Student Rights & Responsibilities

Students receiving financial aid at Southwestern College, have both rights and responsibilities. Understanding both will help you get the most out of your financial aid and avoid problems down the road.

Your Rights

As a financial aid recipient, you have the right to:

Know what financial aid is available at SWC, including all federal, state, and institutional programs
Know all deadlines for submitting applications for each aid program
Know how financial aid decisions are made and how aid is distributed
Know how your financial aid eligibility is calculated, including how your Cost of Attendance (COA), which covers tuition and fees, housing, food, transportation, books, supplies, and personal expenses, is used to determine your financial need
Know what resources were considered in calculating your Student Aid Index (SAI), including your income, your assets, and if you are a dependent student, your parents' income and assets.

Know how much of your financial need has been met
Request an explanation of the awards in your financial aid package
Know SWC's refund policy
Request a review of your financial aid package if you believe a mistake was made or if you have a special circumstance
Know how SWC measures Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and what happens if you do not meet the standards
Know which parts of your aid must be repaid and which are free. If you have a loan, you have the right to know the interest rate, repayment fees, how to make payments, the total repayment amount, how long you have to repay, when repayment begins, and what consolidation options are available
Know whether you are eligible for Federal Work-Study. If you are offered a Work-Study job, you have the right to know the required hours, job duties, pay rate, and how and when you will be paid

Your Responsibilities

As a financial aid recipient, you are responsible for:

Completing all application forms accurately and turning them in on time
Meeting all deadlines for applying or reapplying for aid
Providing correct information. Intentionally providing false information on a financial aid form is a violation of federal law and can result in criminal charges.
Returning all requested documents, verification forms, corrections, and updated information to the Financial Aid Office
Reporting any additional money you receive during your award period to the Financial Aid Office
Reading and understanding all forms you sign. Keep copies for your records.
Accepting responsibility for all agreements you sign
Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined by SWC
Doing the work you agreed to if you accept a Federal Work-Study or student employment position
Knowing SWC's refund and withdrawal policies
If you have a student loan, notifying your lender if any of the following occur before the loan is repaid: graduation, withdrawal from school or dropping below half-time, change of address, name change, or transfer to another school
Repaying all student loans, including any interest that has built up, according to your repayment schedule
Notifying your lender of any changes that may affect your eligibility for a deferment