Withdrawal Policy

If you wish to withdraw from the college, you must contact the Office of the Registrar to complete a withdrawal form. If you withdraw before the end of the fourth week in either the fall or spring term, you are entitled to a credit for part of the tuition. During the summer term, you are entitled to a tuition credit through the third week of classes. At the time you withdraw, you will be informed of the exact amount of tuition credit that will be applied to your account.

For those who officially withdraw from the college, the withdrawal date is the date the student completed the college's withdrawal process. Students not receiving any federal financial aid who withdraw before the end of the fourth week of either the fall or spring semester or the end of the third week of the summer semester, are entitled to a partial credit of tuition and residence hall/board charges under the college's standard refund policy. Credits are made by assessing 20 percent of the semester's tuition per week (or portion thereof) of attendance for fall/spring, and 25 percent for summer. After the fourth week of the fall or spring semester, and after the third week of the summer semester, no refund will be made. See chart below.

Tuition and Aid Percentage Chart for Students Withdrawing

Fall and Spring Semesters – Undergraduate and Graduate Students 

Summer Semester – Undergraduate Students

(Note: There are no tuition refunds granted for graduate students during the short summer semester.) 

*These percentages are weekly guidelines. This represents the amount of student aid that is unearned at the point of withdrawal and may be returned to the federal student aid programs. Final eligibility will be determined by the Office of Student Financial Services within 30 days of the student withdrawing from classes.

Students who receive Title IV federal financial aid and fully withdraw from Boston Conservatory at Berklee on or before the 60 percent point in the term (in calendar days) are entitled to keep only a portion of Title IV federal student aid that he/she has earned to that point of withdrawal from the college. If a student who is receiving federal financial aid withdraws after the 60 percent point of the term, he/she is considered to have earned all of their federal student aid for that semester. If the student has received a refund before withdrawing from school, the student may be required to repay some or all of those funds.

Title IV federal financial aid includes: Academic Competitiveness Grant, Pell Grant, SEOG, Perkins Loan, Direct Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized), and Direct PLUS Loan. Federal Work-Study is excluded.

State or Private Aid

State and/or private aid will be refunded to the appropriate providers if required. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that a refund calculation similar to the federal calculation be done for students who withdraw with state aid. 

Federal Loan Aid and Withdrawal

Students with federal loan aid (Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans and Direct Grad PLUS Loans) are required by law to go through the Exit Counseling Interview process. The exit interview goes through your rights and responsibilities as a borrower from the federal government. It also provides you with a listing of your federal loans, estimated repayment amounts, and information on different repayment plans. The exit interview is located at studentaid.gov. Students will need to complete the entire exit interview before they are considered finished.

For more information on student loans and student loan repayment, these are a few of the many websites available:

• finaid.org/calculators
• mappingyourfuture.org
• studentaid.gov
• nsldsfap.gov

For additional information regarding withdrawal and financial aid, contact the Office of Student Financial Services at financialaid@berklee.edu.

Tuition Refund Appeal Process

The enrollment division appeals committee will review an appeal received no later than 120 days from the date on which the student withdraws from the course(s). Any appeal must be submitted via the Tuition Refund Appeal Form and must include supporting documentation (e.g., copies of registration forms, drop/add forms, medical documentation, military activation papers). Since the information concerning procedures, dates for drop/add, and/or course withdrawal are widely publicized, the enrollment division appeals committee will not consider an appeal that is not filed in compliance with these guidelines.

An appeal will be considered for the following reasons:

• Death of the student or death in the student’s immediate family (parent, sibling, offspring, spouse, domestic partner, or guardian)
• Voluntary or involuntary medical withdrawal
• A medical emergency in the student’s immediate family (parent, sibling, offspring, spouse, domestic partner, or guardian)
• Military activation

This appeal process pertains to tuition charges only. Fees are non-refundable, and room and board charges are prorated in accordance with the Housing Office’s policies, as stated in the housing contract signed by the student. Please contact the Housing Office for further information.

A tuition refund appeal for any student who has financial aid is subject to guidelines and/or restrictions set forth by federal and state agencies. The committee may decide that the credit balance, which results from a refund of tuition, will remain on the student’s account and be applied against future charges when the students returns to Berklee.

The committee will issue its decision within four weeks of receipt of all necessary documentation. The committee’s decision is final.

Please direct any questions regarding this process to success@berklee.edu.