Important Information about Withdrawal and Refunds

Refunds

There are a number of reasons you might expect a refund from UCI; the most common are overpayment and withdrawal from school.

Overpayments
Withdrawal

Overpayments:

If you believe that you have overpaid your fees or another charge or invoice from UCI, you may contact the Central Cashier at (949) 824-6916 or Campus Billing Services at (949) 824-2455 to request a refund. Chances are we are already processing one for you, but we are a large organization, and it is not unusual for refund checks to take two weeks or more to process.

Refunds may be further delayed if:

You've previously had returned checks due to insufficient funds in your account.
We may wait until we know that your check has cleared your bank before processing your refund.
You have not provided a current mailing address to the Registrar.
Use Student Access to keep your records up to date.

Withdrawal and Registration Fee Refunds

Withdrawal is the formal process whereby you notify the University that you will no longer attend after paying your registration fees. Since leaving may affect your academic record, financial aid eligibility, housing situation, or even your visa status, you cannot simply walk away, particularly if you are expecting a refund. You must file an official Cancellation/Withdrawal form, obtainable from the Office of the Registrar (949) 824-6124, the Office of Graduate Studies (949) 824-4611, or your academic advising office.

Do not stop payment on your registration fees, even if you have not attended classes. Canceling payment does not cancel your registration. Unless you officially withdraw, you will not be eligible for a refund of registration fees. It is essential to withdraw as soon as you know you will not attend, to maximize the amount of any refund. Once instruction starts for the quarter, the percentage amount of fees refunded drops significantly, and continues to decrease throughout the quarter, according to the Schedule of Refunds.

File your completed Cancellation/Withdrawal form with the Office of the Registrar (undergraduate) or the Office of Graduate Studies (graduate). The refund amount is based on the effective date, usually the date your form was submitted to your Dean or the Ombudsman for approval. Student Health Insurance fees (USHIP and GSHIP) are not refunded unless the effective date is before the first day of the quarter (not the first day of instruction, which often falls later).

Check ZOTAccount Online for entries indicating that your withdrawal has been processed. If you were entitled to a refund, a credit will be posted to your account. Typically this credit will offset any outstanding balances remaining on your account. Any remaining credit may then be issued to you as a check.

Financial Aid, PACE and Refunds

If you are a financial aid recipient, sometimes the refund for your fees is credited back to your financial aid funding source, lowering the loan amount you will have to repay in the future.

The PACE participation fee is not refundable, and not paying your PACE balance does not cancel your obligation to UCI. If you have used the PACE Plan installment program to pay fees, any applicable refund will be credited to your unpaid PACE balance, with any remainder issued as a check to you. Keep in mind that if you do not withdraw early enough to be entitled to a refund of fees, or if your withdrawal is credited back to your financial aid debt, you may end up OWING money to PACE, even if you have not attended classes. Check QuickSearch to determine if you still owe a balance to PACE.

Suffice it to say that withdrawal, and particularly withdrawing after paying fees, is a complicated matter which deserves your immediate attention and advice from the experts. Be certain to ask all the questions you need to make an informed decision before you withdraw.