Rights and Responsibilities

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​​Student Rights

  • A student has the right to know what financial aid programs are available at COTC.
  • A student has the right to know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the financial aid programs available.
  • A student has the right to know how financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on the distribution of aid are made, and the basis for these decisions.
  • A student has the right to know how financial need was determined.  This includes how costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing, utilities, food, personal and miscellaneous expenses, and transportation are considered in the budget.
  • A student has the right to know what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, assets, etc.) were considered in the calculation of the need.
  • A student has the right to request an explanation of the various programs in the student aid package.
  • A student has the right to know the college’s refund policy and how it affects the financial aid package.
  • A student has the right to know what portion of the financial aid they receive must be repaid, and what portion is grant aid. If the aid is a loan, he has the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount that must be repaid, the payback procedures, length of time to repay the loan, and when repayment is to begin.
  • A student has the right to know how the college determines whether or not they are making Satisfactory Academic Progress, and what happens if they are not.

Student Responsibilities

  • A student must complete all applications/forms accurately and submit them on time to the appropriate offices.
  • A student must provide correct information. In most instances, misrepresenting information on financial aid forms is a violation of the law and may be considered a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the United States Criminal Code.
  • A student must submit all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Office of Financial Aid or the agency to which they submitted the application.
  • A student is responsible for reading and understanding all forms that they are asked to sign and for keeping copies of them.
  • A student must accept responsibility for all agreements signed.
  • A student must be aware of and comply with the deadline for application or reapplication for aid.
  • A student must repay, according to the repayment provisions of the loan fund, all loans accepted and used for educational expenses. 
  • A student must perform the work that is agreed upon when accepting a Federal Work Study job.
  • A student must be enrolled a minimum of six (6) credit hours per semester to earn Federal Work Study. (Student employees are encouraged to use direct deposit for their pay. If a student employee chooses not to use direct deposit, their paycheck will be mailed on payday.)
  • A student must comply with the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for renewal of Financial Aid programs.