Financial Aid Attendance Policy

Title IV Programs:

Students who fail to attend any classes will be ineligible for Title IV financial aid. Financial Aid eligibility is based on the course load of courses actually attended. If notification of non-attendance in any class is received at any time, the determination of federal financial aid eligibility will be re-evaluated for that term and may result in financial aid forfeiture and/or a balance due to the College. In addition, the following are circumstances in which a student’s Title IV aid will be adjusted/prorated:

• Withdrawal from classes during the first week may affect the awarding of Title IV aid. Students should be aware that their financial aid is based on the number of credits registered for at the end of the first week of classes. For example, a student who registers as full-time (12 credits or more) and is packaged as a full time student, and subsequently drops to nine credits during the first week, will have their aid adjusted to 3/4 time status, reflecting the nine credit load.

• Federal regulations require the College to prorate Title IV aid for students who stop attending all classes after the first week of school, up until the 60% point of the semester, generally defined as through the ninth week of classes. This recalculation is based on the last date of attendance during the semester regardless of whether the student withdrew officially or simply stopped attending classes (unofficial withdrawal).

Title IV Recalculation of Federal Aid

Return of Federal (Title IV) Financial Aid

Students who completely withdraw from classes (through successive dropping of courses until they are no longer registered or in a complete withdrawal from all courses at once) are subject to the Return of Title IV refund calculation as dictated by federal regulations. NOTE: Students who partially withdraw from courses for the term are not subject to a return of their federal aid but should be aware that their financial aid eligibility will be recalculated.

Determination of Federal Aid Earned

Earned aid is determined based on the number of calendar days the student attended classes divided by the total number of calendar days in the term. The result is a percentage of federal aid funds that the student is entitled to keep. For example, a student who attends 30% of the term has earned 30% of the total aid. If the student attended classes through 60% or more of the term, the percentage of federal aid earned is 100%.

Return of Unearned Federal Aid

The total federal aid disbursed at the point of withdrawal less the earned amount constitutes the unearned aid that must be returned to the federal government. If it is determined that the student has received excess funds, the College must return a portion of the excess equal to the lesser of the student’s institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of funds, or the entire amount of the excess funds. The College will allocate the return of unearned aid in the following order:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Loan

2. Federal Subsidized Loan

3. Federal Perkins Loan

4. Federal Parent or Graduate PLUS Loan

5. Federal Pell Grant

6. Federal SEOG

Return of Title IV federal funds may result in the student owing the College. If a balance due is created, a registration block will prevent future registration until it is paid.