Drops and Refunds

You can drop a class in one of the following ways:

• Online through your Student Center in SFSU Gateway
• By calling Student Services at (415) 405-7700

You can drop a course online before the withdrawal period begins. You cannot request a drop by email.

You are not automatically dropped for nonattendance.

For drop deadlines and refund information, see Open University and Calendar and Deadlines.

If you miss the drop deadline for an academic course, you must officially withdraw by following the instructions on the Registrar's Office Dropping and Withdrawing page. Academic courses offer units rather than CEUs.

The effective date for a refund or withdrawal is the date your request is received by the College of Professional & Global Education.

If you do not see the option to submit a withdrawal request in your Student Center, complete the Withdrawal Petition form and email it to sfsucel@sfsu.edu.

The Refund Codes table below shows refund and tuition charge removal policies for paid and unpaid tuition charges. A $20 processing fee applies for each class dropped with a paid tuition refund.

If a course is canceled, you will receive a full refund of the course fee. Credit card convenience fees are not refundable.

To find add deadlines, see Calendar and Deadlines.

For Open University refund policies and procedures, see Open University Registration.

Refund checks are usually mailed within three to four weeks after the College of Professional & Global Education receives your add/drop form. Under CSU policy, refunds cannot be credited back to a credit card account.

Do not place a stop payment on a check or credit card charge to drop or withdraw from a course. This creates a financial obligation to SFSU for the course fee and an additional $20 charge.

Call (415) 405-7700.

You can transfer fees when adding and dropping classes if you submit the transaction in person on one add/drop form or by phone through the College of Professional & Global Education by the drop deadline. See Calendar and Deadlines for add and drop deadlines.

If the added course costs more than the available refund from the dropped course, the nonrefundable portion of the dropped course fees can be applied toward the remaining balance. These nonrefundable fees are not included in future refund calculations.

After the drop deadline, you must withdraw from courses that earn academic credit. Refunds and fee transfers are not available after the drop deadline.

If you receive financial aid, you must stay enrolled in and complete a minimum number of units. If you withdraw from the University, SFSU must calculate and return a portion of your federal financial aid funds as required by federal regulations.

Returned funds are applied to your federal loan balances and grant programs. You repay any remaining loan balance according to your loan terms. For grants, your repayment amount may be reduced by 50%. You have 45 days to make repayment arrangements with SFSU or the U.S. Department of Education.

The amount of aid you must return is based on how much of the semester you did not complete. SFSU calculates unearned aid using this formula:

Total Number of Calendar Days in the Semester Not Completed divided by Total Number of Calendar Days in the Semester

During the first 60% of the semester, you earn financial aid based on the amount of time you remain enrolled. After you complete more than 60% of the semester, you earn all financial aid for that term.

If you withdraw before the 60% point of the semester, usually before the 10th week of classes, you may need to return some or all of your federal financial aid. The amount returned is based on the formula above and may include aid used for registration fees, campus housing and funds paid directly to you.

If you withdraw without notifying the University, your withdrawal date is recorded as the midpoint of the semester.

If you withdraw or drop a College of Professional & Global Education course after the 100% refund deadline, you are responsible for charges based on college refund policies.

If your course is paid for by a sponsoring or subsidizing agency, refunds are issued directly to that agency based on standard refund guidelines. See Calendar and Deadlines for refund deadlines.

To receive a full refund, you must drop the course by the business day before the first class meeting. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All drops must follow College of Professional & Global Education policies and procedures.

Funds cannot be transferred from one course to another for subsidized students. Because payment is authorized by a third party, adds and drops must be processed as separate transactions. Your sponsoring agency must approve all adds and drops because course enrollment and tuition are tied to the subsidy or contract agreement.

If a course is canceled, the refund is automatically processed back to the sponsoring agency.