Records and Registration

Withdrawal and Refund Procedures

Withdrawing from the Law School

  • During the first week of the semester, students may utilize COURSES to add and drop courses. However, COURSES will not allow you to drop the last course on your schedule, if you plan to withdraw completely from the Law School. Instead, you must complete a withdrawal form or submit a letter via mail, fax (212-995-3826) or email (law.studentaffairs@nyu.edu) to the Dean of Students. 
  • Students who receive financial aid—scholarships or loans—must speak with the Office of Student Financial Services if they are dropping below full-time status as this may affect their eligibility for funding
  • After the first week of the semester, students may drop any course by submitting a drop form, or a letter by mail, fax, or email, to the appropriate program office.
  • The date of receipt by the School of Law of the drop or withdrawal request, not the last date of attendance in class, is considered the official date of the student's drop or withdrawal. This date is used for computing any refund.  
  • Part-time graduate students should pay special attention to the refund schedule. Note, for example, that if a course is dropped during the period in which 100% tuition is refunded, you may drop and add without financial penalty. However, after the 100% refund deadline, any drop will be refunded at the stated rate and you will be charged for any additional course(s). All part-time students receiving loan funding must speak with the Office of Student Financial Services if they are dropping courses.
  • Process to drop an online course: You may contact john.stephens@nyu.edu and copy elizabeth.robison@nyu.edu with questions. 

Refund Eligibility


Students may receive a refund of tuition for all courses according to the refund schedule posted on the Bursar website. (Refunds are not applicable to students who remain within the full-time credit load while adding or dropping courses.) The refund period is defined as the first four weeks of the term for which application for withdrawal is filed. The processing of refunds takes approximately three weeks. Note that registration fees are non-refundable once the semester begins.

Note: Some refund deadlines may fall on a weekend. If you decide to drop courses which would entitle you to a refund on a weekend deadline date, you should contact the appropriate program office via e-mail or fax  in order to meet the deadline. Also note that the Law School academic calendar and tuition refund schedule differ from the rest of the University; you must adhere to the dates applicable to the Law School.

Requesting a Refund

  • If the receipt of your student loan(s) and/or other financial aid results in a credit balance on your Bursar account, a refund check (in your name) will automatically be mailed to your local address on file in the Albert student information system. Students are responsible for keeping their personal information up-to-date
  •  Students whose lenders send paper checks will be required to sign the checks at the Bursar and will then receive refunds in approximately two weeks.
  • Checks may become "stale-dated" if not signed within 60-120 days (depending on the lender) after the date on the check. Students whose checks expire may need to reapply for the funds with their lender and may incur additional costs
  • An outdated address is the main reason refund checks from the Bursar are delayed. We strongly encourage students to set up direct deposit. Direct deposit will remain in effect during your tenure at NYU. If you change banking institutions or switch accounts, you need to update your direct deposit information