Financial Aid

Financial Aid Made Easy

At The Original La' James College, we participate in various U.S. Department of Education Title IV financial aid programs, including the Pell Grant, Direct Subsidized Loans, Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal PLUS Loans. We also accept Private Scholarships, Vocational Rehabilitation, VA Education Benefits, and Private Pay to help support your educational expenses.

Federal Pell Grant

The Pell Grant is a form of financial assistance from the government aimed at helping students with tuition and other educational costs. This grant is awarded based on financial need, and unlike student loans, it doesn’t need to be repaid.

Federal Subsidized Loan

Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. While students are enrolled at least half-time, the federal government covers the interest. Interest begins to accumulate once the student is no longer enrolled full-time. Repayment starts six months after the student’s enrollment ends. Interest rates are fixed and set annually by the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal Unsubsidized Loan

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students who need additional funding for educational costs. Borrowers must meet similar eligibility criteria as those for Subsidized Loans, though financial need is not required. Interest begins to accrue immediately after the loan is disbursed, and students can choose to either pay the interest while in school or have it added to the loan balance (capitalized). Regular payments begin six months after the student’s enrollment ends. Interest rates are fixed and set annually by the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal Parent PLUS Loan

The Federal Parent PLUS Loan helps credit worthy parents borrow funds to cover their child's educational expenses. Parents with poor or no credit may still be eligible by applying with a credit worthy endorser. This loan can be combined with other financial aid and cannot exceed the student’s total cost of education. Interest rates are fixed and set annually by the U.S. Department of Education, and repayment begins as soon as the loan is disbursed.

Federal Student Aid Web Page

To learn more visit: Federal Student Aid Website

To see what you may qualify for: Fill out the FAFSA

We are providing you with our tuition and supply costs along with class dates, the books we supply along with corresponding ISBN# and book prices, on each Program's individual page. Please remember that there is financial aid available for those that qualify. Many of our students get most if not all of their college costs paid through financial aid. There really is a lot available. If you are interested in finding out your financial aid eligibility, contact the college by calling 641-424-2161, email address at lajames@lajames.com or through the Contact Us anywhere on this web site. We will be happy to help you through this process. There is no obligation to enroll with us for this process. We believe it is just nice to see what you are eligible for prior to making a commitment to go to college. Something else that sets us apart from other colleges.

Commitment to Helping

We have made a commitment to helping students be the best consumer they can be. Thru Entrance and Exit Counseling students can learn about the loans they are taking out and make the best decisions for them selves and their future.

Entrance Counseling

Exit Counseling

SOC codes

SOC codes are each current course offered by the college and the corresponding link to the O*NET Summary report on each occupation. This is a report on the outlook for each course listed below.

Cosmetology/Beauty School Course Soc # 39-5012 Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Massage Therapy Course Soc #31-9011 Massage Therapists

Skin Care (Esthetic's) Course Soc # 39-5094 Skin care Specialists

Nail Technician Course Soc #39-5092 Manicurists and Pedicurists

Teachers Training Soc # 25-1194 Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary

LaJames College of HairStyling

Institutional Code of Conduct / Preferred Lenders for Educational Loans at LaJames College

Iowa Code Section 261E.2 and Sections 487(a)(25) and 487 (e) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, require the development, administration, and enforcement of a code of conduct governing educational loan activities at the college.

All financial aid will be applied to institutional charges. Your financial aid will be disbursed to the Institution in accordance with the payment summary. 1 hour or start, and then every 13 weeks or 450 hours, 900 hours, 1350 hours, and 1800 hours. Any student on a cash plan will be counseled individually and a payment plan will be set up.

Code of Conduct

LaJames College does not have a preferred Lender/Lenders so no prefered lender list is available.  

Net Price Calculator

Let’s talk about a "Net price Calculator". The Net Price Calculator helps prospective college students and their families estimate the actual cost of a college after financial aid by inputting family income and other financial details.

Net Price Calculator

College Refund Policy

An applicant rejected by the school screening committee will receive a refund of all monies paid. If a student (or in the case of a minor, their parent or guardian) cancels their enrollment and demands their money returned in writing, within three business days of the signing of the enrollment agreement or contract, all monies collected by the school shall be refunded. The cancellation date will be determined by the postmark on the written notification, or the date said information is delivered to the school administrator - owner in person. This policy applies regardless of whether or not the student has actually started training. If a student cancels their enrollment after three business days after the signing, but prior to entering classes, the student shall be entitled to a refund of all monies paid to the school, less the application fee of $50.00. If a student begins classes and withdraws within the first two weeks of class, the student will receive a full refunded of any tuition paid. Any unreturned books and supplies will be charged for.

For students who enroll in and begin classes, the school refund calculations are based on Iowa Law 714.23 and the Higher Educational Amendment Act that went into effect October 7th, 2000.  Students who receive financial assistance from Title IV programs (Federal Pell Grant, Campus-Based Programs, Stafford loans, PLUS loans) and withdraw from school prior to completing more than 60% of the scheduled payment period are subject to the Return of Title IV Funds requirements of the U.S. Department of Education.   The termination policy applies to all terminations regardless of the reasons, or who instigated the termination.

THE IOWA TUITION & FEES REFUND POLICY

 Our tuition and fees refund policy applies to all terminations for any reason, by either party, including a student decision, course or program cancellation or even school closure.  If a student begins classes and withdraws within the first two weeks of class, the student will receive a full refunded of any tuition paid.  Any unreturned books and supplies will be charged for.  LaJames College charges for each course up-front for tuition and fees, however for a terminating student, LaJames College will make a pro rata refund of tuition charges to an Iowa resident student who terminates from any of the college's programs in an amount of not less than 95% of the amount of tuition charged to the student for the program, multiplied by the ratio of the number of scheduled clock hours remaining (incomplete) in the program to the total number of scheduled clock hours in the program until 60% of the scheduled clock hours have been completed.  Once a student has completed more than 60% of the scheduled clock hours no refund of tuition & fees is due.  
 If a student terminates due to the student's physical incapacity or due to the transfer of a student’s spouses employment to another city, the terminating student shall receive a refund of tuition charges in an amount that equals the amount of tuition charged to the student through 100% of the scheduled enrolment period.  The college will not charge any fees or other monetary penalty for terminating from a program here at LaJames College.

THE RETURN OF TITLE IV FUNDS

 Please note that this section is only talking about Title IV funds and has nothing to do with the Iowa Refund Policy.  Return to Title IV is a process that a school is required to do to determine what out of a student's financial aid package has the student actually "earned” This is based on attendance and payment period for each program.  Any unearned aid must be returned to the appropriate federal account/agency.  Please be advised that this college uses the U.S. Department of Education's software on the web to determine what aid is earned by the student at the time of withdrawal.  Through the software we will:  
1.  Determine the scheduled percentage of the payment period the student completed.  To determine the percentage the number of clock hours up to and including the student's last date of attendance is divided by the number of hours in the payment period.  We will not count approved leaves of absent as completed hours.  This is based on scheduled hours.
    (a) If this percentage is greater than 60%, 100% is used in Step 3 below.
    (b) If this percentage is less than or equal to 60%, determine the clock hours scheduled in the payment period.
2.  Determine the amount of aid earned by the student.  The amount of aid the student earned for the payment period is determined by multiplying the percentage derived from Step 1 (a,b), by the total amount of Title IV aid that was disbursed or that could have been disbursed as of the student's withdrawal date.
3.  Compare the amount earned to the amount disbursed.  If less aid was disbursed than was earned, the student may receive a post withdrawal disbursement for the difference.  If more aid was disbursed than was earned, the difference is refunded back to Title IV programs.
4.  Allocate responsibility for returning unearned aid between the school and the student.  Students who receive living expenses would be responsible for repayment of any unearned aid.  If the student's share of the unearned funds that must be returned are attributed to a Title IV Loan program, then repayment will still be based under the terms and conditions of the promissory note.  If the students’ share of the unearned funds that must be returned are attributed to a Title IV Grant program, the initial amount to return will be reduced to 50%.

A student may be granted a leave of absence for circumstances beyond the control of the student. The leave of absence must be requested and approved in writing prior to a leave of absence occurring. In addition, the student is required to list the reason for the leave. Emergency leaves of absence, without prior written consent, may be granted provided the student completes the leave of absence request form and return it to the college via mail or in person. The maximum time frame for a leave of absence in a year is one hundred and eighty days. The college permits more than one leave in a 12month period provided the total number of days of all leaves of absence do not exceed one hundred and eighty days in that 12month period. Please understand that if you are on financial aid, no disbursements will be made during this period. Also understand that if you fail to return from your leave that, for student loan purposes, your grace period will have started from my last day of physical attendance at the college. This means that you may have anywhere from a very short grace period left or none at all depending on the length of your leave. Please also understand that your graduation date will be extended the same as the calendar days of your leave. You also promise to let LaJames College know if you have complications during your leave that would prevent you from returning. If the student advises the college they will not return to the college, the withdrawal date will be the date of scheduled return or the date of notification, whichever is earlier.

 Any refund due will be made in the following priority: 1) a) Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford b) Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford   c) Federal Direct PLUS   2) Federal Pell Grant Program 3) Federal S.E.O.G. Program 4) Other Federal sources of aid   5) State, Private, or Institutional aid 6) The Student.  (Note: If after calculating the refund and it amounts to a refund of $25 or less, no refund will be sent.)
 Enrollment time is defined as the time elapsed between the actual starting date and the date of the student’s last day of physical attendance in the school.  Any monies due the student or applicant will be refunded within 45 days after formal cancellation by the student (as defined above) or formal termination by the school, which shall occur no more than 30 days from the last day of physical attendance, or in the case of a leave of absence, the documented date of return.  The 45 days begins 14 days after the last date of attendance even though the student is not officially dropped until 30 days of unexcused absence.  To be considered an unofficial withdrawal the student would not have been in attendance for 30 days if not on an official leave of absence or the documented date of return if on a leave of absence.   The college takes roll call each day to determine if a student is in attendance or not.  To officially withdraw from the college the student must notify the college Manager or Director of their intentions.  If in writing, it needs to be addressed to the college in care of the Manager or Director.  For official or unofficial withdrawal’s, the college will set up a time for the student to come into the college and go through the withdrawal process, which includes exit interviews and refund policies.  If it is determined that the student still owes the college tuition for time attended the college will make arrangements with the student to clear up any balance due.
 Student purchases from the school of extra items such as uniforms, instructional supplies, texts or equipment, service charges, deposits and rentals will not be considered in the Iowa pro-rata refund computations. 
 If a school is permanently closed and no longer offering instruction after a student has enrolled, the student shall be entitled to a pro-rata refund of tuition or participate in a teach out agreement with another college.
 If a course is canceled subsequent to a student’s enrollment, the school shall at its option:
1.  Provide a full refund of all monies paid; or
2.  Provide completion of the course.  or
3.  Provide a Pro-Rata refund for a student transferring to another college based on the hours accepted by the receiving college.
5.  Distribute the unearned aid back to the Title IV programs.

Copies of the refund calculations are available upon request. MILITARY REFUND POLICY We, at LaJames College here in Mason City Iowa are supportive of a student who is a member, or the spouse of a member if the member has a dependent child, of the Iowa National Guard or reserve forces of the United States and who is ordered to National Guard duty or active duty. To qualify for this refund provision, verification of orders requiring active duty are required, you may select from two tuition credit options. Additional information regarding tuition credit may be obtained by contacting the college's office. Options available to qualified students: Upon meeting with the college to verify orders, the college will work with you to determine the best plan for your circumstances. The college has two options to review and consider with you: The 1st option is withdraw from the student's entire registration and receive a full refund of tuition and mandatory fees or 2, make arrangements with the college to complete the course by the student at a later date. If the second option is selected, the student's registration shall remain intact and tuition and fees shall be assessed for the courses in full once the student returns from active duty. No extra fees or charges will be assessed for completing at a later date. LaJames College will not impose any penalty including the assessment of late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries or other institutional facilities and/or the requirements that a Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 recipient borrow additional funds to cover the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.