Can your school refuse to schedule nclex if you owe money to student acct?

Nursing Students General Students

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Hoping someone can help. I am in my last semester of an lvn program at a small technical college in Texas. We complete our program in august and walk in September. Just this week several of my classmates were notified that they owe money to their student accounts and that if they are not paid I full this week, the school will not schedule their nclex or let them walk in graduation.

I attended a four year public school in the past (in another state). And they were not allowed to do things such as this. Student accounts were not in any way connected to graduating. Also, how can the school refuse to schedule a test that the student has paid for and completed requirements for? This effectively prevents the students affected from sitting for their license even though they graduated (completed program requirements even though they don't walk due to an administrative issue.) Can the students schedule the board themselves?

I would really appreciate any direction on this matter. We have been through a lot together and I would hate to see us not all continue together on a financial issue. If anyone knows whT legal authority I can ask this question to, I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the General nursing school discussion forum

The school can I think refuse to send in transcripts if money is owed but really they should be talking to the site.

Most boards of nursing will not give eligibility to sit NCLEX is transcripts are not received and reviewed

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Yep. My ex just went through something similar. Her transcripts would not be released so she was not allowed to schedule the NCLEX.

And yes the school has every right to do that.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Yep - it's entirely legal and has become the standard practice at most schools. In addition, most BONs will not renew your license if you are defaulting on student loans. This is not unique to nurses, it also affects lawyers, physicians and other licensed professionals. There are additional far-reaching consequences....

Schools cannot continue to function if students do not honor their tuition obligations. Failure to pay these debts means putting programs and future students in jeopardy. Besides being unable to fund their own day-to-day operations, schools with high default rates also become ineligible to participate in Federal Student Loan programs. Bottom line? Please put these obligations high on your priority list.

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My LPN school was the same way..no pay..no transcripts would be sent to the BON..no transcipts would mean no NCLEX. We were notified verbally and in writing that this was the case. Of course if you didn't read each and every little teeny tiny word, you would never have seen it.

As a matter of fact I know of several schools I've dealt with that will not release your transcripts if you owe the school money.

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not nursing school related but my husband found out in 2007 that he owed UC Davis for a library book from 1988 - had no idea what the book was just that he owed $300 - and they wouldn't send his transcripts after 20 years...so yea they'll hold your transcripts!

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I have worked in higher education for nearly 30 years (at several different universities). Every one of them will not issue an official transcript if there is an outstanding balance on the student account.

One of the Universities would not allow people to participate in graduation activities if you had more than $5 on your student account (including library fines).

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Specializes in Infusion.

My school too will not forward transcripts without full payments on accounts that are due. How do students even get that far in nursing school without paying the bills? My school won't let you register for the next term unless you are paid up from the last term. When were these cohorts planning on paying the school for what they received?

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My school will not allow you to register for classes if you have hold over charges for the previous semester. The will also not allow participation in graduation, hold your degree, hold transcripts and other things I assume.

You will also be dropped from classes if you have not paid your tuition in full by the 3rd week of classes.

Any of these charges can be bookstore charges, library fees, parking tickets, non returned dorm keys, ect.

I go to a public university in KY

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I graduated from school the first time in 1992 with a BA. Even then, if you had not brought your account up to date, you wouldn't receive your transcripts nor your diploma. It's not a new thing nor a nursing school-specific thing.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC/SNF, Rehab, Corrections.

Not sure of the process b/c I'm not there yet. HOWEVER - if it's as other state and transcripts and such are required by the BON? Then yeah - I can see where the situation would end with the student not being allowed to take their NCLEX.

I owed money to UT-Austin and had to give them $1000+ to get my transcript request fulfilled.

For CNA school, I owed $50 - but we had different payment dates and the individual taking the pymts didn't realize. They could've prevented me from graduating. They could've prevented me from taking my State Exam.

The nursing institution that I'm attending (career point)? In order to graduate and rec'v a certificate, 'tuition MUST be paid in full'.

If you owe an institution money, they can hold your transcripts, prevent you from graduating which could prevent you from moving ahead.

*shrug*

That's any school. It's not a nursing thing.

What does your Student Handbook say about this?

You'd think that the school would notify the students the FIRST time a missed pymt happened. How long did they go without paying?

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I don't know of any state that would you let you take boards without transcripts proving you graduated from an approved college.

It's perfectly reasonable to me. If you owe the school money they don't owe you your transcripts until you pay. Even the public schools won't release report cards if they're any outstanding balances such as library book fines. The student shouldn't be going to school if they can't pay for it and most schools will make you drop if payments aren't caught up by a certain time frame and not even let you finish your classes. at least that I have ever seen.

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