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:
About tuition refunds
How to get a refund
You are eligible to receive a full tuition credit if you drop or withdraw from your course by the course change date, also known as the add/drop deadline. The refundable amount decreases from the course change date. See the tuition refund dates below for the dates and refund amounts.
Tuition credit refund
If you've dropped a course by the specific date and you're eligible for a tuition refund, you will see a tuition credit showing on your Student Service Centre (SSC) account in your “Financial Summary”. The credit will apply towards future tuition and student fees. Otherwise, you can request for eligible funds to be refunded. Update your direct deposit information in your Student Service Centre (SSC), then contact Enrolment Services to initiate the refund request.
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If you've received an academic concession or withdrawn from a course under extraordinary and extenuating circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for a tuition adjustment or refund after the course drop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- You've withdrawn from the course(s) before the deadline to withdraw with a ‘W’ standing.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 the last day of the academic session.
- 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Tuition adjustment appeals can also be made by students who have experienced trauma from sexual assault and have withdrawn from classes as a result.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”, 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 they 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 for 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 differ 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 tool 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.
Winter Session credit-based tuition refunds for 2023/24
Courses 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 |
|---|---|
| Until Mon, Sept 18, 2023 | 100% |
| Tue, Sept 19 to Mon, Sept 25, 2023 | 50% |
| Tue, Sept 26 to Mon, Oct 2, 2023 | 25% |
| After Mon, Oct 2, 2023 | 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 19, 2024 |
100% |
| Sat, Jan 20 to Sun, Jan 28, 2024 | 50% |
| Mon, Jan 29 to Sun, Feb 4, 2024 | 25% |
| After Sun, Feb 4, 2024 | No refund |
Distance Education Term B courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Tues, Sept 26, 2023 | 100% |
| Wed, Sept 27 to Mon, Oct 2, 2023 | 50% |
| After Mon, Oct 2, 2023 | No refund |
Distance Education Term D courses
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Fri, Jan 26, 2024 | 100% |
| Sat, Jan 27 to Sun, Feb 11, 2024 | 50% |
| After Sun, Feb 11, 2024 | No refund |
Two-term courses
You must have an approved academic concession to request a refund for two-term courses in Term 2. Please visit the Academic Calendar for information on refund rates.
First instalment
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Mon, Sept 25, 2023 | 100% of the first instalment |
| Tues, Sept 26 to Mon, Oct 2, 2023 | 50% of the first instalment |
| Tues, Oct 3 to Mon, Oct 9, 2023 | 25% of the first instalment |
| After Mon, Oct 9, 2023 | No refund |
Second instalment
| Course drop deadline | Amount refunded |
|---|---|
| Until Sun, Jan 21, 2024 | 100% of the second instalment |
| After Sun, Jan 21, 2024 | No 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 |
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.
