Considering Withdrawal After H1B Selection? A Review of Refund Policies at Day 1 CPT Schools

For international students studying in the United States, being selected in the H1B lottery is a key step toward long-term development in the country. As H1B lottery results are announced, many students begin to consider whether they should withdraw from their Day 1 CPT schools. To help students make decisions in their own best interest at this critical juncture, this article provides a detailed analysis of refund and withdrawal policies at Day 1 CPT schools across the U.S., along with practical advice on status transitions.

Why Consider Withdrawing?

Whether to withdraw should be weighed against your career plans, financial situation, and the school's refund policy. The most common scenario involves students selected in the H1B lottery: obtaining H1B means they can legally work in the U.S. in the future and no longer need to rely on student status (F1 visa) to maintain legal status. This is good news for many Day 1 CPT students, since they chose to enroll in Day 1 CPT schools precisely to gain the right to work legally. However, note that withdrawal will cause the F1 visa to become invalid, so if students still need legal status before H1B takes effect, continuing enrollment to keep the F1 visa valid may be a prudent choice. This article explains each school's withdrawal and refund policies according to different situations.

Applicable situations:

• Status change after H1B selection requires withdrawal

• During CPT, wanting to change to another U.S. status, such as dependent visas H4, J2, F2, or B1/B2 status

• Not planning to continue working in the U.S. and intending to leave the country

Withdrawal Process

The withdrawal process is broadly similar across schools. The basic steps are: contact your advisor — complete the withdrawal application — complete the refund application (if needed) — obtain school approval — receive the official withdrawal notice — receive the refund.

Here is an example using the withdrawal process at Westcliff University:

Step 1: Contact the advisor and submit a withdrawal request; Step 2: The advisor will ask the student to book a meeting and, as usual, ask some questions, such as the reason for withdrawal and personal plans; this is generally just a brief understanding of the situation, and the student can answer truthfully; Step 3: After the meeting, the advisor will send a withdrawal application form to fill in the relevant information; Step 4: After the form is submitted, wait for the school's approval.

Precautions: * After withdrawal, the F1 SEVIS record will be terminated. If you need to remain in the U.S., make sure your legal status has taken effect after withdrawal. For example, H1B takes effect no earlier than October 1 of that year, so you must withdraw only after the I797 effective date. * Studying and H/J status are not mutually exclusive; if you are about to graduate, you can continue studying online under H/J status until you complete your program. * Remember to download and back up your study materials from the portal before withdrawing, as your student account may become invalid after withdrawal; if you want to keep assignments or syllabi, download them in advance.

Analysis of Refund Policies at Day 1 CPT Schools Across the U.S.

Before deciding to withdraw, it is particularly important to understand the school's refund policy. Refund policies at Day 1 CPT schools typically vary by school: some offer partial refunds, while others have no refund policy at all. The following are several common types of refund policies:

• Refund by semester or course: Some schools determine the refund percentage based on semester or course progress. For example, students who withdraw early in the semester may receive a higher refund percentage, while those who withdraw halfway through or near the end of the semester may receive no refund.

• Fixed refund period: Some schools set a refund window, usually during the first few weeks after the semester begins. If students withdraw during this period, they can receive a partial tuition refund; after this deadline, no refund is available.

• No-refund policy: Some Day 1 CPT schools have strict no-refund policies, especially for international students. In such cases, students need to carefully review the refund terms before enrollment to avoid financial loss after being selected in the H1B lottery.

• Tuition transfer policy: A few schools allow students to transfer paid tuition to a future semester or apply it to other programs. This flexible policy can provide students with an option to maintain enrollment during a status transition.

Western U.S. Schools

Westcliff University

• Refund policy: Westcliff University Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: Before the course starts or within seven days after enrollment, students may cancel the course and receive a 100% refund (minus application and registration fees). After that, if students have completed less than 60% of the course, they may also receive a refund based on the completed proportion. All refunds require a written application.

California Institute of Advanced Management (CIAM)

• Refund policy: CIAM Policies & Procedures

• Summary: Within 14 days after the semester begins, students may cancel courses and receive a full tuition refund. After this point, if students withdraw having completed less than 60% of the semester, they may receive a partial refund on a pro-rata basis. Refunds are usually returned within 30 days after the student submits a withdrawal or leave-of-absence notice, via the original payment method or by check.

Sofia University

• Refund policy: Sofia University Refund Policy

• Summary: Students who drop a course before it starts or within the first week receive a 100% tuition refund. Students who drop during the second to sixth weeks receive a pro-rata refund. No refund is provided after the sixth week. The specific proportion is calculated based on the ratio of remaining class days after the student's last attendance to the total class days.

Humphreys University

• Policy: Humphreys University Tuition Refund Policy

• Brief summary: Students who drop a course in the first week receive a 100% refund; in the second week, 90%; in the third week, 50%; before the sixth week, 25%. No refund is provided after the seventh week. (The refund amount is based on the time the registrar's office receives the application form. Semester refunds are calculated from the first day of the semester, and holidays do not extend the refund deadline.)

Eastern U.S. Schools

New England College

• Refund policy: New England College Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: Students can receive a 100% tuition refund before the first week of the course begins; after the first day of the first week, 80%; after the first day of the second week, 50%; from the third week onward, no refund.

Harrisburg University

• Refund policy: Harrisburg University Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: Dropping a course from before the semester begins until the end of the first week yields a 100% refund; in the second week, 50%; in the third week, 25%; after the third week, no refund. Tuition for the semester is considered fully paid at the end of the third week.

Monroe University (formerly Monroe College)

• Refund policy: Monroe University Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: Students who withdraw or are dismissed after courses begin must bear administrative fees, actual bookstore charges, and a certain percentage of tuition, with the refund reduced proportionally as follows: withdrawal in the first week, 90% refund; second week, 70%; third week, 50%; fourth week, 40%; fifth week, 30%; sixth and seventh weeks, 25%; eighth week, 20%; ninth week and thereafter, no refund.

Saint Peter's University

• Refund policy: Saint Peter's University Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: Students can receive a 100% tuition refund during the first week of the course; second week, 75%; third week, 50%; fourth week, 25%. From the fifth week onward, no refund is provided. In addition, the Orientation Fee is refundable before new student orientation and non-refundable afterward. For students receiving federal or state financial aid, withdrawal must follow the relevant federal and state financial aid return regulations.

McDaniel College

• Refund policy: McDaniel College Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: Dropping a course during the first week of the fall and spring semesters yields an 80% tuition refund; second week, 60%; third week, 40%; fourth week, 20%. From the fifth week onward, no refund is provided. When formally withdrawing or taking a leave of absence, students must notify the Office of Academic Affairs, and the refund is calculated based on the specific withdrawal date.

Central U.S. Schools

National Louis University

• Refund policy: National Louis University Tuition Refund Policy

• Summary: For non-standard semester courses longer than twelve weeks, refunds are calculated based on the proportion of the semester completed; for example, if a student has completed 30% of the course, the refund is based on the remaining 70%, and no refund is given after more than 50% of the semester is completed. For ten- to twelve-week courses, dropping within the first week yields a 100% refund, 80% in the second week, decreasing until no refund after the sixth week. For five- to six-week courses, 100% refund within the first week, 70% in the second week, no refund after the third week. For courses of four weeks or less, 100% refund within the first week, no refund after the second week.

Ottawa University

• Refund policy: Ottawa University Refund Policy

• Summary: For 4-8 week courses, a 100% refund is available within the first week, 75% in the second week, 50% in the third week, and no refund after more than 3 weeks. Students who do not attend any classes (no attendance record) are considered non-attending and may receive a full tuition refund.

CPT school tuition is a significant expense, and getting some tuition back after changing status can help recover some costs!

Withdrawal and refunds may seem simple, but the actual process involves many details and terms. The above content is compiled from publicly available policies on school official websites. When making decisions, remember to confirm with your school advisor to ensure you can successfully obtain your refund.