Legal Rights of Financial Aid Recipients

Students receiving federal student aid have certain legal rights. Students' rights include the following:

  • The student has the right to know what financial aid programs are available at WC.
  • The student has the right to receive a listing from the financial aid office of the agency in each state which may be contacted regarding grants available to residents of that state.
  • The student has the right to know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs available.
  • The student has the right to know how financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on that distribution are made, and the basis for these decisions.
  • The student has the right to know how his/her financial need was determined.
  • The student has the right to know what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, assets, etc.) were considered in the calculation of his/her financial need.
  • The student has the right to know how much of his/her financial need, as determined by the institution, has been met.
  • The student has the right to request an explanation of the various awards in his/her student aid package.
  • The student has the right to know the school's refund policy.
  • The student has the right to know what portion of the financial aid he/she receives must be repaid, and what portion is grant (free) aid. If the aid is a loan, the student has the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount that must be repaid, fees during repayment, the payback procedures, the length of time he/she has to repay the loan, when repayment is to begin, and available options for consolidation.
  • The student has the right to know how the school determines whether he/she is making satisfactory academic progress, and the results of not meeting these standards.
  • If the student is offered a College Work-Study job, he/she has the right to know the required work hours, the job duties, the rate of pay, and how and when paychecks are received.
  • If the student believes a mistake has been made in determining his/her financial aid eligibility, he/she has the right to ask that his/her financial aid application be reconsidered.
  • If the student has a loan and the lender transfers (i.e. sells) the loan and the right to receive payments, the student must be sent a notification telling him/her to whom he/she must now make payments.
  • Lenders must provide borrowers with a copy of the complete promissory note.
  • The student has the right to prepay a loan without penalty. This means that he/she may at any time pay in full the loan balance and any interest due without being charged a penalty by the lender for early payment.
  • If the student cannot meet a loan repayment schedule, he/she may request forbearance from the lender under which the payments may be reduced for a specific period of time.
  • In borrowing money, the student assumes the responsibility for repaying the loan. If circumstances arise which make it difficult to meet this responsibility, he/she should contact the lender.

Legal Responsibilities of Financial Aid Recipients

Students receiving federal student aid have certain legal responsibilities. Student responsibilities include the following:

  • The student must be enrolled in classes that will count toward an approved Certificate or Associate Degree program.
  • The student must be attending classes during the semester in which aid is being requested. This is based on an official roster from the instructor.
  • The student must complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the appropriate location.
  • The student must provide correct information. The intentional misreporting of information on financial aid application forms is a violation of the law and is considered a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code.
  • The student must return all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which an application was submitted.
  • The student must report to the Financial Aid Office any additional financial resources received by him/her during the period of his/her financial aid award.
  • The student is responsible for reading and understanding all forms that he/she is asked to sign and for keeping copies of the forms.
  • The student must accept responsibility for all agreements that he/she signs.
  • The student must perform the work that he/she has agreed upon in accepting College Work-Study or regular student employment.
  • The student must be aware of and comply with the deadlines for application or reapplication for aid.
  • The student should be aware of the school's refund policy.
  • All schools must provide information to prospective students about the school's programs and performance. The student should consider this information carefully before deciding to attend school.
  • If the students receivea loan, he/she must notify the lender if any of the following occurs before the loan is repaid:
    • Graduation
    • Withdrawal from school or less than half-time enrollment
    • Change of address
    • Name change
    • Transfer to other school(s)
  • If the student has received a Federal Direct Loan prior to receiving their first disbursement of loan funds at WC.
  • The student must also attend an exit interview if enrollment drops below 6 credit hours; or if he/she graduates, transfers to another school, or fails to enroll for any long semester.
  • The student must repay any loan received at WC, plus accrued interest, in accordance with the repayment schedule.
  • In borrowing money, the student assumes the responsibility for repaying the loan. If circumstances arise that make it difficult to meet this responsibility, he/she should contact the lender.

The student must notify the lender of any occurrence which may affect eligibility for a deferment of repayment.

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