STUDENTS Rights

Each California resident new students are responsible for paying the state assessment amount for the Student Tuition Recovery Fund. ACA shall collect the amount assessed by the bureau in the form of a Student Tuition Recovery Fund fee from its California Resident new students.

The Student Recovery Fund (STRF) was established by the Legislature to protect any California resident who attends a private postsecondary institution from losing money if they prepaid tuition and suffered a financial loss as a result of the school closing, failing to live up to its enrollment agreement or refusing to pay a court judgment.

To be eligible for STRF, a student must be a California resident and reside in California at the time the enrollment agreement is signed or when he/she receive lessons at a California mailing address from an approved institution offering correspondence instruction.  Students who are temporarily residing in California for the sole purpose of pursuing an education, specifically those who hold student visas, are not considered a California resident.  Further, those students who are the recipients of third-party tuition and course costs are not eligible for protection under and recovery from the STRF.

To qualify for STRF reimbursement, a student must file a STRF application within one [1] year of receiving notice from the Bureau that the school is closed.  If the student do not receive notice from the Bureau, he/she has four [4] years from the date of closure to file a STRF application.  If a judgment is obtained he/she must file a STRF application within two [2] years of the final judgment.

It is important that the student keep copies of the enrollment agreement, financial aid papers, receipts or any other information that documents the monies paid to the school.

Questions regarding the STRF may be directed to:

Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education

1625 North Market Blvd., Suite S202,

Sacramento, CA 95834

Tel. (916) 574-7720