Policies & Procedures

Learn about the WSU policies and procedures related to billing and payments.


Refund Policy

If you wish to drop classes or withdraw from WSU and receive a refund, you must follow official drop procedures during the drop/add period.

Learn about the differences between withdrawing from WSU and dropping classes.

If a student's course schedule is reduced for the convenience of the University, the tuition shall be adjusted without penalty.

Refunds on fees will be on the same basis as tuition when withdrawing or dropping credits.

Refunds are not given for textbooks and materials. Used books may be sold back to the University Bookstore.

Fall & Spring Terms

This is the refund amount for the original tuition and fees charges you can expect if you withdraw from the term or drop classes at various points in the semester.

The schedule below applies only to courses greater than 3 weeks in length.

 Business Days into the Term

Fall Semester Dates

Spring Semester Dates

Refunded Amount if Withdrawing from the Term

Refunded Amount if Dropping Less than all Classes
Up to and including Day 5 or 1 day after class session for classes that begin later in the semester

Aug. 21-25, 2023

 Jan. 8-12, 2024

100%

100%
Day 6-10

Aug. 26-Sept. 1, 2023

 Jan. 13-22, 2024

75%

0%
Day 11-15

Sept. 2-11, 2023

 Jan. 23-29, 2024

50%

0%
Day 16-20

Sept. 12-18, 2023

 Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2024

25%

0%
Day 21 or later

Sept. 19, 2023

 Feb. 6, 2024
 0%
 0%

Courses Lasting 3 Weeks or Less

To get a full refund for course lasting between 3 days and 3 weeks, you must drop the course before the class starts or within one day after the first class meeting.

You will not get any refund if you wait to drop until the second day of class or later.


Courses Lasting 3 Days or Less

To get a full refund for a course lasting 3 or less days, you must drop the course before the first day of class.

You will not get any refund if you drop the course after it begins.

If you have been awarded Title IV grants or loans, those funds must be returned when you withdraw from WSU.

This includes Stafford loans, Perkins loans and Pell grants as well as other common types of federal financial aid programs.

See the full Return to Title IV Policy (PDF).

Faculty-led travel programs have their own refund policy and you should check the individual faculty-led program for details.

Contact the Study Abroad Office for more information about faculty-led travel programs.

Refunds follow a similar policy for summer courses, however the drop/withdraw deadlines vary.

Check the individual course information in Student eServices for drop/withdrawal deadlines and refund details.

The last day to drop the course is generally a day before or a day after the course starts, depending on the course length.

Collection Referral Policy

When enrolling in courses at Winona State, you agree to the financial responsibility for all charges on your student account. This includes promising to pay Winona State University the full amount of the financial responsibility by the published due date.

In addition, you agree to pay any and all costs, including collection, attorney, and litigation costs incurred by Winona State in efforts to collect the financial responsibility should you default on your account balance.


Payment Arrangements

Students with unpaid balances as of the close of the semester will be sent a statement of debt by mail followed by a collection notice to resolve the debt within 20 days.

Students may inquire about payment arrangements with the Student Accounts Office by calling 507.457.5076 or stopping by Maxwell 205.


Referral for Collection

Unpaid account balances remaining at the close of the semester are subject to referral for collection to Minnesota Department of Revenue, as outlined within Minnesota State Procedure 7.6.2 and required by Minnesota Statute MS 16D.04 subd. 2.


Collection Fees

If a student account is referred to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, collection fees will be added to the account as allowable under Minnesota Statue, section 16D.11.

Collection agencies are authorized by Minnesota law to take the following actions to collect the debt.

  • Obtain a judgment against you
  • Garnish your wages
  • Levy your bank account
  • Issue subpoenas
  • Seize your property
  • Offset your state tax refund, lottery winnings, or vendor payment
  • Revoke or deny renewal of a professional license you may have
  • Report account status to credit bureaus
  • Refer your debt to a private collection agency which can add up to 40% in collection fees

Enrollment & Transcript Consequences

Students with unpaid account balances are not eligible to enroll in a future semester at Winona State, or receive transcripts until the debit is paid in full which includes all collection fees.