Federal Aid Recalculation

After you have been proven eligible for federal aid, you must maintain a certain number of credits to continue to be eligible for aid for the current semester. If your enrollment changes, your aid must be adjusted for that semester.

The information below should help explain how a student’s federal Pell grant may be adjusted due to a change in enrollment. Students who fall below 6 credits in a term forfeit eligibility for federal Direct Loans per law.

 

  1. SUNY Adirondack is required to recalculate a student’s initial federal Pell grant for any student who does not begin attendance in all of the credits which were used to determine the initial award. The revised award will be based on the number of credits a student actually attends. The full-time payment schedule will be used for students attending 12 or more credits. The three-quarter time schedule will be used for students attending 9 to 11 credits. The half-time schedule will be used for students attending 6 to 8 credits. The less than half-time schedule will be used for students attending 1 to 5 credits. In order to count towards eligibility for financial aid, credits must be requirements for your SUNY Adirondack degree or certificate.
  2. A student’s federal Pell grant is recalculated if his/her enrollment status changes during the bill adjustment period (the first three weeks of classes) including classes that are identified by professors as either "no shows" or unofficial withdrawals (students who stop attending class). Students are strongly encouraged to visit the Financial Aid Office for a review of the consequences of dropping or withdrawing from a class during this period. Students will receive federal Pell grant funds in accordance with eligible credits in which they are enrolled as of the end of the bill adjustment period, often referred to as the census date.
  3. A student’s federal financial aid (Pell, SEOG, student and parent Direct Loans) must be adjusted if he/she completely withdraws from all classes, stops attending all classes as reported by their professors or a combination of both prior to completing 60% of the semester. This student would be subject to the federal government’s Return to Title IV (federal) Funds regulations. We strongly advise students meet with a financial aid administrator prior to withdrawal to review options and financial consequences.
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