Refund and Withdrawal Policy

Purpose

This policy explains how withdrawals, cancellations, tuition adjustments, and refund requests are handled for RCA International admissions and enrollment pathways. RCA International is operated by Riviera Christian School.

Scope

This policy applies to RCA International tuition and enrollment charges unless a more specific written agreement, partner/cohort agreement, agent agreement, tuition communication, or signed enrollment document states otherwise.

This policy does not replace application disclosures, partner agreements, agent agreements, tuition/payment records issued through the admissions portal, third-party provider rules, or formal school decisions that apply after enrollment.

Key definitions

• Withdrawal: A family, adult applicant, partner contact, or authorized representative requests that a student stop participating in an RCA International pathway.
• Cancellation: A family or RCA International ends the enrollment path before active course participation begins.
• Effective withdrawal date: The date RCA International receives written withdrawal notice through an approved channel, unless RCA International confirms a different date in writing.
• Course access: The student has been provided access to the learning platform, course materials, orientation, or another school-controlled course participation path for the applicable term or semester.
• Earned tuition: Tuition that RCA International keeps because the applicable term, semester, course, cohort period, or school service has begun or been made available.
• Unearned tuition: Tuition paid for a future term, semester, course, or service that has not yet begun or been made available.
• Course provisioning costs: Course registration and platform fees, including third-party provider costs RCA International incurs when course access is provisioned or activated.

How to request withdrawal or refund review

Withdrawal or refund review must be requested in writing through the admissions portal, contact form, staff-issued communication channel, or another channel RCA International confirms in writing.

The request should include:

• Student name.
• Parent/guardian or authorized adult name.
• Contact email and phone.
• Enrollment path or cohort, if applicable.
• Requested withdrawal date.
• Reason for withdrawal, if the family chooses to provide one.
• Any payment or billing concern the family wants reviewed.

Phone conversations may help staff understand the situation, but a written request is required before RCA International can process a withdrawal or refund review.

Before acceptance or enrollment

Submitting an inquiry, application, document, admissions call booking, or transcript review request does not by itself create tuition responsibility.

If RCA International denies an application or closes an application before enrollment begins and RCA International has already collected tuition for that student, tuition paid to RCA International for that unstarted enrollment path will be refunded, less any non-refundable third-party fees that have already been processed.

Before course access begins

If a family cancels after paying tuition but before course access begins, RCA International may refund tuition paid for the unstarted term, semester, or course, less any clearly disclosed non-refundable deposit, third-party fee, processing fee, or already-incurred cost.

If no course access, orientation access, dual-credit registration, or term service has begun, RCA International will generally treat the tuition as unearned unless a written agreement states otherwise.

After course access begins

RCA International generally earns tuition by term, semester, course, or cohort period once course access or the applicable school service begins.

Once a term, semester, course, or cohort period has begun, tuition for that started period is generally not refundable. Tuition paid for future terms, semesters, courses, or cohort periods that have not yet begun may be cancelled, credited, or refunded after staff review.

RCA International may approve a different result when required by law, required by a specific written agreement, caused by a school billing error, or approved as an exception by authorized school leadership.

Course registration, platform, and provider costs

Course registration and platform fees, including third-party provider costs incurred by RCA International when course access is provisioned or activated, are strictly non-refundable, even if the student later withdraws.

This rule applies to those fees and incurred costs. Other tuition amounts remain subject to the applicable term, semester, course, cohort, written agreement, and account-reconciliation provisions in this policy.

Full-time annual tuition

Full-time annual tuition is reviewed by term or semester for refund and withdrawal purposes. If a student withdraws after the first term or semester begins, tuition for that started term or semester is generally earned. Tuition paid for a future term or semester that has not yet begun may be reviewed as unearned tuition.

Full-time enrollment means 6 courses per semester. Courses above 6 in a semester are charged at the individual course rate and are reviewed as additional course charges.

If a student withdraws after all annual terms or semesters have begun or been made available, the annual tuition is generally considered earned.

Full-time payment plan

The full-time payment plan is a payment schedule, not a separate refund category. If a student withdraws while on a payment plan, RCA International will calculate earned tuition and fees, non-refundable costs, payments received, scholarships or tuition aid, credits, and any remaining balance or refund due.

Future scheduled payments may be cancelled after the account is reconciled. If the amount already paid is less than the earned tuition and applicable fees, the family remains responsible for the remaining balance unless RCA International approves a written exception.

Hybrid, custom, and selected courses

Hybrid, custom, and selected-course tuition is reviewed course by course. If a student withdraws before course access begins for a selected course, tuition paid for that unstarted course may be refundable or creditable after staff review.

Once course access begins for a selected course, tuition for that course is generally earned and not refundable.

Corban University dual-credit courses

Corban University dual-credit courses may include a separate course fee. Dual-credit fees may be governed by Corban University registration, timing, and provider rules in addition to RCA International policy.

A dual-credit fee is not refundable once the student has been registered, course access has begun, or the fee has been submitted to or incurred through the dual-credit provider.

Partner, cohort, and agent-related students

Partner/cohort students may be subject to a partner agreement, cohort arrangement, invoice, roster process, or school-to-school communication that affects billing, withdrawal, or refund handling.

Agent/referral tracking does not create a refund right for families and does not change a student's tuition obligation. Agents are not eligible to receive per-student referral payments until RCA International has collected a full semester or term of tuition for that student.

Tuition aid, scholarships, and credits

Tuition aid, scholarship awards, discounts, and internal credits reduce the balance owed. They do not automatically create a cash refund unless RCA International confirms that a refundable overpayment remains after the account is reconciled.

FACTS processing fees or third-party tuition-aid application fees are controlled by the applicable third party and are not refunded by RCA International.

Dismissal, removal, or administrative closure

If RCA International dismisses, removes, or administratively closes a student's enrollment because of conduct, nonpayment, safety concerns, academic integrity issues, misuse of systems, missing required records, or violation of school expectations, refund eligibility is reviewed under this policy and any applicable school document.

Dismissal or administrative closure does not automatically create a refund. Tuition for any started term, semester, course, or service is generally earned.

No-visa and international clarification

RCA International is not a United States visa program. Visa denial, travel difficulty, relocation decisions, immigration expectations, or inability to enter the United States do not create a refund right unless RCA International confirms a written exception or applicable law requires a different result.

School cancellation or billing error

If RCA International cancels a course, term, cohort path, or enrollment option before it begins and does not provide a reasonable alternative, tuition paid to RCA International for that cancelled unstarted service will be refunded or credited.

If RCA International identifies a duplicate payment, payment posting error, or billing mistake, RCA International will correct the account and issue any confirmed refund due.

Refund processing

Approved refunds are generally processed within 30 days after RCA International has received a complete written request, confirmed the effective withdrawal date, reviewed account records, and received any needed payment destination or account information.

Refunds are generally returned to the original payer or original payment method when practical. RCA International may require additional verification before issuing a refund.

Case-by-case exceptions

RCA International may approve case-by-case exceptions for documented hardship, medical circumstances, family emergency, school error, or other unusual circumstances. Exceptions must be approved by authorized school leadership and documented in writing.

An exception in one situation does not require RCA International to grant the same exception in another situation.