Ohio Admin. Code 3332-1-09 - Student enrollment policies and practices

(A) It is the responsibility of the school to determine with reasonable certainty, in advance of the acceptance of a prospective student's enrollment, that the student meets the minimum basic admissions qualifications as required by the school to successfully benefit from the program they intend to enter.

(B) Prior to a student's enrollment, a school shall determine, with reasonable certainty, that a prospective student is fully informed as to:

(1) The graduation requirements and expected outcomes of the program they desire to take;

(2) The financial obligations they are entering into;

(3) Their responsibilities and rights under any contracts or agreements that they are given to sign;

(4) The placement and graduation rates for the program they are entering into. No applicant will be allowed to sign an enrollment agreement until the school has provided the applicant with placement and graduation rates, for any program the student is considering, for each of the preceding three years; and

(5) The school's most recently available passage rates on any state licensure exams related to any program that the student is considering.

(C) Prior to starting a program, all potential students enrolled in an Ohio school must review and complete the state board of career colleges and schools online student disclosure course as required by the board. The cost of the disclosure course shall not exceed twenty-five dollars per student for any new student who enrolls in a registered Ohio school and for whom the school keeps any portion of the tuition or registration fee. Schools that do not require that students pay tuition and fees may request a waiver of the course fee.

(D) A prospective student may be officially enrolled in school only when they have completed the school's enrollment agreement. A copy of the enrollment agreement must be furnished to the student at the time the agreement is completed.

(E) All enrollment agreements shall be on forms provided by the school and contain the following minimum information:

(1) Name, phone number and mailing address of school.

(2) Program title and starting date.

(3) Number of clock or credit hours in the program including the number of weeks or months usually necessary to complete the program. For clock hour programs, schools must also list the number of clock hours in each academic term.

(4) A breakdown of tuition charges and all other school fees for which the student is responsible. This breakdown shall include the tuition costs for the current academic term and to the total projected tuition cost of the program at current tuition rates. This breakdown shall also include a disclosure concerning any tuition or fee increase policies that may affect the student before their expected graduation date.

(5) The school's refund policy as required by rule 3332-1-10 of the Administrative Code.

(6) The school's cancellation and settlement policy including notification that the enrollment agreement may be canceled by submitting written notice within five days pursuant to rule 3332-1-10 of the Administrative Code.

(7) Signature or other electronic verification from applicant and school official including the date completed.

(8) Notice to student concerning their ability to file a complaint with the state board of career colleges and schools including board's correct name, address and toll- free telephone number.

(9) Date of publication and last date of revision or review as noted on the enrollment agreement. All enrollment agreements should be reviewed at least once every two years.

(F) A student who applies for financial aid through the school shall be required to sign a statement acknowledging an understanding of the financial obligations into which they are entering and a copy must be kept in the student's file.

(G) If a school accepts an enrollment from a person who does not meet the normal basic qualifications for acceptance, it should have a record of whatever communication has taken place about the prospective student and of the reasons why they were permitted to enroll, and be prepared to justify its action to the board in accepting the enrollment, if requested.

(H) No school shall accept an enrollment from a person of compulsory school age unless legally dismissed from school, nor one attending a school of elementary or high school level, until and unless it has been established through contact with properly responsible persons that pursuit of the course would not be detrimental to his/her regular school work.

(I) If a school requires a high school diploma, or GED or other equivalent for admission to a program, a student may be admitted to the program upon written verification from the student that they have received their high school diploma, or GED or other equivalent. The board may require schools to audit admissions records and provide independent verification from the appropriate high school, state department of education or other independent source verifying that the student has received their high school diploma, or GED or other equivalent. If the school is unable to obtain this independent verification, the student must be withdrawn at the end of the student's current academic term.

(J) If a school requires a high school diploma, or GED or other equivalent for admission to a program the school may not accept any high school diploma from an online or correspondence high school unless the high school is:

(1) Authorized to offer online or correspondence high school diplomas by the state they are located within; or,

(2) Accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the US department of education and authorized to issue high school diplomas by that accrediting agency; or,

(3) Approved in writing by the state board of career colleges and schools.

(K) It is the responsibility of each school to assure that their enrollment agreement is in compliance with this rule. The board reserves the right to periodically review and inspect enrollment agreements and to require changes to comply with this rule.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 3332-1-09

Effective: 9/3/2024
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 4/18/2024 and 09/01/2029
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3332.031
Rule Amplifies: 3332.031
Prior Effective Dates: 12/01/1970, 04/16/1990 (Emer.), 07/12/1990, 10/14/1994, 04/17/2000, 01/02/2007, 11/01/2011, 05/01/2014, 01/04/2016, 02/15/2019, 01/03/2022