PRE-ENTRY CHARGE
WAIVER/DEFERRAL GUIDELINES
It is our commitment that pre-entry charges and their payments never stand in the way of a student choosing SOWELA
Technical Community College to pursue his/her academic goals. However, we do request you carefully and honestly
assess your abilities to pay these fees and request a Fee Waiver or a Fee Deferral only when necessary.
The pre-entry fees include but are not limited to COMPASS exam fees and Application Charges. Fee Waiver/Deferral
Application must be completed and submitted to the Office of Student Success located in the Administrative Building.
Be sure to include appropriate documentation (see below). Falsifying information on this Application will result in
immediate denial and may be grounds for sanctions as outlined under the Academic Honesty Policy
Anyone requesting a Pre-Entry Charge Waiver or Deferral at SOWELA will be required to fill out the attached Pre-Entry
Charge Waiver/Deferral Application and complete the following steps:
Apply for Admissions by completing online application
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) or submit a copy of the student, parent, or
guardian’s most recent tax return and agree to complete the FASFA upon enrollment.
List any and all scholarships/aid you plan to receive and the amount you are generally expecting
Explain how you plan to pay tuition and/or fees that are not covered by scholarships or financial aid.
SOWELA considers issuing fee waivers and/or deferrals to students suffering from significant economic hardship. This
includes the following extenuating circumstances:
Temporary loss of income or employment
Temporary loss of income or employment of a parent(s) or spouse
Unexpected medical expenses
Recent death of a parent, spouse or guardian
Displacement or damage due to natural disaster
Loss of income due to long-term disability
Other extenuating circumstances not listed above will be considered at the time of review
Approval of Pre-Entry Charge Waivers must be granted by all of the following offices: The Office of Student Success, The
Office of Financial Aid, and The Business Office.
Consideration will be given to high schools or organizations wishing to apply for potential SOWELA students.
SOWELA will allow a maximum of 25 Testing Fee Waivers per semester.
COMPASS Test Fees: COMPASS Test Parts
$25.00 (all sections) English
$18.00 (two sections) Reading
$11.00 (one section) Math
Once the decision has been made, the student will be notified.
If the Testing Fee Waiver/Deferral is “WAIVED”, the fee will be waived from the student’s account.
If the Testing Fee Waiver/Deferral is “DEFERRED”, the fee will be deferred and either paid with Scholarship
Funds, Loans, and Financial Aid or at a latter specified date.
If the Testing Fee Waiver/Deferral is “Pending additional documentation”, the student will need to provide
additional information before a final decision is made.
If the Testing Fee Waiver/Deferral is “Denied”, the student is responsible for paying for testing fees before the
test will be administered.