Student Complaint Process
OCTS is responsible for reviewing and responding to student claims for monetary reimbursement against post-secondary proprietary schools that are non-credit bearing and non-degree granting. OCTS adjudicates only claims for monetary reimbursement and cannot adjudicate claims involving programmatic content. Monetary claims for reimbursement are limited to tuition and fees paid out of pocket by the student. OCTS does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate claims for reimbursement of scholarships, financial assistance, or fee reductions. OCTS cannot offer legal advice or initiate civil court cases.
Students filing claims must meet these requirements:
- Be a current or former student in a program at a school regulated by OCTS.
- Follow and exhaust the school’s complaint resolution process with the school directly; or provide a detailed explanation (see Complaint Form in step 3) as to why the school’s complaint process was not completed.
- File a formal claim with OCTS by completing the online Student Complaint Form, and attaching the following documents:
- A statement of the facts supporting the claim and outlining the problem, and
- A copy of the enrollment agreement signed by the student, and
- Copies of all receipts for tuition paid by cash, check, money order or credit card, and
- Any other material which substantiates the claim.
OCTS will review the claim and contact the claimant if additional information or clarification is needed. When the student’s initial claim is determined valid by OCTS, OCTS will forward a copy of the claim to the school, and the school will have three (3) weeks to respond. Upon receipt of the school’s response, OCTS will adjudicate the claim and issue a final determination. Both the student and the school will receive notification of the OCTS final determination.
NOTE: If you believe a school has acted in a discriminatory manner, you may wish to contact the Indiana Civil Rights Commission using the ICRC’s complaint form.
Refund Policy
The following refund policy applies to each postsecondary proprietary educational institution as follows:
1. A student is entitled to a full refund if one (1) or more of the following criteria are met: (a) The student cancels the enrollment agreement or enrollment application within six (6) business days after signing.
(b) The student does not meet the postsecondary proprietary educational institution’s minimum admission requirements.
(c) The student’s enrollment was procured as a result of a misrepresentation in the written materials utilized by the postsecondary proprietary educational institution.
(d) If the student has not visited the postsecondary educational institution prior to enrollment, and, upon touring the institution or attending the regularly scheduled orientation/classes, the student withdrew from the program within three (3) days.
2. A student withdrawing from an instructional program, after starting the instructional program at a postsecondary proprietary institution and attending one (1) week or less, is entitled to a refund of ninety percent (90%) of the cost of the financial obligation, less an application/enrollment fee of ten percent (10%) of the total tuition, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100).
3. A student withdrawing from an instructional program, after attending more than one (1) week but equal to or less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the duration of the instructional program, is entitled to a refund of seventy-five percent (75%) of the cost of the financial obligation, less an application/enrollment fee of ten percent (10%) of the total tuition, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100).
4. A student withdrawing from an instructional program, after attending more than twenty-five percent (25%) but equal to or less than fifty percent (50%) of the duration of the instructional program, is entitled to a refund of fifty percent (50%) of the cost of the financial obligation, less an application/enrollment fee of ten percent (10%) of the total tuition, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100).
5. A student withdrawing from an instructional program, after attending more than fifty percent (50%) but equal to or less than sixty percent (60%) of the duration of the instructional program, is entitled to a refund of forty percent (40%) of the cost of the financial obligation, less an application/enrollment fee of ten percent (10%) of the total tuition, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100).
6. A student withdrawing from an institutional program, after attending more than sixty percent (60%) of the duration of the instructional program, is not entitled to a refund.
Student Protection Fund IC 22-4.1-21-15 and IC 22-4.1-21-18 requires each educational institution accredited by the Office for Career and Technical Schools to submit an institutional surety bond and contribute to the Career College Student Assurance Fund which will be used to pay off debt incurred due to the closing of a school, discontinuance of a program, or loss of accreditation by an institution. To file a claim, each student must submit a completed “Student Complaint Form.” This form can be found on OCTS’s website at http://www.in.gov/dwd/2731.htm.