Reporting Changes to the Financial Aid Office Using the Change Notification Form

Changes in Resources

You must notify our office of any non-SSU resources you will receive that are not currently listed in the Awards section of your Award Offer. Resources include any source of funding given to you or to the University on your behalf from any agency or organization, including scholarships, veterans educational benefits, and fee waivers. To notify us, use the Change Notification Form, which is downloadable from this web site. Additional resources could result in changes to your award. If this happens we will send you a Modified Award Offer to explain the changes.

Changes in Housing

You must notify our office if there is a change in your housing plans from what you reported on your FAFSA (example: With Parents instead of Off-Campus, On-Campus instead of Off-Campus, etc.) To notify us, use the Change Notification Form, which is downloadable from this web site. Changes in your housing status will create a change in your Cost of Attendance (COA), which could result in changes to your award. If this happens we will send you a Modified Award Offer to explain the changes.

Declining or Reducing Work-Study

You must notify our office if you want to decline a Federal Work-Study (FWS) award or to request a reduction of a FWS award. To notify us, use the Change Notification Form, which is downloadable from this web site. If you decline or reduce your FWS award, you may be eligible for an increase in your student and/or parent loan. If you would like us to reevaluate your loan eligibility, refer to Section 4 on the Change Notification Form.

Declining or Reducing a Student Loan

You must notify our office if you want to decline a Direct Student Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized) a Perkins loan, or to request a reduction of those types of loans. To notify us, use the Change Notification Form, which is downloadable from this web site. If you do not decline or tell us to reduce a Direct Loan, we will automatically submit your loan request to the Direct Loan Origination Center for the amount listed on your Award Offer. Please Note: If your loan has already disbursed to your student account, you cannot use the Change Notification Form to decline or reduce it. See Canceling a Disbursed Loan below.

If loan entrance counseling has been completed, and a master promissory note is on file, Direct Loan funds will automatically disburse to your student account if they have not been declined. You have the right to cancel or reduce your Direct Loan as explained below.

Canceling a Disbursed Loan

For 14 days from the date we notify you that Perkins Loan or Direct Loan funds have been credited to your student account, you have the right to cancel all or part of that disbursement by notifying Customer Services in writing using the Request to Return Student Loan/Financial Aid Funds form available in their office. If funds were released to you in a refund check, you must return the funds you wish to have cancelled with your request. Even after your right to cancel expires, we generally will accept a return of loan funds if you return them to Customer Services within thirty days from the date of disbursement.

Change in Attendance Plans

You must notify our office if you were awarded the full academic and plan on attending SSU for only one semester, either Fall or Spring, or if you do not plan on attending SSU at all. To notify us, use the Change Notification Form, which is downloadable from our web site. We will make all appropriate adjustments.

Additional Changes to Report to the Financial Aid Office

Changing Your Name

Your name must match in university records with the name on your FAFSA. If you change your name, you must make sure you update your name in both places. You must submit a copy of your social security card, with your new name, to the Office of Admissions and Records so that they can update university records. You can update your name on your FAFSA one of two ways doing a correction on the internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov or submitting a copy of your social security card with the new name along with a signed statement to make the correction to the Financial Aid Office (FAO) who will then update your FAFSA.

Requests for Changes Based on Special Circumstances

If you and/or your family have experienced a loss of income due to an involuntary loss of job, reduction in hours or loss of income such as child support or Social Security benefits, you may request that we reevaluate your eligibility for aid. Requests to reevaluate financial aid eligibility due to loss of job will be processed during the month of October of that academic year.

If you have certain extraordinary expenses, such as high, un-reimbursed medical bills or private school tuition for a disabled child, you may request a reevaluation of eligibility for aid. However, there are limits on what can be considered for medical expenses. Contact your Financial Aid Representative for more information.

The first step in starting this process is to write a letter or email to the FAO describing the situation. Be specific and also provide dates. You will receive an acknowledgement that your letter was received. Your Financial Aid Representative will contact you regarding the completion of additional paperwork.

Changes that the Financial Aid Office Will Report to You

Change in Award

Your Financial Aid Award could be modified for one or more of the following reasons:

If your award changes, we will send you a Modified Award Offer explaining the changes.

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