Rights and Responsibilities of Aid Applicants

As a recipient of federal student aid, students have certain rights and responsibilities they should exercise. Knowing them will put you in a better position to make decisions about your educational goals and how to achieve them.

Students have the right to know:

  • what financial aid programs are available;
  • description of the various programs listed on the financial aid offer letter;
  • the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs available;
  • how financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on that distribution are made, and the basis for these decisions;
  • how their financial need was determined. This includes how costs for tuition and fees, living expenses, transportation, books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, miscellaneous personal expenses, etc., are considered in their estimated cost of attendance;
  • what resources (such as student and parental contribution, other financial aid, etc.) were considered in the calculation of their need;
  • how much of their financial need, as determined by the institution, has been met;
  • the Federal Return of Title IV funds and the school’s refund policy;
  • what portion of the financial aid received must be repaid, and what portion is grant aid;
  • if the aid they are receiving is a loan, student has the right to know the interest rate on the loan, the total amount that must be repaid, the repayment procedures, the length of time for repayment of the loan, and when repayment begins;
  • how the institution determines whether students are making satisfactory progress, and what happens if they are not;
  • how to decline having Title IV aid credited to institutional or prior year charges.

Please note: All of the information listed above (and much more) is available through one or more of the following: the College Catalog, the links provided from the Consumer Information and Financial Aid Information web pages, and your personal Financial Aid Offer Letter.

Students have the responsibility to:

  • become familiar with the information provided in the College Catalog, and the information provided/linked from the Consumer Information and Financial Aid Information web pages;
  • complete all application forms accurately and submit them on-time;
  • provide correct information. (In most instances, intentionally misreporting information on financial aid application forms is a violation of law and may be considered a criminal offense that could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code);
  • submit all additional documentation, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the financial aid office or the agency to which their application was submitted;
  • read and understand all forms that they are asked to sign, and maintain copies for their records;
  • accept responsibility for all agreements that they sign;
  • perform the work that is agreed upon in accepting a Federal Work-Study offer;
  • be aware of and comply with the deadlines for application or reapplication for aid;
  • be aware of the Return of Title IV Funds policy;
  • be aware of the school’s refund procedures;
  • complete on-line Entrance Counseling, if you are a first-time student loan borrower;
  • complete on-line Exit Counseling if you are a student loan borrower and are graduating/terminating your enrollment;
  • maintain current and correct addresses/phone numbers with the Registrar’s Office;
  • comply with all deadlines and requirements for class registration; and
  • comply with the academic and administrative policies of the College.