Financial Aid Office
Harvard Medical School
150 Gordon Hall
25 Shattuck Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 432-1575
(617) 432-4308 FAX
financial_aid_office@hms. harvard.edu
refund policy

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Refund Policy

If a student withdraws or goes on a leave of absence after the semester has begun, tuition and housing charges will be prorated.  Loan recipients must notify the Financial Aid Office of the enrollment status change and are required to have an exit interview counseling session.

The following statement serves as the current refund policy for Harvard Medical School. The refund policy applies when a student:

  • Does not register for the period of attendance for which aid was awarded;
  • Withdraws from school; or
  • Fails to complete the period of enrollment for which aid was provided.

The HMS Registrar may reduce a percentage of the tuition charges based on when the student withdraws.1 The Financial Aid Officer will revise the standard budget to reflect the adjustments to tuition and housing charges as well as prorations to other costs, and will calculate an adjusted award.

If the student’s award package included any federal funds other than Federal Work-Study and the leave of absence or withdrawal occurs in the first 60% of the semester, federal regulations require that a portion of the student’s federal aid be returned to the aid programs. The portion of aid to be returned is determined by a federally-mandated calculation based on the number of days remaining in the semester, and the refund due to the aid programs is credited in the following order:

  1. Outstanding balances on Federal Unsubsidized Stafford/ Loans.
  2. Outstanding balances on Federal Subsidized Stafford/ Loans.
  3. Outstanding balances on Federal Perkins Loans
  4. Other Title IV aid programs, if applicable
  5. Financial aid programs sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

For a more detailed discussion of how the refund calculation process works, please schedule an appointment with your Financial Aid Officer.

Notes:

1HMS will determine the student's last date of attendance even if the student doesn't go through the official withdrawal/leave process.
Guidebook Table of Contents

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