Unusual Enrollment History

Unusual Enrollment History (EUH) Flags

Some Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSAs) will be flagged for “unusual enrollment history” by the U.S. Department of Education as a result of the student having received Pell Grants and/or Federal Direct Loan funds (not including a Direct Consolidation Loan or Parent PLUS loan) at multiple institutions in the recent four years. Flags “2” and “3” require that the current institution review the student’s enrollment history and determine whether or not the student is enrolling only long enough to receive cash refunds of federal student aid.

MSJC’s Financial Aid Office, in the process of reviewing a student’s UEH flag, will check the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for complete enrollment history (i.e., name of each school attended during the 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 academic years - the review period - and dates of attendance).

All students with UEH Flag 3 and some students with UEH flag 2 will be required to provide MSJC their unofficial academic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended during the review period. If Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loan funds were received and credit hours (passing grades: A-D or P) were not earned at each institution attended during these award years, the student may be determined ineligible for further federal financial aid. The Financial Aid Office has the authority to require an unofficial academic transcript from any/all colleges attended during the review period.

There may be instances where an institution suspects that a student for whom the Department did not assign a UEH Flag may be one whose past enrollment suggests that the student’s prior academic history should be reviewed. In such instances, the institution may choose to treat the student as though the Department had assigned the student a UEH Flag with a value of ‘3.’

How to Resolve

UEH Flag value is ‘2’: The institution must review the student’s enrollment and financial aid records to determine if, during the four award year review period (award years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022), the student received a Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan at any time for the institution that is performing the review.

If so, no additional action is required. However, if the institution has reason to believe that the student is one who remains enrolled just long enough to collect student aid funds, the institution must follow the guidance that is provided below for a UEH Flag of ‘3.’
If not, the institution must follow the guidance provided below for a UEH Flag of ‘3.’

UEH Flag value is ‘3’: The institution must review the student’s academic records to determine if the student received academic credit at the institutions the student attended during the four-award year period (award years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022). Using information from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), the institution must identify the institutions where the student received Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan funding over the past four award years (2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022).

Based upon academic transcripts the institution may already possess, or by asking the student to provide academic transcripts or grade reports, the institution must determine, for each of the previously attended institutions, whether academic credit was earned during the award year in which the student received Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan funds. Academic credit is considered to have been earned if the academic records show that the student completed any credit hours or clock hours.

Academic Credit Earned: If the institution determines that the student earned any academic credit at each of the previously attended institutions during the relevant award years, no further action is required unless the institution has other reasons to believe that the student is one who enrolls just to receive the credit balance. In such instances, the institution must require the student to provide the additional information discussed below under “Academic Credit Not Earned.” If it is determined that academic credit was not earned at one or more of the previously attended institutions, the institution must follow the “Academic Credit Not Earned” guidance below.
Academic Credit Not Earned: If the student did not earn academic credit at a previously attended institution and, if applicable, at the institution performing the review, the institution must obtain documentation from the student explaining why the student failed to earn academic credit. The institution must determine whether the documentation supports (1) the reasons given by the student for the student’s failure to earn academic credit; and (2) that the student did not enroll only to receive credit balance funds.
Documenting Credits earned when a school has closed: Please inquire with the Financial Aid Office for further instructions.

Appealing the Ineligibility Determination

If the student has been determined by MSJC to be ineligible for federal student aid on the basis of (or lack of) documentation, he/she may appeal the determination by contacting the Financial Aid Office.

Regaining Federal Student Aid Eligibility

Students whose aid eligibility is denied as a result of their UEH can be re-considered for federal student aid after meeting with an academic advisor, enrolling for two academic terms only in courses that are required by their program, not dropping or withdrawing from (officially or unofficial) any courses after the terms begins, and meeting the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).