Nearly every student is eligible for some form of financial aid. Students who may not be eligible for need-based aid may still be eligible for an unsubsidized Stafford Loan regardless of income or circumstances.
A student who can meet all of the following criteria may be eligible for aid:
has registered with the Selective Service System (for Conscription in the United States) between the ages of 18 and 25, if required to do so;
maintains at least a C average minimum GPA for federal student aid or a higher minimum set by the school for institutional aid eligibility;
is a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or an eligible non-citizen;
has a valid Social Security number;
has a high school diploma or GED;
sign the certification statement stating that: 1) not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and 2) federal student aid will only be used for educational purposes;
has not been found guilty of the sale or possession of illegal drugs while federal aid was being received.
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) of 2010 changed the criteria for suspension of eligibility for drug-related offenses. Previously, students could lose eligibility for either the possession or sale of a controlled substance during the period of enrollment. SAFRA dropped the penalties for possession of a controlled substance but retained the penalties for sale of a controlled substance. SAFRA increases the suspension to two years for a first offense and indefinite for a second offense.
Students who are military veterans and active duty service members may apply for financial aid by filing a FAFSA even if they also apply for education and housing benefits offered by the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and its accompanying Yellow Ribbon program. The amount of military aid a student receives for a college education does not defer eligibility or reduce the amount of student aid that student could receive from the four federal grant programs - Pell, SMART, FSEOG, and TEACH - and many of the state student aid programs.