Policies Related to the IL Student Debt Assistance Act

Physical or Financial Hardship Policy

A student may apply for a hardship withdrawal from their academic enrollment at Zen Shiatsu Chicago due to an unforeseeable and documented circumstance that occurs after attempting 60% of their enrollment contract, which had a significant impact on the student’s ability to continue in their course of study and be successful. Examples of a physical or financial hardship include: (i) serious injury or illness; (ii) chronic illness; (iii) a serious medical issue of a family member (spouse or partner, child, parent or guardian, grandparent, or sibling) for which the student is a part-time or full-time caretaker of that family member; (iv) a mental health condition of the student; (v) a sudden or consistent lack of transportation that prohibits a student’s presence in class; or (vi) a significant, non-elective cost of living increase for the student. To request a hardship withdrawal under this policy, the student must complete the Hardship Withdrawal Request Form and submit supporting documentation of the physical/financial hardship evidencing the significant physical or financial hardship prior to the end of the term/semester in which they intend to withdraw. If approved, any applicable refund will be calculated under the terms of section #4 of the Tuition Refund Schedule rather than #5.

Student Debt, Transcripts and Collections

Zen Shiatsu Chicago has not previously and does not now withhold unofficial or official transcripts in the case of students who owe debts to the school. Transcript requests are subject to the routine $5 transcript request fee.

Unpaid debts in excess of $1000, for which payments have not been made for 61 days or more, will be referred to collections.

Student Debt and Financial Remediation

Students enrolled at Zen Shiatsu Chicago typically pay via payment plan, either a paid-by-graduation or 4-year financing plan. A student may continue classes as long as payments are no more than 60 days late. If a payment becomes 61 days late, the steps for financial remediation are as follows:

1. Temporary suspension. The student must stop attending classes until remediation is complete. This may result in a requirement to retake classes that are failed due to insufficient attendance. Academic probation will not take effect for classes failed in this way.
2. Temporary pause of future invoices. The student will not have new monthly payments coming due.
3. Repayment of outstanding invoices. The student must repay the outstanding invoices. This is typically three invoices: the one that was 61 days late, one that is 31 days late, and a current invoice.
4. Restructuring of remaining balance. At this time a new payment plan will be drafted, with the next payment due in 30 days.
5. Student resumes class and payments. The student may now resume classes. This process will have to be repeated if another payment become 61 days late.