Accountability and Transparency

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) enacted in 2008 amends and extends the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965.  The HEOA contains numerous federal reporting and disclosure requirements.

Each institution must annually provide to all enrolled students a notice of the availability of the information that is required to be made available to students under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or "FERPA"), and under The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA). This information is available on Institute Of World Politics' website as specified under each of the headings below.

Admissions and Financial Aid makes this information available through mailings, emails, and their website.

• Staff contact information
• Types of federal student loans
• Federal student loans
• External scholarships and fellowships

The Financial Aid office makes financial aid information available to prospective students via mailings and current students via emails.  Information can also be found at the financial aid website.

• Financial aid
• Additional resources

A student convicted of a federal or state drug offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV federal financial aid is ineligible for federal student aid.

The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for federal student aid funds.

Additional information can be found in the IWP Catalog and Student Handbook.

Alumni of The Institute of World Politics are engaged in important work in a wide variety of government agencies, private companies, foreign governments, the U.S. armed forces, intelligence agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

• Graduate Employment Facts
• IWP page on College Navigator

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords all students who attend a postsecondary educational institution certain rights with respect to their educational records.  The Institute's Student Privacy Policy outlines these rights and gives students the tools to direct the Institute in the handling of their personal information.  Required notifications to students can be found in the Catalog and Student Handbook and it is also available on the IWP website.  Students are also notified of their rights under FERPA by the Registrar's office at the beginning of every term.

Students who have a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act are entitled to academic accommodations.  The Institute of World Politics offers services for students with disabilities which can be initiated upon the students request with the Disability Officer at studentaffairs@iwp.edu or 202-462-2101.

Disability Support Services

In accordance with the HEOA, the Institute must make available to prospective and enrolled students' information about the price of attendance, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation costs, and any additional costs. This information can be found on the Institute of World Politics website, which includes comprehensive fee details and a cost of attendance.

• Tuition and fees
• Estimated annual living expenses/budget for students, 2023-2024

The Institute of World Politics refund policy, requirements and procedures for official withdrawal, and requirements for the return of financial aid are detailed in the Catalog and Student Handbook.

Adding and dropping classes

IWP makes Textbook Information available to students through course syllabi and Canvas sixty days prior to the start of classes. More details are in the Catalog and Student Handbook.

The Catalog and Student Handbook contains information about The Institute of World Politics' academic programs, including current programs, facilities, and faculty in accordance with the HEOA.  Most of this information can also be found on the Academic Programs page.

Academic procedures and regulations regarding transfer credit can be found in the Catalog and Student Handbook.

The Institute of World Politics is accredited as a degree-granting institution by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). If you find the Institute to be out of compliance with Commission Requirements of Affiliation, standards, or policies or out of compliance with its own policies or procedures, you can contact MSCHE. The Commission expects individuals to attempt to resolve the issue through the Institute’s own published grievance procedures before submitting a complaint to the Commission.

Meanwhile, the Institute is licensed to operate in the District of Columbia by its Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC), which can be found online here. HELC is the agency of last resort in the grievance process and may be contacted at 202-727-6436. IWP's HELC Certificate may be found here.

IWP is also approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) for distance education as indicated here under the District of Columbia: SARA-Participating Institution Directory. Please contact NC-SARA only as an agency of last resort in the grievance process.

In accordance with the HEOA, the Institute communicates the Copyright Policy annually to students.

The HEOA requires the Institute to make available to current and prospective students information about institutional policies regarding immunization. Before enrolling in courses at the Institute, all students under the age of 26 must show proof of immunization against poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), diphtheria and tetanus. Forms for this purpose are available from the Registrar or on our forms page.

The Institute of World Politics emails its students, faculty, and staff an annual Safety, Security, and Fire Safety Report.

In accordance with the HEOA, institutions must provide information published by the Department of Education to students at any time that information regarding loan availability is provided. This is published on our Federal Student Loans page.

The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the U.S. Department of Education's central database for federal student aid.  Federal Stafford, Perkins, and Parent PLUS loans will be submitted to NSLDS and will be accessible by guarantee agencies, lenders, and institutions determined to be authorized users of the data system. For each new federal loan and for any changes made to the amount of a loan, a Disclosure Statement will be sent to the borrower.

In accordance with HEOA, all students must complete entrance counseling and exit counseling available at https://studentaid.gov/. The Institute strictly enforces these requirements and makes the completion of the counseling a prerequisite for graduation.

Loan Counseling

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