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Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA)

UCLA Extension is an approved education provider

WIOA and UCLA Extension

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The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federally funded program that provides workforce investment activities through statewide and local systems. It is designed to  match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy, and to help job seekers access the employment, education, training and support services they need to succeed in the labor market.

UCLA Extension is an approved education provider for receiving WIOA grants.

Student Eligibility

Displaced or disadvantaged workers may be eligible for financial assistance for UCLA Extension certificate programs through the U.S. Workforce Investment Act. Please contact your local American Job Center to determine your eligibility and to receive the required authorization.

Partner WIB's

UCLA Extension has partnered with the following Workforce Investment Boards that work with eligible candidates:

Registration Deadlines for Receiving Benefits

UCLA Extension programs run quarterly. We recommend that you submit enrollment paperwork to our office at least two weeks before the start of the academic quarter. This will enable us to order books and materials, ensure courses are still open and process enrollment paperwork. Please see priority deadlines below. Submitting after the deadline means we cannot guarantee your start in the program, and it may be necessary to defer course registration until the following quarter. 

  • Summer 2024: June 10, 2024
  • Fall 2024: September 9, 2024
  • Winter 2025: December 9, 2024
  • Spring 2025: March 17, 2025

Explore Programs

UCLA Extension offers a number of certificate programs that help students build in-demand skills and prepare for careers in fields of high growth. Explore some of the most popular certificates taken by WIOA students at UCLA Extension.

 

Why Complete a Certificate at UCLA Extension?

  1.  WIOA funding approval and Program selection. 
    1. Speak with a representative at your local job center to determine your eligibility for funding and to discuss your interest in one of our UCLA Extension WIOA eligible certificate programs. You can find a list here, by selecting UCLA  Extension under school name. 
    2. If you have any questions regarding the program such as courses, requirements, restrictions, term availability, ect. You may contact the program/ certificate advisor. Academic program department contact info.
  2. Application/ Enrollment Process
    1. Once you have chosen a program and have been approved for funding your job center/ counselor will have to contact the Financial Aid Office directly with a referral form to initiate a WIOA contract. via email ( Finaid@uclaextension.edu)
    2. After the contract is signed off by all parties (UCLA Extension, Student, and Job center) the Financial aid Office will email you an enrollment packet. 
      1. The enrollment packet consist of additional information, Financial aid Contract, and an Enrollment study plan agreement.
    3. You will be assigned a certificate advisor who will help you select courses every quarter and help you complete the enrollment/ study plan
    4. Once you have your enrollment packet complete your will submit the enrollment packet to the Financial Aid Office via Email ( Finaid@uclaextension.edu) Our office will then enroll you in your courses.
  3. Once Enrolled
    1. Your books ( if needed) will be order for you. 
  4. Maintaining Eligibility 
    1. To remain eligible for the program, WIOA students need to submit a certification of attendance during the fifth week of the quarter (covering the first four weeks) and again at the end of the quarter (covering the last four weeks). This form should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. This must be done every Quarter while completing your program.

Please be advised of the following conditions of this program:

  • The UCLA Extension Financial Aid Office is not authorized to approve students for WIOA funding, nor may counsel you on your eligibility or on available WIOA funding. Please contact an American Job Center counselor to secure funding. Be sure to tell them that UCLA Extension is on the Eligible Training Providers List (ETPL). We also encourage them to review Information for Referring Counselors to confirm referral eligibility.
  • WIOA funding requires all related enrollment and attendance forms (specified in the enrollment instructions) be signed and submitted or student’s risk being dropped from their UCLA Extension course/program. 
  • UCLA Extension requires that WIOA funding recipients maintain a minimum progress standard of a letter grade C in every course. Courses may not be repeated using WIOA funding, so you will be required to pay out-of-pocket if a required course must be repeated.
  • If you need to extend the date of your WIOA contract due to an emergency, approval from your American Job Center counselor must be sent in writing to the UCLA Extension Financial Aid office. Email us finaid@uclaextension.edu.
  • You will be required to submit a Certification of Attendance form (PDF) to the UCLA Extension Financial Aid office via email at finaid@uclaextension.edu and provide a copy to your job center counselor.
  • Your job center counselor will require a report of your academic progress. A verification of enrollment report can be printed through our Student Portal.
  • Notify the UCLA Extension Financial Aid Office immediately if you make enrollment or program changes. All UCLA Extension drop and withdrawal policies will apply.
  • WIOA funds cannot be used toward parking permits.

Important Notice
UCLA Extension does not defer fees. Applicants who are not fully funded by their work source center will be required to pay the difference in full at the time of enrollment. For example, if a UCLA Extension certificate program fee is $5,000 and the Work Source Center funding/approved amount is only $4,000, you will be required to pay the difference in fees. In addition, students enrolling under the WIOA program are not eligible for any discounts.
 

As a potential student, what should my first steps be to utilize the WIOA?
Search the Public Training Vendor Database under UCLA Extension for eligible certificate programs, then contact your local American Job Center to determine your eligibility and receive the required authorization.

After I find a Work Source Center, what should be my next steps?
The Work Source Center will send a Referral Notice to create a contract with UCLA Extension that will show the cost of the Program and the time frame to complete the program. Please wait for a full contract between all three parties. Once created, each party (Work Source Center, UCLA Extension and student) will sign and confirm your enrollment at UCLA Extension.

The contract is fully signed, what do I do next?
Once the contract is signed by the Work Source Center, UCLA Extension, and the student, you will Receive instructions and enrollment packet. Which has the following:

1.Create a UCLA Extension account.

2.Submit Financial aid/ Enrollment Documents
The documents include:
          a.Copy of your Government ID.

          b.WIOA Financial Aid Contract.                                                                                                       

          c.Enrollment study plan, which must be signed off by the program advisor/representative. You will            be assigned a Program advisor / representative

          (This document will be required prior to the start of every quarter)

 This contract confirms your commitment to participate in all required academic activities determined appropriate to assist you in improving your academic skills and comply with UCLA Extension guidelines governing the WIOA Program. You will then send these 2 documents and a copy of your photo ID to the Financial Aid Office. 

After I submit all of the paperwork, what is next?
Your enrollment will be processed. Enrollment confirmation will be emailed to you after it is processed.

How do I retrieve my books and materials for my course?
The program representative will order the required books and materials for each quarter once they receive enrollment confirmation from the Financial Aid Office.

What are these attendance forms for?
These forms must be completed accurately to maintain funding under the WIOA attendance certification requirements. This form must be completed after the fifth AND last class meeting of courses attended at UCLA Extension. If enrolled in an online course please use the first date of the course starts then the same day of the week for each consecutive week. The Class Time should be general hours you work online such as 7-10pm.

Moving forward, how do I enroll in each quarter?
After submitting your attendance sheet after the fifth meeting of our course(s) in your current quarter, the Financial Aid Office will send the program department representative and yourself an enrollment form for the upcoming quarter.

The Work Source Center is asking for my grades in my previous course(s). How do I retrieve my grades?
You can request an unofficial transcript by logging into your student portal. It will show all courses you have taken at UCLA Extension and it's corresponding grade. You can download the unofficial transcript and send it to your Work Source Center.

Due to issues, I cannot attend during my current quarter. What do I do?
You can request to drop courses before the drop deadline. This date can be found in the enrollment confirmation email received. If you request to drop after the deadline, you will need to send an email to UCLA Extension's refund coordinator at refundexceptions@uclaextension.edu who may ask for further documentation for your request.

My contract end date is coming soon and I cannot complete the program in time. How do I request an extension for my contract?
Reach out to your Work Source Center to request an extension. The Work Source Center will then work with the Financial Aid Office for your request.

Referring Counselors

If you are a referring counselor, learn more about the terms, payments, incomplete programs, and reports that will guide you to assist students.  

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