Financial aid will be adjusted if a student stops attending or never attends a course in which they are registered. Federal financial aid regulations require that class attendance be documented for students at colleges and universities that disburse Federal financial aid funds.
At Salem State University, most adjustments are completed at two points in the semester, during roster verification and at the end of the semester when final grades are submitted. Financial aid awards are subject to changes that may occur at any time before, during, or after a semester ends.
Roster Verification
Professors submit a class roster for verification at the end of the Add/Drop period. The roster indicates who is attending the class, who has stopped attending, and who has never attended. If a professor reports that a student never attended or stopped attending before the end of the Add/Drop Period, the aid will be adjusted.
Students must check their schedule before the Add/Drop Period ends to ensure they are officially enrolled in the courses they are attending. Students must attend all classes in which they are enrolled, or their financial aid will be adjusted accordingly.
Enrollment Status or enrolled credit hours
- Full Time: 12 or more credits
- Three-Quarter Time: 9 to 11.5 credits
- Half-Time: 6 to 8.5 credits
- Less Than Half-Time: 1 to 5.5 credits
End of the Semester
When final grades are submitted, the information is reviewed. If it is reported that a student has not been attending the number of credits for which they were awarded financial aid or has stopped attending all classes at any point during the semester, the Financial Aid Office will adjust the student’s financial aid accordingly.
For more information, please visit Why Did My Financial Aid Change?
No Longer Enrolled and Leave of Absence
If it is determined that a student has stopped attending altogether, a Return of Title IV Funds calculation will be performed.
Other program regulations also affect post- or late disbursement of funds. For this reason, we advise all students who wish to leave the university and have received financial aid to file an official Leave of Absence and/or Withdrawal by contacting Academic Advising. Students should contact the Student Navigation Center to learn about the impact of their decision on their aid eligibility.