Rights and Responsibilities

Rights and Responsibilities of Students Receiving Financial Assistance

If you receive financial aid, it's important for you to know your rights and responsibilities as a student for maintaining your funding.

1. Criteria for continued student eligibility of financial assistance:

• A student must maintain ½ time enrollment status each semester
  
  • Undergraduate student ½ enrollment is 6 credit hours
  • For graduate students ½ enrollment is 3 credit hours

2. Standards which the student must maintain in order to be considered to be making satisfactory progress in his or her course of study for the purpose of receiving financial aid assistance:

• A Student must maintain good academic standing in their course of study to continue financial aid eligibility
• The minimum grade point averages permitted for students to be considered in good standing for each classification are as follows:

• A student may not continue to receive financial assistance when the student has attempted more than 150 percent of the required number of credit hours to complete the degree. For example, if the undergraduate degree requires 130 credits hours for completion, the student may receive financial assistance for up to 195 credit hours (150 percent of the credit hours required)
• Financial Aid Warning: Students who are not in good standing are placed on financial aid warning status for the ensuing term of the student’s enrollment. Students are allowed to retain their financial aid during the warning semester. A student receives only one warning semester
• Financial Aid Suspension: Occurs following the semester of warning or any subsequent semester after the warning semester if the student fails to achieve the required academic average for the grade level progression. A student does not receive financial assistance during periods of suspension

3. Criteria by which the student who has failed to maintain satisfactory progress may reestablish his or her eligibility for financial assistance:

• A student may regain their financial assistance eligibility then he or she achieves the minimum academic average for the grade level progression
• If extenuating circumstances have affected a student’s progress, a student may appeal the decision to suspend or terminate financial aid. Request for appeals must be made in writing to the Director of Financial Aid

4. The method by which financial assistance disbursements will be made to the students and the frequency of those disbursements:

• Pell Grant disbursements are made in two payments at the beginning of each semester (fall and spring)
• Direct Loan disbursements are made in either two or three payments at the beginning of each semester (fall, spring and summer)
• Students are encouraged to sign up for student direct deposit. Parents are also encourage to sign up for parent direct deposit for fastest deposit of stipends. Students and parents not signed up for direct deposit will receive a stipend check via U.S. postal mail. Checks are mailed out each Wednesday

5. The general conditions and terms applicable to any employment provided to a student as part of the student’s financial assistance package. A student that is employed at the Medical Center or other employer within the federal work study program, is subject to all the rights and responsibilities of their employer.

6. Borrowers under the Direct Student Loan Program are required to complete the Entrance Counseling session before they receive their first loan disbursement and also the Exit Counseling session upon graduating from their program or when they drop below ½ time enrollment. Students can complete this Counseling requirement at www.studentaid.gov

7. Students applying for financial aid have the opportunity to pursue adjustments based on their financial and familial circumstances by way of a professional judgment. Requests for professional judgment should be emailed to FA@bryanhealthcollege.edu and will be reviewed and considered individually. There are two categories under a professional judgment – special circumstances and unusual circumstances. Special circumstances include financial situations that may result in an adjustment to a student’s Cost of Attendance or Expected Family Contribution. Unusual circumstances would result in an adjustment to the student’s dependency status based on unique situations.

All requests for a determination of independence must be reviewed as quickly as possible, yet no later than 60 days after a student has enrolled. Any documentation deemed as acceptable must be received within 90 days of the date it was issued. Once all requested documentation is received by Financial Aid, a decision will be made within 30 days.