Students benefiting from financial aid in the pursuit of education have the privilege of certain rights and assume specific responsibilities relating to their aid.
Rights: Applicants for financial aid have the right to know the following:
- The financial aid programs available at College of Saint Mary and the eligibility requirements for federal, state, and institutional awards
- Deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs
- How eligibility and financial need are determined
- How and when funds are disbursed
- Resources considered in the calculation of need
- Consequences of withdrawing from a class(es) either officially or unofficially
- The federal Return of Title IV Funds policy
- The interest rate for federal student loans, the total amount to be repaid, the length of time to repay the loan, and when the repayment begins
- How College of Saint Mary determines satisfactory academic progress and the consequences of not meeting the requirements
- Availability of federal student aid for study abroad programs
- Right to appeal
- Right to decline Financial Aid Awards
Responsibilities: Students have the responsibility to do the following:
- Complete the FAFSA each year after October 1
- Accept or Decline aid funds on NetPartner, the Financial Aid Portal
- Provide correct information (misreporting on the FAFSA and the Direct Loan and PLUS Loan Master Promissory Notes is a violation of Federal law)
- Read and understand all forms that are being signed
- Keep copies of all the forms for their own records
- Accept the responsibility for all agreements that are signed
- Perform the work that is agreed upon when accepting a work-study position
- Be aware of, and comply with, deadlines for application and reapplication for aid
- Be aware of the federal Return of Title IV Funds policy
- Be aware of Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and maintain those requirements
- New students must complete entrance counseling and a Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) if accepting a Federal Direct Loan
- Complete SFA (Semester Financial Arrangements) process online each semester
- Must officially add/drop classes through Self-Service. After the add/drop period, students must complete a withdrawal form on myCSM.