Students may appeal for an exception to the SWTC refund policy if unusual circumstances exist. The student must withdraw from course(s) before submitting the Retroactive Course Cancellation and Tuition Refund Appeal form if prior to the beginning of the ninth week of regular semester class (last day to cancel a semester class). The student must complete a Retroactive Course Cancellation and Tuition Refund Appeals form if there are extenuating circumstances that have prevented the student from dropping his or her semester course work and warrant exception to the refund procedure. All tuition refund petitions, written and signed by the student, and accompanied by supporting, official third-party documentation, are to be submitted to the Registrar. In order for an appeal to be considered, the student must prove extenuating circumstances were the sole cause of withdrawal from classes. The responsibility to supply adequate supporting documentation lies with the student. If the student is requested to provide additional documentation in order for SWTC to make a final decision, the student will have 30 days to submit the additional documentation or the appeal will be denied. The Committee will typically only consider appeals written and submitted by the student; appeals submitted by someone other than the student (e.g., parent, guardian, sibling, etc.) will typically not be considered. Appeals should fully explain the extenuating circumstances and include supporting documentation. The submission of an appeal does not guarantee approval.

The Registrar decides routine appeals that meet established criteria. Appeals that fall outside existing criteria are referred to the Tuition Refund Appeal Committee (TRAC) for review. The TRAC is an administrative committee comprised of representatives from the Business Office, Student Affairs, and Financial Aid. The committee is chaired by the Registrar. Students will receive written or email confirmation that his/her appeal form has been received.

A packet of information that includes the student’s petition and documentation, academic history, current semester’s schedule, student account balance, and the financial aid status for the student will be included. SWTC may contact third-party documentation providers to verify information provided by the student. The Committee may also contact the student’s instructor(s), advisor, program area, and/or any other staff and to inquire as to attendance record, current grade in the course(s), assignments completed, or other school interactions as they relate to the appeal request. Materials are confidential and shared only with members of the Committee who review the appeal. The TRAC will research, review, and render a decision to the request. Appeals are approved by a majority of the committee voting in favor of the request. Once the Committee has reached a determination, the student will receive a letter or e-mail within seven working days indicating the Committee’s disposition of the appeal.

The Committee will NOT typically consider appeals based on the following reasons:

1. Registering for the wrong course. It is the student’s responsibility to verify accuracy of course prerequisites or required courses, course schedules, required texts or other supplies, course content and appropriateness of course level, catalog requirements, and registration.
2. Any case that involves a protested check or any account that has been turned over to a collection agency or the state of Wisconsin.
3. Misinterpretation, lack of knowledge, understanding, or failure to follow applicable SWTC policies and procedures as published in the SWTC Catalog, Class Schedule, official SWTC website (https://www.swtc.edu/), or other applicable SWTC publications.
4. Dissatisfaction with course content or delivery of instruction.
5. Dissatisfaction with academic progress in course.
6. Appeals of non-refundable fees.
7. Non-attendance or minimal attendance of class.
8. Inadequate investigation of course requirements prior to registration and attendance.
9. Non-qualification, late application, or loss of eligibility for financial aid or scholarships.
10. Non-receipt of mail due to obsolete address on file with the Office of the College Registrar.
11. Failure to activate or maintain the student’s official swtc.edu e-mail account (e-billing).
12. Changes of, or personal conflicts with, the instructor of record.
13. Student errors resulting in the delay of administrative processes relative to registration or the delivery of financial aid funds.
14. Voluntary acceptance of employment or other activity influencing ability to attend classes.
15. Textbook, software, hardware, or technical difficulties.
16. Routine illness.
17. Lack of preparation or failure to meet course prerequisites.
18. Vacation plans.
19. Personal errors in judgment or irresponsibility involving transportation, childcare, availability of finances, academic ability, and time management.

If a student has documentation that substantiates an extraordinary event and an appeal for tuition and fee refund is approved, the student must understand that the College is only able to approve a refund appeal once during the entire academic career at SWTC (includes all voluntary and involuntary separations). In particular, if the event is related to a medical condition, it is the student’s responsibility to make an informed decision (which may require a consultation with a healthcare provider) prior to enrolling in future coursework since an appeal is granted on a onetime basis for a given medical condition. While a student may not be granted a second tuition and fee refund the student may have the opportunity to withdraw from coursework with a grade of W in future semesters, assuming the student meets all appropriate deadlines and regulations related to withdrawal.

The Tuition Refund Appeal Committee does not review tuition refund exceptions when the basis of the appeal is related to the academic delivery, instructor conflicts, grading, or any academically related request for refund exception. Any and all academic complaints must follow the SWTC Student Complaint Process.

Financial Aid Recipients Note: If an appeal is approved for a recipient of federal and/or state financial aid (grants and loans), and the student’s original course registration is cancelled and/or tuition liability is eliminated as a result; federal/state regulations dictate that all financial aid previously applied to the student’s account and/or disbursed to the student in the form of an overpayment refund, must be recalculated under the Federal Return to Title IV, state and institutional policies. This action may result in an outstanding balance on the student account; in certain scenarios, that (new) balance owed may be in an amount greater than was incurred via the initial registration/aid disbursement.

DEADLINE: Your appeal must be received no later than the last day of the term of the academic year for which you are submitting the appeal because that is the end of the fiscal year. Accounting practices and compliance with regulations restrict our ability to process tuition refund appeals beyond the end of the fiscal year.