Financial Aid Policies

Understanding financial aid policies is essential to maintaining your eligibility and successfully managing your aid throughout the academic year. Georgia Southern follows federal, state and institutional guidelines that govern how financial aid is awarded, verified and adjusted. These policies outline important requirements related to academic progress, enrollment changes, disbursement procedures, appeals and special circumstances that may affect your aid.

Review the information below to learn how these policies apply to your financial aid and what steps you may need to take to remain eligible for assistance.

Athletic Appeal

Student-athletes who experience academic or financial circumstances that impact their aid eligibility may submit an athletic appeal for review. Appeals are evaluated individually and require supporting documentation to determine whether eligibility adjustments may be approved.

Attendance Verification

Federal financial aid regulations require universities to verify that students are actively attending or participating in their courses. If attendance cannot be confirmed, financial aid eligibility may be reduced or canceled in accordance with federal guidelines.

Code of Conduct

Georgia Southern University follows a strict financial aid Code of Conduct to ensure ethical practices in the administration of student financial assistance. These policies promote transparency, fairness and compliance with federal and state regulations.

Disbursement Procedures

Financial aid funds are disbursed to student accounts after eligibility requirements are confirmed and enrollment is verified. Funds are first applied to tuition and fees, and any remaining balance may be issued to the student as a refund.

Economic Hardship Information

Students experiencing unexpected financial hardship may request a review of their financial aid situation. In certain cases, documented changes in financial circumstances may allow the financial aid office to reassess eligibility.

Pell Recalculation

Federal Pell Grant awards may be adjusted if a student’s enrollment status changes during the semester. Credit hour changes during the census period can impact the amount of Pell Grant funding received.

Return to Title IV (R2T4) Calculations

When a student withdraws from courses before completing the semester, federal regulations require the university to determine how much financial aid was earned. Unearned funds may be returned to the appropriate federal aid programs.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students receiving financial aid must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward their degree. SAP standards include minimum GPA requirements, course completion rates and a maximum timeframe for completing a program.

Special Circumstances

Students who experience significant financial changes, such as loss of income or other documented hardships, may request a professional judgment review. This process allows the financial aid office to evaluate whether adjustments to aid eligibility may be appropriate.

Unusual Circumstances

Unusual circumstances may allow a student to request a review of their dependency status due to situations such as parental estrangement or other documented conditions. Approved requests may result in a dependency override for financial aid purposes.

Unusual Enrollment History

Students with an unusual enrollment history, such as attending multiple institutions in a short period of time, may be required to complete a financial aid review. This process ensures federal aid was used to support academic progress.

Verification

Verification is a federal process used to confirm that information reported on the FAFSA is accurate. Students selected for verification must provide additional documentation before financial aid can be finalized and disbursed.

Withdrawing from Courses

Withdrawing from one or more courses may affect financial aid eligibility and academic progress. Students should review the potential impact on their aid awards and SAP standing before making schedule changes.