The U. S. Department of Education has established new regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Title IV student aid programs by identifying students with unusual enrollment history (UEH); especially when a student attends an institution long enough to receive a Title IV credit balance, leaves without completing the enrollment period, and then enrolls at another institution, repeating the pattern of remaining just long enough to collect a Title IV credit balance without earning any academic credit. Unusual enrollment history is defined as receiving federal aid funds at multiple institutions in a four year award period (2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018). Such an enrollment history requires a review to determine whether there are valid reasons for the unusual enrollment history. This must be resolved before a student may be awarded financial aid.
If a student received a Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan at the institution performing the review for these award years, no additional action is required. However, if the institution has reason to believe that the student is one who remains enrolled just long enough to collect student aid funds, the institution must resolve any UEH issue(s).
If the student did not receive a Pell Grant/or Federal Direct Loan at the institution performing the review for the award years (2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018), the institution must determine if the student received academic credit at their institution or any other institutions the student attended during these award years. Using the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), the institution must identify the institutions where the student received Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan funding over the past four award years. Also, the institution performing the review must obtain academic transcripts or grade reports for each previously institution the student attended whether or not academic credit (credit hours or clock hours) was earned.
No further action is required if the institution determines that the student earned any academic credits at institutions attended during the relevant award years unless the institution has other reasons to believe that the student is one who enrolls just to receive the credit balance. If the student did not earn credit at a previous attended institution and, if applicable, at the institution performing the review, the institution must obtain documentation from the student explaining why the student failed to earn credit.
The institution must deny the student Title IV, HEA program assistance if the student did not earn academic credit at one or more of the relevant institutions and does not provide, to the financial aid administrator's satisfaction, an acceptable explanation and documentation of the unusual enrollment history. The student must be provided with an opportunity to question and appeal the decision and the institution must provide the student with information regarding how the student may regain eligibility.
To resolve this issue all credits from previous institutions, including JSU if previously attended, must be evaluated. Please complete the Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) Form and submit for review.