Acupressure Institute - General Info

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School Policies

Class Registration
To reserve a space in a class, send a deposit of 1/3 the class fee or the full class fee. You can call to reserve a space if you have paid in full for a program or to charge your payment on a credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card). To guarantee a space in a class, students are required to pay in full for the class at least five working days in advance of first class date. For non-enrolled students, class deposits are not transferable unless you notify the Acupressure Institute at least five working days prior to the start of class. A student (18 years or older) can attend classes without enrolling in a certification program.

Review Policy
Enrolled Program Students in Good Standing* may Review classes taken in their Program(s) for FREE (subject to the conditions below):

Reviewing is always on a Space Available Basis.
Clinical classes (such as Acupressure Clinic & Apprenticeship Training) classes are not Reviewable.
You may sign-up in advance to Review a class at any time under the conditions of your contract. Reviewing students understand that this privilege is on a space available basis. New students take priority before review students.
After a Program's anniversary date and the student has graduated, the student may review a class within their original program for a fee of $75 per class.
If a classes' content or timing substantially changes (25% or more new or revised content or timing) it becomes a New Class, and thus is not Reviewable.
Any student reviewing a class understands that all of AI's policies and rules apply as far as attendance and tardiness.

*A Student is in Good Standing when tuition payments are current, and no behavioral issues are pending. If a student is not in good standing, then Review privileges are suspended until financial and behavioral issues are resolved AND the Director (or Associate Director) has formally reinstated the student in good standing.

Credit for Previous Experience
Students can receive up to 30% academic credit for equivalent courses taken elsewhere and financial credit based on a $5 hourly rate. No credit is given for private practice. Documentation must be provided at enrollement for credit to be given. The maximum amount of credit granted per area of study is 25 hours.

Program Extensions
Students may extend the length of their program for 8 additional months, along with signing a new contract by paying a $100 re-registration fee for the 150-hr, 100-hr and 250-hr programs. Student may extend the length of their 500-hr or 1000-hr program by one year by paying a $100 re-registration fee and signing a new contract. If the program is not completed after that extended period of time, any program tuition increases will be charged in addition to the re-registration fee.

Tardy Policy
Students are encouraged to be on time for classes. If a student has over three tardies (over 15 minutes late) he/she will be given a warning. After five tardies, the student may be put on probation and lose review privileges. If tardiness continues, the student may be asked to leave the program.

Attendance Policy
Attendance is recorded and essential for all classes. Students are required to complete at least 90% of their program to graduate. Missed portions of a class can be made up (on a space available basis) by attending future classes at no extra cost. Requests for individualized, special instruction beyond what is offered in the program such as tutoring may be charged an additional fee. More than two no-shows for a class without five day notification or doctor’s written excuse or documentation of an emergency will forfeit a student’s review privileges for all classes in the student’s program. Students who have given the school a 5-day notice or note from a doctor or documentation of an emergency can reschedule to take the class.

Health & Hygiene
Students will fill out a health form upon enrollment to make sure special needs can be met. If you are pregnant, have had surgery, or an injury or have mobility or disability issues, which inhibit your ability to participate in class, please discuss this with a school counselor before coming to class, and inform your instructors in all classes. Please respect yourself and the needs of other students by remaining home when you are contagious and/or running a fever. Good hygiene is also an important issue for practicing bodywork. Wear loose, comfortable, neat, clean clothing, and dress modestly. Please avoid wearing fragrances and perfumes. Smoking is prohibited on school property.

Dismissal Policy
Students are subject to dismissal for disciplinary reasons at the discretion of the Director. Violation of safety, poor hygiene, serious disruptive incidents, obscenity or vulgarity, unsatisfactory progress, failure to make payments, and recurring attendance problems are examples of misconduct that may result in dismissal. A dismissed student will not be allowed to re-enroll.

Complaint Policies
Our policies include a Conflict Resolution Procedure, Sexual Harassment Policy, Disciplinary Policy, and Code of Conduct to protect the rights of all students. These policies are designed to create a professional atmosphere for learning and sharing. These policy details are available upon request.
If you experience problems including, but not limited to, discrimination, harassment, conflict, or any form of inappropriate behavior, we encourage you to bring these issues to the attention of your instructor or a student counselor. If the situation is not resolved, contact the manager or director. Unresolved complaints may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary & Vocational Education, 1027 10th Street, Sacramento, CA 95815, (916) 445-3427. Minor complaints can be put in our suggestion box.

Tuition Refund Policy
A student shall be refunded all monies paid upon written cancellation of enrollment, delivered to the school in person or by certified mail by the 5th business day after enrollment unless the student attended the first class of the course of instruction. If a student withdraws from the program 5 days after starting the course, the Institute will remit a refund less the registration fee. We will refund the monies within 10 days after receiving notice and reason of the cancellation. The student must pay for all equipment, books, and classes attended or not properly dropped.
The student will receive the refund of the down payment or full payment made on a program, less the registration fee, for only those classes that have not been attended. Students are only entitled to receive a refund if the total cost of the classes already taken is less than the amount of money they have paid. If a student has attended a portion of a class, no refund will be issued. The student is welcome to complete the class or make it up at a later date.

Student Tuition Recovery Fund
California law requires (Education Code Section 94343) that the Acupressure Institute support the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF), a special fund established by the California Legislature to reimburse students who might otherwise experience a financial loss as a result of the institution’s closure, breach of the course agreement of instruction, or a decline in the quality or value of the course of instruction, within the 30-day period before the institution’s closure. The Fund protects only resident California students.
Enrollees are encouraged to keep a copy of any enrollment agreement, contract, or application to document their enrollment, along with tuition receipts or cancelled checks. Such information may substantiate a claim for reimbursement from the STRF, which must be filed within one year of the Bureau’s service on the student of their rights under the STRF, or if no notice of rights is served to the student, within four years of institution’s closure. For more information contact: Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education, 1027 10th Street, Fourth Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 445-3427.

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