Due to recent state budget cuts, a session fee of $50 will be required to enroll and participate in Adult Education and Literacy programming starting in January 2027. This includes:
The session fee will be applied for each session of enrollment and/or continuation of services.
Payment will be accepted online. Students will receive an email with a link to submit payment.
If it is a financial difficulty to cover the session fee, students may apply for a need-based scholarship. A student may receive up to six scholarships. Students must reapply for the scholarship each session. In order to qualify for the scholarship, students must meet merit requirements and be able to demonstrate financial need.
In addition to financial need, students must:
New students may qualify for a scholarship for their first session without meeting these requirements.
Students must provide proof of enrollment in one of these programs in the last 90 days.
Students whose household income is at or below 160% of the federal poverty limit may be eligible to receive a scholarship.
Students must declare their household size and provide a wage verification form from Iowa Workforce Development for each adult in the home. Wage verification forms can be obtained by visiting an IowaWORKS center in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City.
|
Household Size |
Annual Income |
|
1 person |
$25,536 |
|
2 people |
$34,624 |
|
3 people |
$43,712 |
|
4 people |
$52,800 |
|
5 people |
$61,888 |
|
Each additional person |
add $9,088 |
Note: Some exceptions may be granted due to personal hardships that may have impacted attendance or if a student requires more than six scholarships.
If a student's plans change after they have paid their session fee, they may request a refund. The student must tell their coordinator/advisor that they want to drop class. Refunds requested before the payment deadline will be honored. Students do not need to explain why you want a refund, but they must also inform their coordinator/advisor. Refunds will be processed within 5 working days.
Example: The session fee is due Sunday, March 21. Student pays on March 14, but decides on Saturday, March 20 that they will not attend class. Student emails their coordinator/advisor to let them know they will not attend class. Student can request a refund on Saturday, March 20 and Kirkwood AEL will process the refund by Friday, March 26.
If a student's plans change after the payment deadline, they must submit a refund appeal. The appeal form is a request for a refund; it is not a guarantee of a refund. The student must explain why they are requesting a refund after the payment deadline. The student may request a refund through the fourth day of class for that session. Any appeal requests after the fourth day of class will not be accepted. Appeals will be reviewed and refunded, if applicable, within 7 working days.
Example 1: The session begins on Monday, March 29. Student’s payment is due March 21. Student pays on March 14. They find out on March 23 that they need surgery and will miss 3 weeks of class for recovery. The student emails their coordinator/advisor and submits the appeal form on Wednesday, March 24. The student will receive a response about their refund by Friday, April 2. If the appeal is granted, the refund will also be processed by Friday, April 2.
Example 2: The session begins on Monday, March 29. Student's payment is due March 21. Student pays on March 14. Student forgets to come to the first week of class. Student decides they will wait until the next session to attend class. The student requests a refund on Friday, April 2, but that is after the fourth day of class. The refund request will not be honored. Student should still email their coordinator/advisor to let them know that they will not be attending.