Rights and Responsibilities of Financial Aid Recipients

When you accept your financial aid award, you have indicated that you have read, understood, and will comply with all of the rights and responsibilities contained therein. These include:

Your Rights

1. You may appeal Hawkeye’s award of financial assistance if you feel that it is unfair or unreasonable. Appeals should be directed to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Appeal Committee will review your appeal.

2. If you are placed on financial aid suspension for not meeting the requirements of academic progress, you have the right to complete a Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal to try to get your financial aid reinstated.

3. Information given to Hawkeye’s Financial Aid Office is treated confidentially.

4. You may appeal a financial aid policy or procedure. The appeal may be initiated through the Director of Financial Aid.

5. You may have your financial need reviewed if your circumstances change during the academic year. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you feel that your calculated financial need should be reviewed.

6. You have the right to contact the Federal Student Loan Ombudsman if the Financial Aid Office did not address and/or resolve any dispute you brought forth in regard to the terms of your Federal Student Loans (or Federal Parent PLUS loan).

7. To know what the procedures and deadlines are for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.

8. To know the terms and conditions of loan deferments for service in the Peace Corps and Volunteer Service.

You have the right to ask Hawkeye Community College the following questions:

1. The names of the accrediting and licensing organizations.

2. About its programs, its instructional, laboratory, and other physical facilities; and its faculty.

3. What the cost of attendance is, including tuition, books and supplies, and other miscellaneous expenses.

4. How aid recipients are selected and how a student’s need is determined.

5. How much of a student’s financial need, as determined by the college, is being met.

6. To explain each type of assistance in the student’s financial aid offer.

7. What the interest rate is on any student loan the student has, the total principal amount the student must repay, when repayment starts, and what cancellation and deferment provisions apply.

8. The average indebtedness of a student who graduates from the college and the percentage of students who default on their federal student loans.

9. If a work-study award is part of the financial aid package, what kind of jobs are available, how many hours may be worked, what the duties include, the pay rate, as well as how and when a student is paid.

10. How the college determines when a student is not making satisfactory academic progress and its implications.

11. What special facilities and services are available to students needing specific accessibility services.

12. Read what is required for each program to stay eligible. Program requirements can be found in the Financial Aid Handbook under "Financial Aid Programs" section.

13. Completion/graduation and job placement rates and how they are calculated.

Your Responsibilities

1. Review and consider all information about Hawkeye’s programs before you enroll at Hawkeye.

2. Pay special attention to your application for student financial aid, complete it accurately, and submit it on time to the right place. Errors can delay or prevent the student from receiving aid.

3. Know all the deadlines for applying or reapplying for aid, and meet them.

4. Submit a valid FAFSA while still enrolled.

5. Read, understand, and keep copies of all forms you are asked to sign.

6. Notify the Financial Aid Office if you received aid at another institution within the same academic year.

7. Report additional financial aid (scholarships, grants, or loans) that you received, but that is not listed on your current offer letter from Hawkeye.

8. Be sure to read all information associated with your financial aid offer letter, including the Financial Aid Handbook. Accept and/or reject the awards offered by the deadline stated on the offer letter.

9. If you owe money from a prior over award of Federal funds at any institution, you need to arrange for repayment of the over award. You are not eligible for financial aid if you owe a balance on federal funds.

10. You must continue to meet the requirements of satisfactory academic progress.

11. Notify Hawkeye of any information that has changed since you applied.

12. You must meet other conditions contained elsewhere in the Financial Aid handbook.

13. You will need to submit information requested by financial aid processors, Hawkeye, or any other institution or program to which you are applying for aid, to clarify your eligibility for financial aid.

14. If you are selected for verification or financial aid review, you and your parent(s) or spouse (if applicable), may be required to submit additional documents. These may include copies of federal tax return transcripts, W2 forms, and financial aid verification worksheets. Failure to submit the requested information within the requested timeframe will result in the de-activation of your file and could result in the loss of available funds.

15. You must repay all loans according to your established repayment schedule. You are not eligible for financial aid if you are in default on a Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct/FFEL Stafford Loan, or Federal Direct/FFEL PLUS received at any institution.

16. Participate in loan entrance counseling if you wish to receive a Federal Direct Loan.

17. Participate in exit loan counseling if you received a Federal Direct Loan while you attended Hawkeye.

18. Satisfactorily perform the work agreed upon in your college work-study job.

19. Understand the Hawkeye withdrawal process and the tuition refund policy.

20. Maintain your current name, address, and phone number in My Hawkeye.

21. Regularly check your My Hawkeye account and Hawkeye email.