Student withdrawals and refund requests must be made in writing.

In order to obtain a refund of tuition and fees paid or to remove charges still due, a student must officially withdraw by written notice to the university Office of the Registrar, 72 Fifth Ave., Lower Level, New York, NY 10011. The following policies apply:

• Full refund of course tuition requires advance withdrawal before the course begins. Otherwise the refund will be pro-rated. See the Add/Drop tables in the catalog or below.
• Refunds are computed from the date and time the written notice is received in the Registrar's Office or the date of the postmark if the notice was mailed.
• The registration/university services fee is not refundable unless a student's withdrawal is due to a change of course schedule or instructor.
• Withdrawals or requests for a refund may not be made by telephone or e-mail.
• Students may withdraw in person or by fax or mail. If the course being dropped begins in less than two weeks, withdrawal by fax or in person is strongly recommended. The fax number is 212.229.5648 and is available 24 hours a day.
• Failure to attend classes or notification to the instructor does not constitute official withdrawal. Failure to make or complete payment does not constitute official withdrawal.
• If a student withdraws from all classes, the university may terminate their student privileges, including access to university buildings and resources.

Refund processing takes approximately four weeks. Refunds of fees paid by credit card will be processed as a credit to that same account.

 Add/Drop Schedules

The Add/Drop and Refund Schedules published on this page are applicable to all non-credit and non-matriculated (non-degree) credit students. Withdrawals, transfers from one course to another, registration for additional courses, and changes of status (e.g., from non-credit to credit) must be completed within the deadlines shown in the schedules below. Like withdrawals, transfers from one course to another and changes of status can be made in person or in writing by fax. (They may not be made by telephone or e-mail.) Any additional tuition or fees are payable at the time the change is made.

Fall/Spring Full-Term and All Online Courses: Add/Drop and Refund Schedule

This schedule applies to all non-credit and undergraduate classroom courses that start the first week of the fall or spring semester and meet for 10-15 weeks and to all online courses. Note: Course tuition for on-site courses will be refunded in full only if formal written withdrawal is received before the first day of the academic term. Note: The first day of the academic term may occur before the first day of your course (see academic calendar). Otherwise, tuition will be charged on a pro-rata basis as described in the table.

Schedule type	Deadline to add or change status	Refund period (tuition charged)	Credit students' period to withdraw for grade of "W"
On-site 10-15 weeks	Prior to end of week 2	Prior to end of week 4 (10% per week)	4th thru 7th week
Online 15 weeks	Prior to end of week 2 (week 1 is orientation)	Prior to end of week 4 (prior to end of week 1, full refund; after week 1, 10% per week)	4th thru 7th week
Online 9 weeks	Prior to end of week 2 (week 1 is orientation)	Prior to end of week 4 (prior to end of week 1, full refund; after week 1, 10% per week)	5th week
Online 5 weeks	Prior to end of week 2 (week 1 is orientation)	Prior to end of week 2 (prior to end of week 1, full refund; after week 1, 30%)	3rd week

On-Site Short/Intensive and Summer Courses: Add/Drop and Refund Schedule

This schedule applies to all non-credit and undergraduate classroom courses in summer term and to any courses in fall or spring semester that are scheduled to start after the first week of the semester or that meet for less than 10 weeks on any schedule. Course tuition will be refunded in full if formal written withdrawal is made before the first class meeting. Otherwise, tuition will be charged on a pro-rata basis as described in the table.

Schedule type	Deadline to add or change status	Refund period (tuition charged)	Credit students' period to withdraw for grade of "W"
10 or more sessions	Prior to 3rd session	Prior to 4th session (10% per session)	Between 3rd & 7th session
6-9 sessions	Prior to 2nd session	Prior to 3rd session (15% per session)	Between 3rd & 4th session
3-5 sessions	Prior to 1st session	Prior to 2nd session (30%)	Not applicable
1-2 sessions	Prior to 1st session	Prior to 1st session (full refund)	Not applicable
Summer Intensive Programs	See Catalog	See Catalog	See Catalog

Grade of W

Students taking any course for credit may withdraw from the course without academic penalty by filing a request for a grade of "W" with the registrar within the appropriate deadline. Deadlines are described in the Add/Drop Schedules above. Deadlines for refunds of tuition and fees are separate and are not affected. The grade of "W" will be recorded for the course and will appear on the student's transcript but will not affect the student's grade point average. A student matriculated in a degree program must have any request to withdraw with a grade of "W" approved by his or her program advisor before filing with the registrar. See also Grade Descriptions.

Refunds for Cancelled Courses

The New School reserves the right to cancel courses or to adjust curriculum. Courses are typically cancelled due to insufficient enrollment, the withdrawal of the instructor, or inability to schedule appropriate instructional space. If you are registered in a course that is cancelled, you will be notified by telephone or mail. You will be asked if you wish to transfer to another course or if you wish a full refund of tuition and fees. Degree and certificate students are required to consult with their advisors in the event a course is cancelled.