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NC-SARA: Student Complaint Information and Tuition Refund Policy

Babson College has been approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) effective July 23, 2018. NC-SARA centralizes the authorization process for state approval of distance education courses and programs offered across state lines by colleges and universities.

The following disclosures and policies pertain to students who enroll in Babson College distance education courses or programs.

Students are encouraged to seek resolution to any complaint/grievance from within the applicable school’s processes. Students are to refer to the handbook for their specific school (undergraduate or graduate) to familiarize themselves with the applicable policies and procedures for resolving a complaint/grievance. If a student has exhausted the school’s complaint/grievance procedures, filed a complaint using the form below, and the complaint/grievance has not been resolved, the student may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE). The MDHE is the agency responsible for investigating any complaints regarding Babson College's participation in SARA.

School-Specific Complaint/Grievance Policies and Procedures are as Follows:

Student Complaint Procedure and Form (pdf)
2022-2023 Graduate Student Handbook (pdf)
2022-2023 Undergraduate Student Handbook (pdf)

For more information on how to send a complaint to MDHE, visit the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Student Complaint page or contact:  

SARA Coordinator – Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Suite 1401
Boston, MA 02108-1696
617-994-6950

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education

Babson College does not maintain state websites and is not responsible for the content on those sites. Information on these sites may change without Babson College’s knowledge.

For Massachusetts Residents and Online Students in Non-SARA Member States and Territories

After you have exhausted the complaint procedures made available by Babson College, if your complaint has not been resolved, you may file a consumer complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education by using the consumer complaint form. The DHE consumer complaint form should be used by students who are located in:

  • Massachusetts
  • Non-SARA Member States or Territories (e.g., California, Guam, etc.)

For Online Students Located in SARA Member States and Territories

After you have exhausted the complaint procedures made available by Babson College, if your complaint has not been resolved, you may file a complaint with the DHE by using the SARA complaint form. The DHE SARA complaint form should be used by students who are located in SARA member states and territories. This includes all students who are located in SARA member states and territories for the purposes of completing out-of-state learning placements, such as internships, practica, clinical experiences, etc. in SARA member states and territories outside Massachusetts.

Additional information from the DHE’s SARA complaint website is below:

The SARA complaint process is as follows:

  1. Students must first attempt to resolve their complaint using internal administrative procedures offered by the SARA institution.
  2. After all administrative remedies have been exhausted with the MA-SARA institution, the student may submit a SARA Complaint via the URL below.
  3. The Department shall send a copy of the complaint to the institution that is the subject of the complaint;
  4. Within 30 days of the date that the Department sends a copy of the complaint to the institution, the institution must provide a written response to the student and the Department.

More information about DHE’s complaint processes can be found at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

Tuition Refund Policy

Online Courses

Drops in the first week of a course (first five class days) carry no academic or financial penalty. After that, if the withdrawal occurs between the sixth class day and the 60 percent point of the academic period, tuition and fees will be prorated and the student will receive a grade of “W” for the course in progress at the time of withdrawal. No withdrawals will be approved and no tuition will be refunded after the 60 percent point of the academic period.