Students' Rights and Responsibilities

The following are the rights and responsibilities of students receiving federal funds.

You have the right to ask a school:

• The names of its accrediting or licensing organizations.
• About its programs, about its instructional, laboratory, and other physical facilities, and about its faculty.
• About its cost of attendance and its policy on refunds to students who drop out.
• What financial assistance is available, including information on all federal, state, local, private, and institutional financial aid programs.
• What the procedures and deadlines are for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.
• What criteria it uses to select financial aid recipients and how it determines your financial need. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, and personal miscellaneous expenses are considered in your cost of education. It also includes how resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, assets, etc.) are considered in calculating your need.
• How much of your financial need, as determined by the institution, has been met, and how and when you will be paid.
• To explain each type and amount of assistance in your financial aid package.
• What the interest rate is on any loan that you have, the total amount you must repay, the length of time you have to repay, when you must start repayment, and what cancellation or deferment privileges apply.
• How the school determines whether you are making satisfactory progress, and what happens if you are not.
• What special facilities and services are available to people with disabilities.
• If you are offered a federal work-study job, what kind of job it is, what hours you must work, what your duties will be, and how and when you will be paid.
• To reconsider your aid package, if you believe a mistake has been made or if your enrollment or financial circumstances have changed.

It is your responsibility to:

• Review and consider all information about a school’s program before you enroll.
• Pay special attention to your application for student financial aid, complete it accurately, and submit it on time to the right place. Errors can delay or prevent your receiving aid. Meet all deadlines for applying for and reapplying for aid.
• Notify your school of any information that has changed since you applied.
• Provide all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which you submitted your application.
• Read, understand, and keep copies of all forms you are asked to sign.
• Comply with the provisions of any promissory note and other agreements you sign.
• Repay any student loans you have. When you sign a promissory note, you’re agreeing to repay your loan.
• Notify your school of any change in your name, address, or attendance status (half-time, three-quarter-time, full-time, housing status). If you have a loan you must also notify your lender of these changes.
• Attend an exit interview at your school if you have a Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, or PLUS Loan.
• Satisfactorily perform the work agreed upon in a Federal Work-Study job.
• Understand the school’s refund policy.
• Meet all financial aid deadlines.