<p>So I just found out today that I'm NOT getting my Fall disbursement! Apparently, I needed to fill out an LOA form to get it, since I'm done with all of my coursework except for my student teaching, which I can't start until Jan. Since June, every "advisor" (and I use that term loosely) that I've spoken with has told me that it's in process, or I needed to send in one more form, or they're backed up, or it never got submitted, etc.... Now I find out from a new guy (my school changes your advisors like underwear!) that since I'm not enrolled and I didn't fill out LOA forms, that I get nothing.. Oops, sorry! Well, talk to you in Jan! </p>
<p>I really count on my disbursements from my university to live, especially since I'm also enrolled in my local college simultaneously! It's like they just don't care. </p>
<p>Do I have any legal recourse? Can I MAKE them fix this, based on legal (or moral) responsibility? I have to believe that there's a solution SOMEWHERE, right??..</p>
<p>I’m confused. Are you enrolled for any classes this semester? Am I misunderstanding your post? If you are not enrolled for classes this semester you won’t be eligible for any aid. </p>
<p>You have to be enrolled and attend class to receive aid. For federal loans you must be at least half time (in the semester) to receive any loans. For pell grant you must be full time to receive your full eligibility, but can receive prorated amounts for less than half time attendance. But it would be $0 if you are not enrolled at all for the semester.</p>
<p>I’m done with all of my coursework except for my student teaching, which I can’t start until Jan.</p>
<p>Can you clarify?</p>
<p>*I really count on my disbursements from my university to live, especially since I’m also enrolled in my local college simultaneously! *</p>
<p>Why would a school give you a “fall disbursement” if you’re not going to school there at this time? FA is for helping pay for school. It sounds like you’re not going to that school now. Are you taking classes at another school now? If so, why aren’t you expecting THAT school to give you money?</p>
<p>Yes, you are misunderstanding my post… I didn’t make myself clear enough…</p>
<p>I know how FA and loans work, I’ve been getting them for 4 years now. Yes, I was enrolled in an August class which ended on 9/18, but my last advisor didn’t care enough to tell me that to receive my package I’d have to fill out LOA forms to account for the 12 weeks that I didn’t have coursework. I asked this new guy WHY she didn’t tell me, which is part of their job, and he said that he honestly had no idea, and agreed that it is their job to inform students of these things. </p>
<p>My question still stands: do I have any legal recourse?? Can I make them fix this??</p>
<p>If you are NOT enrolled in a college, you CANNOT receive financial aid for that term. I’m not sure you can get it if you are on a LOA to be honest. If you are taking courses at ANOTHER college…you would need to file financial aid forms with THAT college (but to be honest, unless you are a matriculated student there, you won’t get aid from them either).</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you think the college should pay you a financial aid disbursement when you are NOT a student this term. It is not their responsibility to cover your costs when you are not enrolled in their school…and you are not.</p>
<p>When my niece was on LOA from her college, she did NOT receive her financial aid for the term she was not taking classes. I can’t imagine that the school is responsible for providing this…</p>
<p>Hopefully Kelsmom will pipe in and tell us all if we are wrong.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, yes, I’ll clarify…</p>
<p>I’m getting my secondary teaching degree with a university offering online education. It uses a different pay system than the typical semester system of a campus. My last fall class ended on 9/18, so yes, I’ve taken fall classes, but with a break until Jan. My advisor told me not to change my fafsa to my local college because it would screw up my package for my Jan classes with the university. He basically told me I’m out of luck and to go look for other grants… Really??? </p>
<p>So, I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. The attitudes and the lack of training of the advisors there are truly aggravating.</p>
<p>I guess they’re figuring that if you’re not attending their school this semester, then you can either work and earn money or if you’re attending college elsewhere, get aid there.</p>
<p>What aid are you expecting?</p>
<p>if it’s just loans and/or Pell Grant, you can still get that with your other school. Just fix/change/whatever your FAFSA.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine why a school would give it’s funds while a student is on LOA. And I can’t imagine the gov’t giving aid during that time either.</p>
<p>To get need based aid, a student MUST be a matriculated student. AND you can only be a matriculated student at one college. This student cannot get aid at school number two…I don’t believe.</p>
<p>Mama…I’m still having trouble understanding why the school should be paying you any aid for a time during which you are NOT enrolled in classes.</p>
<p>How many credits did you actually take for fall term and what type of aid were you supposed to receive from them? I’m sorta confused too…if you have fall credits, why would you need a LOA? And why can’t they just process the aid for fall if you had enough credits to qualify for it? </p>
<p>My D has waited until the very end of the spring semester to request Stafford loans from her school, as she uses them to pay for summer classes. Her school has no problem processing and disbursing them as spring loans, even though the reimbursement is sometimes made after spring semester ends.</p>
<p>yes, sk8rmom…but your student was enrolled as a full time student for the term for which she is receiving the stafford loan…it doesn’t matter to the school when you spend it.</p>
<p>Mama…I’m very confused. Are you currently a student ENROLLED in this college? Have you taked a FULL course load for the fall term already? </p>
<p>Remember too…colleges cannot disburse aid in EXCESS of the cost of attendance so it may be that your ONE course that ended in September did not cost enough for you to be eligible for more need based aid this term.</p>
<p>It wouldn’t make a difference whether she was full or part-time though, as long as she had taken whatever credits were needed to be awarded the loan (or other aid). That’s why I’m thinking that one classs in fall semester, ie. not enough credits to be awarded aid, may be her real problem. I’m not sure why she needs a LOA at all since she had credits in fall semester and will again in spring…I always thought LOAs were used when the student wasn’t registering for ANY credits in a given semester.</p>
<p>*To get need based aid, a student MUST be a matriculated student. AND you can only be a matriculated student at one college. This student cannot get aid at school number two…I don’t believe.
*</p>
<p>Thumper, if the student is taking a LOA at the primary school (which it sounds like she is) and is not taking any classes there…but instead is taking classes at another school for this semester, can’t she take out a Stafford loan for this semester thru that school (school #2)?</p>
<p>You have to be a degree seeking student at a school to be eligible for federal aid.</p>
<p>As far as federal loans, you must be enrolled at least half time (6 hours) in the semester (and be a degree seeking student) to be eligible. That is the same even for summer classes.</p>
<p>I don’t understand the whole LOA and getting aid. I would not think a student on LOA would receive any aid.</p>
<p>So, if the student is taking classes at “College #2” this semester, does that qualify for loans processed thru that school?</p>
<p>mom2…a student must be seeking a degree to be eligible for need based aid at a school.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I understand the Leave of Absence thing…when family members I know look a leave of absence, the were NOT entitled to any aid from the school. In fact, this LOA indicated that they did NOT intend to enroll for the term(s) requested in the LOA.</p>
<p>The aid officer did tell this student they would see them in January when they WILL be taking courses for credit again.</p>
<p>No…as swimcatsmom said, the student must be matriculated at the school in order to receive any federal aid. It sounds as if she’s just taking a few classes, which is not the same as being enrolled in a degree granting program.</p>
<p>So, if she’s just taking classes for fun, then no aid at school #2? right? </p>
<p>But, if she’s taking classes that somehow fit with her credential or a future masters degree or second bachelors does that count?</p>
<p>It does not count UNLESS she is a matriculated student at college number 2. NO it doesn’t count if these are courses required for entrance into a masters program. NO it doesn’t count even if these are required courses for her Bachelors…it’s not a school where SHE is seeking a degree so she can NOT receive federally funded need based aid. So far as I know…no school will give institutional aid to a student who is taking classes and is not seeking a degree at THAT school.</p>
<p>That is how need based aid works. You get it for the ONE school where you are a matriculated student.</p>
<p>Are we sure an August-Sept class counts as Fall semester at all? Could it be a late Summer session or defined as something else by the school? (Though I agree it doesn’t meet minimum hours.)</p>
<p>You have to be a degree or certificate seeking student at that institution to be eligible for federal aid. They can’t “somehow fit”. The school must consider you to be seeking a degree/certificate from them. </p>
<p>No idea if that applies to the OP. She would presumably have to transfer to school 2 and have all her transcripts from school 1 sent there, which would then (I think) un-enroll her from school 1. That might cause problems.</p>