Policies

All full-time undergraduate students are expected to enroll in 36 credits (12 classes) each academic year. 

There are exceptions for students on a reduced courseload with the Office of Accessibility Services, students registered as an early completer for graduation with the Registrar's Office, and students who did not attend the full academic year due to a leave of absence or co-op. 

Students receiving merit-based scholarships must meet the following criteria:

• Pass at least 24 credits in A through D terms
  • Reductions to WPI merit-based scholarships for the following year begin at having passed only 21 credits, which results in a 5% decrease in merit funding. WPI merit-based scholarships will continue to be reduced by 5% for every 3 credits not passed.
  • Exceptions may be considered for students who did not attend the full academic year due to a leave of absence, spring start, or co-op. Contact the Office of Financial Aid if you are unsure about your personal situation.
  • Students on an approved full-year reduced course load with the Office of Accessibility Services (taking 24 credits per year instead of 36), must pass at least 15 credits to retain their merit scholarship.
  • AP courses, transfer credits, and incomplete grades or extensions are not counted in the number of credits passed. The student is responsible for resolving incomplete grades with their professor.
  • Students who lost a portion of their merit scholarship(s) can appeal this decision to request full reinstatement by filing a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form.
• Remain a full-time student
  • Part-time students are not eligible for institutional scholarship or grants.
• Enroll in a minimum of 12 credits per semester
  • An exception may be granted for students registered as an early completer for graduation.
• Remain in good academic standing (not on academic probation/suspension)
  • Academic standings are reviewed for institutional aid at the end of D term for the following academic year.
  • Students on academic probation concerned about a potential loss of institutional or federal financial aid can file a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form.

All scholarship and grant awards administered by WPI are available as credits against charges incurred during the normal academic year (terms A through D): half for fall (terms A and B) and half for spring (terms C and D).

Scholarships, other than global scholarships, may not be used as credit against charges during term E (summer session).

In addition to conditions itemized above, scholarships are available for the shorter of two periods: sixteen terms of enrollment or until the end of the billing period in which your undergraduate degree is completed.

Students awarded WPI Merit based funds and then withdraw from WPI, (officially or unofficially, see Registrar's website for withdrawal and leave policies) will NOT be eligible to receive their merit funds if they are readmitted to WPI more than 1 year after their date of last enrollment at WPI. Students taking a leave of absence will NOT be eligible to receive the merit funds if they do not return to WPI within maximum time allotted by the leave of absence (which may be more than a year). If your situation extends beyond the timelines listed above, please contact our office for further discussion.

Scholarships that are not explicitly labeled as merit-based on a student’s financial aid award letter are need-based scholarships or grants.

Students receiving institutional need-based scholarships or grants must meet the following criteria:

• File a FAFSA for the current academic year
• Have unmet financial need, determined by their SAI (Student Aid Index) and number of siblings in college
• Take a full-time courseload
  • Need-based aid may be adjusted for students taking an approved reduced courseload per the Office of Accessibility Services, since they also receive discounted tuition.
• Enroll in a minimum of 12 credits per semester
  • An exception may be granted for students registered as an early completer for graduation.
• Remain in good academic standing (not on academic probation/suspension)
  • Academic standings are reviewed for institutional aid at the end of D term for the following academic year.
  • Students on academic probation concerned about a potential loss of institutional need-based aid can file a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form.
• Remain an on-campus student or off-campus renter
  • Need-based aid may be adjusted for students who live at home with a family member and commute to school.

All scholarship and grant awards administered by WPI are available as credits against charges incurred during the normal academic year (terms A through D): half for fall (terms A and B) and half for spring (terms C and D).

Scholarships, other than global scholarships, may not be used as credit against charges during term E (summer session).

In addition to conditions itemized above, institutional scholarships and grants are available for the shorter of two periods: sixteen terms of enrollment or until the end of the billing period in which your undergraduate degree is completed.

For retention of federal and/or state financial aid funding, please refer to the Federal SAP page here.

If a student is not on academic probation or suspension, but has lost a portion of their merit scholarship(s), they may petition to receive their WPI funding by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Financial Aid Appeal Form.

If a student is placed on Academic Probation by the WPI Registrar’s Office, they may petition to receive their WPI funding by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Financial Aid Appeal Form and submitting it by the deadlines listed on the form.

If a student is placed on Suspension by the WPI Registrar’s Office, they must first appeal to the University Registrar and follow the appropriate suspension guidelines. If a student is allowed to return to WPI, they may petition to receive their WPI funding by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Financial Aid Appeal Form and submitting it by the deadlines listed on the form.

Early Degree Completion is only available to Undergraduate Students.  Undergraduate students completing 100% of WPI graduation requirements by the end of A-term or C-term will be eligible for a 50% adjustment of tuition for the semester of completion.  Eligible students must complete the Undergraduate Application for Early Degree Completion form available on the Registrar’s Office website and submit it by the end of B-term (for C-term completion) or D-term (for A-term completion).  Please ensure you have read and fully understand the policies set forth in that form and discuss any questions with the appropriate office(s) (Registrar, Bursar, Housing & Residential Experience, or Financial Aid) before submitting the form.

Qualified students receiving financial aid from WPI will retain 50% of any WPI scholarships (merit and need based), and their loan eligibility will be reviewed on an individual basis.  Federal and State Grants that require full time enrollment (minimum of 12 credits per semester) may also be impacted by an early completion.

Aid adjustments may not be fully complete until after the Add/Drop period for A or C terms as some Federal and State aid requires confirmation of enrollment before aid can be adjusted.  Adjustments after Add/Drop may result in a balance due for the semester depending on the types of adjustments that need to be made.

If a student earns additional credits during E Term, which may improve their Federal SAP, please email finaid@wpi.edu at the end of E Term to alert the office.

If a student NR’s additional courses during E Term, and if the student has Title IV (federal) funding, they may be subject to a loss of federal funding and will need to submit an appeal to finaid@wpi.edu.

There are many reasons why a student may need or wish to take time away from WPI. There may be personal or medical issues interfering with their academics; opportunities for professional experience; family or community commitments; or the desire to just take a break.

Prior to making this decision, we advise you to review the Registrar’s Withdrawal or Leave of Absence page to learn about the types of leaves and the steps for this process – including required forms.

Students should inform themselves about the consequences to the following, if applicable:

• Financial Aid
• Visa Status
• Housing
• Billing, including potential tuition adjustments
• Health insurance: If insured by student health insurance please check for coverage options.
• Undergraduate students schedule an appointment with Academic Advising

If a student takes an official/approved withdrawal, leave of absence, or is suspended during the semester, tuition, fees, room, and board charges will be prorated per WPI’s Withdrawal and Refund Policy.

The following items will not be reduced: health insurance fees, health and wellness fee, student life fees, new student fee and other general student fees.

The recalculation of each student’s financial aid package will be unique and is dependent on many factors (e.g., time of withdrawal, charges incurred, and financial aid package components). 

Leaving WPI because of an official/approved withdrawal, leave of absence or suspension may have an impact on your financial aid package.  Early notification to the WPI Registrar’s Office will help ensure that your financial aid is appropriately recalculated, and that any required adjustments are made to your student account as soon as possible. Leave of absence refers to the WPI leave of absence, not federal.

Adjustment to Charges (Tuition & Fees; Room & Board)

If a student takes an official/approved withdrawal, leave of absence, or is suspended during the semester, tuition, fees, room, and board charges will be prorated per WPI’s Withdrawal and Refund Policy.

The following items will not be reduced: health insurance fees, health and wellness fee, student life fees, new student fee and other general student fees.

Adjustment to Financial Aid

In general, an official/approved withdrawal, leave of absence, or suspension will result in a reduction to a student’s financial aid package (including WPI, federal and/or state funding):

• Federal Funds:  If federal funds are required to be returned to the Federal Department of Education, they will be returned before any other forms of aid and in the following order per federal guidelines: Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan, Subsidized Federal Direct Loan, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants.
• Institutional Financial Aid:  All WPI institutional financial aid (e.g., WPI grants, scholarships, and institutional loans) will be prorated based on the tuition refund schedule for withdrawal during a semester.
• State Funding:  State funding regulations vary, and any adjustments will be performed in accordance with the specific requirements of the sponsoring state.

The student will receive notification from the Office of Financial Aid when the adjustments to their charges and financial aid are complete.

An unofficial withdrawal occurs when a student enrolls in courses and either never attends any courses or stops attending all courses at some point during the semester without providing official notification to the University. Students receiving Title IV federal aid who unofficially withdraw will have their aid recalculated in the same manner as an official withdrawal.

For a student who unofficially withdraws, the University determines the last date of attendance based on the student’s last date of an academically related activity.

A student may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement of federal Title IV aid if the return of funds calculation indicates the student earned more aid than was disbursed prior to the student’s withdrawal. Post-withdrawal disbursements of Title IV grants must be completed within 45 days of the student’s withdrawal date, and any loan funds accepted by the student within 180 days of the student’s withdrawal date.

The university will calculate return of non-Title IV funds in accordance with the appropriate state and institutional refund policy. State funds are calculated based on their own guidelines per state.

Institutional funds will be returned on a case-by-case basis following appropriate administrator review of aid earned and balance due.