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Tuition Refund Appeal

What is a tuition refund appeal

A Tuition Refund Appeal is the process of determining if a student is eligible for a tuition refund based on extenuating circumstances beyond his/her control preventing attendance or completion that occurred during a given term. Students who complete their coursework and earn valid final grades cannot submit a tuition appeal for a balance waiver or tuition refund.

You have 1 year from the last day of instruction for the semester you are filing the Tuition Appeal for. Before you decide to apply for a refund, please review the refund policy and guidelines to determine if you have met the criteria.

If you are considering filing an appeal based on MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES, please visit the Medical Appeal Page.

What do I need in order to file a tuition refund appeal?

  • Complete the Tuition Appeal Form and Personal Statement explaining the circumstances surrounding your request for a tuition appeal
  • Third party documentation supporting your statement/appeal
  • Without supporting documentation your appeal will be denied.

How can I file the tuition refund appeal form?

  • You can submit your appeal online by accessing the online Tuition Appeals Request Form Instructions.  Appeals will be reviewed within 45 business days of receipt

PLEASE NOTE: A filed appeal DOES NOT grant approval. If an appeal is granted, it is for a one-time courtesy and future appeals will NOT be granted.

If you have received Financial Aid, you MUST consult a Financial Aid Counselor before submitting the Tuition Refund Request Form.

What are appropriate circumstances for an appeal?

See list of circumstances
  • Death of the student or of an immediate or very close family member: (parent, child, spouse, domestic partner, sibling or grandparent) Submit a copy of the death certificate, obituary or death notice. Documents must clearly indicate the relationship of the deceased to the student.
  • Call to active military duty: A copy of the official deployment/reactivation notice. Deployment and reactivation dates must be within the semester you are appealing.
  • An accident that prohibited your continued attendance: Accident report must be provided.
  • Severe family circumstance/hardships: Supporting documentation of hardship must be provided.
  • Illness or Injury of immediate family member for whom you provided care: (parent, child, spouse, domestic partner, sibling or grandparent) A letter from your family member’s medical provider on their letterhead indicating the dates of illness and naming 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 etc. are not acceptable documentation.
These are some of the circumstances that will NOT be considered for an appeal:
  1. Incomplete documentation (Documentation is required for ALL appeals).
  2. Missed deadline for submitting an appeal.
  3. Change in employment.
  4. Misunderstanding of start date 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.
  5. Inability to transfer a course(s) to another college/university.
  6. Failure to seek academic and/or financial advisement before registering.
  7. Dissatisfaction with a course content, scheduled meeting time, location, mode of instruction, professor or grade.
  8. Your account has NOT been turned over for collection/litigation or NOT in the collection process.
  9. Involuntary Withdrawals will NOT be considered by the Tuition Appeals Committee.
  10. Dismissal for academic or disciplinary reasons.
  11. Discontinued attendance or failure to attend a course(s) at all. Students are responsible for officially dropping or withdrawing from courses.
  12. Failure to follow college policies and procedures available for review within the college’s handbook, catalog or @mywcc.suny.edu.
  13. A tuition liability resulting from Late Registration (on or after the first day of the session, regardless of attendance).
  14. Failure to review registration information for accuracy, tuition and payment policies.

Tuition Appeal Request Form Instructions

Before you file a Tuition Appeal Request please make sure:

The Tuition Appeal Request is being submitted WITHIN ONE YEAR from the last day of instruction for the semester you are filing the Tuition Appeal for. Tuition appeals submitted for semesters older than one year of age will be automatically denied.
  • Students must officially withdraw from all courses for the semester for which the appeal is being submitted.
  • If a grant, scholarship and/or loan funds were paid on your behalf for the semester in which you are appealing, see the Financial Aid Office to go over the impact of a potential approved appeal will have on your financial aid eligibility.
  • If during the semester you are appealing, you received Viking Dollars (Dining services), a refund check and/or bookstore charges, all those monies must be returned BEFORE your appeal will be considered.
You understand that the following WILL NOT be considered by the Tuition Appeals Committee for a tuition appeal:
  1. Incomplete documentation (Documentation is required for ALL appeals).
  2. Missed deadline for submitting an appeal.
  3. Change in employment.
  4. Misunderstanding of start date 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.
  5. Inability to transfer a course(s) to another college/university.
  6. Failure to seek academic and/or financial advisement before registering.
  7. Dissatisfaction with a course content, scheduled meeting time, location, mode of instruction, professor or grade.
  8. Your account has NOT been turned over for collection/litigation or NOT in the collection process.
  9. Involuntary Withdrawals will NOT be considered by the Tuition Appeals Committee.
  10. Dismissal for academic or disciplinary reasons.
  11. Discontinued attendance or failure to attend a course(s) at all. Students are responsible for officially dropping or withdrawing from courses.
  12. Failure to follow college policies and procedures available for review within the college’s handbook, catalog or @mywcc.suny.edu.
  13. A tuition liability resulting from Late Registration (on or after the first day of the session, regardless of attendance).
  14. Failure to review registration information for accuracy, tuition and payment policies.
Filling out the form and submitting all supporting documents

After reviewing the Tuition Appeal Guidelines, please fill out the form completely, including the personal statement, to clearly outline the grounds for the appeal. We require that students provide specific details and documentation to support their tuition appeals request. The responsibility for ensuring the committee has received the needed documentation rests with the student filing their appeal with their original appeal submission. All appeals must be submitted electronically from the students WCC email.

What to Expect
  • Appeals will be reviewed within 45 days of receipt.
  • Once the Tuition Appeal committee has reached a decision, the student will be sent an e-mail through their WCC email stating the final decision.
  • If Tuition Appeal is approved the student’s tuition account will be adjusted accordingly.
  • All appeal decisions are final.

Tuiton Appeal Request Form

Submit a Request