Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), a student who is convicted of any offense under any federal or state law involving the sale or possession of illegal drugs will not be eligible for any federal Title IV, HEA grant, loan, or work-study funds for the period described below, if the conduct occurred while the student was enrolled in school and receiving federal Title IV, HEA student aid.
This chart summarizes the period that the student will be ineligible to receive Title IV, HEA program funds based on the type of offense and number of offenses.
| Conviction of an offense involving possession of illegal drugs | Conviction of an offense involving sale of illegal drugs (includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.) | |
|---|---|---|
| First Offense | The student is ineligible for one year after the date of conviction. | The student is ineligible for two years after the date of conviction. |
| Second Offense | The student is ineligible for two years after the date of the second conviction. | The student is ineligible for an indefinite period after the date of the second conviction. |
| Three or more Offenses | The student is ineligible for an indefinite period after the date of the third conviction. |
If you have a conviction(s) for these offenses, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or go to the FAFSA on the WebSM site, click on "Before Beginning A FAFSA" in the left column, then click on "Student Aid Eligibility Worksheet" to find out how this law applies to you.
If you have lost federal student aid eligibility due to a drug conviction, you can regain eligibility if you successfully complete a drug rehabilitation program that includes at least two unannounced drug tests and that complies with the following additional criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education:
- Has received or is qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly under a federal, state, or local government program;
- Is administered or recognized by a federal, state, or local government agency or court;
- Has received or is qualified to receive payment directly or indirectly from a federal- or state-licensed insurance company; or
- Is administered or recognized by a federal- or state-licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact your Student Financial Services counselor by visiting Memorial Hall, or contact us at StudentFinancialServices@hofstra.edu.