Definition of Unusual Enrollment History

Unusual enrollment history is the specific pattern the Department of Education uses to select students who have received a Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Student Loans at multiple institutions during the past four academic years. Students are required to have earned academic credit during the award year in which they received Pell Grant or Federal Direct Loan funds at each previously attended institution.

Program Integrity

The Department of Education has established regulations to address possible fraud and abuse in the Title IV student aid programs by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories. These students are identified by the Department of Education through the submission of the FAFSA. Some students who have an unusual enrollment history have legitimate reasons for their enrollment at multiple institutions. However, such an enrollment history requires the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to review the student's enrollment history to determine future federal financial aid eligibility.

At times, students are selected for unusual enrollment history review after their financial aid has already been awarded. In these cases, future financial aid disbursements will be canceled until the issue has been resolved. No aid can be awarded or disbursed until our office has reviewed the student's academic history and the issue has been resolved. If you are selected for a review of your enrollment history, the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships will notify you of what is required.

Student Responsibility

To review your enrollment history, we will need transcripts to complete the review. These transcripts should be sent to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. No federal aid can be awarded until all required documentation has been received. As part of the review, our office will verify that academic credit was earned at each institution during the previous four years. If you did not earn academic credit at any institution where you received a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Direct Loans during the relevant award years, we cannot award federal financial aid to you.