1. New Professionals Webinar: Understanding Student Eligibility

2. Agenda 1 2 3 General Eligibility Requirements
Satisfactory Academic Progress 2
Common Eligibility Issues 3

3. Overview of General Eligibility Requirements

4. A Regular Student
Someone who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible institution for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate
A school must document a student’s enrollment in an eligible program at the time of admission
The school must have a system to notify the financial aid office if the student withdraws
The school must document that an aid recipient is a regular student

5. Conditional Acceptance Student
A student admitted into a post-secondary institution without meeting all admissions requirements
Limited in enrollment terms or courses
Only considered regular student if the school officially accepts him or her into an eligible degree or certificate program

6. Meet Kenya
Kenya is a recent high school graduate enrolled at Green Forest College as a conditional student. She is taking courses because her parents believe that she should get a college education. Kenya, however, does not intend to receive a degree or certificate because she has other plans.
What is Kenya’s classification and is she eligible for Federal Student Aid?

7. Academic Eligibility Criteria
Obtained a high school diploma or general education development (GED) equivalent
Equivalent can be from a foreign school
Homeschooled at the secondary level as defined by the state law
Completed secondary school education in a homeschooled setting which qualifies for an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law

8. High School Diploma Validation
Verification of high school diploma must be done if the school or ED has reason to believe that the document is not valid
Acceptable documentation
High school diploma and a final transcript that shows all the courses the student took
Diplomas from unaccredited high schools can be valid and qualify students for FSA funds
Self-certification is not sufficient

9. Coursework Types Remedial coursework
Specific classes that are used to prepare a student for preparatory coursework at a college or university
Prevents a student from being Title IV eligible if he or she is not admitted into an eligible program
A regular student may receive aid for one academic year
30 semester or trimester, 45 quarter, 900 clock hours

10. Coursework Types CAN NOT Remedial coursework
Must be at least at the high school level as determined by the
State legal authority
School’s accrediting agency
State agency
Can be apart of the ESL program
CAN
NOT
Use non-credit remedial hours to determine the enrollment status if they lead to completion of a high school diploma or equivalent
Be below the educational level to pursue his or her program of study

11. Coursework Types Preparatory coursework
Applies to a student who is not enrolled in a degree or certificate program
Student is only eligible for Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized loans
Maximum eligibility is one year if taking coursework necessary for enrollment in an eligible program

12. Coursework Types Teacher certification coursework
Defines students who are enrolled in teacher certification coursework
Does not have to lead to a degree or certificate awarded by the school
Coursework must be required for elementary or secondary teacher certification or recertification
Eligible for FWS, Direct Loan, Perkins, and TEACH programs

13. Intellectual Disability Students
Mental retardation or a cognitive impairment characterized by significant limitations in intellectual or cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills
Currently or were formerly eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including homeschooled or private school students

14. Intellectual Disability Students
Are eligible for FSA under the Pell Grant, FSEOG, and FWS programs
Must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program
Must maintain satisfactory academic progress
Must be approved by ED before awarding the student

15. Intellectual Disability Students
Do not have to be enrolled for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate
Are not required to have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent

16. Elementary or Secondary Enrollment
Any student who is enrolled in elementary or secondary school is not eligible for aid
Pursuing a high school diploma
Simultaneously enrolled
Secondary
Enrollment OR

17. Meet Phaedra
Phaedra, a 19 year old senior at College Prep High School, is taking college credits in the Cosmetology program at Madison Community College. Phaedra attends her classes at MCC on the weekends because it does not interfere with her high school schedule. If she takes 12 credits in the cosmetology program she’ll earn a certificate from MCC.
Can Phaedra receive FSA funds if she is enrolled as a regular student at MCC?

18. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

19. Title IV Eligibility for Students
Met SAP standards
Not in default on Title IV loan or have borrowed in excess of loan limits
Not be in overpayment on federal student aid grant or loan
Have not committed Title IV fraud
Not have a disqualifying drug conviction

20. Terminology Financial Aid Warning Appeal
A status a school assigns to a student who is failing to make SAP
School can reinstate a students’ eligibility for one payment period
Used by schools that check SAP at the end of each payment period
Appeal
A process by which a student who is not meeting SAP standards petitions the school for reconsideration of his/her eligibility for FSA funds

21. Terminology Financial Aid Probation Academic Plan
A status a school assigns to a student who is failing to make SAP and who is successful in appealing the decision
Eligibility may be reinstated for one payment period
Academic Plan
A document or program developed to assist the student as part of a follow through to their Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal

22. Terminology Academic Amnesty
Process by which a student can apply to have credits attempted and grades earned in previous semesters excluded from the calculation of their grade point average
For SAP requirements to be met, however, all courses applicable to the student’s major must be included.
Can be subject to appeal if your school permits

23. SAP Measurements
Students must move toward successful completion of a degree or certificate in order to remain eligible for Title IV aid
Measured in two methods:
Quantitative
Timeframe
Qualitative
Grades

24. Qualitative Component
A qualitative standard consists of grades, work projects completed, or other similar factors that can be measured against a “norm”

25. Qualitative Component
At the end of the second year, the student must have at least one of the following:
“C” average or its equivalent; or
Academic standing consistent with school’s graduation requirements

26. Quantitative Component - PACE
A quantitative standard gives a maximum timeframe in which a student must complete an educational program (also known now as “Pace”)
Maximum may not exceed 150% of published program length for undergraduate program
No regulatory maximum for graduate program; school must establish a graduate policy

27. Quantitative Measurements - PACE
Academic years
Terms
Credit hours attempted
Clock hours completed translated into calendar time
Comparable measures

28. The SAP Policy – What to Include
Be compatible with the school’s goals, mission, and philosophy
Reflect the characteristics of the school’s student body and academic programs
Be a shared responsibility of all relevant school offices
Be consistent with standards of the school’s accrediting agency

29. Meet Peter
Peter has been attending his college for seven years consecutively and has completed all the necessary requirements to graduate. However, he has not filed for graduation because he’s not ready to pay back his student loans.
Can you continue to award Peter financial aid next year if he postpones his graduation again?

30. SAP Policy Must Haves…
Ensure that students who receive Title IV funds are progressing toward their educational goals
Be written clearly
Be distributed to all currently-enrolled students affected by the policy and be available to prospective students

31. SAP Policy Must Haves…
Determine students’ SAP at the end of specific increments, but not less frequently than one of the following:
For programs of one year or less, it must be at the end of each payment period
For all other programs, at least annually and corresponding with the end of the payment period

32. SAP Policy Must Haves… Have procedures for students
If allowed, to appeal unfavorable SAP determinations,
They must include what has changed in their situation that will enable them to make SAP
To re-establish that they are again maintaining SAP

33. SAP Policy Must Haves…
Include a grade component and the pace of completion standard
Be the same as or stricter than the school’s standards for students not receiving financial aid
Be implemented with procedures that support compliance with all aspects of the policy

34. SAP Policy Must Haves… Applied consistently within categories like:
Cumulative
Including all periods of a student’s enrollment
Including periods of enrollment when student did not receive Title IV funds
Including transfer credits from another school
Full-time
Part-time
Undergraduate
Graduate

35. An Introduction to Common Eligibility Issues

36. CPS Database Matches

37. Common Eligibility Issues
Social Security Administration
Invalid Social Security Numbers
Social Security Number associated with a deceased individual
Social Security Number mismatch with student or parent
Homeland Security
Unable to verify eligible non-citizenship status
Causes SAR C flag and unable to process FSA aid until resolved

38. Common Eligibility Issues
Selective Service
Veteran’s Affairs
Unable to verify the selective service registration of a male student between the age of 18 to 25
Failure to register due based on various situations
Student indicated that he or she was a veteran but it cannot be verified within the system
Student has confused the VA definition with ED’s definition of a veteran

39. Common Eligibility Issues
NSLDS
Department of Justice
Student has issues based on one of the following:
Default
Loan maximums
Overpayments
Discharged loans
Bankruptcy
Pell LEU exceeded
A student has been convicted of drug trafficking or possession
Student application is rejected and unable to receive aid until resolved
Student must contact DOJ at (202) to resolve the issue

40. Meet Todd
Todd attends your institution and experienced issues last year with his eligibility. The Central Processing System indicated again that he is not registered for Selective Service although he provided documentation to you last year.
What can you do to assist Todd to resolve this issue for the current award year?

41. Conclusion

42. Sometimes student eligibility determination doesn’t come from the Department of Education; a financial aid administrator must be equipped to adequately determine if post-secondary education is possible for a student

43. Wrap-Up
When considering SAP, connect academics and financial aid and monitor frequently as an opportunity for intervention
C-codes and conflicting information are inevitable; however, equipped with the correct knowledge they are easy to resolve
Review your policies and procedures to ensure you are in compliance

44. Resources 2016-17 FSA Handbook, Student Eligibility, Volume 1
ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/1617FSAHbkVol1.html
34 Code of Federal Regulations
Section 668, Subpart C
The Federal Register
October 29, 2010

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