Your Rights

As a student you have the right to be informed of:

  • Your cost of attendance
  • Procedures and deadlines for submitting applications for financial aid
  • The different types of financial assistance available from federal, state, and institutional sources
  • Who the financial aid personnel are and the location of the Office of Financial Aid

As a borrower you have certain rights. Once a lender approves your loan, you will receive a disclosure statement providing you with the following information:

  • The full amount of the loan
  • The interest rate as specified in the promissory note
  • When you must start repaying the loan

Before you begin repayment of your loan, the holder is required to give you a repayment schedule and detailed information regarding interest rates, fees, your outstanding balance and available repayment options.

  • You have the right to defer repayment for certain defined periods after the grace period, if you qualify
  • You have the right to request forbearance, if you qualify
  • You may prepay your loan in whole or in part at any time without penalty

Your Responsibilities

One of the major aspects in financial aid is for a student to understand the responsibilities attached to receiving aid. By accepting the aid offered, a student must realize that they are expected to:

  • Know and understand the terms and conditions of all financial aid programs from which aid was awarded
  • Know all deadlines for applying for aid and meet them. Provide all required documentation, corrections, and/or information requested by the Office of Financial Aid
  • Inform the Office of Financial Aid of any grants, scholarships, or any other form of assistance that you may receive by submitting the Request to Change Form - Report Outside Assistance
  • Understand that the proceeds from the loan can only be used for tuition, fees, living expenses and other reasonable related educational living expenses, as outlined in the budget
  • Repay loans with all accrued interest and deducted fees, even if you do not complete your education, are unable to find employment, or are dissatisfied with the education you received
  • Repay loans within the time allocated by the lender
  • Notify the lender or designated agency in writing within 10 days if the following occur:
    • Change of name
    • Change of address
    • Change of phone number
    • Change of graduation date
    • Transfer to another school
    • Enroll less than half time
    • Withdraw from school
  • Complete the paperwork to have loans deferred or placed on forbearance
  • Not be in default on any loans or owe a refund on any grant

To determine the servicer of your federal loans go to https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers and follow the instructions under "Identifying Your Servicer".  Be prepared to login with your Social Security Number, Date of Birth, and your FSA ID.