Enrollment Policies

The Special Appeals Committee may consider an appeal to a Kirkwood refund or enrollment policy for situations that are beyond the student’s control. There is no form to fill out. To make an appeal, the student must:

1. Write a letter to the “Special Appeals Committee” that:

• Includes the student’s full name and k-number
• Explains what happened that was beyond the student’s control
• Explains when it happened
• Describes what the student is asking Kirkwood to do

2. Make copies of documents such as a doctor’s note that support the student’s claim, are detailed and include the date of the event.

A request for a tuition refund due to medical reasons must include a document that proves the medical condition has been treated or improved to the point where it will no longer prevent the student from completing future courses.

3. Mail the letter and copies of supporting documents to:

Enrollment Services
3046L Iowa Hall
Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Students who receive financial aid and withdraw from all classes may end up with a balance due even if an appeal is approved. Federal regulations govern how much of the aid a student must pay back. The Financial Aid office makes this calculation after all classes are dropped. Any student considering dropping all classes should first speak with a financial aid representative located on 3rd floor of Iowa Hall to determine how dropping would affect their financial aid.

Keep in Mind

• Committee decisions are final.
• Detailed supporting documentation must be submitted with the letter but it does not assure the request will be granted.
• Generally, a student will only have one appeal of policy approved. Only in extraordinary circumstances will another request be considered by the committee.

Find your course’s last day to drop and last day for a refund.

Iowa Code Section 261F.2 and Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 601.21, require the development, administration, and enforcement of a code of conduct governing educational loan activities.

Our officers, employees, trustees and agents, including the alumni association, booster club, and other organizations associated with Kirkwood Community College, agree to the provisions of this Code of Conduct and will refrain from:

• Refusing to certify or delaying the certification of an education loan based on a borrower’s choice of lender.
• Assigning a first-time borrower to a particular private education loan lender through the student’s financial aid award or another means.
• Packaging a private education loan in a student’s financial aid award, except when the student is ineligible for other financial aid, has exhausted his or her federal student aid eligibility, has not filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or refuses to apply for a federal student loan.
• Accepting impermissible gifts, goods, or services from a lender, lender servicer, or guarantor. The institution may accept default prevention, financial literacy, or student aid-related educational services or materials, or other items of a nominal value.
• Accepting philanthropic contributions from a lender, lender servicer, or guarantor that are related to the educational loans provided by the entity that is making the contribution.
• Serving on or otherwise participating as a member of an advisory council for a lender, lender affiliate, or lender servicer.
• Accepting from a lender or its affiliate any fee, payment, or other financial benefit as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide education loan-related services to or on behalf of the lender.
• Accepting fees or other benefits in exchange for endorsing a lender or the lender’s loan products.
• Requesting or accepting an offer of funds for private education loans from a lender, in exchange for our promise to provide the lender with placement on a preferred lender list, or a certain number of volume of private education loans.

This institution is committed to providing the information and resources necessary to help every student achieve educational success. To accomplish this goal the financial aid staff will consider each student’s individual needs.

A comprehensive Code of Conduct detailing permissible and impermissible activities has been provided to all of our officers, employees, and agents affiliated with this college.

Kirkwood encourages students to share concerns about the quality of service provided by any support area or the quality of the learning experience provided by faculty. Kirkwood’s complaint policy is intended to provide a clear process for the college to address student and community concerns.

The vast majority of complaints can and should be handled by the department closest to the issue where the complaint originates. Given this goal, the expected process for student complaints is:

• Discuss the complaint directly with the staff member or faculty involved. (In cases where this is not possible such as alleged harassment or discrimination a student may move to the second step.)
• Discuss complaint with the director or dean with supervisory responsibility for the area where the issue occurred.

In cases where a resolution is not reached at the department level, a student may submit a complaint in writing to the appropriate Vice President, Academic Affairs (academic issues), Vice President, Student Services (student service and miscellaneous issues), or Vice President, Continuing Education and Training (continuing education issues) by completing the Student Complaint Form.

This policy does not circumvent other existing review committees such as Special Appeals Committee, Academic Policies and Procedures Committee, or the Student Conduct Hearing Board.

Students wishing to file complaints with Kirkwood’s accreditor may contact the Higher Learning Commission by accessing the instructions located here.

The Division of Community Colleges within the Iowa Department of Education maintains a complaint process for Iowa community colleges. Most complaints are referred to the institution’s formal student complaint process outlined in Kirkwood’s student handbook and policies. You may find additional information concerning this complaint process located at the Iowa Department of Education website.

If the complaint is completed manually, it may be mailed or faxed to:

Iowa Department of Education - Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation:

Fax

515-242-5988 (Attention: Amy)

Mailing Address

Iowa Department of Education

Division of Community Colleges

400 East 14th Street

Des Moines, IA 50319

Division of Community Colleges
The Iowa College Student Aid Commission (ICSAC) accepts questions from the public and complaints from students concerning unresolved issues with schools in the following categories: Schools that are physically located in Iowa Schools that are registered in Iowa, including schools that are registered in Iowa only to provide programs via distance education.

Any school in the U.S., if the party registering the question or complaint with the Commission is an Iowa resident.

The Commission may refer the inquiring party to or request the assistance of the regulatory authority in the state in which the school is located.

ICSAC can be contacted through the following:

Iowa College Student Aid Commission

475 SW Fifth Street, Suite D

Des Moines, IA 50309‐4608

info@iowacollegeaid.gov 

Phone

877-272-4456, option 1

Online

Use the Online Student Complaint Form. 

Students enrolling at Kirkwood are classified as residents or nonresidents of Iowa, or as international students, for admission and tuition purposes by the college’s Enrollment Services office.

The College definition of a resident requires 90 consecutive days of permanent residency within the state leading up to the student's first semester of enrollment. Students who come to the state of Iowa for the purpose of attending college are classified as non-resident. Once the student's first semester of enrollment has begun, residency status can only be changed with a qualifying event (as defined on the Request to Change Residency Status form).

Residency status changes are not automatic. They must be requested by the student and supported with appropriate documentation. The Request to Change Residency Status form and all required documents must be submitted to Enrollment Services no later than the first week of classes for the request to be considered for the current semester. Requests submitted later than this will be reviewed and considered for the following semester. In no case will a residency status be changed retroactively for prior terms.

To determine resident or non-resident residency, the primary determination is the reason a person is in the state of Iowa. The second determination will be the length of time a person has resided in Iowa. If a person is in the state primarily for educational purposes, that person will be considered a non-resident. If a person holds an F-1 or J-1 student visa status, the residency classification is international. 

The Registrar or Global Learning office may require written documents, affidavits or other related evidence deemed necessary to determine why a student is in Iowa. The burden of proof is on the student.

To request a change of residency status, a student is required to submit the Request to Change Residency Status form, and file at least two of the following documents about their purpose for being in Iowa. No two documents may come from the same source:

• Iowa driver's license, not expired
• Iowa vehicle registration, not expired
• Iowa state income tax return filed for the most recent tax year, signed and dated or accompanied by evidence that it was accepted by the Iowa Department of Revenue
• Iowa voter registration card
• Employer pay stubs covering the three months prior to your first semester
• Written and notarized documentation from an employer that you have been employed in Iowa for at least 90 days prior to the start of your first semester
• Proof of Iowa homestead credit on property taxes
• Lease agreement, signed and dated, not expired
• Utility bill (electric, natural gas, water/sewer, or trash service at your Iowa residence)
• Bank statement

Refugee or asylum grantees, or students whose current residency status is International, are also required to provide one of the following:

• A copy of your U.S. certificate of naturalization
• A copy of your USCIS form I-551 permanent residency card (green card)
• A copy of your I-94 card showing political asylum, refugee, or other appropriate status

The domicile of a minor shall follow that of the parent with whom the minor resides.

A financially dependent minor student whose parents move from Iowa after the student is enrolled remains a resident provided the student maintains continuous enrollment. A financially dependent minor student whose parents move from Iowa during the senior year of high school will be considered a resident provided the student has not established domicile in another state.

A minor student who has been a continuous student and whose parents move to Iowa may become a resident at the beginning of the next term provided the student is dependent upon the parents for a majority of financial assistance.

1. A person who has an F-1 or J-1 visa status, and their spouse or dependents, are classified with international residency status. Note that J-1 visa holders exhibiting a non-student category on their DS-2019 will be classified as a resident or non-resident in the same manner as a US citizen. F-2 dependents are eligible to enroll in six credit hours per semester. Tourist visa holders are not eligible to enroll.
2. A person who has immigrant status, and their spouse or dependents may establish residency in the same manner as a U.S. citizen.
3. A person who has non-immigrant status and who holds a non-student visa, and their spouse or dependents may establish residency in the same manner as a U.S. citizen.
4. A person who is a refugee or who is granted asylum by an appropriate agency of the U.S. must provide proof of certification of refugee or asylum grantee status. A person may be accorded resident status for admission and tuition purposes when the person comes directly, or within a reasonable time, to the state of Iowa from a refugee facility or port of debarkation and has not established domicile in another state. Any refugee or individual granted asylum not meeting these standards will be presumed to be a non-resident and subject to the usual method of proof of establishment of Iowa residency.

A person and their spouse who has moved into the state of Iowa as the result of military or civil orders from the federal government and the minor children of such persons is entitled to residency status. A military service veteran who was a resident of the state of Iowa prior to entering the service shall be classified as a resident if the veteran returns to Iowa upon separation from service and their separation papers are filed with the county recorder. It is Kirkwood's policy that all veterans who have served active duty, for purposes other than training, will be awarded resident tuition upon certification of this status by the VA certifying official.

Kirkwood retains official academic records of enrollment and credit earned (transcripts) in perpetuity. The transcript is considered the final accurate record of academic accomplishment. 

Read the full student records policy

Tuition refunds are computed as of the date the class is dropped via MyHub, or is withdrawn at the Enrollment Services office or at a Kirkwood Center.

You can find the refund date for your class or the refund dates for your whole schedule here.

Read the full tuition refund policy

If a student withdraws completely or fails all courses (or any combination of the two), the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Public Law 105-244, requires colleges to determine how much aid must be returned (repaid) to the U.S. Department of Education. Students could be required to return (repay) all or a portion of federal grants if they earned zero credit hours for the term.

Read the full Return of Title IV Funds policy

The National Guard or Reserve policy offers options to a student who is a member, or the spouse of a member if the member has a dependent child, of the National Guard or reserve forces of the United States and who is ordered to start national guard, military service or federal service or duty.

Read the full National Guard or Reserve policy