136 rasmussen.edu | 888-5-RASMUSSEN ACADEMIC INFORMATION AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES aid eligibility determined, a student payment will be scheduled for any balance not covered by financial aid resources. Student payments are due in full prior to or on the first day the term begins. It is your responsibility to ensure you have a financial plan in place prior to beginning classes. This includes completing and providing all the required information to Financial Aid prior to starting classes. If a student has not submitted all requested financial aid eligibility documentation by the beginning of the fifth week of the quarter, a student payment will be scheduled for the full balance due immediately and must be paid by visiting the Pay Online section of the Student Portal at portal.rasmussen.edu. The University does not accept cash but does accept checks mailed to the Business Office and electronic payments including credit cards, debit cards, and electronic checks. The Business Office mailing address is: Rasmussen College, LLC, PO Box 713555, Chicago, IL 60677-0077. All electronic payments must be made through the link in the Pay Online section of the Student Portal. Failure to pay all outstanding charges (tuition, fees, and other institutional charges) by the due date(s) or in full prior to the term end date may result in collection attempts and the inability to continue courses and withdrawal from the University. As you approach graduation, please ensure your account balance is paid in full prior to graduating, or you will not receive your diploma except when required by any applicable law. To view your student account balance information, visit the Student Account Center at portal.rasmussen.edu. For any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Chapter 33) or Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance (Chapter 35) benefits, Rasmussen University ensures that no penalty will be imposed, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, due to the delayed disbursement of a payment by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify, the student may be required to provide the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class, a written request to be certified, or additional information necessary for the proper certification by the University. University Acceptance or Denial of Enrollment for Bachelor-Completer Programs The University will notify each applicant in writing of acceptance or rejection based on fulfillment of the University Acceptance or Denial requirements and the following requirements: • Completion of the Online Orientation. • Applicants must have a conferred associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Alternatively, select programs may accept students who have successfully completed 60 quarter or 40 semester college-level credits with a grade of “C” or higher in each course from an accredited institution that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Any student who has not successfully completed college-level math and college-level English Composition coursework with a grade of “C” or higher must achieve a score on the University Placement Assessment acceptable for admission into the University at a level that does not require developmental coursework. See Transfer of Credit Policies for program-specific acceptance requirements. • In order to determine eligibility and acceptance, official and unofficial transcripts as well as grade reports from accredited institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) will be evaluated per the transfer policy of Rasmussen University. Upon completion of the assessment, the applicant will receive a transfer credit evaluation that includes a summary of the courses that may be accepted for transfer. Official transfer of credit (TR) will be awarded for those courses upon receipt of an official transcript and enrollment in a program. • An applicant may be accepted into a bachelor-completer program upon receipt of official or unofficial transcripts which prove prior credits. Official or unofficial transcripts must be received no later than the sixth business day of the first term of enrollment in order to begin the program. A student will be withdrawn from the University if official transcripts are not received by the Friday of the thirteenth week of enrollment. In the event that acceptance was based on credits earned at multiple institutions, the official transcript from each institution must be received by the deadline. • A paper transcript is “official” only as long as it remains in its sealed envelope from the issuing institution. An electronic (secure, certified PDF) transcript is “official” in its electronic form as long as it is sent directly from the issuing institution to Rasmussen University and has not been altered. A printed copy of a PDF transcript is not official. Note that program-specific acceptance requirements may apply. Background Checks Policy For some programs, Rasmussen University requires students and potential students to pass background checks for admission or program changes / program transfers. An additional and different background check may also be required during active enrollment prior to practicum or clinical placement depending on site requirements. An additional background check may include components that are different than those originally checked at the time of admissions. Note that “passing” a criminal background check for the purpose of program acceptance or practicum or clinical placement is determined by Rasmussen University, in its sole discretion. The background check is designed to alert students and potential students to issues that may impair their ability to complete clinical, externship, or practicum activities or to obtain employment upon graduation. The background check is also designed to prevent the accumulation of unnecessary student loan debt. Background check requirements are program specific. See the program pages in the Rasmussen University Catalog for the background check requirement for each program. A. General Background Check, and Florida Level 2 Background Check Processes A general background check is one that is conducted through Rasmussen University’s chosen third-party vendor. Potential students enrolling or students preparing for practicum or clinical experiences in any program requiring a general background check will agree to the terms and conditions of the background check process as part of placing the order through the vendor. Potential students enrolling or students preparing for practicum or clinical experiences in any program requiring a background check meeting the Florida statutory definition of a Level 2 background check must complete and return to the University a VECHS Waiver Agreement and Statement. If the background check reveals any history, Rasmussen University will individually assess the students’ or potential students’ result to determine whether the students or potential students are eligible to start the program or qualify for practicum or clinical placement. The University will send either a possible issue letter or a pre-adverse action letter to all students or potential students whose background check reveals any history. A possible issue letter informs potential students or students that a potential problem revealed in their background check may prevent them from completing practicum or clinical activities and/or finding employment in-field after graduation. Students or potential students who receive a possible issue letter may acknowledge the issue and make an informed decision to continue with the program, they may choose to change programs, or they may choose to withdraw from the University. A pre-adverse action letter informs the students or potential students that the University is about to take adverse action. After receiving a pre-adverse letter, the student may contact the third-party background check firm conducting the general background check or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and/or FBI conducting the Florida Level 2 background check directly to dispute the information contained in the background check before the University takes adverse action. Unless a dispute is filed, within seven days of sending the pre-adverse action letter, the University will send an adverse action letter indicating the action to be taken, which could include not allowing the potential student to enroll in a certain program, not allowing the student to continue in a practicum or clinical placement, or removing a student from the University. If the student or potential student wishes to appeal an adverse decision, a written appeal should be submitted following the instructions provided with the adverse action letter. The University will review the appeal and issue a final decision. A denied appeal may cause the potential student or student to become ineligible for enrollment in any program requiring a background check or in any program offered by the University. A potential student enrolling in a program requiring a general or Florida Level 2 background check may begin attending provisionally if the general or Florida Level 2 background check is in progress, but not complete, at the start of the potential student’s first academic period of enrollment. This provision of this policy does not apply to the Physical Therapist Assistant Associate’s Degree program whose potential students must have completed the background check process in its entirety, including any required appeal process, before being accepted and starting the program. If the potential student begins attending while the general or Florida Level 2 background check is in progress and is subsequently issued an adverse action letter and chooses not to appeal, then the potential student will be withdrawn, and any tuition and fees billed will be credited. ALL CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY ADDENDUM
