If you have not begun attendance or dropped the course(s) in which you are enrolled, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to file a withdrawal request with the Office of Admissions and Records in a timely fashion. Timely withdrawal will help you to avoid financial aid overpayment. The overpayment amount will be significantly higher if you did not attend or dropped short term course(s).

You will be assigned a “FW” grade if you fail to participate in completing class assignments or stop attending the course (unofficial withdrawal). The calculation of the overpayment will take into account the “FW” grade.

An overpayment may result in funds being owed to CCSF and to the Department of Education, and a NATIONAL HOLD may be placed on your record preventing you to receive any financial aid at any postsecondary educational institution until the overpayment is resolved.

The U.S. Department of Education has begun to select student records who received Federal Pell Grant at educational institutions during the review period. This will requires City College of San Francisco to review your enrollment history and determine whether or not you are enrolling only long enough to receive federal student aid.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of August 14, 2008 includes provisions that postsecondary schools participating in Title IV programs publish a code of conduct which describes prohibited practices related to loan programs. To avoid any conflict of interest with the responsibilities of a CCSF employee with respect to student loans, the CCSF Code of Conduct prohibits the following:

1. No action will be taken by financial aid staff that is for the personal benefit or could be perceived to be a conflict of interest.
   • Employees within the financial aid office will not award aid to themselves or their immediate family members. Staff will reserve this task to a Manager as the designated person, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
2. CCSF and its affiliates have no preferred lending agreements with any lender or private education loans and as such no officer or employee of the College shall engage in the practice of recommending, promoting or endorsing education loans for students attending the College.
3. Neither CCSF as an institution nor any individual officer, employee, agent or affiliate employee shall enter any revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender. Revenue-sharing arrangement includes circumstances where an institution recommends a lender or the loan products of a lender who provides or issues a loan in exchange for a fee or provision of material benefits, including revenue or profit-sharing, to the institution, or employee or agent of the institution.
4. No representative or employee of CCSF who is employed in the Financial Aid Office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to educational loans, or agent who has responsibilities with respect to educational loans, or any of their family members, shall solicit or accept any gift from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of educational loans. For purposes of this prohibition, the term “gift” means any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than $50.00. The term includes a gift of services, transportation, lodging, or meals, whether provided in kind, by the purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred.
5. An officer or employee of CCSF who is employed in the Financial Aid Office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to educational loans, or an agent who has responsibilities with respect to educational loans, shall not accept nor affiliate with any lender in terms of fees, payments, or other financial benefits as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
6. . CCSF shall not:
   • For any first-time borrower, assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular lender;
   • Certify a private or alternative loan.
7. CCSF shall not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for the institution providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with respect to:
   • A specified number of private loans;
   • A specified loan volume of such loans; or
   • A preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
8. Opportunity pool loan means a private education loan made by a lender to a student attending the institution or the family member of such a student that involves a payment, directly or indirectly, by such institution of points, premiums, additional interest, or financial support to such lender for the purpose of such lender extending credit to the student or the family.
9. . CCSF shall not request or accept from any lender any assistance with financial aid call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
10. Any CCSF employee who is employed in the Financial Aid Office, or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to educational loans or other student financial aid, and who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, shall be prohibited from receiving anything of value from the lender, guarantor or group of lenders or guarantors, shall be prohibited from receiving anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group of lenders, guarantors; except that the employee may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the serving on such advisory board, commission, or group consistent with applicable CCSF policies.

CCSF has established guidelines for the prevention, identification of and response to identification of identity theft and financial aid fraud.

What are Identity Theft and Financial Aid Fraud?

Identity Theft

Individuals who use personally identifying information of other people to apply for admission to college, receive financial aid and then enroll in classes are committing identity theft. Often, the victimized student is not aware that they have been enrolled in classes, and the financial aid funds in their names are sent to the individual who is perpetrating the fraud. This frequently results in the victimized student being left with unpaid debt at the institution and with the U.S. Department of Education due to student loans that were obtained in their name.

Financial Aid Fraud

Students and potential students who enroll in classes and accept financial aid based on enrollment with no intent to complete classes may be considered perpetrators of financial aid fraud. The student’s tuition and fees are usually paid by financial aid funds, and the student receives a refund of financial aid funds in excess of those costs.

Students, parents, spouses, college staff and all others are responsible for accurately portraying information submitted on the FAFSA, and in all supporting documents to the financial aid application process. Such documents include, but are not limited to, the FAFSA, California Dream Application, BOGW Application, verification forms, timesheets, signature pages, appeal applications, correspondence, etc. Falsification of financial aid documents is an extremely serious offense. Students and others who fraudulently complete financial aid documents will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include loss of eligibility for all financial assistance, termination from all College employment programs, and referral to the U.S. Department of Education for criminal prosecution.

Response to Financial Aid Fraud or Identify Theft

When a CCSF student is identified as being a potential victim of identity theft or involved in financial aid fraud, their account at the college is placed on hold. This hold prevents students from registering and prevents their financial aid from disbursing to their student account. Financial aid funds for the current semester may also be revoked pending resolution. The hold will remain in place until the student has provided all the documents that CCSF may request. CCSF reserves the right to leave the hold in place until those documents are provided by the student in person to the Dean of Financial Aid or designee. The student may be asked questions particular to their status in order to positively determine their identity and intent as a student at CCSF. The student may also be asked to submit additional documentation in order to clarify their status as a student. Additional documentation may include, but not be limited to:

• Unexpired Government Issued Photo ID
• Proof of residency at the address listed on the student’s college records
• Social Security Card  Birth Certificate
• Official High School Transcript or GED from the issuing entity
• Official transcripts from other institutions of higher education that the student has previously attended

When the College has credible information that suggests that an individual has engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct, the case will be reported to the Regional Office of the Inspector General and, if applicable, the state or local law enforcement agencies as specified by the U.S. Department of Education under section 668.14(g) of the General Provisions Regulation. In these instances, the College will leave the student account hold in place until instructed by the Department of Education that it is appropriate to lift the hold. Students identified to be involved in financial aid fraud will also be referred to the Dean of Students for possible disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the College. All monies paid to the student that are determined to have been the result of fraud will be immediately due to the College. If not repaid, this debt will be referred to a collection agency for collection and legal action, and may also be referred to the U.S. Department of Education. Debts that are referred to a collection agency are subject to fees for the costs associated with collecting the debt, including attorney fees and court costs.

Any fraud that the College refers to the Department of Education may result in criminal prosecution. Criminal prosecution may result in a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. Students who are victims of identity theft and/or financial aid fraud are urged to file a police report and seek assistance from appropriate authorities outside of the college. This may include contacting credit bureaus and your banking institution. 

As a financial aid recipient at CCSF, you agree to comply with the following Terms and understand the following information and policies.

1. CCSF reserves the right to review, adjust, or cancel financial aid awards at any time due to changes in federal, state, or CCSF availability of funds. 
2. Your financial aid offer will be void and/or cancelled if based on any error in determining eligibility for aid whether you or the Financial Aid Office made the error. Should any overpayment arise you will be responsible for repayment of any funds received.
3. Your award may be adjusted or canceled after you have been initially awarded due to changes in financial aid need, new aid received unit enrollment at the census, residency, dependency, marital status, academic status, and failure to comply with state, federal and institutional regulations. 
4. Your enrollment status will not be changed after the financial aid census date. Students adding additional units will not receive additional financial aid funds.
5. The amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive is based on your unit enrollment.
6. Per federal regulations, Federal Financial Aid funds can be paid for only 1 repetition of a previously passed course. Passing grades are “A, B, C, D, and P”. A student may repeat a failed course until it is passed.
7. You are responsible for paying registration fees that are not fully covered by financial aid. Failure to pay your remaining balance on time may result in being dropped from courses and/ or inability to register for future terms.
8. You are responsible for enrolling in an educational program leading to a degree, transfer, or certificate that is eligible for financial aid. Certificate programs less than 16 units and adult basic education programs are ineligible to receive financial aid.
9. Your eligibility for financial aid is contingent upon meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards according to the CCSF SAP Policy.
10. You must enroll in at least six (6) units per semester to qualify for Federal Work-Study, FSEOG, Federal Direct Loans, and Cal Grant programs.
11. You must comply with Federal Regulations which prohibit a student from receiving Federal Pell Grant from more than one institution at the same time.
12. If you stop attending a class, you are responsible for withdrawing with the Admissions and Records Office. If you receive financial aid funds and withdrawal from one or more courses this may result in cancellation or repayment of all or part of your aid.
13. If you withdraw from CCSF, any fee refund due may be returned to the appropriate financial aid program.
14. Information provided on any financial aid application and other documents must be true and correct. CCSF may verify any and/or all information. You must notify the Financial Aid Office if you receive other financial aid assistance or resources. 
15. If you owe a refund on any Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal FSEOG, or if you are in default on a Federal Direct, Federal Stafford Loan, PLUS, or Federal Perkins Loan from any institution, you will not be eligible for financial aid.
16. You must promptly notify the Admissions and Records and/or Tuition and Fees of a change of address, change of name, drop or withdrawal from course(s).
17. Regulations governing financial aid are subject to change at any time without notice.

The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) is the national databased of information about loans and grants awarded to students under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants during their complete life cycle, from aid approval through disbursement, repayment, delinquency, and closure.

We are required to monitor transfer students through the NSLDS database. Once we post a student to the monitoring list, we must sit seven (7) days until we can distribute their funds. This process must be done even if you did not receive financial aid at any other school. There is no action needed by the student during this process unless notification is provided that funds are pending or have received at another institution. Students are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this process is completed.

If you did receive financial aid at another school during the same year you are attending or planning to attend CCSF, you must have any pending aid disbursements canceled at your previous school to ensure an accurate award at package at CCSF.

If funds are pending or have been received from a previous institution during the same academic year you will be notified via email and required to resolve any payments with that institution before CCSF can finalize any further payments.