Do I still need to pay tuition if I drop all subjects?

 Education is a key to success and could help us alleviate poverty. A first-hand experience in which I returned to school as a transfer student and underwent the school's faculty-administered enrollment assessment. The last day of enrollment for the second semester was scheduled on December 15, 2025. The only documents I had in my hand were a PSA birth certificate and a completely filled-out school admission form. The staff in the registrar's office advised me that, lacking documents such as a transcript of records, honorable dismissal, and good moral character from the last school attended, are needed to submit within a specified date.

She then gave me a waiver form to fill out with my course and the deadline by which I wish to submit the missing documents. I stated in the form that I can submit the documents before the end of January 2026, knowing that it will be released by my previous school on time within a specified month. Failure on my part to submit the documents as stated in the waiver form will automatically cancel my registration without prior notice from the school registrar. I understand and agree with what was stated in the form, made payment of the enrollment fee to the cashier, and was finally enrolled.

I attended the morning class sessions that started on January 5-9, 2026, and in the afternoon of January 9, I was informed by a staff member of my previous school that they can release my documents for transfer on February 13, 2026. I went back to the school registrar, where I enrolled as a college transferee and informed them that I would submit the withdrawal letter. The staff said that submission of the withdrawal letter has ended, and I was late in submitting the request, without any other proper guidance or referral to other offices in the school for finding ways to finally cancel my enrollment registration.

On January 12, 2026, before the first preliminary exam, I explained and informed all my subject teachers to drop all my subjects, and they agreed due to my inability to submit a withdrawal letter and a lack of documents to the registrar. On March 13, 2026, I went to the guidance office of the school where I lastly enrolled. I asked if I still need to take the entrance exam as a transferee for the first semester of the school year 2026-2027. The staff there went to the registrar to verify my records. I told the registrar that I will shift to a new course for the first semester. She responded that I need to settle my billing from the second semester since I did not submit a withdrawal letter on time as a formal process, based on the school policy. She referred me to the accounting office.

What's next?

‎What happened?

‎I explained to the accounting office staff the truth about why I dropped all my subjects and stopped attending class sessions. The female staff member responded that I need to settle my billing in staggered payments before I can shift to a new course during enrollment for the first semester of the said school year. She added that if I informed them early after January 9, there are other ways to finally withdraw my enrollment. On this matter, I found out that the school registrar lacks proper guidance in referring to other offices to address my concern regarding the issue.

If I still need to shift to a new course this school year, then I need to settle my previous billing, even though I dropped and stopped before the preliminary exam in the second semester. On my part, why should I need to pay ₱14,406 when, in fact, I did not attend class sessions and took the exam?

It is a part of the school policies that every student needs to follow the registrar withdrawal process on registration, but whoever is assigned to the Registrar's office should give proper guidance on finding ways if students are unable to submit a withdrawal letter on time.

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