If you are planning to drop or withdraw from a course, you may be eligible for a tuition refund. The amount refunded depends on the date you drop or withdraw from your course.
Some fees are non-refundable, including the following:
Overview
How to get a refund
You will receive full tuition credit if you drop or withdraw from your course by the add/drop date. Afterwards, the refundable amount will decrease as time goes on. See the tuition refund dates below for the dates and refund amounts.
Tuition credit refund
If you have dropped a course by the specific date and are eligible for a tuition refund, you will see a tuition credit showing on your Student Service Centre (SSC) account in your “Financial Summary”. You can leave the credit on your account and it will be applied to future tuition and student fees. Or, if you would like that credit refunded to your bank account, please update your direct deposit information on your Student Service Centre (SSC). Once you have done this, please contact Enrolment Services directly.
Tuition appeals
If you've received an academic concession or withdrawn from a course under extraordinary and extenuating circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for a tuition adjustment or refund after the course drop deadline.
Tuition adjustments or refunds are reviewed on a monthly basis by the Tuition Appeals Committee. Please allow at least 4 to 8 weeks for a decision.
Applying for a refund after the deadline due to extraordinary circumstances
To be eligible, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- You've received an academic concession from your faculty.
- You've withdrawn from the course(s) before the deadline to withdraw with a ‘W’ standing.
You must also meet all of the following requirements:
- You have applied for a refund or adjustment within one year of your course(s) academic term or session end date.
- You have documentation of an extraordinary medical or personal circumstance that prevented you from attending classes or successfully completing the academic term or session, such as:
- A doctor’s note
- Hospital records
- Death certificate
- Letter from a registered counsellor
Tuition adjustment appeals can also be made by students who have experienced trauma from sexual assault and have withdrawn from classes as a result. Please reach out to UBC's Sexual Violence Prevention Office (SVPRO) for support.
How to apply
If you meet the requirements above, please speak to an Enrolment Services Advisor to discuss your situation. If you do not have an advisor, you can contact an Enrolment Services Advisor by calling 604 822 9836 or submit your question through the online form.
Tuition adjustments or refunds are reviewed on a monthly basis by the Tuition Appeals Committee. Please allow at least 4 weeks for a decision.
If you are no longer a UBC student
If there is a tuition credit showing on your Student Service Centre (SSC) account in your “Financial Summary”, please contact Enrolment Services directly to request a refund.
Your tuition credits may be removed from the Student Service Centre (SSC) after 3 years of inactivity. If you believe you have a tuition credit but cannot locate it on the SSC, search for your name in the Unclaimed Tuition Credit Portal and follow the instructions provided. Note that credit balances of $5 or less will not be refunded, but can be applied towards future UBC payments.
If your tuition credit is under $200, UBC will not notify you about it. If the credit is $200 or more and you have not requested a refund for 3 years, UBC will attempt to notify you using the email address you most recently provided. If you did not provide an email address, UBC will send a letter to your last known mailing address. Please update your personal information if it is incorrect. It is your responsibility for keeping your contact information up to date.
Under the BC Unclaimed Property Act, after at least 3 years, your tuition credit will be considered “unclaimed property”. You will then have an additional period of 6 to 30 years to request a refund of your tuition credit—the length of the period depends on the size of the credit.
Credit-based tuition refunds
The amount of tuition refund you are eligible for can be different depending on if you drop a course by a certain date.
The dates below apply to most courses, but some exceptions apply. If your course has a different start or end date, or if you're unsure of the refund deadline for your course, check your course information in the Course Schedule or talk to your Enrolment Services Advisor.
Your course must be dropped from the Course Schedule by 11:59 pm PT on the date listed on this page, or you may not be eligible for the refund.
Summer Session credit-based tuition refunds
Look for the refund dates and amounts for courses you take in the summer.
Two-term courses and Distance Education Term A or B courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| The last day to drop without W standing | 100% of course fee refunded |
| The third Sunday after the course start date | 50% of course fee refunded |
| The fourth Sunday after the course start date | 25% of course fee refunded |
| After the fourth week of classes | No refund |
One-term courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| The last day to drop without W standing | 100% of course fee refunded |
| The second Sunday after the course start date | 50% of course fee refunded |
| The third Sunday after the course start date | 25% of course fee refunded |
| After the third week of classes | No refund |
Winter Session credit-based tuition refunds for 2022/23
Courses taken during the Winter Session may be one-term courses or taken over two terms. Check which type of course you're planning to drop and see the refund dates and amounts.
One-term courses
Term 1 or Distance Education Term A courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded for credits dropped |
|---|---|
| Until Mon, Sept 19 | 100% |
| Tue, Sept 20 to Sun, Sept 25 | 50% |
| Mon, Sept 26 to Sun, Oct 2 | 25% |
| After Sun, Oct 2 | No refund |
Term 2 or Distance Education Term C courses
Please refer to the Course Schedule for specific course drop or withdrawal dates. In case of discrepancies, the dates listed in Course Schedule will be honoured.
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Fri, Jan 20 | 100% |
| Sat, Jan 21 to Sun, Jan 29 | 50% |
| Mon, Jan 30 to Sun, Feb 5 | 25% |
| After Sun, Feb 5 | No refund |
Distance Education Term B courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Mon, Sept 26 | 100% |
| Tue, Sept 27 to Sun, Oct 2 | 50% |
| After Sun, Oct 2 | No refund |
Distance Education Term D courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Fri, Jan 27 | 100% |
| Sat, Jan 28 to Sun, Feb 12 | 50% |
| After Sun, Feb 12 | No refund |
Two-term courses
You must have an approved academic concession to request a refund for two-term courses in Term 2. Please see the Academic Calendar for information on refund rates.
First instalment
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Mon, Sept 26 | 100% of the first instalment |
| Tues, Sept 27 to Sun, Oct 2 | 50% of the first instalment |
| Mon, Oct 3 - Sun, Oct 9 | 25% of the first instalment |
| After Sun, Oct 9 | No refund |
Second instalment
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Sun, Jan 22 | 100% of the second instalment |
| After Sun, Jan 22 | No refund |
Instalment-based tuition refunds
Some programs may pay instalment-based tuition, for which fees are paid in instalments instead of credit-based per term.
Summer Session
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| The second Sunday after the Summer Session start date | 100% of the instalment |
| The fourth Sunday after the Summer Session start date | 60% of the instalment |
| The sixth Sunday after the Summer Session start date | 40% of the instalment |
| The eighth Sunday after the Summer Session start date | 20% of the instalment |
| After the eighth week of Summer Session | No refund |
Winter Session
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| The second Sunday after the Winter Term start date | 100% of the instalment |
| The fourth Sunday after the Winter Term start date | 60% of the instalment |
| The sixth Sunday after the Winter Term start date | 40% of the instalment |
| The eighth Sunday after the Winter Term start date | 20% of the instalment |
| After the eighth week of Winter Term | No refund |
If you have questions
If you're an undergraduate student, please contact your Enrolment Services Advisor directly. To find your advisor’s contact information, log into your Student Service Centre (SSC) and select “UBC Contacts” under Personal Info.
Graduate, postgraduate, and all other students can contact an Enrolment Services Advisor by calling 604 822 9836 or submitting a question through the online form.
