Student Rights and Responsibilities

Student’s Rights and Responsibilities

As a recipient of federal aid, you have certain rights you should exercise, certain responsibilities you must meet, and certain facts you need to know. Being aware what they are will put you in a better position to make decisions about your educational goals and how you can best achieve them.

Your rights as a student

• You have the right to know what financial aid programs are available at your school.
• You have the right to know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs available.
• You have the right to know how financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on that distribution are made, and how these decisions have been reached.
• You have the right to know how your financial need was determined including the way costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc. are considered in your budget.
• You have the right to know what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, your assets, etc.) were considered in the calculation of your need.
• You have the right to know how much of your financial need (as determined by the institution) has been met.
• You have the right to request an explanation of the various programs in your student aid package.
• You have the right to know your school's refund policy.
• You have the right to know what portion of the financial aid you receive must be repaid and what portion is grant aid. If the aid is a loan, you have the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount that must be repaid, the pay back procedures, the length of time you have to repay the loan, and when repayment is to begin.
• You have the right to know how the school determines whether you are making satisfactory progress and what happens if you are not.

Your responsibilities if you receive financial aid

• You must complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the appropriate office.
• You must provide correct information. Failure to report accurate 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.
• You must supply all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which you submit your application.
• You are responsible for reading and understanding all forms that you are asked to sign and for keeping copies of them.
• You must accept responsibility for all agreements that you sign.
• You must perform the work that is agreed upon in accepting a College Work-Study Award.
• You must be aware of and comply with the deadline for application or reapplication for aid.
• You should be aware of your school's refund policy.