Regulations You Should Know

What are my academic requirements to receive financial aid?

CSUDH is required by federal law to establish, publish, and apply reasonable standards for measuring whether a student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward a degree objective, and to ensure progress toward the degree for all periods of enrollment, whether or not the student has received financial aid. Read our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Financial Aid Recipients.

What happens if I withdraw or take a Leave of Absence?

Financial Aid Recipients should consider the following information when deciding whether or not to withdraw, no longer attend classes (unofficial withdrawal), or take a leave of absence for any reason from the university.

The federal government has very specific rules on what types and how much aid a student can keep when he or she does not complete the semester enrollment. The basic concept is that students "earn" financial aid through time. Therefore, if a student stops attending classes before the end of the semester, a student may not have "earned" all of the financial aid received.

What if I withdraw before the semester midpoint (50%)?

If a student officially withdraws from the University prior to the midpoint (50%) of the semester, we will review the aid a student received. We use a formula to determine if the student can keep all or some of the aid received. If there is "unearned" financial aid, students will be required to repay the calculated amount. For example, if a student completes 30% of the semester, then 30% of the aid originally received is considered earned.

What if I unofficially withdraw during the semester?

At the end of the semester, the Financial Aid Office reviews student grades based on our Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. If a student enrolls and does not officially withdraw from the University, we will use the midpoint (50%) of the semester to calculate the students "earned and unearned" financial aid. If a student can prove they were in attendance after the 50% point of the semester, a recalculation of their financial aid eligibility will be performed.

What happens if a student is convicted of possession or sale of drugs?

A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify a student from receiving financial aid. Convictions only count if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV aid; they do not count if the offense was not during such a period. Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from the student's record does not count, nor does one received when they were a juvenile, unless they were tried as an adult.

The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for financial aid, depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether the student had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)

Possession of Illegal Drugs
1st Offense: 1 year from date of conviction
2nd Offense: 2 years from date of conviction
3+ Offense: Indefinite period

Sale of Illegal Drugs
1st Offense: 2 years from date of conviction
2nd Offense: Indefinite period

If the student was convicted of both possessing and selling illegal drugs, and the periods of ineligibility are different, the student will be ineligible for the longer period.