Longwood Graduate Catalog 2003-2004

The tuition and fees indicated are estimated for the 2003-2004 academic year and are subject to change by the Board of Visitors at any time.

Semester Fees and Expenses for Full-Time, On-Campus, Graduate Students (12-18 credit hours) Not Living in Residence Halls:

	Virginia Students	Non-Virginia Students
Tuition	$2,376.00	$5,280.00
Comprehensive Fee	1,313.00	1,313.00
Activity Fee	80.50	80.50
Technology Fee	22.00	22.00
Capital Outlay Fee	.00	25.00

TOTALS	$3,791.50	$6,720.50

Fees and Expenses for Part-Time, On-Campus, Graduate Students (Less than 12 credit hours):

Please note: In addition to the tuition and fee charges, special (non-degree-seeking) full and part-time, on-campus students will be charged one $5.00 registration fee per registered semester.

Fees and Expenses for Off-Campus Graduate Students (Any number of credit hours):

Additional, or separate, charges will be assessed to the account of any student who registers for a Longwood University course offered on location away from the Farmville, Virginia campus.

Please Note: Payment must be made at the time of registration. Students registering for courses offered at off-campus locations may contact the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHED) in South Boston or the Office of Graduate Studies for more detailed information concerning off-campus courses.

Tuition and required fees are charged to all full-time and part-time, graduate and undergraduate students, including student interns, student teachers, and students earning credit hours for independent study. Required fees included in the above table are:

Student Activity Fee - The activity fee is an administrative fee for student organization costs.

Comprehensive Fee - The comprehensive fee includes charges for Athletics, Student Union, Student Health and Counseling Services, and other services.

Technology Fee - The technology fee is used for direct technology support for students. This fee provides student network support and hardware and software in the academic computer labs.

Capital Outlay Fee - The capital outlay fee is a state mandated fee required of out-of-state students for debt service costs on recently approved capital bond packages.

Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee of $40.00 is required of each graduate student making an application to Longwood University.

Overload Tuition: An overload tuition charge will be assessed, at the per credit hour rate, for each credit hour greater than 18 for which a student is registered each semester. Payments for overload credits are due with regular tuition and fees. If overload credits are added after pre-registration, payment is due at the time of registration. A bill will not be sent for credits added after pre-registration.

Course Fees: Some academic classes require additional course fees. These fees will be assessed to all students enrolled in the class at the end of the add/drop period. Fees typically range from $5 to $150.

Comprehensive Exam Fee: A fee of $35.00 will be charged to graduate students who take a comprehensive examination as a requirement for their graduate degree.

Re-examination Fee: A charge of $35.00 will be made for the one comprehensive re-examination permitted each graduate student.

Commencement Fee: A fee of $40 will be charged for a Master's diploma. This non-refundable fee is payable to Longwood University at the time application is made for graduation.

Thesis Binding Fee: A fee of $27.00 will be charged for binding two (2) copies of the Master’s thesis or collaborative research to be retained in the Longwood Library. A fee of $10.00 per copy will be charged for each additional department or personal copy. This non-refundable fee is payable to Longwood University in the library at the time the student submits the thesis or collaborative research for binding.

Automobile Registration: A fee of $50.00 per semester or $100.00 per year is charged for each automobile registered. Parking on campus is permitted only if the permit issued on payment of this fee is displayed.

Special Note: Any student who has completed an undergraduate degree at any college or university will be charged graduate tuition rates unless the student is officially enrolled in a (second) undergraduate degree program at Longwood University. Also, students who audit courses pay the same rates as students taking courses for credit.

For each accepted graduate student, a $50.00 tuition deposit is required as an indication of commitment to attend Longwood University. New students will be invoiced for the deposit in a letter of admission from the Office of Graduate Studies. Deposit payments should be paid to Longwood’s Office of Cashiering.

Deposits are refundable provided a written withdrawal/refund request is issued to the Office of Graduate Studies prior to the dates listed below. Paid deposits will be credited to tuition charges for students who enroll in Longwood University courses within two semesters (or summer sessions) following the admission offer and acceptance. After two semesters (or summer sessions) of non-attendance, tuition deposits will be forfeited.

The tuition and fees indicated are estimated for the 2003-2004 academic year and are subject to change by the Board of Visitors at any time.

CHANGE IN POLICY: Due to the rising cost of credit card service charges, credit cards will no longer be accepted for tuition and fees. Tuition financing can be handled through the Monthly Payment Plan.

Complete guidelines regarding eligibility for in-state tuition rates are covered in Section 23-7.4 of the Code of Virginia. All Virginia public institutions follow these guidelines. Guidelines are available at http://www.schev.edu/Students/VAdomicileguidelines.asp?from=policymakers. The following information briefly describes the ways in which students may qualify for in-state tuition rates; it is not intended as an exhaustive analysis of the complex statutory provisions affecting applicants.

Generally, to be classified as a Virginia resident for tuition purposes, the parent/legal guardian of a minor or dependent student or the non-minor or non-dependent student themselves must physically reside in Virginia for at least one year prior to the intended date of enrollment. Payment of state taxes, voter registration, car registration, and driver’s license are also considered in determining eligibility. Eligibility for students under 24 years of age and/or who are dependents for tax purposes will usually be determined by the parent/legal guardian’s status on the above-mentioned items.

Active duty military personnel and an active duty military parent may qualify for in-state tuition rates if, while residing in Virginia, he or she adopts Virginia as his or her legal domicile. This is accomplished by filing a State of Legal Residence Certificate declaring Virginia as one’s domicile for income tax purposes and fulfilling the domiciliary intent requirements as discussed above. The one-year requirement is waived for active duty military personnel who fulfill all other conditions for establishing domicile. A student claiming entitlement to in-state privileges through the military parent’s status as a Virginia domiciliary must submit with the application a copy of the parent’s Leave and Earnings Statement and other documents as requested.

The dependent child of a military person and a non-military spouse who are not domiciled in Virginia may nevertheless qualify for in-state rates through the military exception provision. Pursuant to Section 23-7.4:2, in-state tuition may be granted to the child of a military parent stationed and residing in Virginia if, for at least one year immediately prior to the date of intended enrollment, the non-military parent has resided in Virginia, been employed full-time and claimed the student as a dependent on federal and resident Virginia income tax returns. At the present time, full-time employment is defined as an annual earned income of at least $10,300.00. Entitlement under this provision continues only so long as the requirements continue to be met. Under this provision the non-military parent is not required to demonstrate his or her intent to be domiciled in Virginia.

Upon application for admission, the Application for In-State Tuition is submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for review and decision. If the applicant is accepted, the residency determination is included in the acceptance letter.

If the student does not agree with the domicile decision, a letter of appeal with supporting documentation should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for review and subsequent decision. If the student does not agree with this decision, a written appeal with supporting documentation should be submitted to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. If the student does not agree with this decision, the student may petition the Circuit Court.

The University may initiate a reclassification inquiry at any time after the occurrence of events or a change in facts gives rise to a reasonable doubt about the validity of existing residential classification.

A current student wishing to have the domicile changed for tuition purposes should submit a written request with supporting documentation to the Registration Office. If the student does not agree with this decision, a written appeal with supporting documentation should be submitted to the Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. If the student does not agree with this decision, the student may petition the Circuit Court.

Establishing in-state status while one is a student can occur if the student or the parent(s) of a dependent student moves to Virginia and fulfills the requirements of domicile including the one-year residency. Students classified as out-of-state must present clear and convincing evidence to rebut the presumption that residing in Virginia is primarily to attend school. Residence or physical presence in Virginia primarily to attend college does not entitle students to in-state tuition rates.

Graduate students taking 12 or more (on-campus) credit hours will be charged full-time rates. For the purpose of assessing tuition and required fees, twelve semester hours constitutes a full-time student load.

For all purposes other than the assessment of tuition and required fees, nine semester hours constitutes a full-time graduate student load. A student should contact his/her advisor to determine if sufficient course work will be offered during the regular session prior to committing to full-time graduate work.

Graduate commuter students taking less than 12 credit hours will be charged the part-time per-credit-hour rates listed under the section Fees and Expenses for Part-Time Graduate Students. Residential graduate students taking less than 12 credit hours should reference the section INFORMATION CONCERNING ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCY for information concerning required fees.

Residential (on-campus) housing is not provided to graduate students. However, if residence hall/Longwood leased housing space is available, then special consideration may be made to offer very limited housing to graduate students. Graduate students wishing to apply for limited housing should contact the Office of Residential & Commuter Life for information concerning the availability of on-campus housing, the application process, and damage deposit requirements. Also, additional information concerning damage deposits may be found in the Longwood University Undergraduate Catalog or may be obtained from the Office of Student Accounts.

Please note: Any student (graduate or undergraduate, full or part-time) residing in a residence hall/Longwood leased housing will be charged full-time comprehensive, technology, and student activity fees, and (if out-of-state) the capital outlay fee.

Graduate students pre-registered for less than 12 credit hours and approved to reside in a residence hall/Longwood leased housing are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Accounts for up-dated balances if they receive a billing statement that lists only part-time fees. (In certain instances, a student’s account balance may, temporarily, reflect only part-time fees until after the "add/drop" period has ended and the student’s schedule is known to be stable.) It is a part-time student’s responsibility to submit proper payment if the student has been granted special permission to reside in a residence hall/Longwood leased housing. Failure to pay the appropriate (full-time) fees, by the semester due date, could result in the assessment of a late payment fee.

Graduate and non-degree seeking students are expected to pay for courses at the time of registration. However, if a graduate or non-degree-seeking student has registered during the undergraduate open registration period and has not paid for courses at the time of registration, then the Office of Cashiering and Student Accounts will generate a bill for the graduate or non-degree seeking student. When this occurs, graduate and non-degree seeking students are required to pay all charges by the semester due date for undergraduate tuition and fees. Please see Billing Schedules, below.

Please note: Graduate students (who are billed along with degree-seeking undergraduate students) will not be sent revised bills for courses added after the open registration deadline. Also, if applicable, revised bills will not be sent for changes made to housing assignments or meal plans after the open registration deadline. Students are responsible for paying (or securing with adequate financial aid) all calculated charges on, or before, the semester’s due date. Students requesting changes after the open registration deadline are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Accounts for up-dated balances. Failure to receive a bill does not waive the requirement for payment when due.

Billing Schedules (for Degree-Seeking Undergraduate Students and Pre-registered Students, Only):

First Semester: For the fall semester, degree-seeking undergraduates (and pre-registered graduate students with unpaid charges) will be billed on or about July 1st, and payment will be due on or about August 1st. Credit will only be given for third party tuition assistance* if the student provides Longwood with an approved "authorization to bill the employer" prior to Longwood’s scheduled billing dates. Failure to receive a bill does not waive the requirement for payment when due.

Second Semester: For the spring semester, degree-seeking undergraduates (and pre-registered graduate students with unpaid charges) will be billed on or about December 1st, and payment will be due on or about January 1st. Credit will only be given for third party tuition assistance* if the student provides Longwood with an approved "authorization to bill the employer" prior to Longwood’s scheduled billing dates. Failure to receive a bill does not waive requirement for payment when due.

Monthly Payment Plan: Longwood offers a Monthly Payment Plan to students for the fall and spring semesters as an option for paying tuition bills. The deadline to apply for the Plan is on or about June 25th for the fall semester and on or about November 25th for the spring semester. Payments are due on the 15th of each month from July through October, for the fall semester, and from December through March, for the spring semester. A late fee of 10% on the past due amount will be assessed for each late payment. Delinquent payments may result in the student being dropped from the MPP. If a student is dropped from the MPP, then tuition and fee balances will be due in full.

*Please note: Longwood University will give credit for tuition assistance authorized by a school or other employer only if the employer guarantees to make payment directly to Longwood University. Longwood will not delay the due date for payment if tuition assistance is paid directly to the student (reimbursement basis), or if payment is contingent upon the student’s successful completion of the class. In all cases, students are responsible for delivering approved "tuition assistance authorization forms" (at the time of registration) to Longwood’s Office of Student Accounts, and students are responsible for paying (at the time of registration) all amounts not guaranteed by the authorization.

Any student account not paid in full or secured by Financial Aid/approved Third Party Tuition Assistance will be assessed a late payment fee of 10% of the unsecured account balance as prescribed in §2.2-4085 of the Code of Virginia. Failure to receive a bill does not waive the requirement for payment when due and will not prevent the application of the late fee.

For each off-campus course registration requested after the open registration deadline, a $30.00 late registration fee will be assessed. For specific information regarding open registration deadlines for off-campus courses, students are encouraged to contact the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHED) or the Office of Graduate Studies. As a general reference, open registration ends two weeks prior to the first class meeting for each course. Failure to register during the open registration period due to the presence of unresolved hold flags will not prevent the assessment of late registration fees.

Any student account with an unpaid balance not secured by a payment plan and/or financial aid will be subject to cancellation of course schedules. If a student is administratively withdrawn for non-payment of tuition and fees, the student will continue to owe Longwood University according to the schedule listed under the section REFUNDS AND CHARGE ADJUSTMENTS. If a student is administratively withdrawn for non-payment of tuition and fees, and wishes to be reinstated, he/she must pay a reinstatement fee of $50.00 in addition to any outstanding charges. Arrangements must be made with the Office of Registration and professors to authorize reinstatement, and payment, in full, must be made to the Office of Cashiering.

No credit for university work will be given to any student for a diploma, a teacher's license, or for transfer purposes until all financial obligations to Longwood have been paid or secured to the satisfaction of the University. This will also prevent future registration, release of transcripts, and adding or dropping of classes.

The public is hereby placed upon notice that failure to pay in full at the time services are rendered or when billed may result in the imposition of interest at the rate of 10 percent per month on the unpaid balance. If the matter is referred for collection to an attorney or to a collection agency, the debtor may then be liable for attorney’s fees and/or additional collection fees of up to 50 percent of the then unpaid balance. Returned checks will incur a handling fee of $30.00. Requesting or accepting services will be deemed to be acceptance of these terms.

The student is responsible for all charges assessed regardless of any arrangements or agreements made with other parties.

Students are responsible for the security of their authorization code, and will be liable for any charges made with their code. All students are required to pay telephone accounts within 30 days of the billing date. Failure to pay within 45 days of the billing date will result in a hold flag being placed on the student's record. This will prevent registration, adding or dropping of classes, and processing of transcripts. The student's authorization code will also be deactivated, preventing any additional long distance calls. Returned checks will incur a handling fee of $30.00. If the matter is referred for collection to an attorney or to a collection agency, then the debtor will be liable for attorney's fees and/or additional collection fees of up to 50 percent of the then unpaid balance. Requesting or accepting services will be deemed to be acceptance of these terms.

Hold flags will be placed on student accounts having past-due financial obligations and may be placed on student accounts for a variety of other reasons (ex. transcripts incomplete, missing health form, degree-application delinquent). "Registration hold flags" are blocks that prevent future registrations and/or changes to existing course schedules. "Transcript hold flags" are blocks that prevent the release of transcripts to the student or any third party (school, employer, etc). Once applied, financial hold flags (registration and transcript) may be cleared only by paying, in full, all previously incurred college expenses. For more information regarding the removal of non-financial hold flags, students are encouraged to contact the department(s) that posted the hold flag(s).

WITHDRAWAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS WITHDRAWING FROM INDIVIDUAL COURSES, BUT STILL ENROLLED FOR THE SEMESTER AND ATTENDING LONGWOOD

To receive a partial refund or credit of semester charges, a student must drop individual courses within the official semester "add / drop" period. After the last day to drop a course, no refunds or credits will be issued to students who withdraw (without academic penalty) from individual courses. Failure to attend class and/or to drop courses during the add / drop period due to the presence of unresolved hold flags will not release a student’s financial obligation to pay for registered credit hours. For additional information concerning withdrawing without academic penalty, please refer to WITHDRAWAL POLICY, under the section ACADEMIC REGULATIONS, of the Longwood University Graduate Catalog.

WITHDRAWAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR (DEGREE OR NON-DEGREE SEEKING) GRADUATE STUDENTS WITHDRAWING FROM ALL COURSES, BUT NOT WITHDRAWING FROM A DEGREE PROGRAM

Once a student has pre-registered, registered, or otherwise been assigned classes for any semester, he/she must officially drop all classes before the first day of the academic semester to prevent tuition and fee charges. A student’s failure to attend class will not fulfill the requirements for withdrawal and will not release a student’s financial obligation to pay for registered credit hours.

For graduate-level students only, a student may drop or withdraw from all registered courses during a semester without actually withdrawing from a degree or licensure program. (This policy applies to degree-seeking graduate students wishing to sit out a semester and to non-degree seeking students never admitted into a program.)

After the start of the academic semester, but before the mid-point of the semester, a graduate-level student who officially withdraws from (or drops) all of his/her (Farmville campus) classes may be entitled to a partial credit of charges. To receive consideration for a partial credit/refund, a withdrawn student should send written notification of withdrawal to the Office of Student Accounts. Upon receipt of this notification, the Office of Student Accounts will evaluate the student’s registration history and, if appropriate, will issue an account credit (or refund, if requested) according to the schedule stated under the section REFUNDS AND CHARGE ADJUSTMENTS. For additional information concerning withdrawing without academic penalty, please refer to WITHDRAWAL POLICY, under the section ACADEMIC REGULATIONS, of the Longwood University Graduate Catalog.

WITHDRAWAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS WITHDRAWING FROM A LONGWOOD DEGREE OR LICENSURE PROGRAM

Once a student has pre-registered, registered, or otherwise been assigned classes for any semester, he/she must officially withdraw from Longwood before the first day of the academic semester to prevent tuition and fee charges. Students withdrawing from Longwood on the first day of the academic semester, or later, will be charged as stated under the section REFUNDS AND CHARGE ADJUSTMENTS.

Withdrawal is not considered official until a formal withdrawal is processed with the Director of Graduate Studies. A student’s failure to attend class will not fulfill the requirements for withdrawal and will not release a student’s financial obligation to pay for registered credit hours.

Please note: All Students – separate academic withdrawal policies exist in addition to financial withdrawal policies. For additional information, please refer to WITHDRAWAL POLICY, under the section ACADEMIC REGULATIONS, of the Longwood University Graduate Catalog.

Please note: Financial aid recipients – For additional information concerning withdrawal and its impact upon your financial aid, please refer to FINANCIAL AID, under the section EXPENSES AND FINANCIAL AID of the Longwood University Graduate Catalog.

Refunds and Charge Adjustments will vary according to a student’s status and according to the type of course(s) for which a student is registered. Students withdrawing from the University should refer to the appropriate REFUNDS AND CHARGE Adjustments section(s), below.

Refunds and Charge Adjustments for Students Registered for Farmville (On-Campus) Classes and Withdrawing from Longwood:

Official notification of withdrawal must be processed prior to any consideration for a refund or adjustment to charges. This notification must be made to the Director of Graduate Studies in writing, and should, if at all possible, be made in person. Failure to formally withdraw will result in no consideration for account adjustments. For students who complete formal withdrawal notification, refunds/credits will be based upon the effective date of withdrawal.

Please note: If a student withdraws before his/her account balance is paid in full, then the student will be responsible for paying any balance that remains due after the appropriate withdrawal credits have been processed.

The following financial withdrawal policies apply to full-time and part-time (Farmville campus) students withdrawing from the College:

1. Full-time students withdrawing during the first 6 days of the academic semester (fall/spring) will be assessed a $250 withdrawal fee*. Credit balances resulting from the withdrawal will be refunded.

Part-time students withdrawing from Longwood or dropping all on-campus classes during the first 6 days of the academic semester (fall/spring) will be assessed a withdrawal fee equal to the cost of one credit hour of in-state tuition*. Credit balances resulting from the withdrawal will be refunded.

2. Full and part-time students withdrawing during the first 25 percent of the academic semester (fall/spring) will be assessed 50 percent* of the total semester charges, including room and board charges (if a residential student) with a minimum charge equal to the cost of one credit hour of in-state tuition. Credit balances resulting from the withdrawal will be refunded.

3. Full and part-time students withdrawing during the period from 26 percent to 50 percent of the academic semester (fall/spring) will be assessed 75 percent* of the total semester charges, including room and board charges (if a residential student) with a minimum charge equal to the cost of one credit hour of in-state tuition. Credit balances resulting from the withdrawal will be refunded.

4. After the (50 percent) midpoint of the academic semester (fall/spring), full and part-time students will be assessed the full cost of their tuition, fees, room, and board. Only overpayments to total account charges will be refunded.

*Please note: After the start of the academic semester, no adjustments will be made to charges for late fees, early arrival fees, and/or registration fees. Also, for withdrawals occurring after the last day to drop a class, no adjustments will be made to charges for course fees.

Exceptions: In unusual circumstances, charge adjustments and refunds beyond the above schedule may be recommended by Longwood’s Tuition Appeals Committee for students who leave Longwood "for reasons beyond the student's control", such as for a verified incapacitation, illness, injury, or military reservist called to active duty. Tuition Appeal Application Forms may be obtained from the Office of Student Accounts, the Office of Financial Aid or at the following web address: www.longwood.edu/studentaccounts/tuitionapplealform.doc. Enforced withdrawals, such as disciplinary suspension, do not involve credits or refunds beyond the above schedule.

Please note: Financial aid recipients should also reference FINANCIAL AID, under the section EXPENSES AND FINANCIAL AID of the Longwood University Graduate Catalog.

Refunds and Charge Adjustments for Students Registered for Farmville (On-Campus) Classes and Withdrawing from Classes Offered During the Summer Sessions:

During the summer sessions (only), students may withdraw from summer on-campus classes without financial penalty as long as the withdrawal occurs on, or before, the last day to drop a course for each summer session. After the last day to drop a course (for each session), no refunds of payments or credits of charges will be issued for tuition, fees, room, and board. A student’s failure to attend class(es), will not fulfill the requirements for withdrawal and will not release a student’s financial obligation to pay for registered credit hours.

Refunds and Charge Adjustments for Students Registered for Classes Offered at Off-Campus Locations:

The following financial withdrawal policies apply to students withdrawing from off-campus classes:

1. Students who wish to drop before the first class meeting will be assessed a $25 withdrawal fee and a registration fee of $1.50 per credit hour. Students must submit a letter of withdrawal postmarked prior to the first class meeting. See either Graduate Students or Undergraduate Students, below, for instructions.

2. Students who withdraw before the second-class meeting will be assessed tuition charges for one credit hour and the registration fee of $1.50 per credit hour. Students must submit a letter of withdrawal prior to the second class meeting (students may not attend the second class meeting). The letter must be postmarked on, or before, the day of the second class meeting. If the 1st class is on Friday night and 2nd class meeting is Saturday, the student must submit a letter by the following Monday and not have attended the 2nd class meeting. See either Graduate Students or Undergraduate Students, below, for instructions.

3. After the second class, students will be assessed full tuition, comprehensive, capital outlay (if out-of-state), and registration fees for the course. In extenuating circumstances, charge adjustments and refunds beyond the above schedule may be recommended to the Vice President for Administration and Finance by the Director of Graduate Studies or the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHED) Location – Requests for withdrawals from off-campus classes must be submitted to the Program Coordinator of the SVHED and will be forwarded for final approval to the Director of Graduate Studies. Correspondence should be addressed to:

               Longwood University Program Coordinator
              Southern Virginia Higher Education Center
              820 Bruce Street
              South Boston, Virginia 24592

Other Off-Campus Locations – Requests for withdrawals from off-campus classes at locations other than the SVHED must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies. Correspondence should be addressed to:

               Director of Graduate Studies
              Longwood University
              201 High Street
              Farmville, Virginia 23909

Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHED) and Other Off-Campus Locations – Requests for withdrawals from off-campus classes must be submitted to the appropriate Dean and will be forwarded for final approval to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Please note: Financial aid recipients should also reference FINANCIAL AID, under the section EXPENSES AND FINANCIAL AID of the Longwood University Graduate Catalog.

Refund checks will be issued in the name of the enrolled student, regardless of who originally made the payment. This policy may not apply if federal, state, and/or local regulations require the return of funds to financial aid programs or to third party employers or scholarship awarding agencies.

For account overpayments created by federal financial aid awards, refunds will be issued, automatically, following the application of the federal funds that created the credit balance. For account overpayments created by student, state, and/or local funds, refunds will be issued only after the student submits a written refund request to the Office of Student Accounts. If no written refund request is issued, non-federal account credits will apply to future charges, unless the student graduates or leaves Longwood. Following graduation or withdrawal, tuition and fee credit balances will be issued, automatically; and the refunded amount will be the net of any outstanding balance owed to Longwood for past due library fines, parking fees, or telecommunication charges.

Due to the high cost of processing refunds, no refund checks will be issued for $10 or less.

The purpose of this section is to provide you with an overview of financial aid and assist you in understanding the policies and procedures that must be followed to receive financial aid at Longwood University. Detailed Financial Aid policies can be found in the annual "Guide to Financial Aid" available from the Office of Financial Aid. Financial Aid includes a number of programs funded by federal and state governments, educational institutions and private organizations for the purpose of assisting individuals interested in obtaining an education but who do not have the financial resources to do so. Aid programs consist of scholarships, grants, work programs and loans.

Additional financial aid information may be obtained by calling 434-395-2077 or 800-281-4677 or by writing to the Office of Financial Aid, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909. Our e-mail address is finaid@longwood.edu.

To be considered for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may submit the paper application or you may file via the Internet at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. On the FAFSA, you should list Longwood University, code number 003719, as one of the schools to receive your application information. Longwood will receive your data electronically from the United States Department of Education and will then be able to calculate your eligibility. The priority filing date (mailed to the processor) is March 1. Remember grant funds are limited and expended quickly. File on time to ensure full consideration.

Also, you must be accepted for admission to the college before a financial aid award can be issued. Upon receipt of the FAFSA results in the Office of Financial Aid, a Financial Aid Award letter will be sent to you. You must review the award and return a signed copy of the letter to the Office of Financial Aid within three weeks of the date of the letter. In addition, other documents may be requested from you at that time.

Your application for federal student aid may be selected for a process known as verification. This means that the Office of Financial Aid must verify the accuracy of the information that you submit on the FAFSA. If selected, you must submit a verification worksheet, federal tax returns, and/or other supporting documents. Until your information has been verified, your financial aid award will be considered estimated.

You will be notified in writing if you have been selected for verification. You will normally have 60 days to submit the required verification documents. Failure to submit the verification documents will result in your financial aid award being canceled.

If any of the data reported on the FAFSA is found to be incorrect, your financial aid eligibility will be recalculated. You will be sent a revised financial aid award letter if the recalculation causes your award to change.

Federal student aid regulations require all educational institutions administering funds to ensure that financial aid recipients are making satisfactory academic progress toward their educational objectives. The regulations apply to all students receiving federal, state and institutional financial aid funds. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to a financial aid office staff member. Satisfactory Academic Progress has been defined as follows:

1. For undergraduates, freshmen (students with less than 25 total credit hours earned) must have a 1.80 Longwood University GPA. For all other students, a 2.00 Longwood University GPA is required.

B. Attainment of a 75% completion rate towards educational objective for hours attempted at Longwood University. Students must complete and pass 75% of all hours attempted at Longwood University. A student’s completion rate is calculated by dividing hours earned by hours attempted. Grades of F, W, I, and repeated courses count as hours attempted.

1. Undergraduate students will be eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 160 attempted credit hours. Transfer hours are included in the total number of credit hours attempted.

2. Graduate students will be eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 45 attempted credit

A. Satisfactory Academic Progress will be monitored at the conclusion of each academic year (May). To be making satisfactory academic progress a student must maintain the required cumulative grade point average, attain a 75% completion rate and not exceed the normal completion time.

B. Students failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Such status will make students ineligible for financial aid until such time as the satisfactory academic progress requirements are met. During the period of Financial Aid Suspension, students may (unless placed on Academic Suspension) attend Longwood University without financial aid. It will be the student’s responsibility to secure other financial resources during this period.

A. A student who is placed on Financial Aid Suspension may appeal the denial of financial aid. The appeal must be made by submitting a signed written letter to the Director of Financial Aid no later than 10 days after receipt of the notice of Financial Aid Suspension. The appeal will be directed to the Appeals Committee whose decision will be final. The decision will be based on demonstration of one of the following situations:

If the appeal is granted, financial aid will be continued for one semester. The student will be advised in writing of the action on the appeal.

It is the responsibility of any student wishing to withdraw from Longwood University to initiate the official withdrawal process. Graduate students wishing to withdraw from the University should contact the Director of Graduate Studies’ Office to initiate the college withdrawal process. Undeclared students and special undergraduate students should report to the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Special graduate students should report to the Dean of Education and Human Services. The complete Withdrawal Policy may be found in the Academic Regulations section of this catalog.

Withdrawal from all classes during a term may result in a change in institutional charges for the term. Please consult the Expenses section of this catalog for the complete Refund Policy. Withdrawal from all classes during a term may also result in a change in the financial aid award for that term. Recent changes to Federal financial aid regulations have created a new Return of Title IV Funds Policy. This policy states that students who withdraw before the 60 percent point of the term (as calculated by the number of days in the term) will have their financial aid award reduced.

Upon withdrawal, the Office of Financial Aid will calculate, from the number of days in the term and the number of days of the term that the student was enrolled prior to withdrawal, the percentage of the term that the student completed. This percentage will be applied to the amount of aid received for the term with the student being able to retain only the amount of aid for the percentage of the term actually completed. The unearned portion of the financial aid award must be returned to the Federal, State and Institutional programs that have been awarded. If excess financial aid funds have been refunded to the student, a portion of these funds may also need to be returned to the financial aid programs awarded. This may result in large sums being owed to both Longwood University and Federal, State and Institutional financial aid programs.

Students considering withdrawal from classes should consult the Office of Financial Aid prior to initiating the withdrawal process. Withdrawal can have a significant impact on institutional charges, a current financial aid award, as well as future financial aid eligibility (see the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy). Complete financial aid regulations concerning withdrawals and the Return of Title IV Funds Policy may be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid.

Student’s rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) may be found in the Academic Regulations section of this catalog.

Copies of the Campus Security Report are available and may be requested from the Campus Police Department.

Copies of the Report on Athletic Program Participation Rates and Financial Support Data are available and can be requested from the Office of the Director of Athletics.

Copies of the Report on Completion/Graduation Rates and the Transfer Out Rates for Student Athletes are available and may be requested from the Office of the Director of Athletics.

Borrowers with concerns about their Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Stafford Loan may contact the Student Loan Ombudsman at www.sfahelp.ed.gov or 1-877-557-2575.

Senior citizens aged 60 or over, with a Virginia taxable income of less than $10,000 per year, and who have lived in Virginia for one year, can enroll in credit courses free of tuition, provided they meet the admissions standards of the college and space is available. Any senior citizen aged 60 or over can enroll in a non-credit course or audit a credit course free of tuition, regardless of taxable income, provided space is available. The senior citizen is obligated to pay fees established for the purpose of paying for course materials, such as laboratory fees. A maximum of three courses may be taken per semester.