Refund Policy
Refund Information
eRefunds
Signing up for eRefunds will help you get your refund faster via direct deposit! To sign up for eRefunds, please go to your Goldlink account.
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Steps to Set Up eRefunds in Goldlink
- Click on ‘Student’ in the GoldLink Portal
- Click on 'Account’
- Click on ‘Set Up Direct Deposit (eRefunds)’
- Click on 'Refunds'
- To enroll in eRefunds you will need to enroll in Two-Step Verification.
- Click “Enroll in Two-Step Verification” Use the Google Authenticator for the best results an make sure to setup a backup method.
- Go back and click Refunds once enrolled in 2-step verification and click “Set up a new account”
- Fill in your Account Information-Use your banking account and routing. This information can be obtained from your bank or located on the bottom on your check. *Do not use your debit card number*, click continue to finalize.
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Tutorial Video: Setting Up eRefunds (Direct Deposit)
Refund Policy
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Fee Adjustment (Refund) Policy
East Tennessee State University adheres to our refund policy for calculating fee adjustments and refunds. It primarily affects full-time students who adjust their schedules to part-time status, including complete withdrawal, after the conclusion of the 100% fee adjustment/refund period. Students will be assessed a pro-rated fee for the dropped hours. The policy is available here: https://www.etsu.edu/policies/business-finance/refund.php
Students are encouraged to better plan their schedules and retain their full-time status on their way to a timely and successful graduation. The fee adjustment policy provides for three fee adjustment periods and is based entirely upon the official date of withdrawal or change of course which would result in a recalculation of fees. Students who need to drop any courses or withdraw from the University should do so before the start of classes for the term to ensure that no registration fees are owed. Please see the Tuition and Fee Payments and Calendars for specific refund/adjustment periods for each part-of-term.
Full-time students benefit from a reduced fee assessment rate for tuition, and out-of-state fees calculations during the Fall and Spring Terms (full-time is considered 12 hours for undergraduates and 10 hours for graduates). Other fees, such as course fees, material fees, TN eCampus are assessed at a per-hour rate, with no maximum, and are not subject to any reduced rates. Note: Summer tuition and out-of-state fees are assessed at the full per-hour rate, with no maximum.
Fee Adjustment Calculations
The fee adjustment calculations are based on the courses dropped; therefore, not all schedule adjustments will result in a reduced fee assessment after the fee adjustment calculation. Fee adjustment estimator calculations are approximate. Actual adjustment amounts may vary based on individual student enrollment. To calculate fee adjustments under this policy, the following formula will be used:
[((# Hours Dropped * Multiplier) + # Hours Remaining) * (Per Hour Rate)] – (prior fee assessment) = Potential Fee Adjustment/Refund
Fee Adjustment Period
Multiplier
100%
0.00
75%
0.25
25%
0.75
After the 25% refund period has concluded
1.00
Formula Breakdown:
Billing Hours = ((# Hours Dropped * Multiplier) + # Hours Remaining)
(Billing Hours * Per Hour Rate) = How much the Student Owes for the term
How much the student owes – (prior fee assessment) = Potential Fee Adjustment/RefundDropped Class Refunds
Tuition Refunds for Dropped Classes takes several weeks to process. There are over a 1,000 refunds to process and the tuition amounts have to be verified, financial aid has to be reviewed and adjusted if necessary, and the refund itself has to be processed. Any outstanding balances will be deducted from the tuition and fee credits before a refund is processed.
If a student is due a refund from a dropped course(s), the refund will be processed as follows:
- If paid with financial aid, the aid may be adjusted based on hours enrolled and the tuition credit will be applied back to the aid that paid for the courses. If eligibility has not changed based on hours enrolled, the refund will be sent direct deposit or by check if not signed up for direct deposit.
- If paid with a credit card, the drop credit will be refunded back to the credit card used to pay for tuition and fees. If paid with a debit card in person, the refund will be processed either by direct deposit or by check if the student is not signed up for direct deposit.
- If paid with webcheck, check, money order or cash, the refund will be processed either by direct deposit or by check if the student is not signed up for direct deposit.
Refund Policy – Rules & Exclusions
The 100% fee adjustment period is applicable for students who withdraw from the University or drop below full-time status prior to the first day of classes for the semester, not the first day that a particular course meets.
A full (100%) fee adjustment of mandatory fees will be provided to students called to active military or National Guard service during the semester. Housing and meal ticket charges may be prorated based on usage. A full (100%) fee adjustment will also be provided for courses cancelled by the University or in the case of the death of the student during the semester. Please go to the Office of Financial Aid website for specific information on the return of federal financial aid funds for students who withdraw from the University.
The 75% fee adjustment period is applicable for students who withdraw from the University or drop below full-time status on the first day of classes for the term through the fourteenth calendar day of the semester for fall and spring terms. The 75% fee adjustment period is modified for summer and other short terms.
The 25% fee adjustment period is applicable for students who withdraw from the University or drop below full-time status after the 75% fee adjustment period ends through 25% of the full term. The 25% fee adjustment period is modified for summer and other short terms.
NOTE: NO REFUND WILL BE PROVIDED AFTER THE APPROPRIATE 25% REFUND DATE.
Changes in courses involving the adding and/or dropping of the same number of credit hours for the same part of term will neither require additional fees nor be subject to any fee adjustments based on this policy, other than what may result from dropping/adding courses from different programs that may have special program fees (such as Arts, Business, Nursing, Digital Media, and/or Developmental Studies Program courses).
A term (or semester) is defined as a "Spring" term, a "Fall" term, or a "Summer" term. A Part-of-Term (POT) is defined as any part of the term/semester. For the Spring and Fall terms, there is a "full" POT that meets from August–December/January–May. The TN eCampus POT meets concurrently with the full POT. Summer terms/semesters have pre-summer, pre-summer plus first session, complete session, TNeCampus, dual session, first session, and second session.
Changes in courses from one POT (Full, 1st, 2nd, TNeCampus) to another POT (Full, 1st, 2nd, TNeCampus) within a major term (Fall/Spring/Summer) will be subject to the fee adjustment periods and rates under this policy. Fee adjustments beyond the specified dates/percentages indicated above will not be made for reasons such as employee conflicts, health or medical problem, moving out of town, or other reasons beyond the University's control or responsibility.
Any potential fee adjustment is calculated on the student’s original total enrollment fee assessment, less the registration fee amount due after course/schedule adjustment. Therefore, students who satisfy fees using the Installment Payment Plan may still have a balance due the University for unpaid fee amounts despite their withdrawal from some or all of their classes.
The University will offset against proposed refunds any amount owed by the student to the University. Please note, credit card payments will be refunded first if the credit card transaction occurred in the past 30 days. Students who have established an eRefund account will have any refund direct deposited into the bank account on file in GoldLink. Students who have not established an eRefund account will have a paper check mailed to the student’s mailing address on file with the University.
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How can I request a tuition refund?
In order to apply for a refund of tuition and fees, you must submit the Request for Tuition Refund. Tuition refund requests are limited to tuition and fees that were assessed in the previous 18 months. Your form will be routed to members of the Tuition Refunds Appeal Committee. The Committee meets at 9 a.m. on selected Fridays, provided below. These meetings are held via Zoom. Submission deadlines for each meeting are 7 days prior to the meeting. You will be invited to attend the next meeting to present your case and answer questions. If you cannot attend, you may contact a committee member to present any additional information pertaining to your case. Otherwise, the Committee will process your appeal with the available documentation and will notify you of the results by email. Please be sure you have the proper documentation confirming your extenuating circumstances attached to your Request for Refund.
The Tuition Refunds Appeal Committee reviews appeals from students. The Associate Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment makes the final decision on whether a refund change will be made. It will normally be a week or more after your hearing before you are notified by email of the final decision.
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What is required to request a tuition refund?
The Request for Tuition Refund form is to be used for:
- Personal illness or injury- A signed, dated statement on professional letterhead from a doctor or other professional that confirms medical, legal, or other circumstances described in your personal statements, and that states whether these are resolved.
- Military deployment- Must provide an official copy of your military orders or a statement signed by your commanding officer.
- Death of immediate family member- A copy of a death certificate/funeral announcement that includes the death date (Immediate family members: Spouse, Child, Stepchild, Parent, Stepparent, Foster Parent, Parent-in-Law, Sibling, Grandparent, and Grandchild.
- Other Reason- must be supported by a statement from the student and appropriate written documentation.
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When does the Tuition Refund Appeals Committee meet?
Tuition Refund Appeals Committee Meeting Dates (Selected Fridays at 9 a.m.)
2023 2024 2025 1/27/2023 1/26/2024 1/31/2025 2/24/2023 2/23/2024 2/28/2025 3/31/2023 3/29/2024 3/28/2025 4/28/2023 4/26/2024 4/25/2025 5/26/2023 5/31/2024 5/30/2025 6/30/2023 6/28/2024 6/27/2025 7/28/2023 7/26/2024 7/25/2025 8/25/2023 8/30/2024 8/29/2025 9/29/2023 9/27/2024 9/26/2025 10/27/2023 10/25/2024 10/31/2025 12/1/2023 12/6/2024 12/2/2025