academic policies
Refund Policy
The Institute is confident that the course you have selected will be everything we advertise. To assure you of this, we provide this refund policy. A student may cancel their course by notifying the Institute; a written request is recommended. If you cancel within 10 days from the signature date on your Enrollment Agreement, all tuition monies will be refunded. If you cancel after 10 days from the signature date of your Enrollment Agreement, but prior to receipt by the school of your first assignment, you are obligated to a registration fee of 20% of the tuition or $200, whichever is less. If you cancel after submitting the first assignment, you are obligated to pay the school the registration fee, plus a percentage of tuition as follows:
- Up to and including 10% of the assignments, 10% of the tuition.
- After submitting more than 10% up to and including 25% of the assignments, 25% of the tuition.
- After submitting more than 25% up to and including 50% of the assignments, 50% of the tuition.
- After submitting more than 50% of the assignments, you owe the school the full tuition.
Students who wish to cancel their enrollment yet have a balance due will have their payment terms processed through their existing credit card or e-check account. A reinstatement fee of $90.00 will be required for the reactivation of any enrollment if requested within 180 days from initial cancellation. Refunds are processed within 30 days to the payee of record. No refunds will be issued after 12 months from the signature date.
Sample Refund Calculation
Sample refund for a student enrolled in an IFW Shape, Write, & Sell Your Novel writing course.
Tuition: $1,515.00
Registration Fee: $200.00
Tuition Based on 1 Assignment Completed: $131.50 (1515.00 – 200.00) = 1315.00 x 10% completed = $131.50
Total Due to Cancel: $331.50
Total Paid to Date: $1,515
Total Refund Due to Student: $1,183.50
*Refund amounts may vary based on course and tuition.
Course Schedules
Students are permitted up to two years from their official start date to complete their course, but can not complete in less than 6-months time. If additional time is needed a 6-month extension may be granted if requested in writing, or by email. Our distance learning courses allow students to learn writing at their own pace, when and where it suits them.
College Credits
College Credits and Professional Development: The Connecticut Board for State Academic Awards recommends that our graduates be awarded a set amount of college credits related to the course completed. To see the number of credits awarded to each of our course offerings click here. No matter where you live, you can obtain these credits for a fee from Charter Oak State College—which functions under the credit-granting authority of the Connecticut Board—anytime within five years of course completion date. Teachers may be able to receive professional development hours. Check with your district or administrators.
Instructor Feedback
Students submit completed assignments and receive instructor feedback through the Institute’s Online Student Center. Our one-on-one method allows students’ personal instructor to make editorial comments directly on each assignment manuscript to show exactly what needs to be revised, strengthened, or rewritten – and why. Along with the edited manuscript, students receive a personal letter further explaining the edits and recommended steps to take to build and strengthen writing skills. Students apply their instructor’s suggested corrections and recommendations on each assignment as they progress through the course. If an instructor feels an assignment needs to be repeated, students will be specifically asked to submit a revision before proceeding to the next assignment.
Students are notified of their edited writing assignments by email. Edited assignments can be accessed within the student’s Online Student Center account. Student Services regularly checks student accounts for missing assignments and will notify the student via email to encourage assignment submission.
Grading System and Grade Disputes
Grading System
Writing is graded on a satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory basis. Students are required to resubmit an unsatisfactory writing. Satisfactory completion of all writing assignments is required for graduation.
Grading Disputes
A student may contest a grade by contacting the school, preferably via email to info@instituteforwriters.com. If the student does not feel the response and explanation resolves their question or complaint, the student may request that the Director of Education review the complaint and make a final decision.
Incomplete Assignments
The Institute promotes a building block method of instruction, where each assignment builds on the concepts taught and skills acquired in previous lessons. To foster this learning model, students may only submit one assignment at a time. In order to graduate, students must successfully complete all assignments following each lesson provided, in the order presented in the course manual. Assignments may not be skipped or substituted. If any inaccuracies are identified, students will be contacted by their instructor or by a Student Services representative to encourage successful course completion.
Course Interruption
For a student looking to take a temporary leave of absence, a request should be made in writing to the Institute, One three-month leave of absence regarding coursework will be granted for good cause. A leave of absence does not extend the required time for completion.
Change of Contact Information
In order to receive information essential to your studies, you must promptly report all changes in name, mailing address, or e-mail address to the Institute by telephone, e-mail or mail. A change in name will require proof, such as a marriage license. The Institute is not responsible for reshipment or replacement costs of course materials if an address change has not been received by the school.
Graduation and Completion Requirements
In order to earn a certificate, a student must satisfactory complete all assignments in the course, and have paid their tuition balance. A certificate and an official transcript of record are furnished to the student upon course completion. For additional copies, a nominal fee is charged.
Academic Integrity & Honesty
Academic Integrity
Student Code of Conduct
The Institute maintains a Student Code of Conduct to protect the rights of students, instructors, staff, and the Institute itself. All students are required to adhere to the following policies in their academic and personal conduct.
Students must:
- be respectful and courteous to fellow students, instructors, and staff.
- accept responsibility for their own actions.
- adhere to all policies that appear in Institute For Writers catalogs, student handbooks, study materials, website and enrollment agreements.
- never misrepresent the school or its staff in any online social communities.
- follow all rules on submitting assignments.
- not use others work, or present another individual’s ideas as their own.
- not seek, receive, or give unauthorized help on assignments.
Academic Honesty
Each student doing their own work is the basis of independent study. Since students study at their own pace and work in a one-on-one instructor method, there should not be any undue pressure. The objective is to learn and understand the course materials. Any student suspected of academic dishonesty will be suspended from the course. There are many different forms of academic dishonesty. The following kinds of honesty violations and their definitions are intended to serve as examples of unacceptable academic conduct.
Cheating: Any inappropriate activity in which the work submitted to the school does not represent the work of the enrolled student. This would include submission of someone else’s work, submission of answers obtained through inappropriate measures, or providing answers to another student.
Plagiarism: Using another person’s ideas or finished work as your own without giving credit to the source. It includes copying or paraphrasing something and using it as if you had done the work yourself.
Fabrication: Falsifying or inventing information and presenting it as legitimate; misrepresenting oneself or one’s status, potentially damaging Institute for Writers’ reputation or any of the members of its academic community.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Assisting another student in an act that violates the standards of academic honesty; providing information, material, or assistance to another person knowing that it may be used in violation of academic honesty policies; providing false information in connection in any academic honesty inquiry.
Online Etiquette (Netiquette): The current laws to protect the rights and dignity of citizens apply online. Follow the same responsible and respectful behaviors online that you follow in real life. In simple terms, this means that the values society has in place against such things as hate speech, copyright violations and other forms of theft, remain intact. As do the values of courtesy, kindness, honesty, and treating others with the same respect you wish to receive.
