The date of your request to drop a class will determine your tuition liability for the semester.

Should you drop a class after the deadline for a refund, the tuition and fees for that class cannot be applied, in any cases, to tuition and fees for a subsequent offering of the same class or any other class taught in a later session or term.

Exceptions:
  • Course fees are nonrefundable.
  • If you stop attending a class without officially requesting to drop it, you will not receive a refund.
  • Health fees and/or the student health plan charge cannot be refunded after the first day of class (or program start). For more information, contact Student Health Benefits.

If you have questions about this process, please contact us.

Tuition adjustment schedules

For Summer/Winter Session

To drop a summer/winter course, see the course changes page.

Your refund amount will be determined by the number of calendar days (including weekend days) from the start of the session in which you are enrolled. (It is not based on the day on which you enrolled or when the class begins meeting.)

For example: If your course’s session begins on Tuesday, June 20, days 1-3 on the refund schedule below would be June 20, 21, and 22, days 4-5 would be June 23 and 24 and no refund would be available on or after Sunday, June 25 (day 6).

Refund schedule (based on session start date, see the academic calendar)
  • Session days 1-3: Withdrawal period with a 0 percent tuition charge (100 percent refund)
  • Session days 4-5: Withdrawal period with a 50 percent tuition charge (50 percent refund)
  • Session day 6: Withdrawal period with a 100 percent tuition charge (no refund)

For Fall/Spring Study

To drop a fall/spring course, see the course changes page.

Your refund amount will be determined by the prorated schedule on Cornell’s Office of the Bursar website.

For Special Programs

Visit your special program’s website for withdrawal and refund information.

Refund petition

If you want to appeal the refund schedule based on extenuating circumstances, visit the Petitions and Appeals page for instructions.