Overawards
A financial aid overaward occurs when the aid a student receives from all sources is greater than their federally determined need eligibility and/or cost of attendance. The Financial Aid Office makes every effort to prevent overawards when initially awarding aid. However, overawards can occur when additional resources are received that were not accounted for initially. Federal regulations require resolution of overawards. Common examples of changes that cause overawards, include, but are not limited to the following:
- Receipt of internal or external scholarships
- Notification of Exemptions/Tuition and Fee Waivers
- Late Awards
- Enrollment changes
- FAFSA Corrections
- Residency Updated
When overawards occur, eligibility must be reviewed, and aid may need to be reduced or cancelled to ensure the total aid received is within federal guidelines. In some instances, this may result in a balance owed to the college.
To help prevent an overaward, we strongly recommend the following:
Notify the Financial Aid Office of any potential awards not already listed on your financial aid award summary.
