Tuition Payments and Refunds

Payments

By registering for a class, students incur a legal obligation to pay all college tuition, fees, and any other charges relating to enrollment, even if charges are being paid by a third party. Payment arrangements must be made at the time of registration. All Continuing Education classes require payment at time of registration. Unless the student officially withdraws from courses within the full refund period each term, an obligation exists to make tuition payments by the due date published in the relevant college publications.

Students who do not meet their financial obligations may be subject to, but not limited to:

• A $25 late fee for each late or missed payment.
• Being administratively withdrawn from course(s) which shall include loss of any tuition and fees paid and the permanent loss of all credits and/or grades for the term in which the withdrawal occurs;
• Account Receivable holds which may limit viewing grades;
• Accrued interest at the rate of eighteen percent (18%) per annum;
• Registration holds until debt is paid;
• Additional collection and attorney fees for delinquent accounts over 90 days sent to collections.

Fee & tuition payments may be made by cash, check, money order, VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover Card.

Please make checks payable to:

Southwestern Oregon Community College

Attn: Student Success Center
1988 Newmark Ave
Coos Bay, OR 97420

A $35 charge and all collection costs, including court costs, will be charged on returned checks. After the college has received two returned checks, all future payments must be made by cash, credit card, or cashiers check; personal checks will not be accepted. Returned checks of any nature, including NSF and stop payment, do not cancel your financial obligation for payment.

For balance, statements, or to pay online via myLakerLink by clicking on “Finances” and selecting “My Account”.

Payment Plans

Payment plans are available to students at time of registration. A student with an outstanding balance over $499 after the first week of term will automatically be entered into a payment plan. A non-refundable fee of $25 per term is charged for each payment plan.  Payments are due on the 20th of each month. For assistance, please visit or call the Student Success Center in Stensland Hall, Coos Campus (541) 888-7352, or Curry Campus (541) 813-1667.

For a detailed chart of current payment due dates, log into your myLakerLink account.

Refunds

Students who stop attending their courses during the term must formally withdraw by either dropping their courses through myLakerLink, or by submitting a drop form with the Student Success Center.

Refunds are computed from the date of the formal withdrawal, not from the date you stopped attending courses.

Refund Table

For courses five weeks or longer, a 100-percent refund is given if the formal withdrawal is completed by the second Wednesday, 5:00 pm, of the term.

For courses that are scheduled to meet more than one week and less than five weeks, a 100-percent refund will be given if the formal withdrawal is completed by the end of the second day of the first week the course is scheduled to meet.

For courses that are one week or less in duration, a 100-percent refund will be given if the formal withdrawal is completed by the end of the day before the first meeting. This applies to courses that start on the first day of the regular term (summer, fall, winter, spring) or at some other time during the term; it is possible that a student would have to withdraw from a course before the course actually meets to receive a full refund.

Students who feel that their circumstances are extraordinary and warrant exception from this process may appeal with documentation to the Student Success Center by completing an Exception to Procedure form. Requests must be submitted within the current term.

The refund process begins the third week of the term in which the students are enrolled. Students who receive financial aid funds will receive a refund after any funds owed to the College or the U.S. Department of Education are deducted. To receive your refunds electronically, go to myLakerLink, Finances tab, to enter your bank information. When the refund amount is less than $5, students will be notified by mail to come to the Student Success Center to receive a cash disbursement.

Student withdrawing from courses, after the refund period, are responsible to pay the balance due on any federal student loans, payment plans, and accounts receivable.

Military Tuition Assistance Policy

Southwestern Oregon Community College has an institutional policy that returns any unearned Military Tuition Assistance (TA) funds on a proportional basis through the 60 percent of the period for which the funds were provided. Military TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, Southwestern Oregon Community College will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion.

Full policy available for download here.