Avoiding Obstacles

If a student received grant money they were not eligible for they might have an overpayment reported to the federal government.

Before the student can receive additional federal aid arrangements must be made to repay the grant funds they were not eligible to receive.

To receive federal or state aid a student must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen.

If the Social Security Administration does not confirm citizenship or the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), doesn't confirm eligible non-citizen status the student will have to provide proof of eligibility to the Financial Aid Office.

Original birth or immigration records are required to clear this hold.

NOTE:  Undocumented students or students granted Deferred Action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not eligible statuses to receive federal financial aid.

Students who have had a loan discharged due to a disability cannot take out additional student loans unless they sign a statement indicating that they understand that the new loan cannot later be discharged for any present impairment unless it deteriorates to the point that they are again totally and permanently disabled.

A physician must also certify that the student can engage in substantial gainful activity. If the discharge was recent or conditional the student may have to repay the old loan as well.

If a student has borrowed student loans in excess of aggregate limits they are not eligible to receive additional federal aid of any kind until the overage has been repaid or satisfactory payment arrangements have been made.

In some cases, information reported to the federal government is inaccurate, in which case the student needs to supply proof from the lenders that they have not exceeded the aggregate limits.

If the students name and date of birth don't match the Social Security Administration's (SSA) records corrections must be made.  Students should use their legal names on the FAFSA.

If the student has legally changed their name it must be updated with the SSA and a new social security card issued before the hold will be cleared.

Original birth records and social security cards may be required to clear this hold.  Copies are not acceptable.

If someone else's aid history is associated with a student's social security number this can be due to clerical error or fraud, and must be corrected by the agency reporting the erroneous information to the federal government.

Usually a student will need to show the original birth records and social security card to financial aid staff to clear up the discrepancy.

Students who are in default on a student loan are not eligible to receive federal aid.

Eligibility is regained if the student pays the loan off in full, if the defaulted loan is consolidated, or if the student makes satisfactory payments for six consecutive months. The student will need to provide documentation from the servicer that the default has been resolved or that federal aid eligibility has been restored.

Students who have defaulted loans listed in an active bankruptcy claim must provide documentation from the servicer stating that the debt is dischargeable or clear the default as described above if they want to receive additional federal aid.

Effective with the 2013-2014 academic year, the U.S. Department of Education has established new regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Federal Pell Grant Program by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories. Effective with the 2015-2016 academic year, the scope increased to all federal aid recipients, not just Federal Pell Grant recipients.  

Some students who have an Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) have legitimate reasons for their enrollment at multiple institutions. However, such an enrollment history requires our office to review your file in order to determine future federal financial aid eligibility. If selected by the Department of Education (via the FAFSA), this must be resolved before you will receive financial aid.

Definition of Unusual Enrollment History

The specific pattern the Department of Education uses to select students includes those who have received federal aid at multiple institutions during the past 4 academic years. Once the Department of Education indicates that a student has an unusual enrollment history, the Financial Aid office must then take action and review the academic history before determining federal financial aid eligibility for that student.

What Will Be Required of You

If selected, our office will notify you of what is required. We will check your financial aid history at the previous institutions that you attended during the previous four academic years. You must have received academic credit at any institution you received federal aid while attending in those relevant academic years. We will notify you which institutions you need to request official transcripts from for our office to review. Once all transcripts have been received, our office will verify the academic credit was received at each institution during the relevant year. If so, we will notify you that you have satisfied this requirement. If you failed to receive academic credit at any institution you received a Federal Pell grant during the relevant award years, your federal financial aid will be denied and you will be notified.

Appeal Process
If you were denied because it was determined that you did not earn academic credit, you may appeal by submitting an Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) Appeal Form and UEH Academic Plan. This appeal will be reviewed by our office and we will notify you of the decision. These decisions are final and are not appealable to the Department of Education.

Regaining federal student aid eligibility
Students whose aid eligibility is denied as a result of their UEH can be reconsidered for federal student aid after enrolling for two consecutive semesters, meeting the terms of an Academic Plan for both semesters, not dropping or withdrawing from (officially or unofficially) any courses after the term begins, and meeting the University's standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Review the complete SAP policy.

The definition of veteran on the FAFSA is different than that used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Students who are not considered veterans by the VA are often considered veterans when applying for federal aid.

Students who think they meet the federal aid definition of a veteran but do not clear this match must submit a copy of the DD-214, Member 4 or a letter from their unit indicating that they will be discharged before the end of the academic year.

You must re-apply for Federal Aid each academic year

• Generally, the FAFSA is available each year on October 1st. The 2025-2026 FAFSA was released November 2024

• Parent and/or student signatures are missing:  All students, and parents of dependent students must sign the FAFSA using their FSA ID. Parents who are not US Citizens can still register for an FSA ID.
• The Social Security Administration (SSA) did not confirm the Social Security Number (SSN) reported for the student and/or parent:  
  • Review the FAFSA and correct the social security numbers as needed. If the SSNs are correct, you must call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or visit www.socialsecurity.gov
• The name or date of birth you (or a parent) reported on your FAFSA does not match the name in the Social Security Administration's (SSA) records for your Social Security Number (SSN).
  • If the SSN provided on the FAFSA is incorrect, you must correct it.
  • If your name and date of birth are correct, you must confirm it by reentering both your first and last names, and your date of birth, on the FAFSA.
• The Social Security Administration (SSA) did not confirm that the Social Security Number (SSN) you (or a parent) reported on your FAFSA is correct, and also could not confirm your U.S. citizenship.
  • If you believe that the SSN you reported is correct, contact the SSA by calling 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.
  • If the SSN is incorrect, submit a new FAFSA online with the correct SSN.
• You did not indicate on your FAFSA that you are a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • To receive federal student aid, a student must be - (1) A U.S. citizen (or U.S. National), or (2) An eligible non-citizen, such as a U.S. permanent resident or a resident of certain Pacific Islands, or as determined by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Undocumented students or students granted Deferred Action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not eligible statuses to receive federal financial aid.  
• You reported that you (or your parent) will not file an income tax return, but the amount you reported for your parents' income appears to be over the minimum amount required to file a tax return.
  • Make corrections to your FAFSA and/or file a tax return if required.

Dependent students are required to report their biological and/or adoptive parent's information on the FAFSA. If the student's custodial parent is remarried, the step-parent must also be included on the FAFSA.

• Who is the Parent Contributor on my FAFSA?