The Rights and Responsibilities of Students Receiving Financial Assistance

Student Rights

1. Students have the right to know the cost of attending the institution.
2. Students have the right to know where and from whom information on student assistance at the institution may be obtained.
3. Students have the right to know what financial aid programs are available at their school.
4. Students have the right to know how to apply for student assistance programs and what standards are used to determine eligibility.
5. Students have the right to know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs available.
6. Students have the right to know how financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on that distribution are made and the basis for these decisions.
7. Students have the right to know how their financial need was determined. This includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, personal miscellaneous expenses, etc., are considered in their budget.
8. Students have the right to know what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, student assets, etc.) were considered in the calculation of their need.
9. Students have the right to know how much of their financial need as determined by the institution has been met.
10. Students have the right to request an explanation of the various programs in their student aid package.
11. Students have the right to know what portion of their financial aid must be repaid and what portion is grant aid. If the aid is a loan, students have the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount that must be repaid, the payback procedures, the length of time they have to repay the loan and when repayment is to begin.
12. Students have the right to know the means by which financial aid will be disbursed and the frequency of disbursements.
13. Students have the right to know how the school determines whether they are making satisfactory progress, what happens if they are not and the procedures by which a student who has failed to maintain such progress may reestablish eligibility.
14. Students have the right to know their school’s refund policy.
15. Students have the right to know what academic programs are available at the institution and the faculty and facilities available for those programs.
16. Students have the right to data regarding retention of students at the institution.
17. Students have the right to know the number or percentage of students completing each program if such data is available.

Student Responsibilities

1. Students must complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the right place.
2. Students must provide correct information. In most instances, misreporting information on financial aid application forms is a violation of law and may be considered a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code.
3. Students must return all additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information requested by either the Office of Student Financial Aid or the agency to which an application was submitted.
4. Students are responsible for reading and understanding all forms that they are asked to sign and for keeping copies of them.
5. Students must accept responsibility for all agreements that they sign.
6. Students must perform the work that is agreed upon in accepting a Federal Work-Study award.
7. Students must be aware of and comply with the deadlines for application or reapplication for aid.
8. Students should be aware of their school’s refund procedures.
9. All schools must provide information to prospective students about the school’s programs and performance. Students should consider this information carefully before deciding to attend a school.