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Policy and Procedure Statements

UPPS 02.01.12 - Tuition and Fees Refund Appeal Policy

Tuition and Fees Refund Appeal Policy

UPPS No. 02.01.12
Issue No. 8
Effective Date: 8/17/2023
Next Review Date: 8/01/2026 (E3Y)
Sr. Reviewer: University Registrar

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to providing students with the opportunity and resources to appeal requests for tuition and fees refunds due to reasons beyond a student’s control.

  1. PROCEDURES FOR REFUND APPEALS

    1. Appeal requests must be made within six weeks of the last class day of the semester for which the student wishes to appeal. Appeals received later than six weeks past the last class day of the semester, or those submitted without supporting documentation will not be reviewed.

    2. Chapter 54, Subchapter A, Section 54.006, of the Texas Education Code sets tuition and fees refund deadlines. Students will not receive a refund for drops or withdrawals that occur after these deadlines, unless one of the following situations has occurred between the first and last class day of the pertinent semester:

      1. a medical condition makes it impossible for a student to drop or withdraw from a university course by the stated deadline;

      2. university faculty or staff acknowledge providing incorrect advisement to the student;

      3. the course syllabus, departmental calendar, or similarly-related publication contained an erroneous deadline;

      4. the student is called to military active duty (see G/PPS No. 02.08, Schedule Changes, Drops, and Withdrawals);

      5. the student has a death in the immediate family; or

      6. a natural catastrophe or disaster has occurred.

    3. Students who request a refund beyond the established refund deadline due to a medical condition will have their request evaluated on a case-by-case basis by a university medical professional, to be designated by Texas State University.

    4. Appropriate documentation must be provided with the appeal and may include the following:

      1. copies of healthcare provider progress notes from office visits, urgent care, or emergency room visits that address the medical condition during the withdrawal refund period such as:

        1. the date of initial on-set of the condition;

        2. type, frequency, and severity of symptoms;

        3. treatments or medications necessary to alleviate symptoms and responses to such treatments; or

        4. the medical necessity behind the student’s withdrawal from the course.

      2. death certificate accompanied with documentation showing a relationship between student and the deceased;

      3. obituary from newspaper illustrating student is a surviving relative (pamphlets or programs from the funeral home are not acceptable);

      4. copy of university publication with erroneous deadline;

      5. email, memo, or letter from a university faculty or staff member acknowledging incorrect advisement; or

      6. deployment papers (must state active duty, not training).

  2. PROCEDURES FOR APPEALS

    1. Appeal procedures for non-medical related appeals are as follows:

      1. student submits formal appeal, including all pertinent documentation, to the associate University Registrar via the online Tuition and Fees Appeal Form;

      2. the associate University Registrar reviews the appeal and documentation provided to determine if the student’s appeal meets university guidelines;

      3. the associate University Registrar will base decisions on the reason for the appeal and how the last date of academic engagement falls on the refund deadlines as published by Student Business Services;

      4. if the associate University Registrar grants the refund, the refund will be initiated; and

      5. if a final grade was earned for the courses, a grade change of ‘W’ (withdrawn passing) will be entered.

    2. Review procedures for non-medical related appeals submitted to the Tuition Appeals Committee, are as follows:

      1. If a non-medical related appeal is denied by the associate University Registrar, the student has the right to appeal to the Tuition Appeals Committee. This committee is comprised of a representative from the Student Business Services office, the Financial Aid and Scholarships office, a student from Student Government, an academic advisor, and an academic department chair or school director.

      2. The student may submit a letter of explanation and any additional documentation, within 10 business days of the appeal denial. The associate University Registrar will redact all identifying information from the appeal and forward it and all other previously submitted documentation to the committee.

      3. The committee will review the appeal, including the provided supporting documentation.

      4. If the committee denies the appeal, the associate University Registrar will notify the student.

      5. If the committee grants the appeal, the associate University Registrar will notify the student, generate the refund, and process any grade changes to 'W’, if necessary.

      6. The decision of the committee is final.

    3. Review procedures for appeals due to a medical condition are as follows:

      1. The associate University Registrar will prepare the submitted appeal due to a medical condition and send to the university medical professional.

      2. The university medical professional will review the appeal and supporting documentation and may request additional information or permission to speak with the student’s physician.

      3. If the university medical professional denies the appeal, the associate University Registrar will notify the student.

      4. If the university medical professional grants the appeal, the associate University Registrar will notify the student, generate the refund, and process any grade changes to 'W’, if necessary.

      5. The decision of the medical professional is final.

  3. PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING AND FILING REFUNDS

    1. Refunds will be applied as follows:

      1. Following the appeal approval, the associate University Registrar will request a payment be made:

        1. to Texas State for installments, if the student has a balance;

        2. to the student, mailed to their permanent address; or

        3. as a direct deposit to the student’s bank account if the student has set up a direct deposit option.

    2. All documentation will be filed in the Office of the University Registrar in compliance with the state’s Records Retention Policy. After the allotted time, all records will be destroyed.

  4. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

    1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

      PositionDate
      University RegistrarAugust 1 E3Y
      Director, Student Business ServicesAugust 1 E3Y

  5. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

    This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

    University Registrar; senior reviewer of this UPPS

    Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management

    Vice President for TXST Global

    President