Return of Unearned TA Funds to the Government

Tuition Assistance (TA) funds are educational benefits for eligible U.S. Service members paid to the university by the Service's TA program. 

In instances when a student, who is a U.S. Service member, stops attending due to a military service obligation, the return of unearned TA funds is determined based upon when the student stops attending.  Should the return of unearned TA funds result in the student owing tuition to the university, the university will waive (forgive) the tuition for the returned portion of the TA funds.

The university may use the last date of attendance at an academically related activity as the student’s withdrawal date.  If a student does not notify the university of the withdrawal because of illness, accident, personal loss, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control, the withdrawal date is the date the university determines that the student ceased attendance because of the applicable event.

Once the withdrawal date is established, the university calculates the percentage of the term completed.  This percentage represents the percentage of TA funds earned by the student.  The amount of TA funds earned is subtracted from the amount of TA funds received and the difference is the unearned TA funds that should be return to the government agency.  Unearned TA funds are returned to the government within 45 days after determination of the student’s withdrawal.

The pro-rata schedule for the return of unearned Tuition Assistance (TA) funds to the government is described below for those students in programs that follow the Academic Calendar for the Fall and Spring semesters.  The Summer term has multiple sessions and is based on individual course(s) within each summer session. For additional questions on the Summer schedule, please contact studentaccounts@case.edu. 

For the Fall and Spring semesters - During Weeks 1 and 2, the university returns 100% of TA funds to the government for term withdrawals.  If a student drops a course during the first two weeks of the semester, the TA assistance funds related to that course is returned at 100%.   After Week 2, the university determines the earned and unearned portions of TA funds as of the date the student ceased attendance based upon the amount of time the student spent in attendance using the Federal Student Aid formula for Return of Title IV (R2T4) funds.  Up through the 60% point in each semester, a pro-rata schedule is used to determine the amount of TA funds the student earned at the time of the withdrawal.  At or after the 60% point in the semester, the student has earned 100% of the TA funds they received.