Enrollment: Prospective students may enroll anytime. Late enrollments will be accepted on an individual basis for online courses, and the first day of class for in-person and hands-on labs courses. Enrollment is on a first-come basis and class sizes are limited. To reserve a space you can register online or call in to register at 970-527-7657 option 1 and make payment in full. If you are sending a check, call first to check on availability and to let us know that you are sending payment.
Lodging & Logistics: SEI’s main campus and Lab Facility is in Paonia, Colorado. For detailed info about Paonia click here. Local logistics and lodging for each workshop venue are available on the location page for each workshop. More information will also be sent to registered students upon confirmation of registration.
Waiting List: If a workshop is full we will place you on the waiting list. There is no charge to be on the waiting list. If space becomes available, we contact the first person on the list. You then have 24 hours to register before we move on to the next person.
Cancellation & Refund Policies: Students not accepted to the school are entitled to all moneys paid. Students who cancel this contract by notifying the school within three (3) business days (*of original registration) are entitled to a full refund of all tuition and fees paid. Students, who withdraw after three (3) business days, but before commencement of classes, are entitled to a full refund of all tuition and fees paid except the maximum cancellation charge of $150.00 or 25% of the contract price, whichever is less. In the case of students withdrawing after commencement of classes, the school will retain a cancellation charge plus a percentage of tuition and fees, which is based on the percentage of contact hours attended (if training is offered as distance education: “based on the percentage of no. of lessons completed”)*. The refund is based on the official date of termination or formal documented withdrawal. Please visit ‘Complete school catalog’ link above for full cancellation information and refund table. If you are unable to complete your course due to illness or natural disaster, please contact the administration office.
If SEI Cancels a Class: In the event a class is cancelled for a reason beyond SEI’s control, SEI will work with the student to reschedule them into future online or in-person classes at no fee. Any remaining credit will be held for up to two years in this situation. If a student chooses not to reschedule for a future online or in-person class, and instead would like a tuition refund, then SEI will charge a cancellation charge of $150.00 or 25% of the contract price, whichever is less. SEI is not responsible for losses incurred on housing, travel or other arrangements.
Entrance Requirements: SEI is an open enrollment training organization. However, students still must meet the prerequisites for any course(s) for which they would like to register. Additionally, if a student wishes to be considered for admission into the SEI Solar Professionals Certificate Program, a separate application for admission is required. This program is a selective admissions program where we ask students to complete an application that requires an essay where they can indicate their dedication to successful program completion and their relevant transferable skills that would make them a good candidate for this rigorous training program. Please see application for details, https://www.solarenergy.org/sei-solar-professionals-certificate-program/. The school does not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, ethnic origin, or disability. By completing the SEI enrollment agreement, all students agree to comply with the requirements and directions of the training and supply any information that is relevant to safety and medical issues. Additionally, students completing this enrollment agreement attest to the fact that he or she is physically capable of performing all requirements of the training and agree to comply with all safety regulations and directions given by instructional staff.
Online Course Requirements: By registering for online courses you confirm that you have basic computer literacy skills needed to take an online course. This includes the ability for internet usage, browser based applications, word processing, and email applications. You also confirm that you have consistent and reliable access to high speed internet and a computer. Click here for further online course information.
Previous Credits: Credits from another institution will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. SEI only allows the transfer of a PV101 equivalent course with the same amount of contact hours and learning objectives as SEI’s PV101 course. The student may be asked to provide a transcript, certificate of completion, course catalog, link to the course description from the transferring school’s website showing equivalent course, and will be required to take a PV101 opt-out quiz to prove proficiency of course material. SEI does not guarantee transferability of our credits to another institution unless there is a written agreement with another institution.
Attendance / Online Course Progress Requirements: For SEI’s in-person classes and hands-on lab sessions, students are expected to arrive on time for class with proper materials and stay for the full duration of each class day. Additionally, students must attend all class days required for any given course. Instructors will take daily attendance and keep record of the class attendance with SEI’s Student Services Department. Missing class, excessive tardiness, or early departure constitute unsatisfactory attendance and the student will be dropped from the class. This will result in the student not earning the record of completion for that class and forfeiting any documented training hours for that class. If a student does not successfully complete a course they will need to register and retake the course. All tuition fees apply. In the SEI Online Campus, course participation and acceptable progress is determined by attempting all quizzes and earning a cumulative average score of 70% or higher in the course. Not doing so, will result in the student not earning a record of completion and forfeiting any documented training hours for the course. Students who are unable to continue classes for medical reasons or severe personal problems will be required to take a leave of absence until they are able to return to class. Proper documentation will be required and a formal request for withdrawal will be required to substantiate a student’s withdrawal request.
Progress Policy: Students must maintain a 70% or higher grade point average to complete the SEI Solar Professionals Certificate Program. The student may be dropped from the program if acceptable progress is not satisfactory after multiple attempts to pass a course. Dropping of a student from the SEI Solar Professionals Certificate Program shall be at the school Director’s discretion. The Executive Leadership Team has final authority and shall notify the student of the final decision.
Financial Assistance: SEI has a limited number of partial tuition scholarships available for international and low-income participants. We also offer a work/trade program for people taking 8 weeks or more of workshops. Click here for additional info.
Placement Assistance: Solar Energy International (SEI) offers employment assistance to graduates, consisting of job lead referrals and job skills development. While providing resources to help you in your job search, we make no guarantee, expressed or implied, of future employment. Current law prohibits any school from guaranteeing job placement as an inducement to enroll students.
Classroom Support: Solar Energy International strives to support all students. If a student requires extra support and wishes to discuss possible options, they will need to contact Student Services at,
sei@solarenergy.org, prior to the start of their course.
Conduct Policy: All students are expected to act maturely and are required to respect other students and faculty members. Possession of weapons, illegal drugs, and alcohol of any kind are not allowed at any time on school property. Any violation of school policies may result in permanent dismissal from school.
Dismissal: Any student may be dismissed for violations of rules and regulations of the school, as set forth in school publications. A student also may be withdrawn from classes if he or she does not prepare sufficiently, neglects assignments, or makes unsatisfactory progress. The Vice President of Student Services, after consultation with all parties involved, makes the final decision. The Vice President of Student Services may temporarily suspend students whose conduct is disruptive or unacceptable to the academic setting. After appropriate counseling, students who demonstrate a genuine desire to learn and conform to school standards of conduct, may be allowed to resume attendance. The Vice President of Student Services will review each case and decide upon re-admittance.
Transcript/Diploma/Certificate Financial Hold Exemption Policy: Detailed information about holds on registrations, transcripts and/or records of completion due to unpaid accounts can be found here.
Student Grievance Procedure: If a student has a grievance regarding any SEI policy or staff member they should contact, via email, SEI’s Vice President of Student Services, Monique Turek at monique@solarenergy.org. Students should first discuss any instructional grievances directly with their instructor. If unable to come to a mutually acceptable conclusion, students should contact, via email, SEI’s Vice President of Curriculum & Instruction, Wendy Knapp at wendy@solarenergy.org. Final decisions may be appealed to SEI’s Executive Leadership Team at elt@solarenergy.org. Once a grievance is submitted via email to the Executive Leadership Team, within one week, they will investigate the grievance and arrange an appointment if necessary with the student for discussion. Every effort will be made to resolve any grievance in a timely manner.
Student Complaints: Attempting to resolve any issue with the School first is strongly encouraged. Complaints may be filed by a student or guardian at any time online with the Division of Private Occupational Schools (DPOS) within two years from the student’s last date of attendance or at any time prior to the commencement of training at 303-862-3001.
Health: For information on our health policy, click here.
