Changes in Enrollment Status and Withdrawing

Changes in enrollment status and/or withdrawing from the university can result in a balance owed to Tennessee State University and a loss of eligibility for all types of financial aid. Your enrollment as of Census Date (14th Day) refers to the day a snapshot is taken of a student's registration for financial aid purposes to determine eligibility for disbursement of Federal Pell grant. Below you will find information on how aid will be adjusted based on changes in your enrollment status. 

General Effects on Financial Aid Status

  • Student's who drop classes during the first 14 days will have their aid adjusted based on their enrollment status. Most types of financial aid are subject to this rule.

  • Students must be in attendance a minimum of 60% of the semester to earn 100% of their aid. Any student who completely withdraws from the institution prior to the 60% point of the semester passing will have their aid adjusted for the semester. This may result in a balance owed to the University.

  • Any student who is reported by an instructor(s) as "stopped attending" or "never attended" in all classes will be classified as an unofficial withdrawal from the university. Students will have their financial aid adjusted and/or may lose future eligibility for all types of financial aid. Students who officially withdraw from the university and are later reported as "never attended" or "stopped attending" before their withdrawal date may have additional financial aid adjustments.  Students who are reported by their instructors as "never attended" in some of their courses may also have their financial aid adjusted.


IMPORTANT: Any student who withdraws completely from the university and is currently on Financial Aid Warning may be suspended from aid eligibility for future semesters! Any student who withdraws and is in Good Standing with financial aid may be placed on Warning if the withdrawal results in unsatisfactory academic progress measurements. To receive financial aid, students are required to pass 66.7% of all attempted hours.

Effects on the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship

  • Any first-time freshman who withdraws from the university during the first 14 days will have their Lottery Scholarship(s) cancelled for that semester. However, students will not lose future eligibility for the Lottery Scholarship if they re-enroll within 16 months from their high school graduation date.

  • Any continuing or transfer student who withdraws from the University before or after the first 14 days of a semester will lose future eligibility for their Lottery Scholarship(s).

  • Any student who is enrolled as a full-time student (12 or more hours) and drops below 12 hours after the first 14 days of a semester will not have adjustments made to their Lottery award(s) for the current semester, unless a tuition credit is granted by the university. The student will, however, lose future eligibility for their Lottery Scholarship(s).


Contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss specific details regarding your Lottery Scholarship.

Dropping Classes or Withdrawing? 

Always contact a counselor in the Financial Aid Office by phone at 615-963-5701 or via finaid@tnstate.edu before you make any decisions to drop classes or withdraw from the university!