days after disbursement

    If you wish to reduce current and future disbursements of your loan, notify us by submitting a ticket on the Support Hub. We can return or reduce your loan funds up to 30 days after the disbursement to your student account.

    Fully canceling your current disbursement(s) results in the cancellation of any future loan disbursements for the current academic year.

    When returning loan funds to a lender, express your request clearly, in writing, so that we reflect your wishes accurately with the lender.

    1. Write a refund return letter that includes:

    • The reason for your return of the refund
       
    • Your full name and student ID number so the return of funds is accurately posted to your student account
       
    • The semester(s) for which you wish to cancel loan disbursements
       
    • Your email or telephone number so we may confirm your return or ask questions
       
    • Keep a copy of your letter

    2. Return your refund.

    How you return your refund depends on how you had received the refund.

    If you received your refund via check:

    • Refund checks are issued from Disbursement Services/Lesley University, from Wells Fargo Bank.
       
    • If you’d like to return your refund for a full or partial reduction of your federal loan, deposit the refund check and submit a personal or bank check, payable to Lesley University.
       
    • Include the letter explaining the reason for your return of the refund.
       
    • Mail the check and letter to Student Financial Services at 29 Everett Street in Cambridge, MA, or drop them off at our physical office, located at Porter campus on the 3rd floor of University Hall.

     

    If you received your refund via ACH/Electronic Check:

    • Submit a check from your personal bank account, or a bank check, payable to Lesley University: Student Financial Services.

    • Include your letter explaining the reason for your return of funds

    Returns after 30 days

    If you wish to return all or a portion of your refund after 30 days from the date the funds were posted to your student account, contact your loan servicer directly.

    1. Find the servicer of your loan. Go to www.NSLDS.ed.gov and log in or create an account.
       
    2. Select the loan that generated your refund. Get the servicer’s contact information.
       
    3. Contact the servicer directly. Inquire about their procedures for making a payment on your loan.
       
    4. Be clear if you’re making a payment on a recently disbursed loan. It may be possible to credit your payment as a return of funds, instead of a repayment.
Contact Student Accounts