Paying for College

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are assessed to a student’s account upon regis­tration. For the purposes of this catalog, regular-term classes are defined as sixteen-week classes that follow the semester dates on the Academic Calendar as approved by the Board of Trustees.

Tuition Schedule

Fee Schedule

Additional fees may be assessed for other services, as well as for specific programs and courses. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to change the tuition and fee schedule at any time without prior notification to either applicants or students.

Additional Program & Course Fees

Payment Arrangements

Payment arrangements that cover the entire balance of a student’s account, including tuition, fees, campus housing, and meal plans, must be made each semester by the payment deadline. The pay­ment deadline is posted online and is available at the Business Office. Payment arrangements include Financial Aid, paying in full, setting up an automatic payment plan through TouchNet, or a combination of these options. Payment in full can be made online through TouchNet, over the phone with a debit card or credit card, by mail with a check, or by going to the Cashier’s window and paying with cash, check, debit card, or credit card. The College reserves the right to administratively withdraw students who fail to make payment arrangements by the payment deadline. Students who fail to make payment arrangements by the Payment Deadline may be assessed a monthly Late/Missed Payment Fee until payment arrangements have been made.

TouchNet Automatic Payment Plan

Iowa Western Community College partners with a company called TouchNet to offer students an Automatic Payment Plan to help them finance their education. The payment plan must be set up every semester by the payment deadline, and it is available under the following terms and conditions: the student must have a balance of $200 or more; the payment plan must be used only for tuition, fees, books and supplies, campus housing, and meal plans; the student must enroll in the plan online and pay a $25 fee; and the student must make all payment installments as scheduled. Specific dates for payment are posted online and are available at the Cashier’s Window. The College reserves the right to adminis­tratively withdraw students who fail to meet the terms and condi­tions of the payment plan. 

Refund Options

Refund of Tuition and Fees

Students who officially withdraw from college or drop classes be­fore the first calendar week of a regular term will be refunded all tuition and fees, including first-time enrollment, college services, program, and course fees. Students who withdraw from college or drop classes during the first week of a regular term will be refunded all tuition and fees except the first-time enrollment fee. Students who withdraw from college or drop classes during the second week of a regular term will be refunded fifty percent of tuition as well as fifty percent of program and course fees; neither college services fees nor the first-time enrollment fee will be refunded. Even if a student adds a class in place of the one that is dropped, no fees will be refunded on the dropped class. Students who withdraw from or drop classes after the second week of a regular term will not be refunded any tuition or fees. Deadlines for refund of tuition and fees for all terms and sessions are posted online at www.iwcc.edu and in ROC, and they are also available at the Records and Registration Office.

Tuition Credit for Active Military Duty

Students called to active military duty may be provided tuition credit for courses in which they are currently enrolled and cannot complete. In order to receive the tuition credit, the students must request one of the following options: 1.) apply current tuition and fees to a future term, 2.) receive a full refund for current term, 3.) arrange with each instructor a procedure for completion of course requirements, agreeing to a time limit consistent with college in­complete procedures, or 4.) receive a partial tuition and fees credit for classes for which completion arrangements are not possible.

The request for tuition credit must be made in writing to the Regis­trar, and must be accompanied by a copy of the Involuntary Activation Mobilization Orders from the military unit of assignment.

Financial Aid

Iowa Western Community College provides financial aid to students needing help in financing their college education. Most financial aid is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need. Through coordination with federal and state agencies, assistance is available in the form of grants, loans, and college work study.

Application Procedures

The student must first complete an Application for Admission to Iowa Western Community College. Financial aid cannot be awarded until the student is accepted to a program of study leading to a degree, certificate, or diploma. The student must then complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.gov and must be completed in order for the college to determine eligibility for grants, loans, and college work study. Within a week of submitting the FAFSA, the student, as well as any colleges listed on the FAFSA, will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR summarizes the financial information the student entered on the FAFSA, and it is used by the college to determine how much federal and state aid to offer the student. The Financial Aid Office may be required to request forms and documentation from the student, such as federal tax transcripts, in order to determine eligibility. Finally, the student will receive a Financial Aid award notification, which is prepared and sent by the Iowa Western Community College Financial Aid Office. The award notification indicates all types of financial aid for which the student is eligible. If the student wishes to borrow from the loan program, the student will need to authorize his or her loans in ROC in addition to completing Loan Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note.

Application Dates

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be submitted anytime during the year. However, priority consideration will be given to application information received by the dates below. Application information received after these dates is processed only as funding allows. Students who want maximum consideration for financial aid should apply early so the required information is received in the Financial Aid Office by the following dates:

The Financial Aid Office will make every effort to meet the financial needs of each qualified student. The amount of assistance will depend on enrollment and eligibility criteria, as well as the availability of federal, state, and other agency funds.

Types of Financial Aid

There are three major types of financial aid available: Grants, which are awarded on the basis of need and do not need to be repaid; Loans, which are awarded on the basis of need and/or eligibility and must be repaid once the student leaves college or does not continue in college on at least a half-time basis; and Employment (College Work Study), which is awarded on the basis of need and requires work for paid wages. Sources of Financial Aid include the State of Iowa and the United States Federal Government.

Awarding Process

Each applicant will receive an award notification that indicates his or her financial aid eligibility. This award notification will be sent only after requested forms and verification documents have been received and reviewed, and eligibility has been determined. Forms and documents required for verification, as determined by the Federal Government or the Iowa Western Community College Financial Aid Office, often include, but are not limited to, federal tax transcripts, proof of citizenship status, and proof of selective service registration.

Financial aid funds will be used to pay tuition, fees, campus housing, meal plans, and books, in that order. Any balance of remaining funds will not be released directly to the students before the fourth week of class. Balances will be released only after all institutional bills have been paid in full. The e-Cashier Automatic Payment Plan is also available for students whose financial aid award does not cover their account balance.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to receive Federal Student Aid, the student must meet eligibility requirements. The student must be a “declared student,” which is defined as a student who has applied for admission to a program of study offered by the College, has met the requirements for admission to the program, and been accepted into the program. The student must also be enrolled in an eligible program, which is defined as a program of study that admits declared students who are either high school graduates or have received a high school equivalency diploma. The eligible program must also offer a degree, diploma, or certificate. In addition, the student must be enrolled in eligible courses. Only courses required for graduation from an eligible program will qualify for financial aid eligibility. Non-credit classes do not qualify for aid eligibility, and credits received by transfer or credit by exam, including CLEP, do not count as eligible courses for financial aid. Students receiving aid may repeat a course once after receiving a grade of A, B, C, D, P, or Q.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP Policy)

Iowa Western has established a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy in accordance with federal financial aid regulations. These regulations require a student to move toward the completion of a degree, diploma, or certificate within an eligible program when receiving financial aid. Federal financial aid regulations state that all periods of enrollment count when assessing progress, regardless of whether or not aid was received.

Timing/Frequency of Satisfactory Academic Progress Calculation

Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid recipients will be calculated after each term of attendance.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

As required by federal financial aid regulations, Iowa Western’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy has three standards by which a student’s cumulative academic record must be compared. To be considered in compliance, a student must meet all three standards outlined in the policy.

Standard 1: Pace of Completion

A student must achieve a minimum pace. Pace is the percentage of total attempted credit hours that are completed. A student must complete at least 67% of cumulative credit hours attempted. Pace is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of completed credits by the cumulative number of attempted credits. Grades of A, B, C, D, and P are considered completed for purposes of financial aid. Grades of F, I, Q, and W are not considered completed for purposes of financial aid.

Standard 2: Cumulative Grade Point Average

A student must earn and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00.

Standard 3: Maximum Timeframe

A student must complete a degree, diploma, or certificate within a 150% timeframe. Timeframe is calculated by multiplying the total number of credits required for the degree, diploma, or certificate by 150% (e.g. an associate degree that requires 64 credits must be completed with a maximum of 96 credit hours). Hours attempted are the sum of all credit hours recorded at Iowa Western, all transfer hours accepted for credit toward the applicable program of study, all developmental education credits, all ESL credits, all courses passed by examination, and all credit earned through prior learning. All periods of the student’s enrollment count, even periods in which the student did not receive financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Statuses

A student will be assigned one of four Satisfactory Academic progress statuses each term which determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid.

Status 1: Good Standing

This status is assigned to a student who meets all three Satisfactory Academic Progress standards or who applies for financial aid for his or her first term of attendance at Iowa Western. To remain in Good Standing, a student must meet all three SAP standards each term. A student in Good Standing is eligible for financial aid.

Status 2: Warning

This status is assigned to a student after his or her first term of not meeting the minimum pace of completion and/or minimum cumulative grade point average. A student on Warning is eligible for financial aid.

Status 3: Termination

This status is assigned to a student when he or she has two consecutive terms of not meeting the Satisfactory Academic standards. A student on Termination is not eligible for further financial aid.

Status 4: Probation

This status is assigned to a student when his or her financial aid appeal has been approved. A student on Probation is eligible for financial aid.

Treatment of Courses for Satisfactory Academic Progress

When it comes to assessing and calculating Satisfactory Academic Progress, the college treats various courses and credit opportunities in a manner that is specific to each.

Audited Courses

A student may not use financial aid to pay for audited courses. The credits earned through audited courses do not count toward the number of attempted credits or the number of earned credits. They do, however, count toward the maximum timeframe.

Repeated Courses

A student may use financial aid to repeat a course that he or she failed, which is defined as earning a grade of a “F” or a “Q”. A student may also use financial aid to repeat a successfully completed course one time. Successful completion of a course is defined as earning a grade of “D” or higher; it also includes “P” grades. Repeated courses count in the calculation of pace of completion, grade point average, and maximum time frame.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

A student may not use financial aid to pay for CLEP exams. The credits earned through CLEP count as attempted and earned credits and they count toward the maximum timeframe, but they do not affect the cumulative grade point average.

Transfer Courses

Credits transferred to Iowa Western from another institution count as attempted and earned credits, and they count toward the maximum timeframe. They do not, however, affect cumulative grade point average.

English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) Courses

ESL courses count in the calculation of pace of completion and cumulative grade point average, and they count toward the maximum timeframe.

Developmental Courses

A student admitted into a financial-aid-eligible program is eligible to receive federal aid for up to 30 developmental credit hours. Developmental credit hours count as attempted and earned credits, and they count toward the maximum timeframe. They also affect the cumulative grade point average.

Concurrent Enrollment Courses

A high school student enrolled in Iowa Western courses that will apply toward his or her high school graduation requirements and earn him or her credits at Iowa Western at the same time is not eligible for federal aid. When a concurrent enrollment student graduates from high school, enrolls in a financial-aid-eligible program at Iowa Western, and applies for financial aid, credits for Iowa Western courses taken under a concurrent enrollment program count as attempted and completed credits and they count toward the maximum timeframe. These credits also affect the cumulative grade point average.

Earning an Additional Degree

Once a student has earned an academic credential (certificate, diploma, or associate degree) at the college, he or she may pursue additional academic credentials. The maximum timeframe standard still applies. Once a student reaches the maximum timeframe for his or her declared program of study, he or she will be placed on financial aid termination and an approved appeal is required to receive further financial aid.

Student Notification

Financial aid recipients will be notified of their status once Satisfactory Academic Progress is calculated after the end of each term. Notice will be sent to his or her official Iowa Western email.

Reinstatement of Good Standing

A student can return to Good Standing by raising his or her cumulative grade point average to 2.00 or higher and by raising his or her cumulative credit completion rate to 67% or higher, as long as he or she has not reached or exceeded the maximum timeframe for his or her program of study.

Financial Aid Appeal Process

To regain eligibility for financial aid after Termination, a student is required to attain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher and/or to raise his or her pace of completion to 67% at his or her own expense. The student may also appeal Termination status by completing a Termination Appeal Form and Academic Improvement Plan.

Circumstances for Appeal

A student may submit a written appeal documenting the special circumstances that prevented him or her from meeting the three minimum standards. Special circumstances that may be considered include: personal illness or accident, serious illness or death within immediate family, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student.

Filing an Appeal

The student must complete an appeal form, which is available online at www.iwcc.edu. In addition, appeal forms are available at the Welcome Center. An Academic Improvement Plan is required as part of the appeal process. The student will be directed to meet with an Enrollment Advisor to develop an Academic Improvement Plan that must be submitted with the appeal.

After review by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee, a written response of the Committee’s decision will be communicated to the student by a notice sent to his or her official Iowa Western email. If approved, the student will have his or her financial aid reinstated; however, he or she will remain on Probation for the next term.

A student on Probation must pass all of his or her classes each term and achieve a 2.00 term grade point average or he or she will be placed on Termination. A student must follow the Academic Improvement Plan until his or her record meets the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. If a student fails to follow the Academic Improvement Plan, he or she will be placed on Termination after the next Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation.

Filing an Appeal of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee’s Decision

A student who is denied an appeal may appeal the decision of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee to the Director of Financial Aid. The Director will review the written appeal with a Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee member and respond to the appeal within 72 hours from the date the appeal was received. In order to be considered, the appeal must have documentation that was not part of the original appeal to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee. The Director’s decision of this appeal is the final step of the Financial Aid Appeal Process.

Return of Federal Financial Aid Funds

Students who receive Title IV financial aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and Federal Direct loans) are subject to federal return of Title IV funds statutes. These regulations apply to recipients of Title IV financial aid who completely withdraw from college or who stop attending all classes during the enrollment period. The College must determine the amount of Title IV financial aid the student earned and return the unearned aid to the respective federal financial aid programs. Unearned aid will be returned to the federal programs in the following order: Loans (Federal Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Subsidized Loans, and Federal PLUS Loans), Grants (Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant), and then other Title IV funds. The College must return the funds as soon as possible but must do so no later than 45 days after the College determines the withdrawal date or last date of attendance.

If a student officially withdraws from the college prior to completing 60% of the semester, financial aid awards will be adjusted accordingly and unearned aid will be returned to the appropriate federal financial aid program. If a student officially withdraws from the college after completing 60% or more of the semester, no financial aid adjustment or return of funds is necessary. The percent of the semester completed is based on calendar days from the first day of the semester through the last scheduled day of finals. This includes weekends and mid-semester breaks of less than five days.

Financial Assistance

Scholarships

Both institutional and privately funded scholarships are administered by Iowa Western Community College. Iowa Western Community College scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, community and/or extracurricular involvement and financial need. Iowa Western scholarship opportunities are available for new and continuing students, and students can apply through a single application that is available online. Upon completion of the application, students will be considered for all available scholarships. The deadline for consideration for the fall semester is April 22, and deadline for consideration for spring semester is November 15. Applications remain on file for one academic year. All scholarship recipients must be a high school graduate, or the equivalent, or have received a high school equivalency diploma. More information regarding the availability of and application procedures for the various scholarships is available online.

Veteran Services

Iowa Western Community College is committed to assisting all students who are eligible to receive Veterans Administration educational entitlements. Staff members are available to assist in the application process as well as any activity that is unique to Veterans Administration requirements. Inquiries concerning eligibility and pay should be made directly to the Regional Veterans Administration Office (1-888-442-4551) by the student. Additional information is also available at www.gibill.va.gov.

Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, Section 103 Compliance: Iowa Western Community College will ensure that students using Chapter 31 (Veterans Education and Rehabilitation Benefit) or Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 Veterans Education Benefit) will not be imposed any penalty including 1) the assessment of late fees; 2) the denial of access to classes; 3) libraries or other institutional facilities and/or 4) the requirement that a Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 recipient borrow additional funds to cover the individual’s ability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation provides assistance through the area vocational rehabilitation office. The student must contact the office for application information. Eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant program must be determined to receive Vocational Rehabilitation assistance.

Workforce Investment Act

Workforce Investment Act funds, which can help pay for tuition as well as housing, transportation, and childcare costs, may be available for students who meet the eligibility requirements of the Act. For more information and application materials, please call (712) 325-3210.