Purdue Eliminates Refund Appeals Committee Since Implementing Tuition Insurance Program

Purdue University once faced a growing number of student withdrawals and tuition refund appeals, with its appeals committee handling up to 40 cases per term, according to Tim Riley, Assistance Controller and University Bursar. Seeking a more efficient solution for both the university, students, and families, Purdue partnered with GradGuard to offer tuition insurance.

GradGuard Tuition Insurance integrates directly with Purdue’s billing system, displaying the insurance offer alongside the university’s refund policy during the tuition payment process. Students and families must review the refund policy before being presented with the insurance option.

“We want students and families to be able to make the best, most informed choices when it comes to those protections. Having that safety net in place can make a big difference—it gives students the chance to recover, focus on getting better, and stay on track. It helps us keep them enrolled and working toward their academic goals, which is really what it’s all about,” Riley said.

Since implementation, student adoption has grown steadily, and the impact has been significant. Purdue has eliminated its tuition refund appeals committee, reducing administrative burden across several departments on campus.

“It’s not just about giving families peace of mind—we’ve seen real benefits here at Purdue, too. Over time, we’ve saved money by reducing the number of tuition refund appeals, while also protecting our tuition dollars. In many cases, claim recoveries have helped cover those outstanding balances. It’s also saved time and effort across multiple offices that used to be tied up in reviewing those appeals,” Riley said.

GradGuard Tuition Insurance has helped Purdue students protect their investment and provided added support for retention and enrollment.  

BOTTOM LINE

• Since working with GradGuard, Purdue has eliminated the need for their tuition refund appeals committee. Students see the optional student benefit alongside the university’s refund policy so they can make the best decision for their family.

• “The easier you make it for students to understand their balance, review their options, opt-in and pay right then and there, the better the results,” Riley said. “It’s worked really well because now our students are actually aware of everything upfront.”

GradGuard’s Tuition Protection Program promotes financial literacy by helping schools disclose its refund policy and can protect families from a financial loss if their student is forced to withdraw due to a covered reason.