Mission of Xavier University of Louisiana's Financial Aid Office
The Office of Student Financial Aid at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to serving students by providing information to secure the necessary financial resources to meet their educational goals and financial obligations to the University. We provide quality customer service in delivering information on federal, state, institutional and private sources of financial aid.
In pursuing our mission, we strive to uphold the highest degree of professionalism, confidentiality, honesty and integrity. We do this by embracing emerging technologies, working collaboratively with all areas of the University and recognizing that only together can we achieve our common goal to enhance enrollment, retention and the academic success of our students.
The general policies and procedures pertaining to the administration of Financial Aid are indicated below.
Office of Student Financial Aid
The primary purpose of the Office of Student Financial Aid is to offer financial assistance to students who would otherwise be unable to pursue a post-secondary education. The Financial Aid staff at Xavier will attempt in an ethical manner to meet the needs of all students, as they are deemed eligible. Through the University’s dedicated staff and faculty we will be responsible citizens in shaping the global society.
The Office of Student Financial Aid staff collects, create, manages and have access to a vast amount of confidential student and parent information/data which may consist of the following: FAFSA’s,ISIR’s,NSLDS, federal tax returns, other private and sensitive information). The information/data is considered to be education records and may not be disclosed without the student’s and/or parent’s consent. This includes all of the following records:
• Records relating to eligibility and disbursement of Federal student aid funds
• Student account
• Federal work-study payroll records
• aid applications
• SARs and ISIRs
• Documentation of professional judgment decisions
• Documentation relating to a refusal to certify Federal education loans
• Financial aid history information (for transfer students)
• Cost of attendance information, including documentation relating to any adjustments
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) documentation
• Documents used for verification
• Entrance and exit counseling records
• Financial records
NOTE: Educational records include any materials received from the student and/or parents. It also includes any record used to make decisions about the student eligibility and aid package.
As a member of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), Xavier University of Louisiana has adopted the following: NASFAA’s Statement of Ethical Principles for protecting the release of private student data, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Higher Education Act. These laws guide member practices and reflect the statutory and regulatory restrictions on the improper release of student data.
The staff is required to sign a Confidentiality Statement, Statement of Ethical Principles/Code of Conduct Statement.
Offering Financial Aid
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) staff begin offering on/or before November 15th of each offer year. The need-based aid is offered to those students with the greatest need until the funds are exhausted. The following information explains important philosophies and procedures which guide the process of offering financial aid to students at Xavier University of Louisiana:Institutional Packaging Philosophy
The packaging philosophy in the Xavier University of Louisiana OSFA is to ensure consistent, equitable, and fair distribution of financial aid funds as described by the Federal, State and Institutional policies and regulations.
Institutional Packaging Procedures
When packaging financial aid for eligible students, the OSFA considers Federal Pell Grant and Scholarships first, other Grants and campus-based aid Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant(SEOG) and Federal Work Study(FWS) second, Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, additional Federal Unsubsidized Loans, and the Federal Direct PLUS third. The various types of financial assistance are considered in a manner that the student's cost of attendance (COA) is met up to the student’s maximum eligibility. The COA generally includes: tuition & fees, housing & food, books & supplies, transportation, and personal.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is offered to
students who demonstrate exceptional need (which includes the Federal Pell Grant recipients with the lowest expected family contribution).
The campus methodology is comprised of selection groups used to create awards and the explanation is below:
First selection group: In determining the priority order in which undergraduate students will be awarded FSEOG funds in any given award year, Xavier first choose those students with exceptional financial need. Those with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) who will also receive Federal Pell Grants in that award year. As determined by Xavier the range of lowest EFC is 0-1500.
Second selection group: If there are remaining FSEOG funds after offering FSEOG funds to the entire first selection group, the next offering of FSEOG funds would be offered to those eligible students beginning with the lowest EFCs greater than 1500, including those that are not Federal Pell Grant eligible.
When offering federal financial aid, students are automatically offered after completing the FAFSA based on criteria setup using the Financial Aid packaging Module in Banner and in accordance with federal guidelines. If student has any other aid other than Title IV (federal aid), it will be applied to the student’s offer.
Note: We are a [Pell] Formula 1 school. Semesters are as follows: fall and spring with the summer being a trailer semester.
Determination of Allocations of Funds to be Offered
The Department of Education sends the OSFA information detailing annual fund allocations through the Federal Authorization Letter with the Official Notice of Funding. Determining the allocation of funds available includes an evaluation and projection of available funds, required matching (where applicable), and administrative expenses. Careful projections are made to ensure that fair and equitable packages are offered to students. The Director determines the total aid funds to be offered during an offer year.Outside Resources
To assist in meeting their educational expenses, students are encouraged to seek financial assistance such as scholarships from external sources. Financial aid, including outside resources, may not exceed the student’s cost of attendance and or FEDERAL FINANCIAL need. If the combination of all aid from all sources exceeds the cost of attendance, an adjustment to the original offer notification may be necessary. If the adjustment is necessary, the OSFA will reduce loans first, then any campus based funds until the over offer does not exist.Offer Notification and Acceptance of Offers
Notification that federal financial aid has been offered is sent to the student’s University assigned email through Banner Web. The students are required to accept or decline the financial aid offer via Banner Web.Consortium Agreements
A student may receive Title IV aid if he/she is taking coursework at two or more schools, if the participating institutions enter into a consortium agreement. A consortium agreement specifies which institution will process and disburse student aid. The agreement also should stipulate which institution will consider the student enrolled; and who is responsible for monitoring of attendance. Whichever institution disbursed aid funds is responsible for keeping records and returning Title IV funds in the case of an over award.International Students
Most foreign citizens are not eligible for federal student aid from the U. S. Department of Education. There are, however, some instances in which non-citizens may be eligible for financial aid from the U. S. federal government.Visit StudentAid.gov/eligibility/non-us-citizens to learn more. You also should check with your country’s government and with the college you plan to attend to see what aid they might be able to offer you.
Offers & Disbursements
A confirmation of the financial aid offered to each student is provided in an Offer Notification emailed by the Office of Student Financial Aid. Offer notifications are emailed for the upcoming offer year during the spring and summer proceeding the fall enrollment term.The offer notification will inform students of their offers and direct them to their Banner Student Self Service. The notification contains data on student budgets, expected family contribution, offer categories, Student Rights and Responsibilities, information on Entrance Counseling (where applicable), and instructions on completing the student loan information. Students are required to accept or decline the terms and conditions of the offers.
The financial aid offers are usually made on an annual basis. The annual offer is divided into two equal installments which are posted to the students’ account by the Fiscal Office during the Fall and Spring Terms. The offers are posted to the students’ account after the verification process is completed by the Office of Student Financial Aid and attendance has been verified.
The student's account, provided by the Fiscal Office, consists of postings from at least three (3) sources:
1. Institutional Charges
o Tuition
o Housing and Food
o Fees, etc...
2. Financial Aid Offers
o Federal Pell Grant
o FSEOG
o Federal Direct Loans
o Scholarships from College and/or other sources
o Federal Work-Study
3. Payments by cash or check from students and parents (Fiscal Office).
When the financial aid offer and/or cash payments exceed college charges, the student is eligible to receive a refund. Refunds of the excess credit balances are processed by the Fiscal Office and will be available to students at least thirty (30) days after the first day of enrollment to ensure that attendance and enrollment verification have been completed.
Note: Entrance counseling must be completed by the student before the loan proceeds are disbursed to the student.
Offer Revision
There may be instances which warrant a change to the original offer notification. A Financial Aid Administrator may review a student's circumstances, make an adjustment to an offer, and release a revised offer notification. This revised offer invalidates the original offer notice.
1. Revision Initiated by the Office of Student Financial Aid
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) will automatically consider a revision in a student's aid package when the following occurs:
o There is presence of conflicting information within the file.
o There are changes resulting from verification.
o There is a change in availability of funds.
o There is an OSFA staff member error.
o There is a change in eligibility.
The offer notification and the terms and conditions of the offer acknowledge the rights of the OSFA to make a change to any offer. Students are sent a revised offer notification as soon as possible.
2. Revisions Initiated by Request from Student
Students may decline any portion of their offer. If a student wants to add an offer, the request will be referred to a Counselor. Student wishing to adjust their aid package are asked to submit an “Adjust my Financial Aid form” which can be found on the financial Aid website (Forms & resources)
It is the student's responsibility to notify the OSFA of changes in a student's resources. If the student visits with a Counselor and reveals a change in circumstances which may affect the student's family contribution, the student should write a letter reiterating the conversation and include supportive documentation. If a change to the offer is allowable, the aid Counselor will release a revised offer notification.
3. over awards
An over award occurs any time a student’s total financial aid offered or disbursed exceeds the cost of attendance and/or federal financial need for the offer period. This includes all financial aid from all sources (federal, institutional, and outside aid).
o Eliminating an Over award
Before reducing a student's aid package because of an over award, the FAA should always attempt to alleviate the situation by reducing or eliminating the over award. The method used is to adjust undisbursed funds (part or all undisbursed financial aid funds must be cancelled/reduced in the case of an over award).
o Causes of an Over award and/ or Overpayment
There are several causes of an over award:
1. Student Wages – The student earns more than the offered FWS allocation.
2. Change in the enrollment status - the student withdraws or drops below the projected enrollment status.
3. Reduction in cost of attendance - the student changes budget categories.
4. Additional resources - the student has resources greater than those used to calculate the offer.
5. Administrative error - the aid administrator inadvertently makes an error.
6. Fraud - the student intentionally deceives or misrepresents information to obtain funds.
Treatment of an Over award
If eliminating the over award is not possible, the Financial Aid Administrator must reduce the over award using the following sequence:
1. An over award from an administrative error can be resolved by reducing any aid or by canceling next semester's aid. The Counselor will notify the student via an offer notification email or individualized letter.
2. If an over award occurs due to fraud, follow the procedure outlined in the Fraud section of Policies and Procedures.
Fraud
There are difficult situations where students and/or parents purposefully misrepresent information in hopes of obtaining additional assistance. The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) is required to have a policy of referral when confronted with actual or suspected cases of fraud and abuse [668.53(a)(5), 668.14(g)].
1. Policy for Fraud
Students and parents who willfully submit fraudulent information will be investigated to the fullest extent possible. All cases of fraud and abuse will be reported to the proper authorities.
2. Procedures for Fraud
If, in a Financial Aid Administrator’s judgment, there has been intentional misrepresentation, false or conflicting statements, or alteration of documents which have resulted or could result in the offering or disbursement of funds for which the student is not eligible, the case shall be referred to the Director for possible disciplinary action. After investigating the situation, if the Director believes there is a fraudulent situation, all information must be forwarded to the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education or the local law enforcement agency.
The Director of Financial Aid reviews the student's aid file with the appropriate Counselor and if the decision is made by the Director to pursue the possibility of denying or cancelling financial aid, the student is notified to contact the OSFA. If the student does not contact the OSFA, the Director may:
o Not process a financial aid application until the situation is resolved satisfactorily
o Not offer financial aid
o Cancel financial aid
o Determine that financial aid will not be processed for future years
Fraudulent situations should be reported to the hotline of the Department of Education Inspector General at 1-800-MIS-USED.
Special Circumstances and Professional Judgment Policy
We understand that circumstances may arise where your family’s financial situation may be jeopardized, creating challenges in financing your education.
Federal regulations allow an aid administrator to use their Special circumstances/Professional Judgment on a case-by-case basis to update the data elements on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) in special circumstances, to change the student’s dependency status or to adjust the student’s cost of attendance. Adjustments must be determined to be appropriate and reasonable as deemed by the aid administrators. The student must provide documentation to demonstrate the reason for the adjustment, and it must relate to the special circumstances that differentiate the student. Inconsistent or conflicting information must be resolved before making any adjustments.
Before an aid administrator can proceed with your request, we must have all conflicting information resolved. If you have been selected for verification, a special circumstance/Professional Judgment cannot be processed for changes until verification is complete.
The submission of a special circumstance and professional judgment request does not guarantee a change to your financial aid award.
The primary reason for a Special circumstances/Professional Judgment is to make adjustments to lower a student’s Student Aid Index (SAI). In some instances, the adjustments may result in qualifying the student for need-based funding.Reasons for submission may include but not limited to:
- Loss of employment: If the year-to-date income is equal to or more than the previous year income, no changes can be made for loss of employment.
- Separation or divorce: Changes can only be made if both parent/stepparent income was included on the FAFSA and a separation or divorce occurred after the FAFSA was submitted.
- Unusual medical expenses (not covered by insurance)
- Death of a spouse or parent: Changes can only be made if income of the deceased was included on the FAFSA.
- One-time taxable income used for life-changing events (e.g., IRA, pension distribution, back-year Social Security payments)
- Parent retired
- Marriage of the student
- Child Support reduction or change
- Standard living expenses (e.g. utilities, credit card payments, mortgage payments, etc.)
- Credit card or other personal debts
How to request Special Circumstances and Professional Judgment
A Special circumstances / Professional Judgment request can be initiated by completing the Special circumstances /Professional Judgment form https://www.xula.edu/financialaid/formsandresources/index.html and submitting it to our office at the address or fax number listed. Once your request is received and your situation has been documented, the professional judgment team will review it and notify you if additional documents are required or the decision.
Required Documentation
In order to make changes to your financial aid, documentation of your extenuating circumstances must be submitted. Typical documentation may include the following:
Death Certificate
Medical expenses: Copies of Medical bills that have been paid.
Maintenance of two households: Letter outlining why two households must be maintained, copies of lease agreements, mortgage notes, and utility bills for each of the two residences.
Divorce or separation: Copy of court documents showing separation/divorce, documentation of living in two separate residences (utility bills, leases, etc.)
Decrease in income: Copies of year-to-date pay stubs, federal tax transcripts, termination notice from employer, and notice from Social Security regarding termination of benefits.
Return the request form to: Office of Student Financial Aid.
Dependency Override
There are special circumstances that may impact a student's financial aid eligibility due to a change in Dependency status. Federal regulations permit the College, at its discretion, to determine if unusual circumstances can be documented which would result in a dependency status change from Dependent to Independent for federal financial aid purposes. Unusual circumstances are parent(s) deceased, parent(s) incarcerated or unusual parental circumstances such as parent's whereabouts are unknown, abusive family environment, abandonment by parent, etc.
If a student believes he/she has special circumstances that may permit a Professional Judgment or Dependency Override they may request a review of his/her special circumstance prior to the offer of a Financial Aid award. The student must provide supporting documentation which may vary depending on the student’s extenuating circumstances.
All required documentation must be provided within 10 business days of request by a Financial Aid Administrator. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and all information will be kept confidential. The XULA Office of Student Financial Aid will notify students of the status of his/her request via College e-mail. The submission of a request does not guarantee an approval. The Office of Student Financial Aid must reaffirm each year that the special circumstances persist. The student has to go through the same process every year if circumstances still exist.
Students whose parents refuse to support them are not eligible for a dependency override, but they may be able to receive Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans only. For a student to be eligible for this provision, you must get documentation (1) that his/her parents refuse to complete his FAFSA and (2) that they do not and will not provide any financial support to him/her, Include the date support ended. If the parents refuse to sign and date a statement to this effect, you must get documentation from a “third party".
Withdrawing and Return of Title IV Aid
Federal Law requires an institution to return all unearned Title IV funds to the appropriate Title IV programs when a recipient of Title IV aid withdraws on or before completing 60% of the period of enrollment. If a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws during a period of enrollment, the University must calculate the amount of Title IV Aid the recipient did not earn, must return it to the Title IV Programs. This action may require the recipient to repay funds issued directly to them prior to the calculation. The non-payment of Title IV aid will also be reported to U.S. Department of Education for collections and the overpayment of grants reported to the National Student Loan Data System as required by Federal Law.
Federal Law requires that refunds on behalf of student financial assistance recipients must be returned in the following order:
1. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
2. Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan
3. Federal Direct PLUS (Graduate Student)
4. Federal Direct PLUS (Parent)
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
7. TEACH Grant
Withdrawal from the University
To officially withdraw from the University during the course of a term, a student must:
1. Obtain a withdrawal form from the Office of the Registrar.
2. Obtain signatures of designated officials on the withdrawal form.
3. Return the completed form to the Office of the Registrar no later than one week after the student has stopped attending class.
Withdrawal is not complete or official until all signatures have been obtained and the form is returned to the Office of the Registrar. The student’s withdrawal date is the date the student officially turns in the form with signatures to the Registrar. The last day to officially withdraw from Xavier is posted on the Academic Calendar.
The student who withdraws without submitting the appropriate paperwork will incur a failure in all courses for which he/she is registered, and no refund of any kind can be claimed. In the case of serious illness, the student or his or her parent(s), guardian or legal representative should request official
Withdrawal in writing through the college Dean’s Office with appropriate documentation and a Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) form on file in the Registrar’s Office.
The Dean will then contact the Office of the Registrar for processing of the withdrawal form. In this case, the student’s withdrawal date is the date the student or an approved representative officially notifies the Dean’s Office of the withdrawal. A student that withdraws will be required to fill out a readmission application using the procedures found at: https://www.xula.edu/readmission.
Administrative Withdrawal
In rare circumstances, students may be administratively withdrawn from the University upon the recommendation of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University. In all cases of Withdrawal from the University, students are responsible for the remaining tuition and fee balance. Please check with a Student Accounts’ Representative in the Office of Fiscal Services for more information.
Verification Process
March 13th is the financial aid priority date for submission of documents to be considered for early offers. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA early.
Verification is a process where the FAFSA application is reviewed by financial aid staff and third party servicer-Global for the accuracy of information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the information provided on the verification worksheet and the prior prior year's federal income tax transcript for the parent(s) and/or student/spouse. Only a portion of the student population is selected for verification.
To ensure all documents are completed properly and corrections to the FAFSA are completed properly an internal audit is performed to Professional Judgment and Special Circumstances files.
Selection of Applications to be Verified
A student may be selected for verification if there is a discrepancy, conflicting information or an unusual condition. In accordance with federal guidelines. Xavier will verify all students that have been selected for verification by the Central Processing System. The following exceptions are made, in accordance with federal guidelines:
Students who are selected by the Central Processor for verification must complete forms based on the assigned Verification Group (V1-V6).
If, while reviewing a file, a staff member finds any incomplete and/or conflicting information, the file will be selected for verification. All files selected for verification by the University will be treated as V1: Standard Verification Group.
• At the time the student’s Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) is received, a tracking requirement is generated notifying the student that he/she was selected for verification. The student will receive an email to their XULA email of what documents are required to complete the verification process, and instructions to submit in the portal.
• No federal or state aid is awarded to a student until the verification process is completed.
For purposes of recruitment all new first-time freshmen and new transfer students are given estimated offers, which are not valid until verification is complete.
Any students with unusual circumstances or who have indicated a significant change in household size or income due to death, illness or involuntary employment change or loss may be reviewed for Professional Judgment if requested by the student.
Verification Exceptions
Student:
1. Death of the student
2. Student is not a financial aid recipient
3. Student was selected for verification after ceasing to be enrolled
4. Student is only eligible to receive unsubsidized financial aid
Spouse (Independent students):
1. Spouse has died
2. Mentally incapacitated
3. Residing in another country and cannot be contacted due to unusual circumstances.
4. Cannot be located (the student does not have and cannot get his contact information) Due to unusual Circumstances.
Parent(s):
1. Both parent(s) are mentally incapacitated
2. Residing in another country and cannot be contacted
3. Cannot be located (the student does not have and cannot get his contact information)
Notification of Verification to Applicants
The Central Processor notifies students’ through the Student Aid Report (SAR) when they are selected for verification. The SAR is generated from the FAFSA and sent to the student.
An email is sent to the student’s XULA email address, notifying the student that he/she has been selected for the verification process. The student’s email may also list documents as well as the timeframe to submit the requested documents, if applicable.
Verification / Processing Time Frame
Students selected for verification are sent requests for the appropriate verification documents. Upon receipt of all requested documentation, the verification process is completed within 7-10 business days (exceptions may occur during peak processing and registration periods where the 7-10 business days timeframe is extended). Documentation should be submitted as soon as possible. We will not review any file until all requested documentation is received/satisfied in the system.
Documentation
The student and/or parent must complete online form(s) and upload required documentation to the online portal.
Required documentation will vary from student to student based on several factors, including: dependency status, income thresholds, comment codes, reject codes, and ISIR flags. If the applicant fails to submit documentation in the specified time range, the process cannot continue until all requested documents are submitted.
General Verification forms are requested based on specific assigned Verification Groups and are used to verify specific information as follows:
• Independent Verification Worksheet- used to verify student and/or spouse’s household size, number in college, wages for non-income tax filers, receipt of SNAP benefits and Child Support Paid.
• Dependent Verification Worksheet – used to verify student and parent’s household size, number in college, wages for non-income tax filers, receipt of SNAP benefits and Child Support Paid.
• Statement of Educational Purpose Worksheet – used to verify that any financial assistance the student receives will be used for educational purposes and cost of attending.
Document Collection Procedures
When all required documents are received, the student's file is reviewed/verified. Once the verification process is complete and any necessary correction is returned from the Central Processor, the file is considered "complete".
Required Verification Items
Xavier verifies the items required by the federal government (AGI, Taxes Paid, Household Size, Number in College, Certain Untaxed Income and Benefits), as well as the other items that Xavier may have selected to verify. However, if further investigation is needed to resolve a discrepancy or conflicting information is present/provided, additional information may be requested.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
Adjusted Gross Income is verified using the student/spouse, and/or parent's federal income tax transcript or an acceptable signed IRS form (in accordance with the established FSA and IRS "Exceptions to Submitting a Tax Transcript").
U.S. Income Tax Paid
U.S. Income Tax paid is verified using the student/spouse and/or parent's federal income tax transcript or an acceptable signed IRS form to the information on the SAR/ISIR.
Household Size
The household size is verified using the family information (section B) on the Verification Worksheet.
Number in Postsecondary Institutions
The number of family members enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours per term) in postsecondary institutions is verified using the family information (section B) on the Verification Worksheet.
Certain untaxed income and benefits
The term "untaxed income" means any income excluded from federal income taxation under the IRS code. For an application selected for verification, specific types of untaxed income benefits:
1. Child support
2. IRA/Keogh deductions
3. Interest on tax-free bonds.
Institutional Discretionary Items
A student may be selected for verification if there is a discrepancy or a condition which is unusual and warrants investigation. If a student submits verification documentation (i.e., federal tax transcript), verification of the information on the document against the information in the student's file is required.
File Review
File review is used to ensure an applicant has met all of the required student and program eligibility criteria for which financial aid is awarded. In addition to verification, the Financial Aid Staff must review an applicant’s file for database matches; reject codes, and other comments or codes. As well as review subsequent Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) for changes that may affect the applicant’s aid eligibility.
Correction Procedures
The Financial Aid Office (OSFA) utilizes FAA Access to input correction data for submission and processing as well as a third party servicer (GLOBAL Services). Corrections are made electronically if needed on a daily basis and submitted to CPS online. The corrected data is processed by the CPS and an ISIR will be returned to the University within 24-72 hours. The new ISIR contains a new official expected family contribution (EFC) number, and confirmation of eligibility through computer matches. The student file is then ready to be offered.
An internal audit is performed on all in house verification files that are reviewed, to ensure all required documentation is received to make an accurate judgement, and the corrections on the FAFSA are correct.
Conflicting Information
All conflicting information must be resolved before offering and disbursing federal student aid. If any discrepancies are discovered after disbursing federal student aid, the conflicting information must be reconciled and the student is required to repay aid received in excess of his/her eligibility. Resolution of Conflicting Information is required, as applicable, regardless to whether the student has been selected for Verification by CPS (Central Processing System).
Subsequent ISIRS
All subsequent transactions are reviewed for students, even if the earlier transaction was already verified. Any time changes or data have been modified, conflicts must be resolved.
Failure to Comply
Students who fail to submit the required verification documents will not be offered Title IV funds.
Submission after Deadline
The deadline for students to submit documentation is September 24th or 120 days after the last day of the student's enrollment, whichever is earlier. If the student does not complete verification by the deadline, he or she forfeits the Pell Grant (if eligible) for the offer year.
Notification to Offer
Students who complete the verification process are emailed an offer notification. If there are changes to the ISIR/SAR, the student will receive a revised offer notification by email. Campus based aid (Federal Work-Study) will be offered to the neediest students.
Over-Award
An over-award is defined as the offered financial aid that exceeds student’s budget and unmet need. Over-awards can occur for a variety of reasons such as:
• Student who is ineligible for the amount of aid received (administrative error)
• Student’s award in an individual program exceeds the regulatory maximum
• Student’s aid package exceeds his or her need
• Student’s award exceeds his or her cost of attendance (COA)
• Student is receiving a Pell Grant or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) at multiple schools for the same period of enrollment
• Change in enrollment prior to census date
• Scholarship posted after aid has been packaged
• Late notification of VA benefits or scholarship/Tuition waiver
Resolving an Over-Award
Xavier University of Louisiana OFSA will take the necessary steps to ensure that students will not be over-awarded. Financial aid packages must be reduced (whenever possible) to eliminate an over award. Most aid packages are developed with the assumption that the student will be attending on a full‐time basis. When a student registers for a reduced course load, the award package will be reduced or eliminated.
Xavier University of Louisiana will reduce aid per semester to prevent a semester over award.
Federal Pell Grant awards are not reduced to resolve over award issues. Options to resolve the over-award include:
• Increasing the student’s budget
• Reducing or cancelling other aid the University controls (i.e. institutional scholarships and third-party scholarships)
• Terminating the student’s FWS employment or reducing future FWS employment hours
• Reduce subsequent disbursements during the award year if possible
• Returning loan funds that have not been disbursed to the student
• Returning disbursed loan funds during the award year to apply scholarship aids
(disbursed loan cannot be returned if it is a result of advertent borrowing
Overpayments
The OSFA policies and procedures for verification are designed to eliminate the possibility of an overpayment from any fund. If however, an overpayment does occur, the aid is adjusted and the student is billed for the amount of the overpayment by the Fiscal Office. A letter is sent to the student from OSFA informing them of the overpayment.
Updating Requirements and Procedures
When students notify the OSFA of an allowable update, the Financial Aid Administrator may submit corrections for a new EFC and the new EFC may be used to offer financial aid.
Interim Disbursements
The OSFA does not allow interim disbursements. Students must complete the verification process before aid is offered or disbursed.
Summer School
Xavier University of Louisiana is a formula 3 school. Summer school is a trailer. Students are awarded beginning April 15 and awarded based on pre-registering for at least 6 hours. The summer funds are residual funds from the fall/spring academic year.
Half time for the summer session is as follows:
Effective Summer 2023, for the purpose of Federal Financial Aid, half time for the summer session is as follows:
Undergraduate students – 6 hours half time
Graduate students – 3 hours at least half time
All pharmacy student – 6 hours half time