Award Conditions

Accepting and Declining Awards

Acceptance of all awards is assumed. If the student wishes to decline all or a portion of the aid offered, the student must either complete the Financial Aid Change Form or contact the Student Financial Services Office.

Changes to Awards

Revised award letters will be posted to the web only for both prospective incoming and returning students to WebAdvisor or MyKSC, respectively. The College reserves the right to adjust a student’s financial aid awards if any of the following conditions exist:

• The family provides inaccurate or under-estimated information on the FAFSA. If the Student Financial Services Office (SFSO) receives information that indicates that any of the financial data provided on the FAFSA is inaccurate, we will increase or decrease the student’s awards according to any change in the student’s need level. Depending upon the extent of the error(s), any part of the aid package may be changed. If this is a major concern for you, it is better to overestimate your income figures to avoid any reduction in aid. Family size can affect financial aid eligibility, so please read the instructions carefully. Contact our office if you have questions with specific considerations in these categories.
• Receipt of funds (awards/scholarships) not reported on the FAFSA or not expected when the original aid offer was made.
  1. Students often receive unexpected awards/scholarships from local agencies after applying for financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the SFSO of the amount and conditions of the(se) award(s) by forwarding a copy of the scholarship notification to the Student Financial Services office. Students can normally expect a revision to the original aid offer if such scholarships are received.
  2. The SFSO will usually estimate the amount of the student’s eligibility for state grant funds. This estimate is based on the most accurate information available at the time of the original offer. Should this estimate be inaccurate, the student may receive an adjustment to other financial aid. If the student receives notification of eligibility for a state fund, please forward that notification to the Student Financial Services office.
  3. It is to your advantage to notify the SFSO as soon as possible if either of these conditions exist to ensure that revisions are made promptly and prior to the billing due date.
• Special Conditions
  The US Department of Education gives the Student Financial Services Office (SFSO) latitude in considering special circumstances not reflected on the FAFSA. Special circumstances that might call for the Student Financial Services Office to use professional judgment include loss or reduction of income, changes in family dynamics not shown on tax returns, and unreimbursed medical expenses.
• If you have extraordinary costs for food, housing, books, and supplies, etc., you may request a review of your cost of attendance budget. Please make requests in writing that detail your above-average costs, with attached receipts, via email to the Student Financial Services Office.

Title IV Refund Policy

Return of Title IV Funds

Refund Policy for Students

Who Receives Federal Financial Aid

Applicability

This refund policy applies to all full-time and part-time students enrolled at Keene State College who are receiving Federal Title IV Financial Aid and withdraw from all classes.

This policy is mandated by federal regulations.

This policy deals only with the percentage of aid that is earned by a student. Charges incurred by a student who withdraws from the College are determined in accordance with the Institutional Refund Policy.

Refund Policy

The percentage of the semester that a student remains enrolled is derived by dividing the number of days that a student remains in attendance by the number of days in a semester.

Refund of Federal IV Financial Aid will be based on the date a student completely withdraws from the College as described above. During the first 60% of the semester, a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time they remained enrolled. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point earns all aid for the semester. A statement reflecting these changes will be sent to the student by electronic means.

It is very possible that a student who receives federal financial aid and withdraws from the College will owe a balance to the Keene State College Student Accounts Office and may be required to repay funds to the US Department of Education. Students considering withdrawing from Keene State College are advised to contact the Dean of Students Office. Please review the cost adjustment policy for full details.

Enrollment Requirements

It is typically assumed that students will be enrolling full-time for the entire academic year.

If you plan to enroll less than full-time, we strongly recommend that you consult the Financial Aid Office in advance to discuss financing possibilities. Most financial aid requires full-time enrollment; some forms of aid are eligible for students enrolled half-time on a prorated basis. The Pell Grant is typically the only form of aid that is available to qualifying students who are enrolled less than half-time. Note: If you drop to a less-than-half-time status and have a Federal Direct Student Loan, institutional loan, or private loan, your grace period and subsequent repayment will begin. Please notify us in writing if you plan to enroll less than full-time.

Information about enrollment status can be found with the Registrar’s Office

Default

You may not receive Title IV Federal Aid payment if you have a defaulted federal student loan. In addition, if you owe a refund of federal grant aid received from any institution, you won’t receive additional federal money until you’ve repaid the money you owe.

Renewal of Aid

Financial aid awards are based on the information contained in each year’s application materials. Since your family’s resources are subject to change during your career at KSC, we reserve the privilege of reviewing and revising awards each year you apply for aid based on your demonstrated need and the availability of funding on federal, state, and institutional levels. Awards are made for a one-year period only and are not guaranteed beyond that point.

*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website.