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Rights and Responsibilities

There are important rights and responsibilities for you to understand before you accept your awards.  Carefully review the information below to have a better understanding of the financial aid policies as a financial aid recipient.

As a student receiving financial aid at Delgado Community College:

  • You have the right to know that the information you give to the Student Financial Aid Office will be treated confidentially as mandated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
  • You have the right to seek financial aid counseling.
  • You have the right to know what financial assistance is available, including all federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
  • You have the right to know the procedures and deadlines for submitting applications for each financial aid program (including federal, state, and institutional aid programs).
  • You have the right to know how your financial aid awards were calculated, the criteria to receive each award, and how the funds will be distributed or disbursed.
  • You have the right to accept or decline any of your financial aid award(s)
  • You have the right to know the terms of any employment program you participate in.
  • If you are offered an educational loan, you have the right to know the lender, interest rate, the total amount to be repaid, deferment options, repayment procedures, the length of time you have to repay the loan, and when repayment begins.
  • You have the right to submit a Special Circumstances Application, requesting reconsideration of your financial aid eligibility if you or your family’s circumstances change.
  • You have the right to submit an Academic Progress Appeal if you do not meet the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  • You have the right to know Delgado Community College's refund policy and the federal Return to Title IV policy.
  • You are responsible for providing accurate information.
  • You are responsible for reapplying for financial aid each and every year.
  • You are responsible for completing applications correctly and on time.
  • You are responsible for reading and understanding all materials sent to you from the Financial Aid Office and all forms you are asked to submit or sign.
  • You are responsible for requesting personal assistance if you have questions or don’t understand the information provided to you.
  • You are responsible for submitting documentation and information requested by the Financial Aid Office in a timely manner and keeping copies for your own records.
  • You are responsible for checking your LoLA account regularly.
  • You are responsible for notifying the College of any name or address changes.
  • You are responsible for knowing and complying with the rules governing your financial aid awards.
  • You are responsible for attending classes and completing the requirements for each course in which you enroll.
  • You are responsible for compliance with Delgado Community College's refund policy and Federal Return to Title IV Aid policy, should you withdraw from the College (either officially or unofficially).
  • You are responsible for notifying the Financial Aid Office of any financial awards you receive from outside resources (including scholarships, grants, Veteran’s Benefits, tuition waivers, or other educational/tuition assistance) not already listed on your Financial Aid Award Letter or your LoLA account.
  • If you borrow a student loan, you are responsible for completing loan entrance and exit counseling.
  • You are responsible for the repayment of all loans in accordance with the terms of your master promissory note. You are responsible for notifying your loan servicer if any of the following occurs before your loan is repaid: change of address, graduation, withdrawal from Delgado Community College or less than half-time attendance, name change, or transfer to another institution.
  • You are responsible for maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  • You are responsible for using financial aid for educational expenses incurred while attending Delgado Community College.
  • You are responsible for the repayment of any over award of financial aid.
  • Financial aid award packages offered to students are individualized and reflect the student’s eligibility based on the information provided by the student and their parents on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Each financial aid award package also factors in the student’s grade level, program of study, individual program, eligibility requirements, and funding levels. Federal financial aid awards are contingent on federal funding levels and are, therefore, subject to change based on Congressional action.
  • Your financial assistance is awarded based on merit and/or calculated need as determined from the information provided on your FAFSA. Financial aid awards are subject to adjustments or cancellations due to changes in laws, regulations, appropriations, changes in your financial situation, verification, discovery of data errors, changes in your enrollment status or changes in your residency status amongst others.
  • Students who have been previously incarcerated, are currently incarcerated, or who might be incarcerated during their current term of attendance must identify themselves to the /student Financial Aid Office to determine their financial aid eligibility. 
  • You must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for Federal Direct Loan(s) in any single semester. 
  • Registering in courses is not enough to secure your financial aid.  You must also attend the courses in which you enroll.  Student Financial Aid is required to verify that students who receive a non-passing grade in any class actually began attending the class. For example, if you receive an F in a course, no grade is reported, or you withdraw from a course, we will follow up to determine whether or not you attended the class.  Failure to attend can be expensive: your aid could be reduced retro­actively and you may be required to repay aid you have received.  If you have any questions about your enrollment and eligibility for financial aid, please contact the Student Financial Aid Office.
  • If your enrollment plans change after you have been awarded your initial federal financial aid, you will need to notify the financial aid office. Your financial aid awards will be adjusted accordingly.
  • You must only be enrolled in classes required to complete your declared degree (or eligible certificate program) requirements, as specified in the Delgado Community College Catalog. 
  • Classes taken for audit are not eligible for financial assistance and do not count toward enrollment for purposes of financial assistance.
  • If requested, you must provide documents to verify the accuracy of information reported on the FAFSA before financial aid can be awarded or disbursed.
  • You must not be in default on any federal educational loans nor owe any refunds on federal grants you have received at any post-secondary institution.
  • You may use financial aid funds only for education-related expenses incurred at Delgado Community College for the respective academic year. Check your Student account balance at least once a month to be sure you do not have unpaid charges. 
  • Delgado applies your financial aid awards directly to charges on your student account. Funds in excess of these charges will be released to you in a financial aid refund.  Some institutional charges cannot be paid with Title IV (federal aid), thus you may still owe the College even if you receive a refund. If subsequent charges are made to your student account, it is your responsibility to pay them. 
  • To remain eligible for financial aid, students must make "satisfactory academic progress" toward completion of a degree. Federal regulations require Financial Aid to monitor the progress of each student toward their degree/certificate completion. Students who fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes may lose their eligibility for all types of federal and state aid.
  • You must work in a Federal Work-Study (FWS) position to earn the FWS amount shown on your award letter. FWS funds are not disbursed to your Student account and do not reduce the amount you owe the College. You receive a pay check based on your student pay cycle.
  • Financial aid awards are based on information provided by the student and are subject to revisions and/or cancellation at any time if: federal or state regulations change; federal, state, or institutional fund allocations change; estimated family contribution changes; student receives a scholarship, benefits, waiver, etc.; or an error is made in the calculation of your eligibility or award, whether by the federal aid servicer, private loan servicer, or Delgado Community College. 
  • The institution, state, and federal government are absolved of any and all responsibility for funding in the event that a grant and/or a loan or any other financial assistance is based upon fraudulent, inaccurate, or misleading information.
  • Students who accept a Direct and parents who are approved for a PLUS loan are required to complete a Master Promissory Note for each loan type to receive the loan disbursement. Master Promissory Notes must be completed during the term of enrollment in which the student would like to receive the loan disbursement.