What to Do if Your Financial Aid Is Suspended

When a financial aid suspension occurs, it can lead to a lot of stressful questions. You may wonder how long a financial aid suspension can last and how it will affect your education. There are a few ways to get financial aid back after a suspension.

Reasons Financial Aid Is Suspended

The federal guidelines require that a student continues to make healthy progress toward graduating in a timely manner when receiving financial aid. This is called the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Many financial aid programs have specific eligibility or renewal requirements, so make sure you completely understand them when accepting a financial aid offer. Other reasons financial aid may be suspended is if your parents’ income increases beyond the required limit of the program, the amount of classes taken isn’t enough, or the school may have changed tuition requirements or increased fees.

How to Get Off Financial Aid Suspension

You may wondering, "How to get off financial aid suspension?" Communicate with the financial aid office at your school. They are skilled in how to respond to organizations about financial aid suspensions and can offer good advice, so you aren’t spinning your wheels waiting on hold or talking to the wrong department about the problem.

It shows initiative if you approach the organization that suspended your financial aid with honesty and a willingness to work with them in a professional manner. Make sure to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year that you are attending school. If your federal financial aid has been suspended, it may be an error in your paperwork you are unaware of. The financial aid office can assist in options to get your funds back on track.

When Grades Are the Issue

Are you wondering, "How to get financial aid back after suspension?" Grades can slip and life can get complicated. Be open about any issues that may have affected your grades. Show resourcefulness by attending tutoring classes, so the financial aid office sees you are being proactive in your attempt to get back on track. If you cannot show that you can get better grades over a specific time frame, either weeks or a full semester, you may need to apply for grants, scholarships or direct subsidized or unsubsidized loans at a small interest rate.

If this happens, try to pay off the loan with your future financial aid so you don’t carry an interest rate. You may need to take out a private loan, but it should be your last option after exhausting all other avenues. Some private loans may offer cash back for excellent grades or allow you to make interest-only payments while you are enrolled, which can be helpful.