Institutional Policy
Tuition Refund Policy
Community Wellness Foundations Certificate — Older Adult Focus
Effective date: Upon Institutional Certification · Revision: Initial Version
| Institution | Seaside Coast College |
|---|---|
| Program | Community Wellness Foundations Certificate — Older Adult Focus |
| Delivery Method | Synchronous Distance Delivery (Microsoft Teams + Tutor LMS) |
| Program Length | 300 instructional hours over 10 weeks |
| Total Program Tuition | $5,999.00 CAD |
| Application Fee | None |
| Other Fees | None |
| Course Materials | Included in tuition; provided digitally through the institutional LMS |
1. Purpose
This Tuition Refund Policy establishes the conditions under which Seaside Coast College (“the institution”) refunds tuition and related fees paid by or on behalf of students. It is established in accordance with the Private Training Act and the Private Training Regulation and follows the tuition refund framework for approved programs administered by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU).
2. Scope
This policy applies to all students enrolled in the Community Wellness Foundations Certificate — Older Adult Focus, an approved program delivered 100% through synchronous distance education.
Because the program is delivered synchronously, the refund schedule in Section 5 is the schedule that applies to approved programs delivered through in-class, combined, or synchronous distance delivery. The separate schedule for programs delivered solely by asynchronous distance education does not apply, because no part of this program is delivered asynchronously.
The program has no work experience or practicum component, so refund provisions relating to work experience do not apply. The program is offered to domestic students only and is not offered to international students who require a study permit.
3. Key Definitions
Program start date
The first scheduled day of synchronous instruction, as identified in the student enrolment contract.
Hours of instruction provided
The cumulative scheduled hours of synchronous instruction the institution has delivered from the program start date, measured by the institution’s delivery schedule rather than by an individual student’s attendance. This is the measure used for in-class, combined, and synchronous distance delivery; it is distinct from the “evaluated/completed” measure used only for programs delivered solely by asynchronous distance education.
Tuition
The total program tuition of $5,999.00 CAD. The institution charges no application fee and no other related fees.
Related fees
The institution charges no administrative, assessment, application, or course-material fees. Course materials are included in tuition and provided digitally through the institutional LMS.
Notice of withdrawal
A student’s written notice that the student is withdrawing from the program. The effective date of withdrawal is the date the institution receives the notice.
Notice of dismissal
The institution’s written notice that a student is dismissed from the program in accordance with the institution’s Student Dismissal Policy.
4. Provision of This Policy and Tuition Collection
Before accepting any tuition or related fees, and before the student signs the student enrolment contract, Seaside Coast College provides the student with a copy of this Tuition Refund Policy. This requirement is established under the Private Training Act and the Private Training Regulation.
Seaside Coast College does not accept more than $1,000.00 in cash on account of tuition or related fees under a student enrolment contract.
As a matter of institutional practice, and to limit the amount of unearned tuition held before instruction begins, Seaside Coast College collects no more than $1,500.00 of tuition before the program start date. This is a voluntary institutional commitment; it is not a limit prescribed by the Private Training Act or the Private Training Regulation. The remaining tuition is collected during the program in accordance with the Tuition Payment Schedule in Section 13.
5. Refund Schedule — Approved Program, Synchronous Distance Delivery
The following refund schedule applies to this program. Refund amounts are calculated on the tuition paid or payable under the student enrolment contract (see Section 7 for an illustration).
| Circumstance | Refund |
|---|---|
| Before the program start date — the institution receives a notice of withdrawal or provides a notice of dismissal: | |
| No later than 7 days after the student signs the enrolment contract, and before the program start date. | 100% of tuition. (The institution charges no application fee or other related fees.) |
| More than 7 days after the student signs the enrolment contract, and before the program start date. | The institution may retain up to 10% of tuition, to a maximum of $1,000. |
| After the program start date — the institution provides a notice of dismissal or receives a notice of withdrawal: | |
| No later than 7 days after the program start date. | The institution may retain up to 10% of tuition, to a maximum of $1,000. |
| Up to and including 10% of the hours of instruction have been provided. | The institution may retain up to 10% of tuition. |
| More than 10% but before 30% of the hours of instruction have been provided. | The institution may retain up to 30% of tuition. |
| More than 30% but before 50% of the hours of instruction have been provided. | The institution may retain up to 50% of tuition. |
| More than 50% of the hours of instruction have been provided. | No refund is due. |
| Student does not attend (“no-show”): | |
| The student does not attend any of the first 30% of the program. | The institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition paid. |
6. Special Refund Situations
In addition to Section 5, the following situations apply:
Enrolment without meeting admission requirements
If a student was enrolled without having met the program’s admission requirements, the student did not misrepresent their knowledge or skills when applying, and the registrar orders a refund, the institution refunds 100% of tuition and all related fees (the institution charges none).
International students — refusal of a study permit
This refund situation applies only to international students who require a study permit. It does not apply to this program: the program is offered to domestic students only and, being delivered entirely by distance education, does not enrol study-permit international students.
7. Refund Reference — Maximum Institutional Retention
The table below shows the maximum the institution may retain at the total program tuition of $5,999.00. It is provided to help students understand Section 5 and does not change it; if any inconsistency exists, Section 5 governs.
Refunds are calculated on the tuition the student has paid or that is payable under the enrolment contract. Because tuition is collected in instalments (Section 13), a student who withdraws early will usually have paid less than the full tuition. The refund is the tuition the student has paid, less the amount the institution may retain. Because the retention percentages apply to tuition paid or payable, a student who has prepaid only a small amount may receive a reduced refund, or none. Where the amount the institution may retain exceeds the tuition the student has paid, no refund is due, and any remaining balance is payable by the student to the extent the student enrolment contract establishes that obligation.
| Situation | Maximum retained (% of tuition) | Maximum retained ($ at $5,999) |
|---|---|---|
| Within 7 days of signing, before start | 0% | $0 (full refund of tuition paid) |
| More than 7 days after signing, before start | Up to 10%, max $1,000 | Up to $599.90 |
| Within 7 days after start | Up to 10%, max $1,000 | Up to $599.90 |
| Up to 10% of hours provided | Up to 10% | Up to $599.90 |
| More than 10% but before 30% of hours provided | Up to 30% | Up to $1,799.70 |
| More than 30% but before 50% of hours provided | Up to 50% | Up to $2,999.50 |
| More than 50% of hours provided | 100% | Full tuition (no refund) |
| No-show (first 30% not attended) | Up to 50% of tuition paid | Up to 50% of amount paid |
Example. A student has paid the $1,500.00 first instalment and gives notice of withdrawal after 8% of the hours of instruction have been provided. The institution may retain up to 10% of tuition ($599.90). The refund is the tuition paid less the amount retained: $1,500.00 − $599.90 = $900.10.
Note: the no-show tier applies to tuition paid; the withdrawal and dismissal tiers apply to tuition paid or payable under the enrolment contract.
8. Application Fee
Seaside Coast College does not charge an application fee. No fee is required to apply to, or be considered for admission to, the program.
9. Course Materials
Course materials are included in tuition and provided digitally through the institutional LMS at or before the start of each course. Students are not required to purchase textbooks, e-resources, supplies, or equipment from the institution or any other source.
Because no separate course-material fee is charged, no separate course-material refund applies; any tuition refund under this policy reflects the all-inclusive nature of the tuition. Where the Private Training Regulation requires the refund of fees charged for course materials a student does not receive, that requirement has no monetary effect here, as the institution charges no such fee.
10. Refund Processing and Timing
Where a refund is due, the institution pays it within 30 days after the earliest applicable date below:
- the date the institution receives a notice of withdrawal from the student;
- the date the institution provides a notice of dismissal to the student;
- the date the registrar orders the institution to refund tuition and related fees; or
- for a student who does not attend any of the first 30% of the program, the date on which the first 30% of the hours of instruction has been provided.
The Private Training Regulation also provides refund-processing triggers for the refusal of a study permit and for failure to provide a work experience component. Neither applies to this program, which is offered to domestic students only and has no work experience component.
Refunds are issued using the original method of payment where reasonably possible; otherwise, by an equivalent method (such as cheque or direct bank transfer) arranged with the student.
11. Written Notice of Withdrawal
To withdraw, a student must give the institution written notice of withdrawal — by email to the institutional email address on the student enrolment contract, by registered mail to the institutional mailing address, or in person. The effective date of withdrawal is the date the institution receives the notice. The institution will not impose a formality that prevents a student’s notice from being recognized.
12. Documentation and Records
For each refund, the institution retains the following as part of the student record:
the notice of withdrawal, notice of dismissal, or registrar order, as applicable;
the refund calculation, including the percentage of the hours of instruction provided at the time of the trigger event; and
evidence that the refund was issued, including the date, amount, and method of payment.
These records — including the refund calculation and evidence of payment — are retained securely for at least eight years for Class A programs, in accordance with the institution’s Privacy and Records Policy.
13. Tuition Payment Schedule
The total program tuition of $5,999.00 is collected in instalments as set out in the student enrolment contract. Consistent with Section 4, the institution collects no more than $1,500.00 before the program start date as a voluntary institutional commitment, and does not accept more than $1,000.00 in cash under a student enrolment contract. This schedule may be adjusted in writing by mutual agreement, provided the adjustment complies with the Private Training Act and the Private Training Regulation.
| Payment | Due | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| First instalment | Before the program start date | $1,500.00 |
| Second instalment | Before the start of Week 4 | $2,249.50 |
| Third instalment | Before the start of Week 7 | $2,249.50 |
| Total | $5,999.00 |
14. Dispute Resolution and Claims to PTIRU
A student who believes a refund has been calculated incorrectly, or not provided in accordance with this policy, should first seek resolution through the institution’s Dispute Resolution Policy.
Students enrolled in an approved program have the right to make a claim to PTIRU for a tuition refund if the institution ceased to hold a certificate before the student completed the program, or if the student was misled about a significant aspect of the program. The claim must be filed within one year of completing, being dismissed from, or withdrawing from the program. Further information is available through PTIRU and in the institution’s Student Statement of Rights.
15. Related Policies
This policy is read together with the institution’s:
- Student Enrolment Contract
- Dispute Resolution Policy
- Student Dismissal Policy
- Withdrawal Policy
- Student Attendance Policy
- Student Statement of Rights
- Privacy and Records Policy
16. Policy Review
This policy is reviewed at least annually and updated as required to reflect changes in the Private Training Act, the Private Training Regulation, or PTIRU policy.
17. Contact Information
For questions about this policy, or to request a refund calculation, please contact:
Senior Educational Administrator, Seaside Coast College
Email: lynth@seasidecoastcollege.com
Website: seasidecoastcollege.com
APPROVED BY
Lynth Brown, Senior Educational Administrator
Seaside Coast College