Financial Aid Policies

Student Rights

A student has the right to:

know what financial aid is available, including aid from federal, state and institutional programs. In addition, a student has the right to know the deadlines, selection criteria, terms, policies, procedures and regulations that apply to each of the programs;
know how his/her financial need was determined and how much of it, as determined by the university, was met. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, transportation, books and supplies, and miscellaneous personal expenses are included in his/her student budget;
know, if he/she has a student loan, the terms of the loan, such as interest rate, the total amount that must be repaid, the length of time allowed for repayment, when repayment must start, cancellation provisions, deferment and forbearance possibilities and any special consolidation or refinancing options;
appeal his/her financial aid award if he/she feels there are special circumstances that were not originally taken into consideration;
know how the university determines whether he/she is making satisfactory academic progress and what happens if he/she is not;
know how and when his/her financial aid will be disbursed;
know the university’s refund policies; the portion, if any, of tuition and fees that is refunded to the student if he/she withdraws before the end of the term; and the portion, if any, of the financial aid he/she received that must be paid back immediately if he/she withdraws before the end of the term;
expect that all information reported by him/her and/or his/her family will remain confidential and will not be released without his/her written consent according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA);
examine (in the presence of a financial aid counselor) his/her financial aid records which are maintained in the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office;
expect equitable treatment under the university’s policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or veteran’s status.

Student Responsibilities

A student is responsible for:

reading, retaining and understanding all information supplied to him/her from the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office. Students are welcome to contact the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office with any questions or concerns;
promptly responding to inquiries or requests for information from the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office;
obtaining all forms required to apply (or re-apply) for the type of assistance he/she wishes to receive;
supplying accurate and thorough information on all forms submitted to the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office. Funds obtained on the basis of false information will have to be repaid and might subject the student to penalties under the United States criminal code;
informing the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office if he/she receives any type of financial aid assistance from an outside agency. By law, when determining a student’s financial aid eligibility, the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office is required to consider all sources of funding;
using financial aid funds only for educational expenses (tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, and other living costs);
understanding and complying with the terms and conditions of the aid he/she receives. This includes deadlines, continued eligibility, application procedures, etc;
notifying the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office if his/her enrollment or residency status changes. This will ensure that the student’s financial aid award is based upon the correct enrollment and residency status;
reporting a change of address or name to the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office. This will ensure the Financial Aid and Educational Funding Office has the most recent and accurate information.
Note: A name change requires supporting documentation;
maintaining good academic standing consistent with the college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy;
completing entrance and exit counseling, if he/she has taken out an educational loan;
repaying all educational loans. Failure to meet this obligation will adversely affect the student’s credit rating and make him/her ineligible for future educational loans or grants;
notifying his/her loan servicer and the United States Department of Education of any changes in name or address while and after attending school.