Student Location

PURPOSE:

This policy is in accordance with the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 34 CFR 668.43(c) and 34 CFR 600.9, which require the institution to make a determination regarding the State in which a student is located at the time of the student's initial enrollment in an educational program and upon formal receipt of information from the student that the student's location has changed to another State. This policy is necessary to provide a general structure under which the institution shall determine a student's location for purposes of complying with the federal rules, a condition of Title IV eligibility (i.e., the ability to offer federal student aid), and with the state authorization rules of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).

This policy is intended to address federal government consumer protection requirements of 34 CFR 668.43. When requested and subject to applicable privacy laws, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) will make the determination regarding a student's location, together with any supporting documentation, available to the Secretary of Education as required by 34 CFR 600.9(c)(2)(ii).

SCOPE:

This policy applies to academic administrators, recruitment and registration personnel, and students in all modalities including, but not limited to, full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in the following: face-to-face courses and out-of-state learning placements.

DEFINITIONS:

Enrollment: Registration for coursework and payment of fees constitutes official enrollment.

Out-of-State Learning Placement: Experiential learning placements such as, clinical rotations offered outside of the institution's home State of Idaho.

Prospective Students: Students who have applied for admission to ICOM’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program but who have not yet enrolled.

Residence: The State in which the student has legal residence.

SARA: The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, commonly known as SARA, is an agreement among member states that authorizes an institution located and legally authorized in a state covered by the agreement to provide postsecondary education through distance education to students located in other states covered by the agreement.

State: A State of the Union, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

Student Location: For purposes of this policy, the student location is defined as the State in which a student is currently living (e.g., permanent/home address) at the time of initial enrollment and upon formal receipt of information from the student that their location has changed to another State while engaged in ICOM’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree Program. For prospective students, student location is the State of the prospective student's location at the time the individual has applied for admission, intends to enroll, and is then entered into ICOM’s recruitment or student information system portal.

POLICY:

The College is required to have policies and procedures in place, applied consistently to all students, to determine in which State a student is located while enrolled at ICOM.

Initial Determination of Student's Physical Location: Upon initial enrollment or admission to ICOM, the determination of student location will be based on the student's permanent/home address at the time of application. It is the responsibility of each student to inform ICOM if their designated location has changed during their enrollment. The student location designation will remain in effect unless and until the student changes the State listed as the student's physical location.

Student Updates on Physical Location: All matriculating students will receive a critical message at the start of each academic term (e.g., fall, winter, spring, summer) from the Registrar via the Student Information System. The student is asked to view the message to update their physical location for that term for compliance purposes. The student will continue receiving the message at each login to the ICOM student portal until they respond.

Student Reporting Change in Physical Location: Students who relocate after admission to a State in which their academic program of study is not currently authorized by the State and/or applicable professional licensing board/agency may experience a delay in their studies, an impact in their eligibility for Title IV student aid, and/or may not be able to complete the academic program in which they initially enrolled. It is the student's responsibility to seek guidance from their program administrator prior to relocation.

Students enrolled in Out-of-State Learning Placements should report their location as the State where they will be physically present when the educational activity takes place.

PRIMARY POLICY OWNER:

Registrar

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:

APPROVAL:

Effective: 8/1/23

Last Reviewed: 1/25/24

Review Requirement: 5 Years