HF4209 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Postsecondary institutions required to clearly notice deadlines for full reimbursement of tuition.
Related bill: SF4297
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
The bill requires Minnesota postsecondary institutions to clearly disclose the deadline for receiving a full tuition refund if a student drops a course during the add/drop period, and to create a formal internal complaints process along with a path to appeal any compliance decisions to the Office of Higher Education.
Definitions
- Adddrop period: the early term window when a student can add or remove courses without being marked withdrawn from those courses.
- Deadline: the designated date and time on the institution’s academic calendar by which a full tuition refund must be issued if a student drops during the add/drop period.
Applicability
- Applies to postsecondary institutions governed by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and private postsecondary institutions offering in-person on-campus courses in Minnesota that are eligible under 136A.103, subdivision 1, paragraph a, and Title IV eligible.
- Institutions governed by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents are requested to comply.
Main Provisions
- Notice of deadlines: each institution must disclose the deadline to receive a full tuition refund for drops made during the add/drop period. The disclosure must be:
- placed in a conspicuous location on the institution’s website in bold type,
- communicated in direct written form before the add/drop period begins, and
- included in the student handbook or academic catalog.
- Internal complaints appeal: institutions must create a procedure for students to lodge complaints alleging failure to comply, with institutional review and investigation of those complaints.
- External appeal: a student may appeal an institutional finding of compliance by filing a complaint with the Office of Higher Education as specified in section 136A.8295.
Significance / What changes
- Establishes a mandatory, multi-channel notice requirement about tuition refund deadlines during add/drop, improving transparency for students.
- Creates a formal internal complaint process and a pathway for external review of compliance, increasing accountability for institutions.
Relevant Terms
tuition refund deadline, adddrop period, full tuition refund, deadline, conspicuous location, bold type, website notice, direct written communication, student handbook, academic catalog, internal complaints appeal, complaint procedure, Office of Higher Education, 136A.8295, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, University of Minnesota Board of Regents, Title IV, Higher Education Act, eligible institutions.
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 12, 2026 | House | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Higher Education Finance and Policy |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill references Minnesota Statutes section 136A.103, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), which relates to definitions/eligibility of postsecondary institutions for programs participating in Title IV federal student aid.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "136A.103",
"subdivision": "subd. 1, par. a"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill references Minnesota Statutes section 136A.8295, which prescribes the process for lodging complaints and for institutional review related to compliance with the section.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "136A.8295",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill references the federal program under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Public Law 89-329 (as amended).",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "Public Law 89-329",
"subdivision": ""
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee