Official Withdrawal and Refund Policy

Students not attending Boston University must complete an official Withdrawal/Leave of Absence Form. Undergraduate candidates must submit this form to: Boston University, University Service Center, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Lower Level, Boston, MA 02215.

All graduate students, and MET students who are not candidates for an undergraduate degree, must contact the academic dean or record office of their school. Absence from class and/or dropping all courses does not constitute withdrawal. Tuition will be canceled in accordance with the published refund schedule, based on the effective date of a student’s official withdrawal or leave of absence.

The refund percentage is applied to tuition only. All fees are nonrefundable once classes have begun. Deposits toward tuition and housing guarantee payments are nonrefundable. For information on refund percentages for residence and dining plan charges, please refer to the Terms and Conditions of your Residence License Agreement, or contact the Housing office.

Federal aid funds will be adjusted according to federal regulations, which stipulate that a student who withdraws retains aid in proportion to the percentage of the semester they were enrolled. If the student withdraws during the first 60 percent of the semester, a portion of their federal funds must be returned to the federal government. The student and Boston University will share responsibility for returning these funds. The family will be expected to provide the full family contribution calculated for the semester. The University grant is adjusted to an amount that will cover the same percentage of tuition as was covered prior to the adjustment. Additional information on refunds and aid adjustments is available from Financial Assistance.

  • In order to determine your appropriate tuition refund, please check the current withdrawal schedule.
  • For information regarding Summer Session withdrawal schedules, please contact the Summer Term Office at 617-353-5124 or summer@bu.edu.