The Seattle College District (SCD), as directed by the Board of Trustees, will provide a program of tuition and fee waivers as authorized by the Washington State Legislature and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, subject to the criteria set forth in RCW 28B.15.

606.10 General Waivers

This policy outlines Percentage Building, Service & Activities and Operating fees, waived unless otherwise noted herein.

  • 606.10.10 Vocational - Over 18 Credits
    RCW 28B.15.100(3)

    • Resident - SCD will waive 100% of the Building, and Service & Activities fees and all except 15% of the Operating Fee for credits over 18 for individuals enrolled and declared in the official college registration records as a vocational program student.
    • Non-Resident - SCD will waive 100% of the Building, and Service & Activities fees and all except 15% of the Non-Resident Operating fee for credits over 18 for individuals enrolled and declared in the official registration records as a vocational program student.

  • 606.10.20 Eligible Veterans or National Guard Members
    RCW 28B.15.621 (3)

    Washington domiciliary (Resident) - SCD will waive all of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating Fees for students qualifying pursuant to RCW 28B.15.621, who were in active duty in the U.S. military or naval forces, or a National Guard member called to active duty in a war or conflict fought on foreign soil or in international waters or in another location in support of those serving on foreign soil or in international waters, and if discharged from service,received an honorable discharge. Students are required to provide written verification of eligibility.

    For military service members eligible to participate in the United States department of defense tuition assistance program, waiver of all of the following fees:

    1. Building fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.025; and
    2. Services and activities fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.041.

    SCD will waive 100% of tuition (operating and building fees) and services and activities fees for children and spouses or domestic partners of totally disabled or deceased eligible veterans or National Guard members

    • “Child” means a biological child, adopted child, or stepchild
    • “Totally disabled” means a person who has been determined to be one hundred percent disabled by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.
    • “Washington domiciliary” means a person whose true, fixed, and permanent house and place of habitation is the state of Washington. “Washington domiciliary” includes a person who is residing in rental housing or residing in base housing. In ascertaining whether a child or surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner is domiciled in the state of Washington, public institutions of higher education shall, to the fullest extent possible, rely upon the standards provided in RCW 28B.15.013.
    • These waivers are subject to the limitations in RCW 28B.15.910.
  • 606.10.30 Other Military or Naval Veterans
    RCW 28B. 15.621(3)

    Community colleges may waive all or a portion of tuition and fees (operating, building and S&A fees) for military or naval veterans who did not serve on foreign soil or in international waters, but did support those that did. Eligible military or naval veterans must be a Washington domiciliary.

  • 606.10.40 Children of Deceased or Disabled Law Enforcement or Firefighters
    RCW 28B.15.520(1)(b)

    SCD will waive 100% of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fees for children of a parent who has died or become totally disabled in the line of duty while employed by a public law enforcement agency or full-time or voluntary fire department, provided student begins course of study within 10 years of high school completion. Documentation from the Department of Retirement Systems is required.

  • 606.10.50 Natural Resource Dislocated Workers
    RCW 28B.50.259

    SCD will waive 100% of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fees for dislocated forest product workers (SBCTC wording on wavier chart) enrolled in 10 or more credits for a maximum of 6 quarters within a 2-year period. Approval from the SBCTC is sent to Job Service Centers and the college. Student will receive notification from the Job Service Center.

  • 606.10.60 High School Completion (Resident)
    RCW 28B.15.520(1)(a)

    SCD will waive 80% of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fee for resident students 19 years of age and older who are enrolled in high school completion program. (See 606.20.20 for Non-Resident)

  • 606.10.70 Needy/General Waiver
    RCW 28B.15.740(1)

    SCD may grant unlimited waiver for resident financially needy students of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fee within the districtwide 35% limit. 3/4 of 1% of tuition collections may be waived for residents or non-residents at college discretion not based on need, but not for athletics.

  • 606.10.80 International Students

    SCD may waive up to 5% of the annual international student contract revenues calculated at the full contract rate.

  • 606.10.90 Concurrent Enrollment
    RCW 28B.50.095

    Students may enroll concurrently at more than one college within the Seattle district and pay no more tuition and fees than if the student were enrolled at a single college. Cashiers will adjust the tuition.

  • 606.10.100 Wrongfully Convicted Felons
    RCW 28B.15.395

    Community Colleges shall waive all tuition and fees for wrongfully convicted individuals awarded compensation per RCW 4.100.060 their children and step children.

606.20 Waivers of Non-Residential Differential

  • 606.20.10 In-State High School Graduates
    RCW 28B.15.012(2)(d)

    SCD will waive 100% of the non-resident tuition differential of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fees for high school graduates who spent 75% of both junior and senior years in high school in Washington State and enrolled in SCD within 6 months of graduation, provided parent or legal guardian resided in Washington State within 5 years before student graduated high school.

  • 606.20.20 High School Completion Non-Resident
    RCW 28B.15.520(2)(a)

    SCD will waive 100% of the non-resident differential of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fee for non-resident students 19 years of age and older who are enrolled in high school completion program.

  • 606.20.30 Refugee
    RCW 28B.15.014(3)

    SCD will waive 100% of the non-resident differential of the Operating and Building fees for student qualifying as refugees, as follows: (1) on parole status, (2) on an immigrant visa, or (3) applied for citizenship.

  • 606.20.40 e-Learning (Non-Resident)
    RCW 28B.15.915

    SCD will waive 100% of the non-resident differential of the Operating fees for students that are US citizens or INS permanent residents and enrolled in eLearning courses.

  • 606.20.50 Native American
    RCW 28B.15.0131

    Residents of Idaho, Montana, and Oregon who are members of the following tribes will be charged a fee in lieu of resident tuition if domicile in Washington is less than one year. If one year domicile in Washington, qualify as regular resident students: Colville, Chehalis, Hoh, Jamestown, S’ Kallam, Kalispel, Kootenai, Lower Elwha, Klallam, Lummi, Makah, Muckleshoot, Nez Perce, Nisqually, Nooksack, Port Gamble S’ Klallam, Puyallup, Quileute, Quinault, Salish Kootenai, Sauk, Suattle, Shoalwater Bay, Skokomish, Snoqualmie, Spokane, Squaxin, Stillaquamish, Suquamish Tribe of Port Madison, Swinomish, Tulalip, Upper Skagit, Yakima, Coeur d’ Alene, Umatilla, Warm Spring.

  • 606.20.60 Higher Education Employees: Half-time
    RCW 28B.15.014(2)

    SCD will waive 100% of the non-resident Building, Service & Activity, and Operating fees for individuals, their spouse, domestic partners and dependents that are employed half-time or more at a public higher education institution.

    Nonresident differential is the difference between resident tuition fees (operating and building fees) and nonresident tuition fees (operating and building fees).

  • 606.20.70 Congressional Dependents
    RCW 28B.15.014(4)

    SCD will waive 100% of the non-resident Building, Service & Activity, and Operating fees for dependents of members of US Congress representing Washington State.

606.30 Space Available Waivers

  • 606.30.10 State Employees Employed Half-time or More
    RCW 28B.15.558

    SCD will waive 100% of Building and Service & Activity fees and all but $20.00 of the Operating fee for State employees employed half-time or more or the first 6 credits of enrollment. Credits 7-10 and over 18 will be charged at the regular tuition rate.

  • 606.30.20 Senior Citizens: credit, and audit
    RCW 28B.15.540(1) and 28B.15.540(2)

    SCD will waive 100% of Building, Service & Activity, and Operating fees less $5 per class for a maximum of 2 classes for students 60 years or older, on a space available basis to individuals do not plan to use the course credits gained thereby for increasing credentials or salary schedule increases.

606.40 Ungraded Courses

  • 606.40.10 Seniors (Retirement Courses)
    WAC 131-28-026(3)(c)

    SCD will waive 70% of the Building, Service & Activity, and Operating fee for senior citizens aged 55 and older, for enrollment in ungraded retirement courses.

  • 606-40-20 First Aid
    WAC 131-28-026(3)(d)

    SCD will waive 100% of the Service & Activities fee for enrollment in ungraded first aid courses.

  • 606.40.30 EMT Paramedic
    WAC 131-28-026(3)(b)

    SCD will waive 85% of the Building, Service & Activities, and Operating fee for enrollment in EMT programs/courses.

  • 606.40.40 ABE / ESL / GED
    WAC 131-28-026(4)(a); SBCTC Resolution 04-03-03

    ABE / ESL / GED students are charged the state authorized tuition amount of $25 at the time of registration. Students apply for a waiver of the tuition through the college’s adult basic education offices.

  • 606.40.50 Parent Education
    WAC 131-20-026(4)(b)

    SCD will waive 100% of the Building, and Service & Activities fee, and all except $12.00 per credit of the Operating fee for enrollment in Parent Education Cooperative Preschool programs/courses.

  • 606.40.60 Apprenticeship Training
    WAC 131-28-026(4)(b)

    SCD shall waive one-half of the standard per-credit tuition fees (operating and building fees) and services & activities fees. Students must be registered with the Washington State Apprenticeship Council or Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training to be eligible.

606.50 Seattle Vocational Institute Tuition Waiver

  • 606.50.10 Seattle Vocational Institute Tuition Waiver

    Seattle Vocational Institute may provide for waivers of tuition and fees for students at the institute. A student seeking a tuition waiver must: (1) meet the current SCD income thresholds for 3% tuition waiver, (2) be ineligible to receive other financial aid, (3) be approved by the Tuition Waiver Committee, (4) complete a SVI Tuition Waiver Request Form. A tuition waiver will exempt a student from paying tuition for one quarter only. The waiver does not include an exemption for lab fees, transportation fee, textbooks, or other program costs such as tool kits.

606.60 Running Start Fee Waiver

  • 606.60.10 Running Start Fee Waiver
    RCW 28A.600.310

    In lieu of tuition and fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 (Tuition and Fees) and RCW 28B.15.041 (Service and Activities Fees), Running Start students shall pay to SCD all other mandatory fees as established by SCD. The fees charged shall be prorated based on credit load.

    SCD will make available fee waivers for low-income Running Start students. A student shall be considered low income and eligible for a fee waiver upon proof that the student is currently qualified to receive free or reduced-price lunch. Acceptable documentation of low-income status may also include, but is not limited to, documentation that a student has been deemed eligible for free or reduced-price lunches in the last five years, or other criteria as established below:

    1. Family income of equal to or less than 50 percent of the state median
    2. Family income less than 200% of the federal poverty level
    3. Receiving any state or federal assistance funds
    4. Foster youth


Adoption Date : 1990/10/02
Revision Date : 2016/03/10