Financial Aid Rights & Responsibilities

Apply

• Complete and submit application materials to SU and the appropriate agencies within the required or recommended time frames. This includes the Free Application for Federal Student aid or FAFSA, and any other application you may choose to submit such as Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant and the United Methodist Application.
• Resubmit the FAFSA every year in order to be considered for financial aid including work study programs.
• Provide correct information at all times. Reporting false information is a violation of the law and may be considered a criminal offense.
• Read all emails sent to you from the The Office of Financial Aid and respond promptly to all requests
• Read, understand, and keep copies of all forms you sign or submit.
• Know and comply with the rules governing the financial aid you receive. These rules include, but are not limited to:
  • You should be appropriately admitted and working toward an eligible degree and taking only the courses required for that degree
  • You should not be in default on any prior federal student loan
  • You should not owe a refund on a federal grant or to Shenandoah University
• Provide additional documentation, federal tax information, W-2’s, and any additional paperwork, if requested by The Office of Financial Aid.
• Report all private sources of student financial aid to The Office of Financial Aid by selecting the “Report/View Outside Awards” tab from the menu in Hornet Hub.
• Comply with the provisions of any promissory note and all other agreements you sign.
• Complete the registration process each semester by the add/drop deadline in order to ensure availability of all student aid funds you have been awarded.
• Know and register for the required number of credit hours to receive your financial aid (half-time enrollment for loans and full-time for most grants and scholarships).
• Use financial aid funds solely for direct educational costs and related living expenses.

Maintaining Eligibility

• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
• Know the implications of dropping/withdrawing from a course and/or dropping/withdrawing from all of your courses at SU, and how that will impact your student financial aid.
• Know that if you withdraw or fail all of your courses, your federal aid will be recalculated, and you may have to repay part or all of the federal funds received for that enrollment period.
• Repay funds you are no longer eligible for; i.e., funds which exceed your Cost of Attendance, funds awarded erroneously, or funds in which you failed to maintain eligibility for.
• Notify your loan servicer immediately should any of the following occur:
  • You change your address and/or phone number
  • You graduate
  • You withdraw from school or are enrolled less than half time
  • You change your name
  • You transfer to another university
• Keep your local, permanent, and email addresses current with Hornet Central.

• Know the correct procedures for applying for financial aid, your Cost of Attendance, and the types of financial aid available.
• Know how financial need is determined, what the criteria are for awarding financial aid, how satisfactory academic progress is determined (SAP-see link above), and what you have to do to continue receiving financial aid.
• Know the type and amount of financial aid you will receive, how much of your financial need has been met, as well as, how and when your financial aid will be disbursed.
• Know that if changes are made to your financial aid awards, you will be notified.
• Know and access SU’s Student Consumer Information page.
• View your financial aid file in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
• Know the consequences should you fail to maintain your financial aid eligibility; (i.e., failing SAP, withdrawing from a class or classes, etc.)
• Know the conditions of any loan you accept.