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General Eligibility Criteria for Federal Student Aid

A student must:

  • Demonstrate financial need for need-based federal student aid programs;

  • Be a student enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible degree or certificate program at an eligible institution;

  • Have a high school diploma or state-recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, pass an approved ability to benefit test (ATB), enroll in a school that participates in an approved state process, or complete their state’s requirements applicable to home schooling;

  • Be a U.S. citizen or national, or an eligible non-citizen;

  • Have a valid, correct Social Security Number (SSN)—with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau;

  • Maintain satisfactory progress towards completing a degree or certificate;

  • Register for at least six credits to be eligible for Direct Loan program funds;

  • Not be simultaneously enrolled in elementary or secondary school;

  • Not have borrowed in excess of the annual or aggregate loan limits;

  • Provide consent and approval to have your federal tax information transferred directly into your FAFSA form;

  • Sign the certification statement on the FAFSA form stating that you’re not in default on a federal student loan, you do not owe money on a federal student grant, and you’ll only use federal student aid for educational purposes; and

  • Show you’re qualified to obtain a college education.

In addition, a student’s eligibility for federal funds may be affected by such factors as:

  • Prior degrees earned

  • Enrollment status

  • Remedial course work

  • Correspondence study

  • Study by telecommunications

Student aid is awarded on the basis of need. Need is the difference between the student's estimated cost of attendance (including but not limited to tuition, fees, books, transportation, housing) and the amount the student and/or his family can afford to pay. For federal student aid programs, the Student Aid Index (SAI) is a federally approved formula-based index that helps schools determine how much financial support you may need.

 A student’s SAI is calculated using the information they provided on the FAFSA form. Most of the tax information used to calculate the SAI is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA form if you provide your consent and approval. When a SAI falls within the range (-1500 to 999999) schools determine what level of financial support a student may need. For example, a lower SAI means the higher the financial need and the higher likelihood of qualifying for need-based aid like a Pell Grant. 

Financial aid applications are subject to a federal confirmation process called, Verification.

Verification is the process your school uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. If you are selected for verification, your school will request additional documentation that supports the information you reported. 

Being selected for verification does not necessarily mean that you did something wrong. All you need to do is provide the additional documentation your school requests; be sure to do so by the school’s deadline, to ensure that you are considered for financial aid. 

Failure to comply with the verification process will render the applicant ineligible for federal student aid.