Unusual Enrollment HistoryUnusual Enrollment HistoryUEHUEH

Presented by: Alyssa Dobson, Director of Financial AidEdinboro University of Pennsylvania

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistoryMarch 8, 2013 Dear Colleague Letter GEN-13-09•Outlines UEH•Defines ISIR Data Items•Describes what unusual enrollment is

Looking in our current FSA handbook, UEH is mentioned in volume 1, chapter 3, page 1-46.

And there is information regarding postscreened ISIRs in the January 2013 NSLDS newsletter

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory

What is unusual?

un·u·su·al – Not usual, common, or ordinary

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• ISIR Data Item #440• Possible values for data item #440 are

– N

– 2

– 3

• Values 2 and 3 will generate a C-Flag• Values for comment codes are

– 359 – associated with data UEH flag 2

– 360 – associated with UEH flag 3

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• What does data item #440 look like?

– We all use different FAMS, here is how the flag appears in CPS:

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• Comment code 359 states:

– Your school may request additional information to determine your eligibility for federal student aid

– Present with UEH Flag value = 2

• Comment code 360 states:– Based upon data provided by the National Student

Loan Data System (NSLDS), your school will request additional information to determine your eligibility for federal student aid and before disbursement of funds can be made.

– Present with UEH Flag value = 3

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• Must address all C-Flags

– No aid can be received by the student until the c-flag is cleared for that aid year

• UEH Flag 2 or 3 produce a C-Flag– A different process is required by each flag

– If a student is identified with a UEH flag in consecutive years, you must follow up with each year separately

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory

• First, identify which UEH flag is causing the c-flag– Follow steps for the appropriate UEH flag

• UEH Flag 2– Review enrollment for the past 3 award years– Review financial aid records for the past 3 award years– Determine if the student received a Pell grant at your

institution• If yes, no additional follow up is needed. Be sure to

document the review that occurred and your finding for clearing the c-flag

• If no Pell received at your school, or you suspect misuse, then use the steps for UEH flag 3

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• UEH Flag 3

– Review the school history on NSLDS for the past three academic years

– Review the Pell usage for the past three academic years

– Obtain academic records for all of schools attended during this time frame

– Determine if the student earned credit while also using Pell for EVERY institution attended during this time

• Review each award year independently

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• UEH Flag 3 Continued

– If academic credit was earned at every institution for each appropriate award year, no further action in needed

• Retain all documentation as the reason for clearing the c-flag

– If academic credit was not earned at one or more of the attended institutions (including your own)

• You must obtain documentation from the student that explains why academic credit was not earned

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• 2 specific criteria the student information must

meet:– Student must document a reason for not earning

credits

– You must be able to determine that the student did not enroll just to receive their refund

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• UEH Flag 3 Continued

– Ultimately, you should approve or deny continued aid eligibility by determining if the documentation provided by the student can clear the c-flag

– Always retain all documentation in the file

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• The Fun Part• UEH Flags can change

– A student can change from an N to a 2 to a 3 and vice versa

– A change only results from a change in their Pell history

– NLDS postscreening reason code 24 will be used to alert us on the postscreened ISIR

– If the UEH flag changes from an N to a 2 or 3, this will be the first c-flag indication

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• Can do versus must do

– You can require an academic plan if you wish to clear the c-flag with expectations

• Similar to SAP academic plans

– You can counsel these students regarding LEU limits

– You can refer these students to use academic resources at your institution

– You MUST allow the student to appeal your decision if deny eligibility

– You MUST provide information on how to regain eligibility

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• An appeal process

– Similar to SAP process

– Student must be given the opportunity to ask questions or appeal your decision

– Information on the appeal process should be given to them at the time that you determine that they will be ineligible for aid

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• Regaining aid

– Separate from the appeal process

– Must outline what is required

– Completion of academic credit will probably be a factor

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory• We have learned

– ISIR Data Item #440

– UEH Flags N, 2, 3

– Comment Codes 359, 360

– C-Flags for UEH (and how they change)

– Steps for the review process

– Denying Eligibility• Must allow for appeal and questions• Regaining aid

Unusual Enrollment Unusual Enrollment HistoryHistory