Academic Catalog 2018

OUTSIDE SCHOLARSHIPS & LOANS The Financial Aid Office seeks to maintain a listing of known local area scholarships which are available to students. Students can find the latest scholarship listing at www. bluefield.edu/grant-and-scholarship. The College has no authority or input into the selection of award recipients, but seeks to make information about these resources available to students and their families. In addition, the Financial Aid Office can help direct you to alternative education loan programs through a number of private and commercial lenders. Interest rates and repayment agreements vary. The College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is located in the Academic Programs section of this Catalog. Students must maintain satisfactory progress to continue receiving financial aid. VERIFICATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Verification is a quality-control method used by the U.S. Department of Education to check the accuracy of information submitted on the FAFSA. All schools that disburse federal Title IV funds are required to participate in the verification process. It is the policy of Bluefield College to verify all students selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, in addition to any students selected for verification by Bluefield College. Procedures published in the current Department of Education Verification Guide are used to review, evaluate, and correct errors. Verification Steps 1. The Financial Aid Office will send you a request outlining all forms and information that must be submitted to satisfy verification requirements. 2. If selected for verification, you will have until census date (last day to add or drop a course) to submit all required items to the Financial Aid Office. 3. If you do not submit the required items within the time frame, your application will be closed for the remainder of the academic year. You may reactivate your file by submitting the required documents along with a change in aid form no later than the end of the semester for which you are applying for aid. If extenuating circumstances exist, you may schedule an appointment with a counselor to discuss your situation. 4. A revised award letter will be sent to the financial aid applicant if any awards change because of verification. The General Provisions of 34 CFR 668.14(f) of the Federal Register requires that Bluefield College ensure the consistency of the information related to a student’s applica- tion for federal student aid, regardless of the source of that information. All information received must be reconciled with one exception; if the applicant dies during the award year, the College is not required to pursue the resolution of conflicting data. If the Financial Aid Office has any conflicting information on an applicant, or believes an applicant’s application information is in error, it must resolve the discrepancies prior to disbursing any federal student aid. The requirement to resolve conflicting data is separate and distinct from the verification requirements and procedures, and supersedes any verifi- cation policies. Further, if a discrepancy is discovered after federal aid has been disbursed, it must be reconciled and the student will be required to repay any amount of aid received in excess of his or her eligibility. Important! If the Financial Aid Office suspects that a student, or other individual, has

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