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Financial Aid Repayment Obligations

Dropping Classes or Withdrawing

You may be required to repay part or all of your financial aid if:

  • You withdraw (officially, unofficially, or medically) from school or do not complete a semester. Please refer to ISU's refund policies related to "Return of Title IV Funds."
  • You have received your PELL Grant, then never attend a class or drop below the required number of credits for your enrollment status before the Census Date (Census Date: Fall semester, Spring semester, Summer session, or your first day of classes, whichever is later).
  • Your award was made on the basis of inaccurate or incomplete information (financial or otherwise).
  • An error existed in determining your eligibility for aid or the amount of your award.
  • You do not comply with the Students Rights and Responsibilities of financial aid applicants/recipients.

Repayment Obligations

If you do not attend classes, you need to repay all financial aid. If you do not attend, you have not established eligibility for the financial aid you received.

Loan and grant funds used to pay your student fees will be removed from your student account and returned to the federal government, as prescribed by federal financial aid rules.

All financial aid balance must be repaid within 30 days to Idaho State University Student Financial Services Office. The Financial Services Office can be reached at (208) 282-3000.

If you attend classes, the University will calculate your repayment based on federal regulations and requirements.

The repayment calculation is based on the time you attended the program, the withdrawal date, and the type and amount of financial aid you received. The calculations identify the financial aid you earned for the semester and the amount the University and you must return to the Federal Title IV programs.

Refund Amounts

Federal regulations mandate the calculation of the amount Idaho State University must return to Title IV programs when an aid recipient withdraws.

The student may be required to repay ISU for funds the University is required to return to federal financial aid programs in excess of the ISU refund amounts.

The Return of Title IV funds calculation is very complicated and very individualized. The amount required for repayment is generated by the system once the student has withdrawn or drops from classes.

Loan Repayment

For Federal Loans, you will need to complete Exit Counseling if you withdraw or drop below 6 credits (5 credits for graduate students).

PELL Grant

The PELL Grant award varies according to the semester credits you are enrolled in. Any adjustments you make to your schedule could impact the award amount of your PELL Grant. If you drop credits you could lose eligibility for some of the PELL Grant you are awarded originally. The student will be required to repay a portion or all of the Grant award depending on the number of credits. To avoid any repayment, please be aware of the following:

  • Your PELL grant enrollment is frozen on the tenth day of school for that semester. (The "census date" for the summer session is the fifth day of class. )

Any classes added after that date will not count towards determining your PELL Grant eligibility. This applies to internships, workshops, and other classes, even if the University allows you to add the credits.

  • Attendance in all classes

Your PELL award is based on the assumption that you attend all your enrolled classes. If you do not attend a class, or if you drop a class before it starts, your PELL Grant award will be recalculated. Your student account on BengalWeb, Finance Tab, will reflect any PELL Grant reduction that occurs for these reasons, (allow up to 5 working days for enrollment changes to be reflected on your student account).

  • Enrollment adjustments between now and the day after the tenth (10th) day of class for fall or spring semester. (This "census date" for the summer session is the fifth day of class.)

If you add or drop classes after your PELL Grant has disbursed, your student account will reflect any resulting changes to your PELL award within a few working days.

Try to add and drop classes during the same session on BengalWeb, if possible. Also, ADD a class before you drop another class. By just dropping a class you may cause your PELL Grant to decrease. If you do not ADD first you may have a late fee on unpaid balances with ISU Cashiers Office caused by this decrease in PELL Grant award.