How to Maintain Eligibilty for Financial Aid

In order to continue to receive financial aid and maintain eligibility, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Reapply annually and comply with all application deadlines
2. Demonstrate financial need
3. Not be in default on any federal student loan and not owe a refund on any state or federal educational grant
4. Enroll on at least a half time basis
5. Make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of your degree

Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require that Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science monitor your progress toward completion of your degree or program as a condition of continued financial aid eligibility. All financial aid recipients must be in compliance with Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science Financial Aid Office Policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress. If satisfactory academic progress is not being made, you will become ineligible for financial aid. The general satisfactory academic progress requirements for financial aid recipients include:

1. Maintaining a minimum grade point average of 2.0 or better
2. Completing a minimum number of units for credit each semester
3. Completing your degree objective within a maximum time allowed according to the yearly progress table

Satisfactory Academic Progress Deficiencies
The requirements for undergraduate and graduate student satisfactory academic progress are monitored at the end of each academic year. The Financial Aid Office will verify your cumulative GPA and unit totals with the Charles Drew University ’s Registrar's Office at the end of each semester. You will be required to make up any deficiencies before you will be allowed to receive any additional assistance, including funds that would be used to pay your fees.

Less Than Full-Time Enrollment
You must be enrolled in at least 12 units in order to receive your full financial aid award during each semester. Students who enroll for less than 12 units your financial aid will be adjusted The Financial Aid Office will verify your enrollment status at the end of the first week of classes. If you are enrolled in 6 to 11.5 units your financial aid will be reduced. Your assistance for the semester will be terminated if you enroll in less than 6 units. Reductions in eligibility for assistance already disbursed to you will either result in a direct billing to you or in a reduction of assistance during following semesters.

Semester Limits
It is your responsibility to ensure that degree requirements are met within the time-frame allowed. Our office will notify you when you have completed the maximum number of semesters allowed. Federal regulations limit the number of semesters that a student may qualify to receive federal student aid funds. Charles Drew University is required to count all terms of attendance, including semesters in which you did not receive financial aid. In general, undergraduate students are given an additional two semesters to complete their program. Students who require more time than that are ineligible for all federal, state, and institutional aid, but may qualify for alternative loans.

Fee Refund versus return of Title IV Aid
Any unearned aid which Charles Drew University returns to federal aid programs will be deducted from the amount of your tuition. In most cases, the amount of your refund will be less than the amount of unearned aid that Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science must return to federal programs. When this is true, the amount of federal aid reversed on your student account will result in a balance due to Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science. You are responsible for repaying this balance by the payment deadline on your billing statement.

Refunds of unearned aid will be returned to financial aid programs in the following order by Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
2. Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
3. Federal Plus Loan
4. Federal Perkins Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
7. State grants
8. Other institutional or private aid
9. The student

Any amount that Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science must return to federal loan programs will reduce the amount you are required to repay to your lender after your grace period begins and you enter repayment.

Defaults and Overpayments
Aid will be withheld from students who are in default on previous educational loans or who owe repayments on federal grants, until documentation is submitted that satisfactory repayment arrangements have been made. If Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science receives notification from the National Student Loan Data System that you are in default or owe an overpayment with an effective date prior to disbursement of your award, the Financial Aid Office is required to cancel any funds disbursed to you. The awards will be reversed on your student account, and it will be your responsibility to repay these funds immediately upon notification via your student billing statement.