Terms and Conditions

Understand When Receiving Federal Financial Assistance

To be eligible for financial assistance, a student must meet minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards each semester – fall, spring, and summer. Satisfactory Academic Progress is defined as passing a required number of hours and achieving a required overall cumulative grade point average during each semester while pursuing a degree program. Review the complete Satisfactory Academic Progress policy on the McNeese website to ensure compliance.

ELIGIBLE COURSES FOR FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

• Ineligible courses – Federal financial assistance can only be provided to students for courses that count toward their degree or certificate program. If a student is enrolled in courses that do not count toward any degree, they cannot be used to determine enrollment status. Enrollment status is what is used to determine the amount of financial assistance that can be awarded to a student. See a complete list of ineligible courses at https://catalog.mcneese.edu/content.php?catoid=47&navoid=4163.
• Repeated courses – Federal financial assistance may be paid for repeated coursework previously taken in the program but may not include more than one repetition of a previously passed course. This means courses for which you have passed with a grade of D or better can only be repeated once in your enrollment status to count for Federal Financial Aid eligibility determination.

MINI SESSION COURSES

Federal financial assistance (grants and loans) is paid on attending hours. Students enrolled in mini sessions may not be eligible for their full disbursement until subsequent mini-sessions begin. Any courses(s) enrolled after initial enrollment is determined will not be considered for Federal Pell Grant funding. Initial enrollment is determined on the last day of late registration for the regular term within each semester.

ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for federal financial assistance, you must be 1) in an eligible degree program and 2) enrolled in eligible courses (defined above):

• Loans – Students must be enrolled in at least 6 hours of eligible courses in an eligible degree program to qualify for Direct Stafford loans. See more specific details about degree programs under Direct Stafford Loan Information below.
• Grants – Students eligible for grants do not have to initially enroll full time to receive grants as is with many scholarships. Grants are prorated based upon EFC and eligible undergraduate hours enrolled.

While some degree programs consider students at full time status when enrolled less than 12 hours (ex. Student teaching, nursing clinicals, engineering co-ops), federal financial assistance is always based on actual hours enrolled and attending.

In instances where undergraduate students receive special privilege to enroll in graduate level courses, the graduate level courses will be excluded from the student’s enrollment status for federal financial aid purposes.

FINANCIAL AID/SCHOLARSHIP AUTHORIZATION

Once awarded, to use financial aid and scholarships to pay fees, students must electronically sign the Financial Aid/Scholarship Authorization each semester through Banner Self Service before the fee payment deadline or your classes may be dropped.

DIRECT STAFFORD LOAN INFORMATION:

• All first-time borrowers with less than 30 hours earned AND/OR all first-time borrowers at McNeese (regardless of hours earned) must complete Entrance Counseling at https://studentaid.gov/ before loans will be originated.
• All student loan borrowers must complete and submit a Master Promissory Note (MPN) electronically at https://studentaid.gov/ every 10 years unless inactivated by student.
• All Direct Stafford Loans must be disbursed in two separate disbursements regardless of length of loan period. For example: Students attending both Fall and Spring semesters receive two disbursements; one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Students attending only one semester in an academic year (ex. Fall Only, Spring Only, or Summer Only) receive two disbursements; one in the beginning of the semester after enrollment is final and one at the midpoint.
• Students graduating in the Fall semester will have their loan awards prorated based on hours of final enrollment. You will not be able to ‘accept’ your awards until our office has reviewed and prorated your loan awards.
• Students enrolled in eligible certificate programs will be awarded based upon undergraduate annual and aggregate loan limits. Not all certificate programs are eligible for federal financial assistance.
• In order for graduate students to be eligible for graduate level loan funds, they must be enrolled in an eligible Master’s degree program and enrolled in at least 6 hours of eligible graduate level courses.
  • Graduate students enrolled in an eligible Master’s degree program taking undergraduate courses that are prerequisites for the Master’s degree (confirmed by academic department) may be awarded based on undergraduate annual and aggregate loan limits if other qualifications are met.
  • Graduate students enrolled in an eligible Master’s degree program taking undergraduate courses that are NOT certified prerequisites for the Master’s degree will not be eligible to receive a federal Direct Loan award.
• Transfer students classification for federal financial aid is based on the amount of earned credits that are listed in Banner. If your transfer credits have not been reviewed and accepted your loan will be processed based on the amount of earned hours in Banner.

DISBURSEMENT/REFUND INFORMATION:

• Mini Session Courses – Federal financial assistance (grants and loans) is paid on attending hours. Students enrolled in mini sessions may not be eligible for their full disbursement until subsequent mini-sessions begin. Any course(s) enrolled after initial enrollment is determined will not be considered for Federal Pell Grant funding. Initial enrollment is determined on the last day of late registration for the regular term within each semester.
• First-Time Borrowers – If this is your first time to borrow a student loan, your first disbursement will take place 30 calendar days after the start of the regular semester. The 30-day delay will only take place in the first semester, the first time you borrow a loan.
• Federal Direct Stafford Loans are Always in 2 Disbursements: All Direct Stafford Loans must be disbursed in two separate disbursements regardless of length of loan period. For example: Students attending both Fall and Spring semesters receive two disbursements; one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Students attending only one semester in an academic year (ex. Fall Only, Spring Only, or Summer Only) receive two disbursements; one in the beginning of the semester after enrollment is final and one at the midpoint.
• Payment of Fees: Once awarded, to use financial aid and scholarships to pay fees, students must electronically sign the Financial Aid/Scholarship Authorization each semester through Banner Self Service before the fee payment deadline or your classes may be dropped.
• Refunds:
  • All refunds are administered electronically by BankMobile.
  • New students will be mailed a personal code at your mailing address (in Banner) that you will use to set up your Bank Mobile account and select your refund preference. There is also a link at the top of your online bill (BANK MOBILE REFUND SETUP).  Continuing students who have already activated their McNeese Choice Card through Bank Mobile in a previous semester do not have to do anything for subsequent refunds unless you wish to change your refund method. To change anything log on to your account at www.mcneesechoicecard.vibeaccount.com.
  • Once disbursements occur to your student account in Banner, the Business Office then takes over and handles your refund. Once the business office has processed your refund, you will see “Refund Credit Balance” and an amount on Banner Self Service under “View My Bill”. From that date, the funds are sent to Bank Mobile One on the next business day. Bank Mobile will then distribute the refund to you in the manner and timeframe as defined by the refund method you selected at www.mcneesechoicecard.vibeaccount.com.
  • Your 2 options for refund:
    • Direct deposit into your current checking or savings account- funds available 2-3 business days AFTER McNeese sends them to Bank Mobile.
    • McNeese Choice Card that may be used like a debit card- funds available the same day McNeese sends them to Bank Mobile.

Information regarding fees and timeframe for funds are online at www.mcneese.edu/refund. Make sure you read all of the information and choose the method that is best for you.

WITHDRAWAL AND NON-ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

If you withdraw from the university OR stop attending (even if you do not withdraw), your financial assistance could be reduced according to the number of days attended OR the number of credit hours attended. Please contact Student Central before withdrawing from any courses.

TRANSFER STUDENTS:

• Transfer students must report all post-secondary education schools previously attended. Any transfer student who does not disclose this information is subject to adjustment or cancellation of their financial assistance.
• Transfer students must have a 2.0 GPA for the last period of enrollment and meet the hour requirements in the McNeese Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Incoming transfer students are not eligible for a financial aid warning term. All previous hours pursued are considered in establishing total remaining eligibility.
• Your classification for federal loans is based on the amount of earned credits that are listed in Banner. If your transfer credits have not been reviewed and accepted your loan will be processed based on the amount of earned hours in Banner.
• If you enrolled at another school in the previous summer and/or fall semester(s), you must notify that school(s) to cancel any aid awarded.

INCARCERATED STUDENTS:

• Incarcerated students are not eligible for federal financial aid.
• An incarcerated student is a student that is serving a criminal sentence in a federal, state or local penitentiary, prison, jail, reformatory, work farm or similar correctional institution. A student is not considered to be incarcerated if they are in a halfway house or home detention or is sentenced to serve only weekends.

All incarcerated students must self-certify to the McNeese Office of Financial Aid if they are no longer incarcerated to become eligible.

PENALTIES FOR DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS:

 It is the student’s responsibility to certify to the Office of Financial Aid the date of conviction and that a drug rehabilitation has been completed. For more details about violation penalties, see https://www.mcneese.edu/policy/alcohol-and-other-drug-policy/.

STUDENT AID REPORT:

• The Student Aid Report (SAR) contains the information you reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you file the FAFSA electronically, you will receive your Student Aid Report electronically.
• When you get your SAR, review it carefully to make sure it’s correct and complete. We will use your information to determine your eligibility for federal and state grant financial assistance. We might ask you to verify the accuracy of the data you provide on the FAFSA, so you need to be sure the information is accurate.
• Correct any errors you find by visiting https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and selecting “Correct info”.
• If you don’t have any changes to make to the information listed on your SAR, just keep it for your records.

VERIFICATIONS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTS:

About 30% of FAFSA applications are selected for a verification process each year by the U.S. Department of Education as a result of processing the FAFSA applications. Based on the results of your FAFSA, we might need to collect additional information and/or documents from you to finalize your aid for the year. We will not be able to complete your application and award your federal aid along with your state grants, if eligible, until all documents have been submitted, your file is review and determined to be complete through the verification process. In addition, many types of aid cannot be credited to your student account until all application requirements are satisfied. Respond to any request for information within 15 days. All required documents can be viewed in your Banner Self-Service account and you can find the forms here.

CONSUMER INFORMATION DISCLOSURES

You are encouraged to make informed decisions while being a student here at McNeese, please visit Title IV Program Responsibility Policy to learn more about the university.

If you have questions, please contact Student Central by phone 337-475-5065 or e-mail studentcentral@mcneese.edu Monday through Thursday 7:30am – 5:00pm and Friday 7:30am – 11:30am. You can also visit Chozen Hall (corner of Ryan Street and McNeese Street) to speak with a Student Central Specialist Monday through Thursday 8:30am – 5:00pm and Friday 7:30am – 11:30am.