Program Integrity Final Rule

Program Integrity Final Rule Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) –Modules or Compressed Courses

Withdrawal Date • Withdrawing from a payment period that includes modules, mini-sessions, or compressed courses • Credit-hour programs • Clock hour programs §668.22(a)

Withdrawal – Credit-Hour Programs • For credit-hour programs, a student is considered withdrawn if he fails to complete all the days in a payment period or period of enrollment he was scheduled to complete. • Schools need to track enrollment in each module to determine if a student began enrollment in all scheduled courses. §668.22(a)(2)(i)

Determining Percentage of Period Completed • Determining the percentage of a payment period or period of enrollment completed in a credit-hour program is based on: • Number of calendar days in the period that were completed by the student as of the withdrawal date • Excludes any scheduled break of at least 5 consecutive days when the student is not scheduled to attend class • §668.22(f)(1)(i) and (2)(i)

Withdrawal – Clock-Hour Programs • For clock-hour programs, a student is considered withdrawn if he fails to complete all of the clock hours and weeks of instructional time in a payment period or period of enrollment he was scheduled to complete § 668.22(a)(2)(i)(B)

Determining Percentage of Period Completed • Determining the percentage of a payment period or period of enrollment completed in a clock-hour program is based on: • Number of clock hours in the period that were scheduled to be completed by the student as of the withdrawal date §668.22(f)(1)(ii)

Student Not Considered Withdrawn • Not considered as withdrawn and school not required to perform R2T4 if: • School receives written confirmation from the student, at the time the student ceases attendance, of plans to attend a later module in the same payment period or period of enrollment, • In a nonterm or non-standard term program, the later module must begin within 45 calendar days after the end of the module the student ceased or failed to attend

Delayed Resumption of Attendance • A student who provides written confirmation of plans to attend a later module in the period • May change the scheduled date of return, provided written notification of the change in plans is provided before the originally-anticipated return date • For a student enrolled in a nonterm or non-standard term program, the new scheduled return date must be for a module that begins within the 45-day specified period §668.22(a)(2)(ii)(B)

Failure to Return • If a student fails to resume attendance as planned, the student is considered as withdrawn from the payment period or period of enrollment • The withdrawal date is the original date the student ceased attendance in the period §668.22(a)(2)(ii)(C)

“Undo” R2T4 Calculation • School must “undo” an R2T4 calculation and treat student as not having withdrawn after all if: • Student does not confirm plans to attend a later module in the same period but does so anyway, or • In a nonterm or non-standard-term program, the student is not scheduled to begin another course within the 45-day period but does so anyway § 668.22(a)(2)(iii)

Eligibility Upon Return—Credit-Hour Programs • If a student returns to a term-based, credit-hour program offered in modules, and re-enters the same program prior to the end of the period • Student is eligible to receive Title IV funds for which the student was eligible prior to withdrawal, including any returned funds, provided new enrollment status supports eligibility for those funds

Eligibility Upon Return—Clock-Hour or Nonterm Program • If a student withdraws from a clock-hour or nonterm credit-hour program and re-enters the same program within 180 days • Student remains in the same period upon return, and • Is eligible to receive Title IV funds for which the student was eligible prior to withdrawal, including any returned funds

Program Integrity Final Rule