What is a Tuition Refund Appeal?
A Tuition Refund Appeal (TRA) is a petition for students requesting a tuition refund due to unexpected and serious circumstances beyond his/her control that prevented the student’s ability to attend or complete courses during a given term. Students must be withdrawn from their courses for the appeal to be considered; students who complete their coursework and receive final grades ( to include an “F”) cannot submit a tuition appeal. Students looking to dispute a grade must complete the process for a grade change RCC Grade Change. If the appeal is submitted while the semester is in progress, the student must have officially dropped the course. TRA’s will not be accepted once final grades have been assigned. Courses with assigned grades other than a “W” are not eligible for a tuition refund appeal.
A Tuition Refund Appeal applies to ALL COURSES taken during that semester unless specific documentation supports a different outcome. If the TRA is approved, the student receives a letter grade of “X” which will not affect their GPA. If the TRA is denied, the decision stands and no refund will be issued. Students have 60 days from the last day of the semester in which the courses were dropped to file a Tuition Refund Appeal.
What is a Retroactive Withdrawal Request?
A student may request a Retroactive Withdrawal from a course or courses in which the student was enrolled at the College if circumstances of a serious and compelling nature prevented the completion of course work and extenuating circumstances prevented withdrawal by the deadline published on the academic calendar. A request for a retroactive withdrawal applies to all courses taken during the part of term in question since “extenuating circumstances” are not course specific.
Retroactive withdrawals for the Fall and Winter terms must be submitted no later than the 9th week of the following Spring Semester. Retroactive withdrawals for the Spring and Summer semesters must be submitted no later than the 9th week of the following Fall semester based on the official deadline dates specified in the academic calendar.
Students who submit a retroactive withdrawal are not granted any tuition refund. Students seeking a refund for their tuition must file a separate appeal if the retroactive withdrawal is granted.
The Retroactive Withdrawal policy is effective September 1, 2024, and applies to all students regardless of the catalog year that the student entered the College.
Application Review Process
The tuition refund appeal/Retroactive Withdrawal applications are generally reviewed within 45 business days (Monday-Friday) of receipt of the application. Students will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of their application. Please allow up to 14 days after your application is reviewed to receive an outcome. Students will be notified of the decision via the email address provided on the application once all documentation has been reviewed and processed. Emails from students or guardians regarding the final decision will not be accepted. Appeals that are not sent to the appropriate location as stated on the application will not be reviewed. The decision for the appeal/withdrawal is final.
Examples of Appropriate Reasons to Request an Appeal
- Family emergency
- Illness, injury, or death of an immediate family member
- Personal injury or illness
- A mental health issue that required professional care
- Required Military transfer out of the area
- Loss of residence
- College Error
- Legal matters beyond the student’s control.
To review or consider a Tuition Refund Appeal/Retroactive Withdrawal, the Committee requires the following items:
- Complete all required fields on the Tuition Refund Appeal/Retroactive Withdrawal form
- Submit a typed personal statement explaining the extenuating circumstances surrounding your request. Please note, the statement MUST be written by the student. Only in extraordinary situations (hospitalizations, etc.) will statements submitted by parents/guardians on behalf of the student be reviewed. Below are some helpful questions you can include in your statement:
- What are you requesting?
- When did it happen?
- What happened to create the situation?
- How did it impact your academic attendance?
- What prevented you from withdrawing from classes?
*Forms submitted without the items above will not be considered.
Appropriate documentation to support your request
- For appeals regarding personal Illness or Injury of self/ immediate family for whom you provided care: (parent, child, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, or grandparent), an official letter from your family member’s medical provider must be provided. The dates of illness and the impact on your ability to attend class, complete assignments, and adhere to the course requirements set forth by your instructor must be included.If you are providing documentation for a family member, the letter must name you as the primary caregiver. The letter must be signed by the medical provider. The medical condition does not need to be disclosed to the committee. Copies of invoices, appointment confirmations, statements of insurance payments, medical records, etc. are not acceptable documentation.If travel out of state was required in the case of a family member, a travel itinerary must be provided. If you are required to provide care for an immediate family member, a formal letter from the physician or other official with an explanation must be provided.
- Copy of obituary or other formal notice in the case of a death of an immediate family member (mother, father, domestic partner, legal guardian, brother, sister, spouse, sibling, grandparent, or child); the notice must show your relationship with the deceased. The travel itinerary must also be provided if travel out of state was required.
- Copy of your military orders for an unexpected military deployment that caused the withdrawal.
- Supporting documentation from an instructor, advisor, or other college officials for an error on the college’s part. Examples include advisement form, email from faculty or staff, registration printout, college printed material, IT Help Desk, etc. Please let us know what technology was not available for you so we can evaluate for any potential future needs.
- Submit official documentation of jury duty, court dates, etc.
Important Disclaimer: The Tuition Refund Appeal/Retroactive Withdrawal will NOT be reviewed or considered, and no follow-up completed to the student if any of the above items are incomplete or required support documentation is not submitted with the appeal. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure all requirements are met at the time of submission for the Tuition Refund Appeal/Retroactive Withdrawal to be reviewed.
Reasons why an appeal will NOT be considered:
- Incomplete Tuition Refund Appeal/Retroactive Withdrawal form (all fields must be completed)
- Incomplete submission of supporting documentation (must be attached when submitting the form)
- Missed deadline for submitting an appeal.
- Change in employment (additional hours, changing jobs, etc.)
- Misunderstanding of start dates and classes. Failure to consult the academic calendar and payment liability guidelines before registering. Failure to meet published dates and deadlines regarding registration, payment, drops, and withdrawals. Failure to review your syllabi. Failure to check your RCC email.
- Inability to transfer a course(s) to another college/university.
- Failure to seek academic and/or financial advisement before registering.
- Change of major/program of study.
- Perceived quality of instruction or dissatisfaction with the course; dissatisfaction with scheduled meeting time, location, mode of instruction, professor, or grade.
- Dismissal for academic or disciplinary reasons (involuntary withdrawals).
- Failure to attend a course(s) at all. Discontinued attendance in a course. Students are responsible for officially dropping or withdrawing from courses (please review the academic calendar)
- Failure to follow college policies and procedures as outlined on RCC’s website or in the Student Handbook/College Catalog.
- A tuition liability resulting from Late Registration
- Failure to review registration information for accuracy, tuition, and payment policies.
How to submit a Tuition Refund Appeal/ Retroactive Withdrawal
You may submit your request in person by dropping the form at the front desk in the Admissions Suite in the Technology Center Room 8120 or you may complete the form and attach it to an email to [email protected]. Appeals will be reviewed within 45 business days (Monday-Friday) of receipt. Please note, there is no expedited process for appeals or withdrawals. All decisions are final. You are unable to dispute a denial.