General
To be eligible for a tuition refund for a course drop or institutional withdrawal, the student must be considered to have withdrawn from the course and/or institute. The determination of whether a student is deemed withdrawn and the effective date of withdrawal is determined by the Office of the Registrar in accordance with Nonattendance Taking Policy. In these cases, tuition shall be refunded as follows: Before the close of the 11th calendar day from the beginning of the semester: Students receive a 100% tuition refund.
Before the close of the 12th calendar day through the 30th calendar day from the beginning of the semester: Students receive a 50% tuition refund.
After the 30th calendar day from the beginning of the semester: Students are required to pay 100% of the tuition and no refund is available.
Except for the registration fee that is non-refundable, all other assessed fees are refunded on the same schedule as tuition payments.
Active-Duty Military Deployment
DigiPen recognizes a call to active service in the U.S. Armed services, Reserves, or National Guard including all branches of the U.S. military, i.e., Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. Students are responsible for providing appropriate documentation. Refunds of institutional charges related to the deployment will be subject to approval of DigiPen’s Board of Directors along with the COO Redmond and CFO. Tuition refunds are issued in accordance with this policy and the appropriate refund schedule.
Catastrophic Events and Natural Disasters
Refunds of institutional charges related to catastrophic events and natural disasters will be subject to approval by DigiPen’s Board of Directors along with the Chief Operating Officer- Redmond and Chief Financial Officer. Refunds related to catastrophic events and natural disasters will be based on the availability of alternative instruction formats, date of occurrence, and other relevant factors surrounding the event, including guidance and recommendations from federal and state agencies. In the event that alternate modes of instruction or student support are not feasible with available means and resources, DigiPen shall refund student tuition on a pro rata basis for impacted courses that cannot be provided. In the alternative, if the duration and severity of the event or disaster is such that DigiPen can re-establish its programs within three months, DigiPen can provide reduced costs or free retakes of courses and programs cancelled as a result of the event or disaster. Student financial aid awards and disbursements may be subject to adjustments.
Other Events Impacting Completion of Instruction
In cases that are not a result of natural disasters or catastrophic events and where DigiPen cannot fully deliver the instruction for a single class or all classes for which a student has contracted, DigiPen will determine a reasonable alternative for delivering the instruction or reasonable financial compensation for the education that the student did not receive.
Special Circumstance and Appeals
Requests for special circumstance tuition refund appeals are typically accepted for medical and military-related withdrawals. Students may also request special consideration for reasons other than medical or military related. Students who would like to file an appeal against a decision regarding their tuition refund shall file a written request to the Accounting Department at accounting@digipen.edu. If dissatisfied with the decision of the Accounting Department, students may file a second appeal with the Chief Financial Officer.