Information on the Closure of Tennessee Academy of Cosmetology

Students:  
To keep up-to-date on information as it is made available, please contact the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s Division of Postsecondary State Authorization at 615-741-5293.

Transcripts:
THEC has received hour sheets for students enrolled at Tennessee Academy of Cosmetology from July 20, 2016 through the closure date. For instructions on how to submit a transcript request form see https://www.tn.gov/thec/bureaus/student-aid-and-compliance/postsecondary-state-authorization/academic-transcripts.html. Note that students can also contact the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners for hour sheets. See https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/cosmo.html.

Personal Belongings:
TAC has stated that no personal belongings remain at the institution. However, if you believe that your personal belongings are at either location, THEC encourages you to immediately send an email to info@TAC.edu with the phrase “Request for Personal Belongings” in the subject line and arrange to collect your belongings immediately.

Comparable Programs in West Tennessee:

Federal Student Loans and Pell Grants:
Who can I talk to about my federal student loans and Pell Grants?
If you have general questions about federal loans you should first try to contact your loan servicer. Additional information on loan forgiveness and refund discharge is available at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation.

If you still have questions about your Federal Student Loans or Pell Grants, DPSA suggests you contact the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group of the U.S. Department of Education. More information about this group is available at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/disputes/prepare

Tuition Guaranty Fund:
The TGF was established by the Tennessee General Assembly to reimburse students at certain postsecondary educational institutions that close without earning the tuition collected. This is called unearned tuition.

 Important points:

  1. TGF applies only when the closing institution is authorized by THEC and (1) a student attended a physical location of the school in Tennessee or (2) a student is a Tennessee resident and attended a location of the institution outside of Tennessee.
  2. A claim for reimbursement of the unearned tuition must be made within two years of the date the institution discontinued operations.
  3. Unearned tuition includes tuition, registration, general graduation, activity, or other fees that are required to be paid by all students where the institution did not complete the educational obligation or reimburse students.
  4. Monies paid for tangible goods, such as books and equipment, are not reimbursable.
  5. Monies paid for program specific costs are not reimbursable by the TGF, e.g. certification fees charged separately to a student's account.
  6. Monies for expenses such as housing, meals, clothing and transportation, not paid directly to and retained by the institution are not reimbursable.

If you believe you fall into one of these two situations you can file a TGF claim by completing the Tennessee Tuition Guaranty Fund (TGF) Claim Application and the related Tuition Guaranty Fund (TGF) Information Release Authorization. Before filing a claim, please contact the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s Division of Postsecondary State Authorization at 615-741-5293. Note that both documents must be completed before THEC will consider your claim. The length of time to review a claim will depend on the number of complaints received and the process could be lengthy. To download the forms, please visit the DPSA Links and Forms page and click on the DPSA Applications/Forms.