Add Drop, Cancel, Withdrawal, and Refunds for Excelsior University Courses

Course Add/Drop: Prior to Term Start Through Day 3 of Term

Prior to the start of a term and until 11:59 PM Eastern time on the 3rd day of the term, with the start date of the term being day one, students who are registered for a course may drop that course and add a different course. The added course must be scheduled within the same trimester as the original course. 

Students seeking to add/drop should contact their academic advisor prior to starting the process to ensure that they are selecting a new course that fits into their degree plan and to obtain approval. Then students must log in to their MyExcelsior page, click on My Courses, select Cancel, Add/Drop and Withdraw, and follow the prompts. The add/drop process closes at 11:59 PM Eastern on day 3 of the term. 

Military students (those serving on Active Duty, in the Reserves, or in the National Guard and active-duty military family members) using tuition assistance who wish to add/drop must submit the approved tuition assistance form for the new course. Tuition assistance will not be approved by the branch of service after the start of the course.

Course Cancelation: Prior to the Start of Term Through Day 15 of Term 

Non-Military & Veterans Cancellation Schedule

Military Cancellation Schedule (Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard & active-duty military family members)

Students seeking to cancel their registration in a course must log into MyExcelsior, click on My Courses, select Cancel, Add/Drop and Withdraw, and follow the prompts. Students seeking to cancel their registration in a course are not looking to replace the course with another one. (Students seeking to replace their registration in one course with registration in another course should refer to Course Add/Drop: Prior to Term Start Through Day 3 of Term procedure above.)

Students who cancel a course will be granted a full or partial refund of tuition and the associated course-related fees according to the refund schedule above. Refunds are calculated based on the full cost of tuition and fees. Due to federal regulations, tuition and fees for students residing in California, Maryland, and Oregon will be refunded following their state refund guidelines. Students in these states should contact the Student Accounting Office for details.

Students who cancel and have used financial aid to pay for tuition and fees must undergo a re-evaluation of their eligibility.

Military students (those serving on Active Duty, in the Reserves, or in the National Guard and active-duty military family members) using tuition assistance may cancel a course within the first 15 calendar days with no academic or financial liability, through the online withdrawal process. Excelsior is required to return unearned tuition assistance funds to the military branch of service in accordance with the Department of Defense (DOD) policy.

Course Withdrawal: Day 16 Until 7 Days Before the End of Term

Students who are registered for a course may withdraw from it any time between day 16 of the term until seven calendar days prior to its end. A withdrawal will result in a grade of W on the MAP and Excelsior University transcript. There is a restriction on the number of W grades students may incur; see the Grade Scale, GPA, and Credit Application policy for details.  

Students seeking to withdraw from a course must log into MyExcelsior, click on My Courses, select Cancel, Add/Drop and Withdraw, and follow the prompts. There will be no refund of tuition/fees upon withdrawal. 

Students who withdraw and have used financial aid to pay tuition and fees must undergo a re-evaluation of their eligibility. 

Military students (those serving on Active Duty, in the Reserves, or in the National Guard and active-duty military family members) who withdraw from courses will incur full liability for them if the withdrawal is not due to their military commitment.

Department of Defense (DOD) regulations require Excelsior University to return unearned tuition assistance funds to the military branch of service based on how much of the course was completed. Students using military TA who withdraw from a course may owe a portion of the tuition to Excelsior University and a portion to the military branch. See the Return of Unearned Tuition Assistance Funds procedure for additional information. 

Military students seeking a withdrawal due to deployment should see Excelsior’s Military Deployment procedure below. 

Military Withdrawal Due to Military Deployment/Training

A Military Withdrawal (MW) withdraws a student from a course and allows a student to receive a grade of MW instead of a grade of F. The grade of MW on the academic transcript indicates withdrawal without academic penalty from an Excelsior University course. It is not calculated in the Overall, Academic Probation, and Excelsior GPAs, but it will appear on a student’s transcript.

A grade of MW does not relieve the student of financial responsibility. If an MW grade is awarded, students should contact their military education center directly to pursue a possible waiver of their tuition assistance liability.

To be eligible to request an MW, the duration of deployment/training must exceed 14 consecutive days during the course term. In addition, students who request a Military Withdrawal (MW) from a course must meet one of the following conditions:

• The student was unable to complete the course and has earned a grade of F due to military deployment/training.

or

• During a course, a student determines that they cannot complete a course due to military deployment/training.

Requests for an MW can be submitted up to 12 months from the end date of the deployment/training. To request a Military Withdrawal (MW) due to military deployment/training, students should notify the University of their intent in writing as soon as possible through the Ombudsperson Office. Students should submit either a copy of their deployment orders or a “signed” verification letter from their Education Service Officer or Commanding Officer certifying the dates and the length of deployment (temporary duty)/training.

Documentation can be sent to the following:

Ombudsperson Office
Excelsior University
7 Columbia Circle
Albany, NY 12203-5159
Fax: 518-464-8777
Email: ombudsperson@excelsior.edu

Are Exceptions of Procedure Allowed?

Yes. MW grades can be granted at the discretion of the Ombudsperson.

Students who believe there was a discrepancy in the tuition amount they were charged (e.g., they were charged standard tuition when they currently qualify for a discounted tuition rate) can submit requests for reimbursement of the discrepancy amount to the Bursar’s Office.