General Terms and Conditions
General Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible to receive federal or state financial aid, you must meet the following conditions. If you fail to meet one of these conditions at any time during the period covered by this offer, your financial aid may be revised or canceled:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen;
- Not be in default on a prior education loan or owe a repayment on a prior education grant;
- Have earned a HS diploma, G.E.D. or have been determined to have "Ability to Benefit" by earning a passing score on an U.S. Department of Education approved test;
- Be admitted to and maintain enrollment in an eligible program as a regular degree or certificate-seeking student;
- If male, be registered with the Selective Service Administration,
- Not have been convicted of a drug offense resulting in termination of eligibility for federal benefits,
- Meet the academic progress standards for maintaining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid,
- Not be incarcerated in a federal or state penal institution, and
- (For Minnesota State aid programs only) Meet the Minnesota residency requirements and be within maximum credit hour limit for each type of financial aid.
Acceptance of Awards:
- Grant awards are considered accepted if you are still registered for a sufficient number of credits to receive an award amount following the end of the Add/Drop period for a semester covered by this offer of financial assistance.
- Loan awards must be accepted by completing the loan application process required by the Office of Student Financial Aid and your lender.
- Student Employment awards must be accepted by obtaining a student employment position which has been pre-approved for Federal or State funding, and completion of all required documents for employment and payment of wages, including providing proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
Application for Financial Aid: You must apply for financial aid each academic year (Fall Semester through Summer Semester.) We recommend that you complete the FAFSA no later than 45 days before the start of your first term for the academic year. The Office of Student Financial Aid publishes annual recommended application filing dates on the Financial Aid web site.
Additional Financial Aid: You are required to notify the Office of Student Financial Aid in writing if you are awarded or receive any additional grants, scholarships, loans or other financial assistance not shown on your offer of financial aid for the academic year.
Conditional Reinstatement: Students who fail to meet the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and have their financial aid eligibility suspended may appeal by requesting consideration for reinstatement based on unusual or extenuating circumstances. If granted conditional reinstatement, the student must meet the stricter academic progress standards stated in the conditional reinstatement letter in order to continue eligibility for financial aid. See the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for more information.
Course Degree Applicability: It is presumed that the courses for which you register will apply to your general education/liberal studies (GELS) requirements or to your requirements for a major. The Office of Student Financial Aid reserves the right to adjust your enrollment status for the purpose of determining award eligibility if a course is found not to meet any degree requirements. Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate-level courses and Undergraduate students enrolled in graduate-level courses must provide documentation from their academic advisors which states that the course is required for completion of the student's degree before that course may be counted in the student's enrollment status.
Fees on Federal Stafford Loans: Lenders and guarantors may charge origination and default fees of up to 3% of the principal amount of your Federal Stafford loan. These fees are deducted from your loan disbursements. Your lender will notify you of these fees in the Loan Disclosure statement. Your Offer of Financial Assistance shows the amount of your original principal balance.
Fraudulent Activities: If you are suspected of fraudulent activities in connection with your application for financial aid, your education records may be provided without your prior consent to the U.S. Department of Education, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, the Minnesota State College and Universities Internal Auditor, and other federal and/or state agencies as required for investigation and possible prosecution.
Liability for Over-Awards: Metropolitan State University will use its best efforts to ensure that student records and systems upon which the Office of Student Financial Aid relies are free of errors. However, if financial aid funds are disbursed to you that are later determined to have been based on erroneous information or system errors, you may be liable to repay to the University the amount of financial aid you received in excess of your correct eligibility. Furthermore, if the University takes actions against you that result in an administrative withdrawal or drop from some or all of your courses, you may be liable to repay any funds the University is required to return on your behalf.
Loan Pro-ration Requirement (undergraduate students only): If you will complete your degree program by attending only one semester of the academic year, we are required to "pro-rate" your student loan amount. Your loan must be pro-rated according to a required formula. If your loan offer is subject to the pro-ration requirement, then the "ceiling" on your loan eligibility is the product of the annual maximum limit multiplied by the number of credit hours you have remaining, and divided by the number of credits in an academic year (24.) For example, if the annual loan limit is $12,500, and you have 8 credits remaining to graduate, the most you may receive from the Federal Stafford loan program for your final semester of study is ($12,500 x 8)/24 or $4,167. Pro-ration calculations are done at the time we certify your loan, based on information you provide through the loan request process.
Maximum Financial Aid Eligibility: Your total Cost of Attendance reflects the maximum amount of financial aid you may receive for the period covered by your offer of financial aid.
Right to Revise Awards: Metropolitan State University reserves the right to revise the amount and type of financial aid offered to you due to:
- Changes in laws, regulations or policies;
- Changes in your eligibility status;
- Disciplinary actions as determined by the University's Student Conduct Officer;
- Errors that result in your being offered or receiving program funds to which you were not entitled;
- Inability to confirm your participation in academic activities related to your course(s);
- Requirements of Federal, State or Institutional auditors;
- Withdrawal or cessation of attendance in courses after the term has begun.
Satisfactory Academic Progress: In order to continue to receive financial aid, you must make Satisfactory Academic Progress according to the Office of Student Financial Aid policy. If your cumulative prior academic performance does not meet the standards set forth in the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, you may not receive additional financial aid unless you have been granted "Conditional Reinstatement" by the Office of Student Financial Aid. In order to qualify for full reinstatement of financial aid eligibility, your prior cumulative academic performance must meet the required standards. For more information, please see the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
Student Employment Awards: An award of Federal or State Work Study provides you with an opportunity to work in a position eligible for need-based student employment. These award amounts are estimates of what you could earn based on your financial need, expected hours of work and hourly pay rate. Student Employment funds are earned over the course of the academic year and are paid to you according to the University's payroll schedule. You are not guaranteed to earn this award amount, and this award amount may be reduced or canceled if you cease employment.
Summer Term Financial Aid: Summer financial aid consists of unused financial aid eligibility from the prior Fall and Spring terms. If you are offered and accept the annual maximum limit of the amount of grants and loans for the academic year, your financial aid eligibility for the Summer term will be limited to credit-based private educational loans.
For Financial Aid questions, please contact the Gateway Student Services Center at 651-793-1414 or email through Ask Us.