Student Financial Aid

General Eligibility for Financial Aid

Federal Student Aid (FSA), also known as Title IV funding, is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Federal aid helps students to pay for higher education expenses. Federal student aid covers such expenses as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid can also help pay for a computer and for dependent care. Please note: Students may not exceed loan limits regulated by the U.S. Department of Education.

To be eligible for and receive federal assistance a student must:

  1. Fill out and complete the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) More in depth information regarding the FAFSA application process can be found in the FAFSA Application tab.
  2. Be accepted for enrollment and be in good standing, making satisfactory progress
  3. Not be in default on any loan from a student loan fund or on a loan guaranteed or insured under the Federal Student Loan Program
  4. Not owe a refund on a federal grant previously received
  5. Meet other eligibility requirements, such as those related to selective service registration, citizenship, prior drug convictions, and aggregate aid limits

Students must be enrolled in at least half-time status. If a student drops below half-time (less than 6 hours as an undergraduate and 5 hours as a graduate) enrollment, they may be ineligible for aid, including loans. Additionally, depending on the time during the semester if a course(s) is dropped, a student’s aid may be adjusted. 

Whether or not to drop a course is an academic issue; however, it is a student’s responsibility to understand the financial implications of this decision.

To continue receiving financial aid, students must demonstrate that they are making satisfactory academic progress. Each school of the Health Sciences Center has established and administers policies on the satisfactory academic progress of its students. These policies include a delineation of the minimum grades, which must be achieved to meet the criteria for satisfactory academic progress, a full description of the application of these policies in regard to the various categories of students, a specific definition of the effects of course incompletes, withdrawals, and repetitions on satisfactory academic progress, and an explanation of the appeals process for those students who have been determined as not making satisfactory progress. For a full description of each school's policies consult the appropriate section of the LSUHSC-Catalog/Bulletin.

The Health Sciences Center requires that all work towards a bachelors, graduate, or professional degree be completed in not more than eight calendar years and that all work toward a certificate or an associate degree be completed in not more than five calendar years. Any requests for extension of this policy are subject to approval by the appropriate committee within each school and the dean of that school.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Disclosure

All accepted federal student loans (Direct Unsubsidized, Direct Subsidized, Direct Grad PLUS, Direct Parent PLUS, Direct FEEL) will be submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and will be accessible by guaranty agencies, lenders, and schools determined to be authorized users of the data system.

Students and parents can view all loan information that is reported to NSLDS by logging into their studentaid.gov account and viewing their dashboard.

Verification Policy

Verification is a process through which the Student Financial Aid Office collects and reviews forms and documentation related to information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and makes adjustments to the FAFSA to correct any errors determined in the process.

The federal processor selects FAFSA for verification and determines the information to be verified.  In addition to federal selection, LSUHSC selects applications based on specific criteria, and individual LSUHSC financial aid administrators select applications based on their professional discretion.

Students selected for verification by the federal processor receive initial notification on their Student Aid Reports (SAR).  LSUHSC sends email notification to all selected aid applicants directing selected applicants to the appropriate Verification Worksheet online, and identifying other documentation requirements such as the IRS Tax Return Transcript.  LSUHSC activates aid applications and the verification process only for Admitted, Matriculated, and continuing students.

LSUHSC will not award federal student aid to applicants selected for verification until the verification process is complete.  Therefore, selected applicants will not receive federal aid if they do not submit all required forms and documentation.

Federal regulations prohibit origination of federal loans after the end of the enrollment period, so loan applicants must complete all verification requirements at least one month before the end of the enrollment period to ensure sufficient time for the aid office staff to complete the verification process, loan award and loan origination.  The applicant must meet other loan-related requirements before origination of a federal loan.

In some instances students eligible for Federal Pell Grant funding may complete the verification process after the end of the enrollment period and still receive a retroactive grant award.  However, LSUHSC highly recommends completion of the process before the end of the enrollment period.

If the financial aid administrator modifies FAFSA data in the verification process the selected applicant will receive a revised SAR form the federal processor stipulating that changes were made by the school.  Selected applicants will receive either a “File Complete” notification when the verification process is complete and their file is placed in queue for processing, or a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) email if the award is processed shortly after completion of the verification process.

As required by federal law and regulation, LSUHSC will promptly report cases of suspected potential fraud and falsified information related to federal student aid programs to the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education.  Generally the Student Financial Aid Director will review such cases with the LSUHSC Office of Internal Audit, and may seek the advice of LSUHSC legal counsel, before filing the report with the Inspector General.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maintaining Federal Student Aid (FSA)

My enrollment status changed to below the half-time requirement since I accepted financial aid. What will happen to my aid?

  • Students who accepted any financial aid and intend on continuing with less than half-time enrollment, may have their aid reduced and/or removed from their account dependent on their enrollment status. Students are responsible for any tuition and fees remaining on their account. 
  • If a student decides to attend the semester and has less than half-time enrollment status, the student is financially responsible for any tuition and fees remaining on their account.
    • In addition, if a student had already borrowed loans in previous semesters, the loan grace period for repayment will begin (six months for Federal Direct Loans). If a student has already used their loan grace period, then they may begin repayment. For more information about repayment, students should contact their appropriate loan service and visit studentaid.gov.

Can I add courses to reach half-time enrollment? 

  • Yes, if students have completed a FAFSA and meets SAP requirements, they may add additional courses within the drop/add period to reach a minimum of half-time enrollment. As a reminder, they are responsible for any tuition and fees incurred as a result of adding additional courses.