Direct Pay Reservation RequirementsIf Step Up is selected as the payment method:Step Up funds must be fully available in a student’s EMA account at the time of registration. Being “awarded” does not mean funds are available.Funds must be reserved within 48 hours of registration.If funds are unavailable at registration, payment must be made by credit/debit card. Families may submit for reimbursement directly through Step Up once funds become available. HEAT does not issue reimbursements for Step Up funding.Failure to reserve Step Up funds within 48 hours does not cancel registrations or remove financial responsibility – HEAT may remove a student for non-reservation of funds, but is not required to do so.
Direct Pay – Fund CancellationIf Step Up funds are canceled within 10 days of the official semester start date (and the registration is not cancelled from Active), the unpaid balance will be transferred to the family’s Active account and must be paid out-of-pocket.Step Up funds cannot be refunded directly to families. Once processed, transactions are final.
All Step Up questions should be directed to: [email protected]

Outstanding Balances

Any outstanding balance must be paid in full before a student may:Attend any HEAT class, sport, event or field trip.Register for future semesters or membership.
All families are subject to the same policies regardless of payment method.

Registration Cancellations and Standard Class Refund Policy &

Registration Cancellations: All cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to a HEAT Administrator ([email protected]). Cancellations received within 10 days of the semester start date are non-refundable. Refund eligibility is based on the official semester start date, not the first meeting of an individual class. Refund eligibility is determined by the registration record, not by payment status.
Eligible for Refund:A full refund, less a 5% administrative fee, is available if cancellation occurs at least 10 days prior to the official semester start date.
Non-Refundable:Cancellations made within 10 days of the semester start date are non-refundable.Registrations completed within 10 days of the semester start date are immediately non-refundable.Failure to reserve Step Up funds does not make a registration refundable.No refunds will be issued after the 10-day deadline. The 10-day deadline is calculated based on the official semester start date listed on the HEAT academic calendar, not the first meeting date of an individual class.

Class Transfers

Class transfers are permitted up to 5 days prior to the semester start date.Tuition already paid will be applied to the new class.If the new class has a higher fee, the difference must be paid at the time of transfer.

Sports with Tryouts

Payment is due once teams are finalized. Once payment is submitted and the first official team practice has occurred, fees are non-refundable regardless of the semester refund deadline.

Field Trips, Social Events & Special Events

All field trips, social events & special events are immediately non-refundable upon registration.Step Up funds for events must be fully reserved within 48 hours of registration.Failure to reserve funds within 48 hours does not cancel financial responsibility.HEAT may remove a student for non-payment but is not required to do so.
Any event-specific exceptions will be clearly stated in the event description at the time of registration.

Cancellations by HEAT

If HEAT cancels a class or event for operational reasons, families will receive either:A full refund, OR A family credit, at HEAT’s discretion
If cancellation occurs due to a natural disaster, government mandate, public health emergency, or other extraordinary circumstance beyond HEAT’s control, HEAT may:Modify services,Postpone services, ORTransition services to an alternate formatHEAT will make every reasonable effort to continue services in an adjusted format or at a later date. Because facility, supply, and instructor expenses are incurred in advance, refunds are not available in these circumstances.

Policy Acknowledgement & Enforcement

By completing registration, families acknowledge and agree to this Registration & Refund Policy. All policies apply equally regardless of payment method. Failure of HEAT to enforce any provision in a particular instance does not waive the right to enforce it in the future.

Tampa Bay HEAT Registration and Refund Policy Effective 3/1/2026 HEAT Family Membership
HEAT Membership is $170 per school year (June 1st – May 31st) HEAT Membership is a Family Membership. One Membership is required per enrolling household. Membership Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. An active (fully paid) Membership is required to participate in all HEAT classes, field trips, sports, social events and special events – unless otherwise stated during registration. Membership Fees: Membership fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Membership fees remain non-refundable regardless of withdrawal from HEAT. Membership Ownership & Account Control: HEAT Membership is issued per enrolling household and is tied to the Primary Parent email address used to create the Active account. The Primary Parent email listed in Active is considered the official account holder. The account holder: Controls registration, payment method selection, cancellations, transfers, and Step Up fund reservations. Is financially responsible for all registrations made under the account. Receives all bill communications, refunds, credits, & balance notices. HEAT will rely solely on the Primary Parent email listed in Active for account authorization and decision-making. If a secondary parent resides at a different address and wishes to independently register a student, access records, or manage payments, that parent must establish their own HEAT Membership and Active account using their own email address. Membership fees are not shared between households. HEAT does not mediate custody disputes, divide financial responsibility, or modify account access between parents. It is the responsibility of the Primary Parent to share account information with a secondary parent if desired.
Payment & Registration Requirements
Financial Responsibility Upon RegistrationSubmitting a Registration in Active constitutes a financial commitment. Regardless of payment method selected:Families are financially responsible for all registered classes, sports, field trips & events.Selecting Step Up (Direct Pay) as a payment method does not delay or eliminate financial responsibility.Failure to reserve Step Up funds in EMA does not cancel registration.Registrations remain active unless officially withdrawn through Active (contact a HEAT Administrator).If Step Up funds are not reserved and the registration remains active past the 10-day refund deadline, the family remains financially responsible under the standard refund policy. Removal for Non-PaymentPayment is due at the time of registration. If there is a balance for a registration or Step Up (Direct Pay) funds are not fully reserved:HEAT reserves the right to remove the student from the class registration at any time.Removal for non-payment is not guaranteed and is performed at HEAT’s discretion.Failure of HEAT to remove a student for non-payment does not waive financial responsibility.
Payment Methods
Payment for registrations may be made by credit/debit card in Active OR through a student’s Step Up for Students scholarship by selecting “Direct Pay” at checkout and reserving funds in your EMA account. Step Up for Students (UA & PEP Scholarships) – Tampa Bay HEAT is an approved Home Education Instructional Program (HEIP) and Direct Provider to Step Up for Students. If a registration is available for Direct Pay it will be offered as a payment method in Active. HEAT Registrations that offer Direct Pay as a payment method have been approved by Step Up for UA & PEP scholarships.Not all HEAT offerings in Active are eligible under Step Up Scholarships. It is the responsibility of the parent to familiarize themselves with their scholarships and make decisions regarding their student’s scholarship funds.HEAT does not guarantee any reimbursements for registrations paid through Active.