What Can I Do If My Financial Aid Is Terminated?

Financial aid can help students may college costs including tuition, books, housing, student fees and transportation. Examples include student loans, grants and scholarships. Receiving financial aid doesn't come without strings attached, however. Your school could terminate financial aid for not keeping up your end of the bargain. Continue progressing toward a college degree by learning options of what to do if the government terminates your financial aid.

Contact your school's financial aid office if you find out about the financial aid termination. Meet with a counselor to discuss your school's financial aid policies, including whether you're liable for repaying financial aid already disbursed earlier in the school year. Failure to repay financial aid at your school's request can have significant effects, including becoming permanently ineligible for future financial aid and having your account turned over to a collections agency. Ask the counselor for any paperwork that you might need to appeal financial aid termination and when you will be next asked to make a payment towards tuition and other costs, according to the school's academic calendar.

Another key option is to appeal the termination. Schools understand that sometimes students face extraordinary circumstances that prevent their immediate success in school. Counselors could take into consideration a death in the family, serious medical problems, custody issues or natural disasters to have your termination appealed. You won't have much luck with appeals involving withdrawal from classes to avoid negatively impacting your GPA or not liking a teacher's particular instruction style. Submit your appeal form along with documentation, such as hospital bills or court dates.

Another option includes enrolling in the next academic period and covering expenses yourself through savings, private loans or working part-time if you decide not to appeal or if you receive a denial of appeal. After successfully completing a semester on your own dime, you can apply for reinstatement of financial aid through your school's financial aid office. If you still owe repayments from already-disbursed financial aid, your school will require you to repay these amounts before approving your reinstatement request.

Some of life's events are unforeseeable, such as car accidents, family divorces or other circumstances that can send your academic efforts into a tailspin. However, if you withdrew from classes or failed classes because of factors within your control, evaluate your situation to avoid having your financial aid terminated a second time. Loud roommates, excessive work hours outside of school, lack of organization or disinterest in your chosen field of study can all be academic roadblocks. Identifying and addressing these challenges before the new academic period begins can help you make steady progress toward your degree.