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HCD Financial & Student Policies

New to the Hartt School Community Division? Please familiarize yourself with the policies below.

Registration I Billing and Payment I General HCD Student Policies I Indemnification

Section I: REGISTRATION

School Calendar

Registration and tuition are based on the academic year (Term: August through June), unless otherwise specified (ex. Summer term). For programs that allow rolling admission, tuition may be prorated in accordance with individual program schedules

ADDITIONAL Fees

Some activities may require additional program fees. Please refer to program materials for more information.

Withdrawal Process

All requests for withdrawal must be submitted by the parent, guardian, or adult student in writing to the HCD Registrar at HCDBills@hartford.edu. Communication with faculty and staff other than the HCD Registrar does not fulfill this requirement. Absence and/or spoken notice will not constitute withdrawal under this policy.

The written withdrawal notice must include student name, program from which the student is withdrawing, and the reason for the withdrawal.

Withdrawals and refunds are subject to all applicable HCD and University of Hartford policies.

Withdrawals are subject to a $30.00 cancellation charge. All program and registration fees are non-refundable. The act of submitting to the University a completed registration application constitutes legally-binding acceptance and agreement to this Policy, including a requirement to pay tuition in full.

Any student who incurs injury or illness that prevents participation in HCD programs may be eligible for a medical withdrawal. To receive a medical withdrawal, that student must provide to the HCD Registrar a verifiable letter from a competent medical professional indicating that a medical withdrawal is necessary. All withdrawal decisions under this policy are subject to verification by the Registrar.

Withdrawal Refund Policies

  • Withdrawal prior to 1st scheduled lesson/class: Full tuition refund/credit for private lessons; $30.00 cancellation fee for group classes

  • Withdrawal prior to 4th scheduled lesson/class (Dance: 4th week of class): Partial tuition refund/credit based on the number of lessons/classes scheduled, plus $30.00 cancellation fee

  • Withdrawal after 4th scheduled lesson/class (Dance: 4th week of class): No tuition refund

Note: A mid-year withdrawal period is available in January at which point the student will be responsible to pay for all lessons/classes offered prior to the opt-out period plus a $30.00 cancellation fee.


Section II: Billing and Payment

Payment Options

Credit/Debit cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit or debit cards are all accepted.

Paper checks, electronic checks, money orders, and traveler’s checks are accepted and should be made payable to “University of Hartford.”

The University of Hartford requires that all remittances be in the form of U.S. currency and that your check/money order be payable in U.S. dollars through a financial institution with an office in the United States. Any fees charged to the University by our bank for processing checks through a foreign collection agency will become the responsibility of the responsible party.

Cash is accepted at all HCD offices and must be exact. Offices are unable to provide change.

Billing Options and Payment Cycle

Monthly Payment Plan Option: Monthly payment plans are available to all students. Both automatic and manual options are available, as follows:

  • Automatic billing is available for credit/debit card or e-checking account
  • Automatic payments are deducted on the 1st day of each
  • Manual bills are issued by email to the primary email address listed on the student’s Bills airmailed on the 1st day of each month and must be paid in full within ten days from the emailing date. Incomplete or late payments are subject to penalty, including fees and possible discontinuation of service.

No Payment Plan Option: Billing is organized on an academic year basis. A minimum of 10% of the total tuition is due at the time of registration. 50% of the remaining balance is due by September 15, and the remaining balance is due by January 15 each year. During the Summer term, full balances are due at the time of registration unless otherwise specified in HCD’s program materials.

Delinquent Accounts/Collections

HCD reserves the right to suspend or discontinue service to any student at any time if that student’s account is delinquent.

If in the judgment of the University engaging the services of an attorney or collection agency becomes necessary to effect collection or to settle any dispute in connection with the above described default, then this Policy also binds the primary billing contact on the student account contractually to paying attorney’s fees, collection agency fees, reasonable expenses, and costs to the maximum amount allowed by Connecticut General Statutes.

This Policy obligates that same primary billing contact to pay any reasonable collection expense incurred by HCD if the University finds it necessary to refer that student account to an agency or attorney. Connecticut General Statutes provide for the recovery of collection expense equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the account balance at the time of payment.

Section III: General HCD Student Policies

Attendance

The University provides no refund for any class missed by a student. The University is willing to provide to any private lesson student a make-up lesson for any unplanned school closure or teacher absence. Additionally, in place of attending one music private lesson each academic year, a student in the HCD Piano Department may select to participate in an Achievement Day evaluation experience.

In accordance with the Connecticut Paid Sick Leave law, teacher absences for private lessons marked as missed due to teacher illness will be cancelled.

Conduct

The University requires polite, respectful, and disciplined behavior for all students. The University respects individual differences in culture, race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. The University considers unacceptable and will not tolerate any behavior that objectively and purposefully disregards or demeans the self-esteem of others. The University expects all students, families, and affiliates to conduct themselves in a collegial and cooperative manner, and comply with state, federal, and local law. The University retains discretion to enforce applicable University policies in connection with all HCD activities including, without limitation: discontinuing services to any student at any time under this policy.

Student Progressive Discipline Policy
  1. A verbal warning is issued to the student by the teacher/conductor.
  2. A written warning is sent home with the child and also filed with the Director of Music or Director of Dance. In addition, the teacher/conductor will call the child’s parent/guardian.
  3. If the issue continues, the Director of Dance or Music will request a meeting with the child’s parent/guardian to discuss a strategy for improving behavior.
  4. If there is no improvement, the parent/guardian and the Hartt Community Division Director will be notified that the child is being removed from the program.

Note: HCD retains discretion to bypass any one or more aspects of progressive disciplinary action based on the severity of the behavior or infraction.

Email

One email address per account is considered to be the “primary” email address and will be used for all billing notifications. By submitting a completed registration application, student/family consents to receive billing and registration notices, general communications, and promotional emails from HCD.

Discounts

Any applicable discounts will be applied with the approval of the HCD Registrar. This policy does not include scholarships or financial aid.

Class Cancellations and School Closings

HCD reserves the right to cancel, alter, or close any class or program to accommodate enrollment. If HCD must close for inclement weather or other reasons, an announcement will be made via email, website, and social media updates. Group classes, including dance classes, that are canceled due to inclement weather are not made up.

 

 

Parking

Any participant (including parents and guardians) who requires access to parking on University of Hartford property must register their vehicle(s) with the University’s Department of Public Safety. Parking registration is available through the University Public Safety website. Students, parents, and guardians must comply with all University signage.

Photo/Video

HCD reserves the right to photograph and videotape participants for educational and promotional purposes. Any parent/guardian who objects to having a student under their care photographed or videotaped must so notify HCD in writing no later than the applicable HCD program’s scheduled start date.

Section VI: Indemnification

Students and parents/guardians will not hold the University of Hartford (UH), including its regents, officers, employees and volunteers, responsible for any loss or damage of personal property while attending or participating in any HCD program. Students and parents/guardians release, and will hold harmless and indemnify UH from and against any claim, demand, action, or judgment that student and parent/guardian or any other person ever had or may have against UH, for any loss, cost or expense (including attorney’s fees) or damage or injury known or unknown, real or personal, sustained by student and parent/guardian while in attendance or participating in any HCD program. Student and parent/guardian willfully assume any physical injury risk to the student that is inherent to training. Student and parent/guardian grant consent for any HCD instructor to apply physical contact to the student for the purpose of making any technical correction that is appropriate for instruction according to accepted artistic practices (see below). Student and parent/guardian authorize UH to obtain medical treatment that the student needs in connection with HCD training. Student and parent/guardian will pay all or whatever amount that treatment costs and will also hold harmless and indemnify the UH from any claim, cause of action, damage, or liability arising out of or resulting from medical treatment.

 

Physical Contact with Students during Instruction

The teaching of Performing Arts requires physical touching at times by the instructor. Instructors are prohibited from physical contact or touching of students without permission. If instruction requires touch, this point should be clarified before teaching a lesson or class. The faculty member must explain to the student and parent/guardian that in order to teach the particular subject, it is or may be necessary to touch specific areas of the body (e.g. neck, chest, shoulders and epigastric area, in the case of voice). The student must state understanding and agreement for the lesson to proceed.