Federal Financial Aid
The following are general requirements and conditions students must meet to be eligible for federal student aid programs.
- Demonstrate financial need; this means that your cost of education is greater than your estimated family contribution.
- Be a student enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible program at an eligible institution.
- Register for at least six credit hours of study (except for Pell Grants which can be awarded if you are registered for as little as one credit).
- Have a high school diploma or a GED certificate, pass an approved ability to benefit test (ATB), enroll in a school that participates in an approved state process, or complete his or her state’s requirements applicable to home schooling.
- Not be simultaneously enrolled in elementary or secondary school.
- Be a U.S. citizen or national, or an eligible non-citizen.
- Have a valid, correct Social Security Number (SSN).
- Not be in default of a Federal loan or owe an overpayment on a federal grant or Federal Perkins Loan.
- Not have borrowed in excess of the annual or aggregate loan limits.
- Be in good academic standing and maintaining satisfactory progress towards completing a degree.
- Provide documentation to verify the information on the FAFSA if it’s requested.
- Students will be limited to a maximum of 12 terms of full-time Pell payments or its equivalent for part-time study.
In addition, a student’s eligibility for federal funds may be affected by such factors as:
- Prior degrees earned
- Enrollment status
- Remedial course work
- Correspondence study
- Study by telecommunications
- Incarceration