Important: Aid May Change

Aid rules require us to reduce or cancel financial aid awards based on violations of eligibility criteria. For more detailed explanation of these rules, please see Award Changes & Reductions.

All of the following changes can trigger the over-award reductions outlined below:

• changing from out-of-state to in-state tuition rates;
• changes in housing status (for example, from off-campus to with parents);
• financial need reductions based on corrected errors on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
• receiving additional aid such as scholarships.

Other common causes of changes include:

• reduced enrollment level (for example, from full-time to part-time);
• withdrawal from the university;
• we must cancel spring aid for December graduates.

Over-Award Policy

If students are receiving aid from certain federal, state, institutional, or private aid programs, their total aid from all sources can not exceed their cost of attendance budget. Total aid includes all gift aid (grants, scholarships, and tuition waivers); student and parent loans; and federal work-study funds. The Cost of Attendance budgets include estimated tuition and mandatory academic fees and allowances for other expenses, such as room, board, transportation and personal expenses. 

In addition, for many need-based aid programs, students' total gift aid (grants, scholarships, and tuition waivers); federal need-based student loans; and federal work-study funds can't exceed their financial need.  

When either of these limits are exceeded, the university must correct these over-awards by reducing aid except for certain situations that are exempt from reductions.