Student Consumer Rights
You have the right to ask a school:
- What financial assistance is available, including information on federal, state and institutional financial aid programs.
- What the procedures and deadlines are for submitting applications.
- What the cost of attending is and what its policies are on refunds to students who drop out.
- What criteria it uses to select financial aid recipients.
- How it determines your financial need. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, and personal and miscellaneous expenses are considered in your student budget.
- What resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, your assets, and others) are considered in calculating your need.
- How much of your financial need, as determined by the institution, has been met.
- To explain each type and amount of assistance in your financial aid package.
- What the interest rate is on any Student Loan that you have, the total amount you must repay, the length of time you have to repay, when you must start repaying, and what cancellation or deferment provisions apply.
- How the school determines whether you are making satisfactory progress and what happens if you are not.
Student Consumer Responsibilities
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 you from receiving aid. Intentional misreporting of information on application forms for federal financial aid is a violation of law and is considered a criminal offense subject to penalties under the U.S. Criminal Code.
- Return 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 and understand all forms you are asked to sign and keep copies of them.
- Repay any student loans you have. When you sign a promissory note, you are agreeing to repay your loan.
- Notify the school of a change in your name, address or attendance status (half-time, three-quarter time or full-time). If you have a loan, you must also notify your lender of these changes.
- Satisfactorily perform the work agreed upon in a Federal Work-Study job.
- Know and comply with the deadlines for application. You must reapply annually.
- Know and comply with the school's refund policies.