Blue Ridge Community College
Financial Aid Student Rights and Responsibilities
Financial Aid Rights
You have the right to:
- Obtain the names of the College’s accrediting or licensing organizations.
- Know what financial assistance is available, including information on all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.
- Know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs available.
- Know the cost of attending the institution and the College’s refund policy.
- Know how the College determines your financial need. This process includes how cost for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc., are considered in your budget.
- Know what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, your assets, etc.) are considered in the calculation of your need.
- Know what portion of the financial aid you received must be repaid and what portion is grant aid. If the aid is a loan, you also have the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount that must be repaid, the payback procedures, the length of time you have to repay the loan, when repayment is to begin, and cancellation or deferment provisions that apply.
- Know the amount of financial aid that must be repaid, to whom those funds are paid, and the terms of repayment if you withdraw from or stop attending all classes within the semester.
- Know how the school determines if you are making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes and what happens if you are not.
- Know the procedure for applying financial aid funds to your student account and the process for distributing any refunds.
- Know the procedure for requesting reconsideration of an aid package if financial circumstances have changed.
- Know where to obtain basic consumer information the institution is required to make available.
Financial Aid Responsibilities
It is your responsibility to:
- Carefully review, understand and consider all information regarding Blue Ridge Community College’s financial aid programs, performance expectations, degree/program requirements and student responsibilities before enrolling.
- Complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the appropriate office.
- Provide correct information on the FAFSA and any other financial aid forms (misreporting information on the FAFSA or financial aid forms is a violation of the law and may be considered a criminal offense).
- Notify the school of any change in name, address, attendance status or any changes that may affect your award. If you have a loan, you must also notify the lender of these changes.
- Perform the work that is agreed upon if accepting a Federal Work-Study award.
- Attend classes in which you enroll and put forth your best effort academically. If you withdraw from or stop attending all of your classes within the semester, you may be required to repay a portion of the financial aid awarded to you and agree to comply with the repayment conditions.
- Provide all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by the Financial Aid Office.
- Read, understand and keep copies of all financial aid forms.
- Repay all loans according to the terms agreed upon at the time the loan was accepted and the promissory note signed.
- Complete an exit interview prior to graduating or ceasing attendance at Blue Ridge Community College if you have received federal student loans.
- Use financial aid funds solely for educational purposes.
- Inform the Financial Aid Office of any outside financial assistance (e.g. scholarships, etc.).
- Check your Blue Ridge Community College student email and myBlueRidge account frequently for communication from the Financial Aid Office.