Financial Information

7.1 General Financial Information

1. COL students finance their degree programs in various ways, with funds secured from: 1) savings or employment, 2) federal or private loans, or 3) other sources (such as foundation scholarships or employer contributions).
2. Information on charges for tuition and fees, and estimated cost of books and supplies, may be found on our website here.
3. The School reserves the right to change at any time the amount for tuition and fees. Its refund and cancellation policies also may be changed at any time. However, any such changes will take effect at the beginning of the semester/session immediately following the semester/session in which the School announces the change, unless a later effective date is specified.
4. Veterans’ Financial Information
   To recognize the extraordinary contributions of those who have served in the US Armed Forces, the School has established a Military and Veteran Tuition Rate; information is available on the website here. A student utilizing the GI Bill, or State or Federal Vocational Rehabilitation, must work closely with one of the School’s certifying officials to make sure that all necessary documents are on file prior to the certification of enrollment with the Veterans Administration. The School will certify enrollment each term unless otherwise notified.
5. Payment of Tuition and Fees
   1. Payment is mandatory as to all tuition charges and fees as applicable.
   2. Residency fees for the Hybrid JD Program cannot be waived.
   3. In general, all tuition and fees are payable at the start of the semester/session to which they apply.  Tuition and fee charges are posted to the student’s account on the Friday of the first week of the term and must be paid in full  at that time, unless an approved payment plan is in place.
6. Obligation to Pay Regardless of Withdrawal
   A student paying less than the full amount of tuition and fees when due is liable for the remaining balance and for any other amounts owing to the School even if the student withdraws. The School will enforce its rights to payment through legal action if necessary. A JD graduate’s failure to pay mandatory amounts will also be reported to the State Bar in connection with any inquiry into the graduate’s moral character.
7. Late Payment Penalties
   1. A student who has neither paid the full tuition and fees owed nor, if eligible, signed a payment plan by the end of the first week of the semester/session, will be assessed a late fee unless the unpaid balance exists because approved financial aid funds or private loan funds have not yet posted to the student’s account.
   2. Penalties apply when amounts owed are not timely paid, as follows:
      1. An account is delinquent if the student has an outstanding balance for tuition or fee payments and is not making timely payment pursuant to an approved payment plan. Any payment made with insufficient funds is not a timely payment.
      2. A late payment fee will be charged monthly until the balance is paid or applicable payment plan is current.
      3. A student whose account is delinquent will not be allowed to register for any subsequent semester/session.  Further, COL will not certify a student as having graduated from the School, or issue a degree, until the student’s outstanding balance has been paid in full.
      4. COL will send an account to a collection agency if: 1) the balance is not paid in full, or if available, a payment plan is not set up within 90 days of the student’s withdrawal date, or 2) a former student is past due on a payment plan. 

7.2 Financial Options

1. Sources of Education Funds
   1. A student may fund studies at COL either through self-pay or financial aid. Financial aid is any money used to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and other expenses; generally, it consists of grants, loans, and scholarships a student may obtain to bridge the gap between a student’s resources and the cost of attending School.
   2. The Office of Financial Aid’s policies and procedures are subject to change based on federal regulations and guidelines or interpretations thereof. Changes will be published. It is the student’s responsibility to remain informed of all changes. The Office of Financial Aid adheres to the guidelines of ethical conduct developed by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
2. COL’s In-Term Payment Plan
   Available through the Office of Student Accounts, the In-Term Payment Plan allows a student to pay an outstanding tuition balance in monthly installments during the term. For details on the In-Term Payment Plan, please see Section 7.3.B.
3. Private Loans
   Private educational and other loans may be available through banks and other institutional lenders.
4. Scholarships
   Through the generosity of alumni and other friends, the School is able to offer a limited number of scholarships to further its educational mission. Scholarships vary from year to year in number, amount, and criteria; all scholarships are awarded as tuition credits and are not refundable. To learn more about the School’s offerings, including the application deadline, please read our scholarship brochure on the School’s website here. Students seeking scholarship support are also strongly encouraged to contact local and national scholarship foundations. Announcements about a few scholarships, including those funded by local legal organizations, may be posted on campus and circulated via COL e-mail.

7.3 Payment Plans

1. COL offers payment plan options for the JD and MLS programs.
2. Payment Plans
   1. The School offers two payment options.
      1. Currently enrolled students may use the standard In-Term JD Payment Plan.
      2. Former, non-graduated students may use the Out-of-Term JD Payment Plan. 
   2. In-Term Payment Plan (Standard)
      1. Available through the Office of Student Accounts, this plan is offered so that students may pay, in equal monthly installments over the length of the semester, any net balance owed to the School (calculated as tuition owed, less financial aid, private loans, scholarships, etc.). All payment plans must be pre-approved by the Office of Student Accounts.
      2. A student is eligible for payment plans if s/he elects not to apply for student loans, or to take student loans in an amount that does not cover the full tuition and fee balance. A student wishing to pursue a payment plan must have all arrangements completed by the end of the first week of the semester/session.
      3. A student is charged a Payment Plan Administrative Fee for each payment plan established.
      4. Interest is not charged; however, a late payment fee will be charged when a student is five (5) days late in making a payment on the payment plan. Late payment fees will be charged monthly until the payment plan is current. Until the account balance is current, the student will have a billing hold placed on the account.
      5. A student with a valid payment plan and no past due balance is considered in good standing once the first payment is received. The student will not be subject to a billing hold or assessed a late fee as long as the student continues making on-time payments on the payment plan.
      6. All payment plans will be scheduled with a due date of the 15th of each month.
   3. Out-of-Term Payment Plan
      1. A former student who is no longer enrolled with the institution due to withdrawal, dismissal, or disqualification, but who owes a balance on his or her COL account, may be eligible for an Out-of-Term Payment Plan. If a balance remains on a former student’s account, a final statement will be mailed. The account will be sent to a collection agency 90 days after the end of enrollment if the former student has not applied and qualified for a payment plan.
      2. The School reserves the right to not qualify a former student for a payment plan, or to cancel such an individual’s plan.
      3. A service fee will be assessed if a payment plan is established.
      4. A missed payment may result in cancellation of the payment plan and prevent the former student from future participation in the payment plan.

7.4 Refund Policy

1. This section sets forth policy applicable to the refund of tuition and fees paid by a student prior to his/her withdrawal, either from the School or courses. For details about the withdrawal process, please see applicable provisions in 6.5 Withdrawal: JD Program  and 6.7 Withdrawal: MLS Program  . The next section provides refund schedules for the JD and MLS programs, by term. Contact the Office of Student Accounts with questions about refunds.
2. The date of the student’s withdrawal determines: 1) whether the student is subject to an administrative fee on withdrawal and 2) the amount of any refund to the student after withdrawal.
3. Students should be aware that adding or dropping courses may change the student’s enrollment status, which may change the student’s eligibility for financial aid. (See 6.12 Enrollment Status  .)
4. A student who withdraws (or is administratively withdrawn) from all courses in which the student is enrolled during a regular term prior to the first day of the second week of the term will be charged an administrative fee which will be deducted from any refund if not separately paid. A student who withdraws from one or more courses during a JD Summer session in the onsite program will not be charged such a fee but will be charged an Add/Drop Fee per occurrence.
5. Any refund due to the student will first be applied toward reducing any amount owed by the student to the School. The remaining refund balance, if any, will be forwarded to the student.
6. In special cases where state or federal law may require a different refund schedule, the amount of refundable tuition will be determined according to such laws (for example, students receiving veterans’ benefits are not required to pay the administrative withdrawal fee).
7. Any student who is academically disqualified from the School may receive a full tuition refund for any course or courses in which s/he had enrolled after academic disqualification but before being notified of the disqualification. The refund will be granted upon written notification by the student by filing a completed and signed Request for Withdrawal form, provided the student’s withdrawal is effective before the student takes the final exam or otherwise completes all of the requirements for credit for such course or courses.
8. For purposes of entitlement to refunds, a student should give notice of withdrawal and request a tuition refund by completing, signing, and submitting a Request for Withdrawal form to the Administration Office of the student’s home campus. Students who submit written requests or notify COL verbally will be asked to submit a Withdrawal form. However, if a Withdrawal form is not received from the student within 48 hours, a Withdrawal form will be completed on their behalf by the Office of the Registrar. The Request for Withdrawal form is available on the Gateway (https://My.CollegesofLaw.edu/), or by request to the Administration Office.
9. A student will be considered withdrawn, and to have cancelled her or his enrollment agreement, on the date of withdrawal, which is at the earliest of the following dates:
   1. Date on which a completed and signed Request for Withdrawal form is hand delivered to or otherwise received by the Administration Office of the student’s principal campus.
   2. Date on which the student submitted written request or verbally notified COL of their intent to withdraw.
   3. Postmark date imprinted by U.S. Postal Service, if Request for Withdrawal form is mailed by U.S. mail to the Administration Office.
   4. Date as of which the student is deemed to have withdrawn pursuant to this Catalog for failure to complete attendance or other course requirements.
10. Refund checks will be mailed to withdrawing students no later than 30 days from the date of withdrawal or discontinuation of a course or educational program in which the student is enrolled. Fees and non-tuition charges are not refundable except as set forth in this section.

7.5 Refund Schedules: Onsite Courses

Onsite Refund Schedule

15-week Total Withdrawal Refund Schedule

*Total withdrawal is subject to a withdrawal fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

**The refund is based on the number of class meetings that have occurred per course prior to the student’s request to withdraw, regardless of their attendance in the elapsed meeting dates, except for Legal Internship and Directed Study courses, where refunds will be calculated based on the number of weeks elapsed until 60% of the term weeks have passed (example, withdrawal in Week 2 will result in a 2/15 refund.

10-week Course Refund Schedule

*Total withdrawal is subject to a withdrawal fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

**Add/Drop is subject to an Add/Drop fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

***The refund is based on the number of class meetings that have occurred per course prior to the student’s request to withdraw, regardless of their attendance in the elapsed meeting dates, except for Legal Internship and Directed Study courses, where refunds will be calculated based on the number of weeks elapsed until 60% of the term weeks have passed (example, withdrawal in Week 2 will result in a 2/10 refund.

5-week (or shorter) Summer Course Refund Schedule

*Total withdrawal is subject to a withdrawal fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

**Add/Drop is subject to an Add/Drop fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

***The refund is based on the number of class meetings that have occurred per course prior to the student’s request to withdraw, regardless of their attendance in the elapsed meeting dates

7.6 Refund Schedule: Online Courses

8-week Online Course Refund Schedule

*Total withdrawal is subject to a withdrawal fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

14 to 15-week Online Course Refund Schedule

*Total withdrawal is subject to a withdrawal fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.

7.7 Refund Schedule: State Specific Requirements

1. Maryland Refund Policy
   1. As required by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the minimum refund that COL will pay to a Maryland student who withdraws or is terminated after completing only a portion of a course, program, or term within the applicable billing period is as follows:

2. A refund due to a Maryland student will be based on the date of withdrawal or termination and paid within 60 days from the date of withdrawal or termination.
3. This refund policy must be disclosed to students upon enrollment, and documentation verifying student refunds in accordance with this policy must be maintained.

2. Oregon Refund Policy

Courses dropped during the Add/Drop period will be refunded 100% of tuition and course fees, subject to a withdrawal fee, deducted from any refund if not paid separately.  Oregon students who withdraw from a course after the Add/Drop period are eligible for a partial refund through the middle week of the applicable term/semester. Refunds are based on unused instructional time and are prorated on a weekly basis as detailed below.

15 Weeks

8 Weeks

7.8 Federal Financial Aid

1. The School participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs, including Federal Direct Loans.
2. Enrollment Level
   1. An individual’s enrollment status (whether enrolled as a student “full-time”, “half-time”, or not at all) may impact financial aid eligibility. See 6.12 Enrollment Status  .
   2. To receive federal financial aid or to defer student loan repayment, a student must be enrolled in a degree or certificate-granting program at least half-time. Enrollment requirements for other assistance programs, such as outside scholarships and private student loans, can vary and are reviewed on an individual basis as applicable .
   3. JD Students Only: Students that enroll in the JD Program who have completed less than 90 hours of college credit must be treated as undergraduate students for FSA purposes only.
3. Determining Amount of Aid
   1. A student’s “cost of attendance” includes tuition, fees, and averages of books, supplies, and reasonable cost of living expenses.
   2. Total financial assistance from all sources cannot exceed the cost of attendance for the period in which an eligible student is enrolled. Resources such as outside scholarships and certain loan programs such as the Graduate PLUS Loan or alternative student loans are forms of non-need-based aid and are “calculated in” (i.e., considered when determining) a student’s cost of attendance.
4. Minimum Application Requirements
   1. To be eligible for financial aid, a student must complete the following requirements:
      1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): COL’s school code is 042501.
      2. Review and approve financial aid on the Academic Portal
      3. Complete and e-sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentaid.gov
      4. Complete Entrance Counseling at studentaid.gov
   2. Students interested in the Graduate PLUS loan must complete an MPN and application. Additional information and requirements are available at studentaid.gov.
5. Financial Aid-Related Academic Requirements
   1. Repeated Courses
      Repeated courses are financial aid-eligible and will count toward full or half-time enrollment status only once; courses repeated more than once neither qualify for financial aid nor are counted as a part of a student’s enrollment status.
   2. Satisfactory Academic Progress
      A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress to maintain financial aid eligibility. For additional information, see 6.9 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): JD Program  and 6.10 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): MLS Program  .
6. Institutional Withdrawal and Financial Aid
   1. The Office of Financial Aid is required to recalculate financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw from the institution, are administratively withdrawn, or are disqualified. A student who wishes to withdraw from the institution is required to notify the Registrar. If a student does not formally withdraw through the Registrar and fails to register for the upcoming term, the student will be administratively withdrawn. See Section 9.1 regarding attendance.
   2. A student who receives financial aid funds and completely withdraws from the institution is subject to the “Return of Title IV Funds” policy. The amount to be returned is based on the percentage of enrollment completed for the semester/session and the amount of financial assistance considered earned. The school and the student are both responsible to return unearned funds to the appropriate Title IV program(s) in the order of Direct Unsubsidized, Direct Subsidized, Parent or Graduate PLUS, PELL, and SEOG, where applicable. It is recommended that a student who receives financial aid contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing to determine if the student will leave the School with a balance on the student’s account. If a balance is owed to COL, the student must immediately contact the Office of Student Accounts to make payment arrangements.
   3. When a student who receives Title IV grant or loan assistance withdraws from the institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the institution must determine the amount of Title IV loan assistance that the student earned as of the student’s withdrawal date. This may result in the student owing a balance to COL. For withdrawal policies and procedures see Sections 6.5 Withdrawal: JD Program  and 6.7 Withdrawal: MLS Program  .
   4. Official Withdrawal and Financial Aid
      A student’s official withdrawal date is:
      1. The date the student officially notified the School, in writing, of intent to withdraw, or
      2. Any earlier or later date which the School documents as the last date of academically-related activity by the student. An academically-related activity includes, but is not limited to: an exam, attending class, submitting a class assignment, or attending a formal study group that is arranged by the School.
   5. Unofficial/Administrative Withdrawal and Financial Aid
      A student’s unofficial/administrative withdrawal date is:
      1. The midpoint of the payment period or period of enrollment, or
      2. Any earlier or later date which the School documents as the last date of academically-related activity by the student. An academically-related activity includes, but is not limited to: an exam, attending class, submitting a class assignment, or attending a formal study group that is arranged by the School.
7. Disbursement of Financial Aid
   1. A student borrowing Federal Direct Loans for the first time at COL is required to complete an entrance counseling quiz prior to the release of funds. Loan entrance counseling quizzes and master promissory notes may be completed online.
   2. Federal Direct student loan funds are normally transmitted to the School via Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT). Refunds through direct deposit or checks are made available to students within fourteen (14) calendar days of the credit occurring on the student’s account or within fourteen (14) calendar days of the student’s endorsement of a paper loan check.
   3. Refunds will be automatically mailed, if by check, to a student at the current address on file with COL or electronically transferred. If a refund check is returned in the mail and a second mailing attempt is unsuccessful, the check will be voided and the funds returned to the program.
   4. A student not enrolled for the number of credit hours that were estimated at the time of financial aid packaging may have funds delayed due to the need to recalculate eligibility.