The actually-not-all-that-boring Student Handbook

Financial Aid

SVC does not provide student loans. We will, however, allow students to make payments based on the schedules below. There is a non-refundable $25 charge per quarter for using the above extended payment plan.

5-Week Classes:

• 1/2 payment due at registration
• 1/2 payment due at 3rd week of class

10-Week Classes:

• 1/3 payment due at registration
• 1/3 payment due at 3rd week of class
• 1/3 payment due at 6th week of class

Workshops:

• The payment plan is not available for one-day workshops.

Certificate Programs:

• 1/8 payment due upon registration (Registration fee and Payment Plan Fee also collected)
• 1/8 payment due on the 15th of each month for the following 7 months

There is a non-refundable $250 one-time charge for using the above extended payment plan for SVC certificate programs.

Any unpaid balances due on SVC's payment plan will accrue a monthly 1.5% finance charge.

Who can I ask about my tuition payment?

Any questions about billing and refunds for cancelled classes can be answered by our office staff during normal business hours. Call 206.623.1560 or drop an email.

Registration Fees

A one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $45 is required for all students enrolling in their first five- or ten-week course at SVC. The registration fee for certification programs is $100.

Refunds and Dropped Classes

SVC may, on occasion, cancel a class due to insufficient enrollment. Students will be notified as soon as possible when a class is cancelled, and will receive a full refund of all fees for cancelled classes.

You may receive a partial refund of your tuition if you drop a class or your enrollment is terminated by SVC due to lack of progress or disciplinary problems. In these cases, this is the schedule for determining the amount of your refund:

Cancellation and Refund Policy for Online Classes:

1. SVC will refund all money paid if the student is not accepted. This includes instances where a class is cancelled by the school.
2. SVC will refund all the money paid if the student cancels within five business days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after registration and/or an initial payment is made, as long as the student has not begun training.
3. SVC will retain the established $45 registration fee if the student cancels after the fifth business day after registration and/or making an initial payment.
4. If training is terminated after the student enters classes, SVC may retain the registration fee established under (3) of this subsection, plus a percentage of the total tuition as described in the following tables:

5-Week Classes:

# of Classes Attended	% Tuition Refunded
0	100%
1	75%
2	50%
3+	0%

10-Week Classes:

# of Classes Attended	% Tuition Refunded
0	100%
1	90%
2	75%
3 - 5	50%
6+	0%

When calculating refunds, the official date of a student’s termination is the last day of recorded attendance:

• (a) When the school receives notice of the student’s intention to discontinue the training program; or,
• (b) When the student is terminated for a violation of a published school policy which provides for termination; or,
• (c) When a student, without notice, fails to attend classes for thirty calendar days.
• All refunds must be paid within thirty calendar days of the student’s official termination date.

Certificate Program:

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
% of Lessons Attended	% Tuition Refunded
0 - None	100%
Up to 10%	90%
11–20%	75%
21–50%	50%
51% or More	0% - None

• SVC will refund all money paid if the student is not accepted. This includes instances where a class is canceled by the school.
• SVC will refund all the money paid if the student cancels within five business days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after registration and/or an initial payment is made, as long as the student has not begun training.
• SVC will retain the established $100 registration fee if the student cancels after the fifth business day after registration and/or making an initial payment.
• If training is terminated after the student enters classes, SVC may retain the registration fee, plus a percentage of the total tuition as described in tables above.

Workshops:

A full refund will be issued for cancellations made at least 4 business days before the workshop begins. No refunds will be issued for no-shows and enrollees dropping a one-day workshop within 3 business days of the scheduled start time as published on the SVC website.

This refund policy is in accordance with Washington State Law, 490-105-130 (RCW 28C.10.050 (1)(b)).

If you drop a class because you're unhappy with the quality of the instruction then SVC would definitely like to talk with you and work out a more favorable refund.

SVC Teaches Live, Online Classes

To comply with Washington State policy and to help keep our students, staff, and instructors healthy during the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic, SVC is teaching all courses live and online. Our campus is closed to visitors, students, and instructors until we feel it's safe to open our doors again.

Does SVC record classes?

No, each class session is taught live and we do not record classes. This ensures that the instructor's intellectual property and our student's private information is protected. If you cannot attend your class, please let us know ASAP.

Please email info@svcseattle.com if you have questions.

Office Hours

While classes are in session, SVC office hours are typically 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday. Between quarters, the office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Pacific Time on Friday.

Class Cancellations

Classes may be cancelled if an instructor is ill or unable to attend. We will notify you as early as possible if you provide us with your current telephone numbers and email addresses. While we will do our best to line up a substitute instructor if an instructor is ill, if classes are cancelled due to instructor illness, we will do our best to make up 5-week class sessions at the end of the quarter. Ten-week class sessions cancelled due to instructor illness will not be made up. Workshops will be rescheduled to a new date.

When Does the Next Quarter Start?

Although we've been known to change our minds depending on when certain holidays fall each year, here's a fairly reliable guide to when each quarter starts and ends.

QUARTER	STARTS	ENDS	NO CLASSES
Summer 2022	June 27, 2022	September 2, 2022	Independence Day, July 4, 2022
Fall 2022	September 26, 2022	December 9, 2022	Thanksgiving Week, Nov. 21-27, 2022
Winter 2023	January 9, 2023	March 17, 2023	MLK Jr Day, Jan. 16 & President's Day, Feb. 20, 2023
Spring 2023	April 3, 2023	June 9, 2023	Memorial Day, May 29, 2023
Summer 2023	June 26, 2023	September 8, 2023	Fourth of July week, July 3-7 & Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2023
Fall 2023	September 25, 2023	December 8, 2023	Thanksgiving Week, Nov. 20-26, 2023
Winter 2024	January 8, 2024	March 15, 2024	MLK Jr Day, Jan. 15 & President's Day, Feb. 19, 2024
Spring 2024	April 1, 2024	June 7, 2024	Memorial Day, May 27, 2024
Summer 2024	June 17, 2024	August 30, 2024	Juneteenth, June 19 & Fourth of July week, July 1-5, 2024
Fall 2024	September 23, 2024	December 6, 2024	Thanksgiving Week, Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2024

Admissions

There are no formal education requirements to enroll in SVC's classes or workshops, nor is a portfolio necessary to begin course work. In some cases, though, there are prerequisites for individual classes and workshops. You'll find them detailed in the course descriptions. There is, however, one pre-condition to taking classes at SVC: We ask that you have at least completed your high school education. Fair enough?

Acknowledgment by Enrollee

1. I understand and accept that any contract for training I enter into with the above named school contains legally binding obligations and responsibilities.
2. I understand and accept that repayment obligations will be placed upon me by any loans or financing arrangement I enter into as means to pay for my training.
3. I understand that any enrollment contract I enter into shall not be binding or take effect for at least five days, excluding Sundays and holidays, following the last date such a contract is signed by the school and myself, provided that I have not entered classes sooner.
4. I understand that by registering for classes, I grant SVC the right to publish work I’ve created in class as well as use my likeness/appearance on a perpetual basis in any medium or format for the promotional and educational purposes of SVC. I hereby release SVC from all claims and demands that I may have, including without limitation those based on copyright, libel, slander, violation of privacy or publicity or similar rights, arising out of or in connection with the exercise of the rights authorized hereunder.
   If you would like to opt-out of this policy or have any other questions, please email info@svcseattle.com.

How to File a Complaint

Washington law requires private vocational schools to inform students how to file a complaint. By signing this form you acknowledge this process has been explained to you. Below are the next steps the school must take in discussing this policy with you, along with information about the complaint process.

1. The school has described the grievance and/or complaint policy to me.
2. I understand that the policy can also be found on the school’s website.
3. I know I should first try to resolve a complaint or concern with my instructor or school administrator
4. I understand nothing prevents me from contacting the Workforce Board at 360-709-4600 at any time with a concern or complaint, and complaint forms are: http://wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Complaints.asp.
5. I understand that I have one year to file a complaint from my last date of attendance.
6. I further understand that in the event of a school closure, I have 60 days to file a complaint.
7. I also understand that complaints are public records.
8. Finally, I acknowledge that details about the complaint process, my rights, and any restrictions on the time I have to file a complaint can be found at http://wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Complaints.asp

This school is licensed under Chapter 28C.10 RCW. Inquiries or complaints regarding this private vocational school may be made to the:
Workforce Training and Educational Coordinating Board 128 – 10th Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 98504
Web: wtb.wa.gov
Phone: 360.709.4600
E-Mail Address: pvsa@wtb.wa.gov

Conduct and Effort

Although effort is highly subjective, students not making a genuine effort to complete class assignments with a reasonable degree of work and attention to detail or those who consistently miss class, arrive late, or interfere with the learning opportunities of other students may be asked to withdraw from a class after an interview with the instructor and SVC administrators. In this event, the student's tuition will be refunded according to the policies listed in the Refunds and Dropped Classes section.

Nothing in the policy prevents the student from contacting the Workforce Training and Educational Coordinating Board at 360.709.4600 at any time with a concern or a complaint.

Equal Opportunity

The School of Visual Concepts believes that learning opportunities must not be restricted based on race, gender, veteran or military status, creed, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability. So, these factors are not an issue in accepting you for admission to SVC.

The School of Visual Concepts acknowledges that information pertaining and applicant's disability is voluntary and confidential, and will be made on an individual basis. If this information is presented, SVC will reasonably attempt to provide an accommodation to overcome the effects of the limitation of the qualified applicant. All inquiries about accommodations should be made by emailing info@svcseattle.com, by calling the school at 206.623.1560, or by visiting the school in person, if the campus is open to visitors.

Religious Accommodation

The School of Visual Concepts will make good faith efforts to provide reasonable religious accommodations to students who have sincerely held religious practices or beliefs that conflict with a scheduled course/program requirement. Students requesting a religious accommodation should make the request, in writing, directly to their instructor and the School with as much advance notice as possible. Being absent from class or other educational responsibilities does not excuse students from keeping up with any information shared or expectations set during the missed class. Students are responsible for obtaining materials and information provided during any class missed. The student shall work with the instructor to determine a schedule for making up missed work.

Examples of religious accommodations may include: rescheduling of an exam or giving a make-up exam for the student in question; altering the time of a student’s presentation; allowing extra-credit assignments to substitute for missed class work or arranging for an increased flexibility in assignment due dates.

Sexual Harassment

Our goal is to keep SVC as a place where students are free from unwelcome advances, inappropriate verbal or physical contact, or anything that creates a hostile or offensive environment. If another student or faculty member crosses those lines, please let one of SVC's directors know immediately. Staff or students who are found to have violated SVC's harassment policy will be dismissed immediately.

Alcohol and Drug Use

The use of alcohol (outside of sanctioned social functions) or illegal substances at SVC is strictly prohibited. Students who come to class under the influence will be asked to leave and will be withdrawn from SVC without a refund.