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Petition for Tuition and Fee Refund

Policy
Purpose: 

This policy explains the refund or adjustment process for student tuition and fees that are exceptions to the published Tuition and Fee Refund policy.

Applies to: 

All Lawrence/Edwards Campus students.

Campus: 
Edwards
Lawrence
Policy Statement: 

Petition Process

This petition is a request for an exception to the Tuition and Fee Refund policy. The request must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar within 30 calendar days of notification of assessment, adjustment, or refund. The University Registrar may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis when there is a compelling case to do so.

To file a petition, complete and submit the fee petition form to the Office of the University Registrar. All petitions must include:

  1. Student name, KUID, current address, and phone number
  2. Semester for which refund and/or adjustment is requested
  3. Statement describing specifically what is being requested (e.g. removal of late payment fee, reassessment of percentage of refund)
  4. Explanation of why the tuition and/or fee should be refunded or removed
  5. Description of extenuating circumstances

The Tuition and Fees Specialist in the Office of the University Registrar will make a decision based on all pertinent documentation submitted and a review of University records. Notification of a decision will be sent in writing within 14 business days of receipt of the petition.

Any change in assessment must conform to a rate already established in the Tuition and Fee Refund policy.

Petition Criteria

All petitions must include information that documents one of the following:

  1. Sudden illness, accident, injury, or situation that influenced the student’s class schedule. Generally, petitions for reassessment or refund based on chronic illnesses are not approved.
  2. Call to military service or jury duty
  3. Substantiated circumstances involving University error where a student in good faith relied on information provided by a named University official and was consequently misled or mistaken
  4. When it is in the best interest of the student and institution to reassess tuition and/or fees, the Office of the University Registrar may grant an exception.

Appeals

  1. A student may appeal the initial decision made by the Office of the University Registrar by submitting an appeal form to the Tuition and Fees specialist.
  2. The Office of the University Registrar must receive the appeal form within 30 calendar days of notification of the initial decision.
  3. The appeal must request a review of the original decision and must contain additional documentation to support the appeal.
  4. The appeal will be reviewed by the Tuition and Fee Appeal Committee (Appeal Committee).
  5. The decision made by the Appeal Committee is the final University determination on the matter.

Appeal Committee

  1. The Appeal Committee is charged with reviewing tuition and fee petition appeals.
  2. The Appeal Committee shall consist of no more than five voting members appointed by the Chief Financial Officer and Vice Provost for Finance. Appointments begin in August, are for a period of one calendar year, and are renewable at the discretion of the Chief Financial Officer and Vice Provost for Finance.
  3. The Appeals Committee shall include representatives from Student Accounts & Receivables, Budget Management & Fiscal Services Office, and Provost's Office – Budget and Finance. A representative of the Office of the University Registrar shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Appeal Committee.
  4. The chairperson shall be a voting member and shall be selected by the committee.
  5. Decisions of the committee will be by a majority vote.
  6. The Appeal Committee chairperson will notify the student of the final University determination within one calendar week after a decision has been received.
Exclusions or Special Circumstances: 

The Office of the University Registrar cannot approve petitions and appeals that are based on academic grounds.

Petitions will address only whether a refund of charges will be made. Grade assignments, quality and quantity of instruction, and other academic issues are not within the scope of these procedures and should be addressed to the Dean of the College or professional school.

Refunds cannot be made for classes in which the student is still enrolled.

If an individual establishes a pattern of repeatedly submitting frivolous fee petitions or files petitions citing similar circumstances over successive semesters, the Office of the University Registrar may decline to consider the petition or appeal.

Late fees on unpaid tuition and fee balances can be assessed while a petition of appeal is pending. Payment in full of tuition and fees must be received by the payment due date indicated on the billing notification. If a petition through this process is approved, an appropriate refund can be made.

Errors resulting from swapping courses do not need to be petitioned through this process. In these cases, students should contact the Tuition and Fees Specialist in the Office of the University Registrar.

A petition request must be filed in accordance with the provisions of this policy and within the time frames established here in order to be considered by the Office of the University Registrar.

Contact: 

Office of the University Registrar
1502 Building
1502 Iowa Street
Lawrence, KS 66045
registrar@ku.edu
785-864-4423

Approved by: 
Vice Provost for Administration and Finance
Approved on: 
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Effective on: 
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Review Cycle: 
Annual (As Needed)
Background: 

This policy codifies practices that have been in place for many years.

Definitions: 

Fee petition: request for an exception to the Tuition and Fee Refund policy

Tuition and Fee Refund policy: applies only to tuition, course fees, required campus fees, off-campus area fees, and Edwards Campus fees for students who withdraw from the University or reduce enrollment such that a different amount would normally be assessed.

Comprehensive Fee Schedule: document that is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents and published by the Office of the University Registrar authorizing charges to be collected from students and others receiving designated services.

Keywords: 
Tuition and fees refund, Fee petition
Change History: 

02/14/2024: Removed broken links.
03/01/2023: Updated contact section.
06/17/2019: Updated due to change in procedure for submitting a form.
04/19/2019: Updated contact information.
03/12/2019: The title of VP for Administration and Finance no longer exists. Future approvals will be made by the Chief Financial Officer and Vice Provost for Finance.
03/23/2015: Updated to reflect current nomenclature for Student Account Services.
08/20/2014: Edited for clarification and address updates.

Financial Categories: 
Tuition & Fees

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