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) 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.
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
   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. In general, all tuition and fees are payable at the time of registration for the semester/session to which they apply and must be paid in full no later than the Friday prior to the first Monday of class.
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. COL will not release official or unofficial transcripts, provide grades, certify a student as having graduated from the School, or issue a degree until the student’s outstanding balance has been paid in full. Further, a student whose account is delinquent will not be allowed to register for any subsequent semester/session.
      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 Payment Plans: JD Program Only

1. COL offers payment plan options for the JD program only.
2. Payment Plans for JD Program
   1. The School offers two payment options for the JD program.
      1. Currently enrolled JD students may use the standard In-Term JD Payment Plan.
      2. Former, non-graduated JD students may use the Out-of-Term JD Payment Plan. 
   2. In-Term JD Payment Plan (Standard)
      1. Available through the Office of Student Accounts, this plan is offered so that students may pay, in up to four monthly installments per 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. Further, an additional late payment fee 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.

7.3 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 6.3 Withdrawal: JD Program  and 6.5 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. The refund schedule week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.
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 6.10 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 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 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.
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 must 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. Verbal requests will not be accepted for either withdrawal or refunds. 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. Postmark date imprinted by U.S. Postal Service, if Request for Withdrawal form is mailed by U.S. mail to the Administration Office.
   3. 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.

7.4 Refund Schedules: JD Program

A. JD 15-week Total Withdrawal refund schedule (Course withdrawal is not permitted.)

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

B. JD 10-week Summer Course refund schedule

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

C. JD 5-week (or shorter) Summer Course refund schedule

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

7.5 Refund Schedule: MLS Program

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

7.6 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 (JD Program Only)
   Available through the Office of Student Accounts, the In-Term Payment Plan allows a JD student to pay an outstanding tuition balance in a number of installments during the term. All payment plans will be scheduled with a due date of the 15th of each month. For details on the In-Term Payment Plan, please see Section 7.2.B.
3. Private Loans
   Private educational and other loans may be available through banks and other institutional lenders. See the website for further information.
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. 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.