Student Rights and Responsibilities

Recipients of federal student aid have certain rights they should know and responsibilities they must meet. Knowing what these are will put students in a better position to make decisions about their educational goals and the best means to achieve them.

Student Rights

All students have the right to know:

• What financial assistance is available, including information on all Federal, state, local, private, and institutional financial aid programs.
• The names of the school’s financial aid personnel, where they are located, and how to contact them for information.
• What the procedures and deadlines are for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.
• How the school selects financial aid recipients.
• How the school determines your financial need. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, and personal and miscellaneous expenses are considered in your cost of education. It also includes the resources considered in calculating your need (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, assets, etc.).
• How much of your financial need, as determined by the school, has been met.
• How and when you will receive your financial aid.
• How the school determines each type and amount of assistance in your financial aid package.
• What the interest rate is on any student loan you have, the total amount you must repay, the length of time you have to repay, when you must start repaying, and what cancelation or deferment (postponement) provisions apply.
• If you are offered a Federal Work-Study job: What kind of job it is, what hours you must work, what your duties will be, what the rate of pay will be, and how and when you will be paid.
• The school’s policy in reconsidering your aid package if you believe a mistake has been made, or if your enrollment or financial circumstances have changed.
• How the school determines whether you are making satisfactory academic progress and what happens if you are not.
• The school’s refund policy if you do not complete an enrollment period in which you received financial aid.

Student Responsibilities

All students must:

• Pay special attention to the application for student financial aid, complete it accurately, and submit it on time to the right place. Errors can delay or prevent your receiving aid.
• Know and comply with all deadlines for applying or re-applying for aid.
• Provide all documentation, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Office of Financial Aid or the agency to which you submitted your application.
• Notify the school of any information that has changed since you applied for financial aid.
• Read, understand, and keep copies of all forms you are asked to sign.
• Repay any student loans you have. When you sign a promissory note, you are agreeing to repay your loan. You must repay your loan even if you do not receive a bill.
• Attend both an entrance and exit interview at the school if you have a Federal Perkins Loan, or Federal Stafford and/or Direct Student Loan.
• Notify the school of a change in your name, address, or attendance status (changing the number of credit hours you are attempting). If you have a loan, you must also notify your lender of these changes.
• Satisfactorily perform the work agreed upon in a Federal Work-Study job.
• Understand the school’s refund policy.