Rights & Responsibilities

Student Rights

As a student, you have the right to:

Know what financial assistance is available, including information on all federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs;
Know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial assistance programs available;
Know how your financial need is determined. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, and personal expenses are decided in developing cost of attendance budgets;
Know what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial assistance, student assets, etc.) are considered in the calculation of your financial need;
Know how much of your financial need, as determined by the college, has been met;
An explanation of the types of aid contained in your student aid package;
Request a review of your current financial situation if you meet certain criteria based on changes since filing the current aid year FAFSA;
Know what portion of the financial assistance received 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 payback procedures, the length of time you have to repay the loan, and when repayment is to begin; and
Know the criteria for continued financial aid eligibility, including guidelines for the determination satisfactory academic progress;
Know the method and frequency of financial aid disbursements.

It is your responsibility to:

Review and consider all information about the financial aid programs at the college prior to enrolling;
Complete all financial assistance applications and forms accurately, and submit them to the Financial Aid Office by the appropriate deadlines;
Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal FAFSA completely because it determines your eligibility for a wide variety of financial assistance. You may experience delays in receiving a decision about financial aid if forms are filled out incompletely or incorrectly. Falsification of information on application forms for federal financial assistance is considered a criminal offense, and you may be subject to penalties under the U.S. Criminal Code;
Respond quickly to all requests for additional documentation related to verification or corrections;
Read and understand all forms that you are asked to submit or sign, and keep copies of these forms. You are legally responsible for all agreements which you sign; and
Notify the college and your lender of any changes in your name, address, or school status if a loan is part of your financial aid.