Policies and Procedures

Federal Student Loan Enrollment Requirement

To receive federal student loans (Stafford, Grad PLUS, Nurse Faculty Loan), a student must be enrolled for at least 4.5 credit hours each semester during the fall/spring semesters and 3.0 credit hours during the summer semester. Federal policy does not allow disbursement of a loan during a semester in which a student is enrolled for fewer than the required credit hours.

Withdrawal/Leave of Absence

If a student files for a leave of absence before the first day of classes, charges and financial aid will be canceled for the semester. Financial aid resources must be returned to their sources; e.g., Stafford loans will be returned to the lender, scholarships to the school, etc. If a student takes a leave of absence after the first day of classes, a calculation must be completed to determine whether the student is entitled to a refund. Check the School of Nursing Bulletin for current refund policies, which are consistent with those recommended by the federal government.

The Duke University School of Nursing Financial Aid Office is required by federal statute to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term. The withdrawal date will be used to calculate the amount of aid the student has earned, and therefore how much aid may be kept.

For example, if the student has completed 35% of the term, the student may keep 35% of the federal aid accepted for that semester. The remaining portion of the federal aid will be cancelled, with the funds returned to the Department of Education.

Tuition charges will be prorated based on the date of withdrawal as follows:

For more information, please review the DUSON Financial Aid Policy and Procedure Manual.