For a student to be eligible for TGTF Funds, all the following conditions must be met.

  1. The student:
    1. was enrolled in an institution that was authorized by GNPEC;
    2. had been enrolled during the term of the institution’s closure; and
    3. has suffered a financial loss as a result of the institution failing to satisfy its educational obligations.
    4. claims must be made within six (6) months of the date the institution ceased operations.
  2. Financial loss may include tuition, registration, general graduation, activity, or other fees that are required to be paid by all students where the institution did not complete the educational obligation or reimburse students (this includes advance payments). Additionally, increased costs resulting from lost transfer credit to a comparable program at another institution may be considered.   
  3. For all claims, an application for loan discharge must be made to the appropriate federal authority for any monies paid with Federal Financial Aid. Applications for discharge/reimbursement of Federal Financial Aid which have been denied may be submitted to GNPEC to request TGTF funds to cover those non-discharged amounts.  Any TGTF reimbursement of funds shall be returned to the original source of the funds to assist in satisfying the student’s outstanding loan balance rather than the TGTF funds being remitted to the student who incurred the loan obligation.
  4. The Board of Commissioners of the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission are responsible for making the final determination of the criteria qualifying “financial loss”. 

Procedure for Filing a TGTF Claim

  1. Student must email a TGTF claim to [email protected] within six (6) months of the official date of an institutional closure.  Such initial notification to GNPEC of a potential TGTF claim must include, at a minimum:
    1. Student name at time of enrollment, name of closed institution and campus, dates(s) of enrollment, valid email address and phone number, nature of request for reimbursement.
    2. GNPEC will screen such submissions for preliminary eligibility determination.  If GNPEC determines that the submission may state a valid basis for a TGTF claim, GNPEC will send the student the TGTF Claim Application form for the student to complete.
    3. The student must return the TGTF Claim Application form within 30 days of the form being sent to the claimant via email. The following must be included with the submission of the TGTF Claim Application:
      1. Documentation of financial loss as a result of the institutional closure to include the source(s) of payments, e.g. receipts from institution, loan documents, bank statements.
      2. Proof of enrollment at the institution, such as a transcript, during the term of the institution’s closure.
      3. Enrollment Agreement (if available)
      4. Final student accounts ledger card from the institution.
      5. If reimbursement is requested for a minor or for someone other than the formerly enrolled student of the institution, such as payments made by a parent or guardian, the source of such payments as well as confirmation by the student of such payment made by the non-student is required.
  2. GNPEC will make the final determination regarding the use of TGTF funds, following a review of the TGTF Board of Trustees. 
    1. If approved, the student’s information will be submitted for reimbursement processing in compliance with O.C.G.A. § 20-3-250.27(g)(4).
    2. If denied, GNPEC will contact the student regarding which conditions for use of TGTF funds were not met.
    3. Decisions of the TGTF Board of Trustees to pay or deny any claim may appeal to GNPEC in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 20-3-250.27(g)(5).  Within 30 days after receiving a notice of appeal, the commission shall affirm the decision of the board of trustees, modify and affirm the decision of the board of trustees, or overrule the decision of the board of trustees. Any person aggrieved by the action of the commission shall have the right to judicial review pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 20-3-250.16 

 

 

 

Approved by Commission Vote August 29, 2022.