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 for the dates and refund amounts.
Tuition refund dates and deadlines
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 and your complete mailing address (including postal or ZIP code) on your Student Service Centre (SSC). Once you have done this, please contact Student Records & Financial 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If you’ve received an academic concession or withdrawn from a course under extraordinary and extenuating circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for a tuition adjustment or refund after the course drop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 eight 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 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Tuition adjustment appeals can also be made by students who have experienced trauma from sexual assault and have withdrawn from classes as a result.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 contact Student Records & Financial Services to discuss your situation. Tuition adjustments or refunds are reviewed on a monthly basis by the Tuition Appeals Committee. Please allow at least eight 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 Student Records & Financial 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 in the SSC 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.
