Financial Aid and Student Accounts Policies

At Pacific Oaks College we appreciate the challenges students may face when determining how to fund their college education. The College is committed to helping students understand and manage the financial aspects of their education. With this in mind, the Pacific Oaks College Financial Aid Office and its experienced staff are dedicated to serving our students by assisting them in establishing an individual funding plan designed specifically to fit their educational financial needs.

Pacific Oaks College participates in a variety of federal financial assistance programs and offers awards to admitted students in accordance with federal Title IV (financial aid) regulations. In addition, students may also apply for state, private and institutional aid to further assist in the funding of their educational goals.

Financial Aid Professional Code of Conduct

The Office of Financial Aid supports and adheres to the guidelines of ethical conduct developed by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

Financial Aid Recipients

Financial aid recipients must review their most recent award letter or check with the Financial Aid Office to ensure that the staff has an accurate count of units. For additional information visit the Pacific Oaks Costs & Financial Aid webpage.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are subject to change without prior notice; however, students will not be charged retroactively for tuition and fee increases for coursework already completed or for coursework the student was in the process of completing.

^{* Online and/or expedited transcript requests will carry additional fees}

PLA Fees

^{*Each submitted portfolio that fails to earn units may be resubmitted within 90 days of the assessment decision notification date. Portfolios may only be resubmitted one time at a reassessment rate of $50.}

Military and Veteran Tuition Rate

Active duty personnel of the U.S. Military or National Guard and their spouses and dependents and Veterans of the U.S. Military or National Guard and their spouses and dependents may be eligible for the Military Tuition Rate. This rate has been established to support individuals who have dedicated themselves to serving in the United States armed forces.

Active duty personnel: A student should identify membership to one of the aforementioned categories at the time of application. The Military Tuition Rate is applied to future terms only and is not retroactive for current or prior terms. Military personnel must submit a copy of the most recent leave and earnings statement (LES) and a statement from the commanding officer on official letterhead. A student may be required to resubmit documentation annually.

Veterans: A student should identify membership to one of the aforementioned categories at the time of application. The Veteran Tuition Rate is applied to future terms only and is not retroactive for current or prior terms. A student receiving this benefit must submit a copy of the Veteran’s DD214.

A student utilizing the GI Bill must work closely with School Certifying Officials to make sure that all necessary documents are on file prior to the certification of enrollment with the Veterans Administration. TCSPP will certify enrollment each term unless otherwise notified.

The Military and Veteran Tuition Rate may not be combined with other special tuition rates. Information on the Military and Veteran Tuition Rate is available from the Office of Financial Aid and the Pacific Oaks Military and Veteran Tuition Rate webpage.

Tuition and Fee Payment

Tuition and fees are posted annually on the Pacific Oaks College Tuition and Fees website. Completion of the registration process at Pacific Oaks College constitutes a contract and obligates the student for full payment. The student must complete the appropriate process to withdraw from the institution (see Withdrawal from the College policy section).

Tuition is due in full on the Monday following the Add/Drop period of each semester/session. Tuition can be paid directly by the student or through various financial aid programs offered by Pacific Oaks College. All financial aid documentation, tuition payment and payment plan arrangements must be submitted prior to the end of the Add/Drop period. Payment plans may be made available by contacting the Student Accounts Department.

All fees are non-refundable. Tuition and fees owed Pacific Oaks College must be paid when due. Any student with a delinquent account is subject to a registration hold until the delinquent account is resolved. Transcripts and diplomas will not be released to students with delinquent accounts.

Students having difficulty making payments or with questions about their account should contact the Student Accounts Department to discuss payment arrangements.

Late Payment fees

A Late Payment fee is charged for all payments received after the due date. No student is eligible to register for courses until any and all outstanding balances owed to the institution from a previous semester/session have been paid in full. The Student Accounts Office must also verify that payment in full has been received.

This policy does not exclude students on payment plans. Students on payment plans can only register after their last payment is made to and posted by the Student Accounts Department. Payment plans should be completed on or before the last day of the semester/session.

Payment Plans

Students with outstanding balances may be eligible for student payment plans. These plans are created for students with balances not covered by financial aid and/or other funding sources.

Arrangements to participate in this plan must be made with the Student Accounts Department. Payment arrangements are made for account balances that become delinquent during any phase of the student’s program. Students with a delinquent account balance are subject to registration holds for subsequent semester/session and may not be able to attend classes, begin/attend practicums, begin internships, work with faculty on their thesis or receive an official transcript until approved arrangements are made for all outstanding tuition and fees balances.

Credit Balance Payments (Stipends)

A federal student aid credit balance can be created when the total of all federal student aid funds that are credited to the student’s account exceeds the amount of current and prior year (up to $200) tuition, fees, and any other educationally related charges the institution assessed the student. For students who have an institutional balance within the same academic year, subsequent disbursements will be held to cover the institutional charges. Unless the student authorizes the institution to hold a credit balance, the credit balance must be paid to the student as soon as possible, but not later than 14 days after the balance occurs (or 14 days after the first day of class if the credit balance occurred before the first day of class of that payment period). If a student elects to authorize the College to hold any federal student aid credit balance beyond the 14 day period, the College will release any remaining credit balance to the student by the end of the loan period.

NSLDS Consumer Information Disclosure

When the College processes federal student aid, the loan will be submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) when the funds have been processed and will be accessible by guaranty agencies, lenders, and institutions determined to be authorized users of the data system.

Financial Aid Eligibility Factors

Enrollment status
Students must maintain a minimum half time status to be eligible for federal and state financial aid. Half time status is 4 units for graduate students and 6 units for undergraduate students. Pacific Oaks College does offer some 3-unit courses that are considered half time. Students can check with their Academic Advisor to determine 3-unit half time courses.

Types of Aid
Pacific Oaks College offers a variety of scholarship, grant, loan, student employment and fellowship programs to students seeking financial assistance as a means to help fund their education. Students can review a list of available funding programs on the Pacific Oaks College Funding Your Education website.

In addition to federal and state funding programs, Pacific Oaks College also offers an internal aid program which consists of scholarships, student assistantships and fellowships. Detailed information on the programs offered in the internal aid program can also be found on the Pacific Oaks Funding Your Education website.

Federal Financial Aid

Federal Direct Loans
Direct Unsubsidized: This loan is non-need-based. Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students to help pay for the cost of a student’s education when attending post-secondary education. The lender is the U.S. Department of Education. Students may borrow directly from the federal government through the Direct Loan servicer. To be eligible for a Direct Loan, a student must be enrolled in an eligible degree program on at least a half-time basis. The Direct Loan Program offers a lower interest rate than most commercial loans. Graduate students can apply for an Unsubsidized Direct Loan, which begins to accrue interest while the student is in school. An origination/guarantee fee may be deducted from the student’s loan amount that is disbursed. Please refer to the Federal Direct Annual Loan Limits and Federal Direct Aggregate Loan Limits tables at http://www.direct.ed.gov/applying.html. The standard repayment plan begins six months after the student graduates or is no longer enrolled at least half-time, and up to 10 years may be allowed to repay the loan(s).

Students who meet eligibility requirements may request a deferment or forbearance of their loan payment. The following are circumstances under which a student may qualify for a deferment: currently enrolled in school on at least a half-time basis; graduate fellowship; rehabilitation training; unemployment; economic hardship; military service; or post-active duty student.

Please refer to www.studentaid.ed.gov for additional information.

Direct Graduate PLUS Loan: This is a long-term, low-interest loan for graduate students. The student may borrow up to the cost of attendance, minus all other financial aid received, and after all Direct Unsubsidized loan eligibility has been exhausted. The lender is the U.S. Department of Education. These loans are non-need-based and are subject to credit approval. If denied, a student may apply using a co-signer. Repayment begins 60 days from the date the loan is fully disbursed. The student is responsible for paying the interest on this loan starting from the time of the first disbursement. However, this student loan will be placed in deferment while you are enrolled at least half-time.

Please refer to www.studentaid.ed.gov for more information.

Disbursement of Aid
Students are notified when loan funds have been received and applied to their student ledger via their personal Pacific Oaks College online student portal account. Disbursements to students are made two weeks after the semester has begun. From the date of disbursement, students have 14 days to notify the school to cancel and/or return any funds.

Entrance and Exit Counseling
Entrance Counseling must be given to all financial aid students before aid is disbursed and Exit Counseling must be given to all financial aid students within 30 days of separation from the school. The entrance and exit counseling is available on https://studentloans.gov.

Return to Title IV Funding
A Return of Title IV Funds calculation is when a Title IV recipient drops all classes in the current semester or withdraws from his or her program. This process ensures that the institution correctly calculates the amount of federal student financial aid earned by the student and returns any unearned funds back to the federal student financial aid programs. In some cases, the school is required to return unearned Title IV funds; the student is also responsible for returning any unearned aid. In addition, the Return of Title IV process may result in the student owing the school for unpaid tuition and fees. A student may withdraw from the College at any time by notifying the Office of the Registrar, either verbally or in writing, of their decision to withdraw, but it is highly recommended that the student speaks with a Financial Aid Advisor prior to withdrawing.

For Return of Title IV calculation purposes, the payment period is defined as a semester. For official or administrative withdrawals, a student’s last date of attendance is the last day in which a student attended class (for online students this is any academic related activity for their class). If a student completes a course and receives a passing grade, the last date of attendance will be recorded as the end date of the session/semester.

The portion of Title IV funds a student is allowed to receive is calculated on a percentage basis by comparing the total number of days completed before the student withdrew from the program to the total number of days in the payment period. An official withdrawal date is determined when a student requests to be dropped from their program or does not meet attendance requirements to remain eligible for Title IV funding. A student earns 100% of the aid once he or she has completed more than 60% of the term.

If the amount of aid disbursed to the student is greater than the amount of aid earned by the student, the unearned portion must be returned to the federal account; this may include the student, the institution, or both. In returning unearned funds, the institution is responsible for returning the portion of the unearned funds equal to the lesser of the institutional charges for the payment period multiplied by the unearned percentage of funds, or the entire amount of unearned funds. If the student is required to return any of the unearned funds, then the student must repay those funds. If the unearned funds consist of Title IV loans, then the student repays the loan in accordance with the terms and conditions of the promissory note.

If the amount of aid disbursed to the student is less than the amount of aid earned by the student, a post-withdrawal disbursement may be available to assist the payment of any outstanding tuition and fee charges on the student’s account. If a student is eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement from Title IV loan funds, the student will be asked for his or her permission to disburse the loan funds on the student’s account to reduce the balance owed to the institution or disburse the excess loan funds directly to the student. The College has 30 days from the date of the institution’s determination that the student withdrew to offer the post-withdrawal disbursement of a loan to the student. The student has 14 days from the date the institution sends the notification to accept the post-withdrawal disbursement in writing. The Return of Title IV process will determine whether the funds will be allocated to the school or the student.

Once the College’s portion of the return of funds has been calculated, the Financial Aid Office must return the aid within 45 days to the appropriate federal student financial aid program(s) in the order specified below. If this creates a balance on the student’s account, the student will be responsible for full payment to the institution. A student will not be allowed to re-enter, register, or receive an official academic transcript until the outstanding balance has been paid in full. If loan funds are required to be returned by the student, the student may pay these funds back under the original terms of the loan.

The College will return the unearned Title IV funds in the following order:

Unsubsidized Direct Loan
Subsidized Direct Loan
Direct Graduate or Parent PLUS
Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

For information regarding the determination of withdrawal date, please see the Withdrawal from the College policy in the General Academic Policies section of this Catalog.

Statements
1098-T Tuition Statements are made available to eligible students every year no later than January 31 as required by law.  If a student does not elect paperless delivery, the statement will be mailed to the address on file. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their contact information is up to date.

Military/Veterans

Pacific Oaks College is strongly committed to supporting men and women who have served our nation through military service.  POC serves veterans, service members and their families, who are accessing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits, often referred to as the GI Bill.

Students at POC who are eligible to receive VA Educational Benefits may qualify for one of the following Chapters of the GI Bill of Educational Assistance:  Eligibility for VA Educational Benefits is determined by the Department of Veteran Affairs. If you are not sure which benefit may apply to you contact the VA Regional Office in Muskogee, Oklahoma at (888) 442-4551 (888) 442-4551 FREE

• CHAPTER 30: Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
• CHAPTER 31: The Vocational Rehabilitation Program
• CHAPTER 33:The Post-9/11 GI Bill
• CHAPTER 35: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
• CHAPTER 1606: Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
• CHAPTER 1607: Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

Yellow Ribbon Program

Pacific Oaks College is proud to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon Program allows additional funding for students who are 100% eligible for Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits. Pacific Oaks College will pay a certain dollar amount and the VA will match PO payment, not to exceed total cost. Each year, there are a limited number of slots available in the program and they are given on a first come, first served basis.

VA students would need to submit a Pacific Oaks VA Student Responsibility Form and a copy of your VA Certificate of Eligibility stating that you are 100% eligible for the Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill once you are an accepted student at Pacific Oaks College. In order for Yellow Ribbon benefits to be processed, the annual cap for tuition and fees must be reached.

Once a Veteran student has been admitted to Pacific Oaks College:

1. All official transcripts must be submitted from all institutions previously attended at the time of admission.
2. If you haven’t done so already, apply to use VA Educational Benefits at Pacific Oaks College with the VA. You can apply through the VONAPP website.
3. Submit a copy of your DD214. (Dependents should submit a copy of the service member whose benefits they qualify under.)
4. A Pacific Oaks VA Student Responsibility Form must be completed each semester in order to have your benefits certified.  Along with your PO VA Student Responsibility Form, attach your certificate of eligibility (COE).  An updated printed copy of your certificate of eligibility can be obtained from e-Benefits.  Connect with your faculty advisor to assist you with determining your course schedule.
5. Your enrollment counselor or Online Advisor can assist you with registering for classes each semester/session.
6. Make plans with the Student Accounts Department for the payment of any tuition and fees that will not be covered by VA benefits, Financial Aid, or that will not be paid directly to Pacific Oaks College.
7. Any changes in your enrollment must be communicated to the Pacific Oaks School Certifying Official immediately. You will be responsible for any and all charges owed the VA and/or the school for any changes to certifications.

The Solomon Amendment
(10 USC §983, effective January 2000) is a federal law that mandates colleges and universities receiving federal financial aid funding to provide student-recruiting information upon request to military recruiting organizations. The request and information released by the College is limited to military recruiting purposes only. The request for information must be in writing on letterhead that clearly identifies the military recruiting organization. Military recruiters must be from one of the following military organizations:

1. Air Force
2. Air Force Reserve
3. Air Force National Guard
4. Army
5. Army Reserve
6. Army National Guard
7. Coast Guard
8. Coast Guard Reserve
9. Navy
10. Navy Reserve
11. Marine Corps
12. Marine Corps Reserve

The release of student recruiting information follows the FERPA guidelines defining student directory information. Students are not permitted under federal law to restrict the release of this information specifically to military organizations, but if students withhold the release of directory information generally, then Pacific Oaks may not release this information to military organizations.

Return of Military Tuition Assistance

Students using military Tuition Assistance (TA) to pay for course(s) will have any unearned TA funds returned on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided.  TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student is withdrawn, dismissed, or otherwise stops attending the University. The Department of Defense requires the University to return any unearned TA funds to the department based on how much of the course students have attended.

The University will calculate TA eligibility for students who fail to attend, drop out, withdraw (officially or unofficially), or are dismissed prior to completing more than 60 percent of the enrollment period. The enrollment period encompasses the semester/session start and end dates for applicable courses.  

Your TA eligibility is determined based on the following formula:

Students will still be liable for the cost of their Tuition and Fees based on the applicable refund schedule, regardless of the amount of TA funds that have to be refunded to the Department of Defense.

Students who withdraw due to a military service obligation may be entitled to receive a full refund of tuition and fees. All refunds are subject to the presentation of official documentation.

Drop/Withdrawal Refund Schedule

Ground courses in the School of Human Development and the School of Cultural and Family Psychology are offered in 16 week (Fall and Spring) and 12 week (Summer) semesters only. Ground students in the School of Human Development and the School of Cultural and Family Psychology follow the 16-week and 12-week refund schedules for ground and online courses.

16-WEEK SEMESTER

12-WEEK SEMESTER

Online School of Human Development, Online School of Education, and Ground School of Education are broken up into two separate Sessions every semester: two 8 week sessions.  The 8-Week refund schedules are followed by all online students and ground School of Education students.

8-WEEK Session

Maryland Resident Tuition Refund Policy Disclosure Statement (Online Students Only)

Tuition refunds for Maryland-resident students enrolled in online programs at Pacific Oaks College will be issued in accordance with the following schedule as required by the regulations of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. However, if Pacific Oaks College’s refund policy is more beneficial to Maryland students, it will follow its refund policy and provide for refunds of tuition to Maryland students as provided in that policy.

1. As required by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the minimum refund that Pacific Oaks College 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.