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Student Rights and Responsibilities

All students who apply for financial aid must pay tuition and return any unauthorized grant funds and/or overdue loan payments before being eligible for aid funds or the use of funds for other educationally related expenses. Aid is granted only to U.S. citizens or aliens with a permanent resident visa. Students who are in default on a Federal Direct/Stafford, Federal Perkins, Federal PLUS and/or owe a refund on a federal grant to any postsecondary institution will not be eligible for any financial aid funds. The major financial aid programs to assist students at West Virginia Northern are Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Work-Study, scholarships and academic awards, West Virginia Higher Education Grants and Pennsylvania State Grants.


Students who participate in the need-based financial aid programs have a number of rights and responsibilities:

Student Rights

Students have the right to obtain from the College:

  • The names of its accrediting or licensing organizations.
  • Information about its programs; its instructional, laboratory and other physical facilities and its faculty.
  • The cost of attending and the policy on refunds to students who drop out.
  • Types of financial assistance available, including information on all federal, state, local, private and institutional financial aid programs.
  • The procedures and deadlines for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.
  • Criteria used to select financial aid recipients.
  • The process used to determine student financial need. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies and personal and miscellaneous expenses are considered in the cost of education. It also includes how resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, assets, etc.) are considered in calculating student need.
  • The amount of student financial need, as determined by the institution, that has been met.
  • The procedure for paying students.
  • An explanation of each type and amount of assistance in a student financial aid package.
  • The interest rate on any loan, the total amount for repayment, the length of time for repayment, the date to start repayment and the cancellation or deferment provisions that apply.
  • The kind of job and the hours to be worked, the duties, the rate of pay and the payment schedule and procedure - if students are offered a College work-study job.
  • Reconsideration of an aid package, if they believe that a mistake has been made or if enrollment or financial circumstances have changed.
  • Process used by the College to determine whether students are making satisfactory progress and what happens if students are not.
  • Special facilities and services available to persons with disabilities.

Student Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of students to:

  • Review and consider all information about a college's program before enrolling.
  • Pay special attention to the application for student financial aid, complete it accurately and submit it on time to the right place. Errors can delay or prevent students from receiving aid.
  • Meet all deadlines for applying or reapplying for aid.
  • Provide all additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which an application was submitted.
  • Read, understand and keep copies of all forms which they are asked to sign. Students can obtain duplicate copies of forms from their file at a minimal cost.
  • Comply with the provisions of any promissory note and all other agreements that they must sign.
  • Notify the school of any change in name, address or attendance status (half time, three-quarter time or full time). If they have a loan, they must also notify the lender of these changes.
  • Satisfactorily perform the work agreed upon in a College work-study job.
  • Understand the College's refund policy.
  • Attend entrance and exit interviews at the school, if they have a Federal Direct Loan, or Federal PLUS Loan.