Disclosure Information

• Information related to the financial aid programs offered by the TTUHSC is available; online, in this document and on the institutions website.
• Employees are available to assist prospective students, current students, past students and their families during regular office hours; 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (central time zone). An office email account is also active that allows students to submit questions at any time. The questions are answered during regular business hours.
• Information related to the application process for financial aid by the TTUHSC is available; online, in this document and on the institutions website.
• Information related to general schools and programs of study by the TTUHSC is available; online and on the institutions websites.

Information related to general schools and programs of study by the TTUHSC is available; online and on the institutions websites.

TTUHSC does not enroll First-Time, First-Year students. As such, this regulation is not applicable.

TTUHSC completes the IPEDS report information. This information is used by the U.S. Department of Education to populate the College Navigator Website. Because TTUHSC does not enroll First-Time, First-Year students the data and website functionality is very limited.

• Financial Aid Information
• Academic programs, general school information, specific school information
• Student Life information – Assistant Provost for Student Affairs
• Clery Act information - Assistant Provost for Student Affairs / Police Department
• FERPA information – Registrar's Office Staff / Student Affairs Staff

General policies regarding applications and admissions. More

TTUHSC defines a credit hour as every course taught is designated a total number of credit hours, reflecting approximately the total hours a student spends per week in class. A student who is enrolled for 12 or more credit hours per semester is considered a full-time student; one enrolled for fewer than 12 hours is considered a part-time student.

Currently TTUHSC has two certificate programs that receive consideration for Gainful Employment requirements. These programs are:

1. Nurse Practitioner Certificate (Post Masters) – This program is not eligible for federal financial aid. As such, the institutional gainful employment reporting is not required.
    
2. Clinical Lab Sciences Certificate (Bachelors) – The reporting of Gainful Employment information is maintained by the School of Health Professions.
    

• The websites for these programs are maintained by each of the applicable schools and programs.
• The applicable program(s) requirements require reporting the following information on their websites: Note: The responsibility of this reporting is administered with the graduate school, institutional research, and provost offices:
  - specific jobs program is designed for:
  - graduate success rates;
  - time to graduate;
  - total cost of program; and
  - loan debt incurred.
   
• NSLDS/Clearinghouse reporting for these students is coordinated by the Registrar's Office and utilizes data from the Financial Aid Office and Student Business Services.

Disbursement is the process of moving financial aid dollars to student's tuition and fee accounts.

• Disbursing funds - TTUHSC utilizes the SunGard Higher Education - Banner Student Information System. Disbursement records are submitted to Student Business Services via the system for approval and processing. Disbursements begin processing no earlier than ten days before the beginning of terms / semesters. The disbursement process continues, no less than weekly, throughout each term/semester.
• Refunding excess payments - Once funds are disbursed to student's tuition and fee accounts, any excess (credit balance) is refunded to the student. This is done by ACH (automated clearinghouse – direct deposit) or paper check.

• Student Financial Information
• Students that withdraw from TTUHSC may be eligible for a partial refund of tuition and fees paid for that semester. If a student receives financial assistance, then a portion of the assistance may need to be returned to the scholarship, grant, or loan source from which that assistance was received.
• The Federal Formula is applicable to any students receiving federal aid, if students withdraw on or before the 60% point in the semester. The percentage of the refund is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the semester divided by the number of calendar days in the semester. The Federal Formula will be used for students receiving the following: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Student Loan or PLUS loan.
• Any students who fail to complete each of the steps of the withdrawal procedure and/or follow the proper check out procedures to officially withdraw from a class or from the university will receive a grade of "F" in all classes. Students receiving financial assistance who withdraw from the university may be in danger of immediate repayment or collections of student loans / financial aid.
• Institutional/State Refund Policy
• Refund Policy - Title IV Return of Federal Financial Aid

Each school provides specific steps related to withdrawing from the university.

Course Withdraw Limit Policy

TEC 51.907 Course Withdrawal Limit Provisions

Effective fall 2007, undergraduate students enrolled at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center are not permitted to drop more than six courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education, per section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code.

Admission Requirements

To complete admissions requirements and to ensure compliance with the Texas Education Code, transcripts from all institutions must be received before classes begin.

Institutions Affected

Texas public community college, technical institutes/colleges, health science institutions offering undergraduate course work, and universities must comply with the legislation of TEC 51.907.

Course Withdrawal Definition

The definition of a dropped course is one in which an undergraduate student has enrolled for credit, but did not complete, under these conditions:

1. The student was able to drop the course without receiving a grade* or incurring an academic penalty;
2. The student’s transcript indicates or will indicate that the student was enrolled in the course;
3. The student is not dropping the course in order to withdraw from all courses at the institution.

In determining the number of courses dropped by a student, a course, such as a laboratory or discussion course, in which a student is enrolled concurrently with a lecture course is not considered to be a course separate from the lecture course if:

• Concurrent enrollment in both courses is required, and
• In dropping the lecture course, the student would be required to drop the laboratory, discussion, or other course in which the student is concurrently enrolled.

Student Withdrawal Definition

A student is considered to have withdrawn from the institution when the student drops all courses during a semester.

Exempt Courses from Limit

The following types of courses (hours) are exempt and not subject to this policy:

1. Hours earned by the student before receiving a bachelor’s degree that has been previously awarded;
2. Hours earned through examination or similar method without registering for a course;
3. Hours from remedial and developmental courses, workforce education courses, or other courses that would not generate academic credit that could be applied to a degree at the institution if the course work in within the 27‐hour limit at two‐year colleges and the 18‐hour limit at general academic institutions;
4. Hours earned by the student at a private institution or an out‐of‐state institution; and
5. Hours not eligible for formula funding;
6. Courses taken by students while enrolled in high school—whether dual credit, early college credit, or for college credit alone;
7. Courses receiving grades of “W” when a student completely withdraws from all courses enrolled in a term.

Course Drop Exemptions

A student may be permitted to drop more than six courses if the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number, including but not limited to a showing of:

1. A severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete a course;
2. The student’s responsibility for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of care affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete a course;
3. The death of a person who:
   • Is considered to be a member of the student’s family (spouse, child, grandchild, father, mother, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, first cousin, step‐parent, step‐child, or step‐sibling);
   • Is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student (roommate, housemate, classmate, or other persons identified by the student and approved by the institution).
4. The active duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States of:
   • The student;
   • A person who is considered to be a member of the student’s family;
5. The change of the student’s work schedule that is beyond the control of the student, and that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course;
6. Other good cause as determined by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Course Drop Exemption Process

A student must complete the “Good Cause Waiver” form and submit the completed form to the Office of the Registrar within one month of dropping a course that is to be considered exempt from the drop count limit. Once received, the Registrar, or his/her designated representative, will approve/disapprove the waiver and inform the student of the decision. The designated representative will record the grade and activate the “drop counter”, if appropriate. The Office of the Registrar will maintain the documentation.

Students granted an Academic Fresh Start must adhere to this policy with respect to their enrollment beginning in fall 2007.

Student Appeal Process

Students who do not agree with the decision of the Office of the Registrar may appeal the decision to their Dean. Students must provide a written request with copies of the documentation for the Dean’s review within 30 days of the decision of the Office of the Registrar. If the Dean grants the appeal, the Dean’s office will notify the Registrar in writing. Upon receipt of written notification, the student’s record will be updated. The decision of the Dean is final.

*For purposes of this policy, a “grade” is defined to be the indicator, usually a letter like, A, B, C, D, F, or P (for pass) assigned upon the student’s completion of a course. A “grade” indicates either that the student has earned and will be awarded credit, if the student has completed the course requirements successfully; or that the student remained enrolled in the course until the completion of the term or semester but failed to provide satisfactory performance required to be awarded credit. A “grade” under this definition does not include symbols to indicate that the course has been left incomplete, whether those symbols indicate a negotiated temporary suspension of the end‐of‐term deadline for completion of the course requirements commonly designated as “incomplete” status, a dropped course under the conditions designated for this section, or a withdrawal from the institution.

Student Leave of Absence Policies are specific for each school.

New regulations require each state provide authorization to TTUHSC for students taking distance education courses while the student is physically located in the other state. This is an ongoing effort being spearheaded by the Vice Provost of Academic Affairs and coordinated with the Registrar's, Student Business Services and Financial Aid Offices.

Verification is the process required by the Department of Education to verify the accuracy of the information submitted by or on behalf of a student for the purpose of applying for financial aid.

The purpose is to reduce errors in applicant reported data and to insure, to the maximum extent possible, that eligible applicants receive the financial aid they are eligible for.

The process of verification is separate than the requirement to resolve conflicting information. Discrepancies in a student's aid application must be resolved before aid can be disbursed, regardless of existing verification policies.

The process of verification is also separate from the requirement to "document" certain application items. Unconfirmed selective service registration, unconfirmed eligible non-citizen status, and Veteran's Educational Benefits may be "documented" regardless of any existing verification policies.

Schools must verify all FAFSAs selected by Central Processing System (CPS). The institution reserves the right to verify any FAFSA not selected by CPS for verification.

Refer any instance of suspected fraud or criminal conduct by an applicant to the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Education or to the state or local authorities.

Assistant Inspector General for Investigations
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-1500
Phone: 800-647-8733
Online Complaints: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html

Each award year, the Secretary will publish in the Federal Register a notice announcing the FAFSA Information that an institution will be required to verify.

Federal Verification Requirements and Exclusions

Applicants who must be verified include the following:

▪ Applicants who go through a federally approved need analysis system and are selected by the edits.
▪ Applicants for whom the institution has inconsistent data and/or who are selected by institutional criteria.

Applicants not selected for the verification process (assuming no conflicting data) include the following:

▪ Citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau;
▪ Legal resident of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam or American Samoa;
▪ Incarcerated students at the time of verification;
▪ Deceased applicants (regardless of conflicting data);
▪ Recent immigrants (who migrated during one of the calendar years of the award year);
▪ Non-Title IV recipients;
o Verified at another school: Student completed verification for the current award year at another school before transferring. The FAFSA data must be the same as it was at the previous school, and we must get a letter from that school stating that it verified the student’s application and must provide the transaction number of the pertinent valid ISIR.
o Post Enrollment: The student was selected for verification after ceasing to be enrolled at your school and all (including late) disbursements were made.
▪ For all students: Only funds for which the student is eligible are from the unsubsidized student financial assistance programs (i.e., eligibility is not based on student’s EFC);
▪ For all dependent students: Applicants cannot locate the parents because their contact information is unknown and cannot be obtained by the student;
o Parents’ address is unknown and cannot be obtained by the student; or
o Parents are deceased or physically incapacitated.
▪ For all independent students: Applicant cannot locate the spouse because his/her contact information is unknown and cannot be obtained by the student.
o Spouse’s address is unknown and cannot be obtained by student; or
o Spouse is deceased or physically incapacitated.

Except in the case of the student’s death, none of the exemptions excuse the HSC from the requirement to resolve conflicting information.

Selection of Applications Verified at TTUHSC

It is the policy of the Financial Aid Office to verify all applicants for need-based aid selected for verification by the federal edits. Federally accepted exclusions listed above will be honored. Non need-based applications are not required to be verified.

Noncitizen Verification without SSN and Tax Filing Requirements

Noncitizens must file a U.S. federal income tax return for wages earned while working in the U.S. regardless of whether that income comes from U.S. or non-U.S. sources unless the only income received from a U.S. source is less than the personal exemption amount, according to IRS guidance.

Not having a Social Security Number (SSN) does not prevent an individual from filing a federal tax return when otherwise required by the IRS, and it does not prevent a dependent student’s parent or an independent student’s spouse from completing the FAFSA.

If a resident or non-resident alien is required to file a federal tax return but does not have and is not eligible for a SSN, the IRS will issue an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). The ITIN is for federal tax purposes only and cannot be used in place of a SSN on the FAFSA.

If an individual (with an ITIN or SSN) was required to file a federal tax return, but did not file one, this constitutes conflicting information which must be fully resolved before processing the student’s federal aid application continues.

When the DHS is unable to verify an applicant’s eligible noncitizen status through the automated primary or secondary confirmation process, the school must perform manual secondary confirmation by submitting a Document Verification Request (G-845) form to the DHS along with copies of the applicant’s DHS documentation.

Homeless Youth Determination

A student is eligible for homeless youth status if he/she meets the homeless definition and was determined to be homeless by his/her high school or school district homeless liaison, the director of a runaway or homeless youth center, or HUD. Student who meet this criteria are independent. *Supporting documentation may be required by the school.

Completion of Verification Prior to Professional Judgment Adjustment

Verification must be completed for an application prior to exercising professional judgment authority to adjust a student’s Expected Family Contribution or Cost of Attendance only when:

▪ Applicants who go through a federally approved need analysis system and are selected by the edits.
▪ Applicants for whom the institution has inconsistent data and/or who are selected by institutional criteria.
▪ Otherwise, completion of verification is not required for professional judgments.

Pell Grant

Pay Pell on the correct EFC after verification. If corrections increase the amount of a student’s Federal Pell Grant and a valid ISIR/SAR is received after the student is no longer enrolled by before the annual Federal Register deadline, the school must pay the student the higher award amount.

Verification Deadlines

Applicants selected for verification will be required to submit documentation to the TTUHSC Financial Aid Office in support of the data supplied of the FAFSA and required by the Department of Education as published in the Federal Register for each academic year.

The financial aid office will notify selected applicants of the documentation needed to complete the verification process via the applicant’s official HSC Email as well as through the WebRaider Portal.

All information required to complete the verification process or to resolve conflicting data must be submitted by the applicant’s last day of attendance for the award year being verified. If all information is not received by this deadline, the applicant forfeits all rights to any aid for which the applicant would be otherwise eligible for the award year.

Applicant Correction and Notification Procedures

The TTUHSC Financial Aid Office will electronically submit to the Central Processor (CPS) correction to FAFSA data resulting from verification. CPS will then send notification of these changes to the applicant as notification of these corrections. Applicant will be notified of award changes resulting from verification by the receipt of an updated award notification from the financial aid office via the applicant’s HSC Email as well as through the WebRaider Student Portal.

Any adjustments due to verification may result in an adjustment of student financial aid award.

IRS Data Retrieval

All applicants selected for verification, regardless of Verification Tracking Group, who retrieve and transfer their income tax return information, unchanged, using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool—either when initially completing the FAFSA using FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) or through the corrections process of FOTW—are considered to have verified the following FAFSA IRS information, as applicable:

▪ Adjusted Gross Income
▪ U.S. Income Tax Paid
▪ Untaxed Portions of IRA Distributions
▪ Untaxed Portions of Pensions
▪ IRA Deductions and Payments
▪ Tax Exempt Interest Income
▪ Education credits

However, if changes were made to the transferred information or if the institution has reason to believe that the information transferred is inaccurate, the applicant must provide other acceptable documentation as required.

IRS Tax Transcript Document Required

Only an IRS Tax Return Transcript is acceptable documentation when the applicant (or parent) did not use/was not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Process – either at initial FAFSA filing or through the correction process.

Under certain conditions, some applicants who were selected for verification must submit to their institution an IRS Tax Return Transcript tax year information for the applicant, his or her spouse, and his or her parents, as applicable. These conditions are as follows:

▪ When the applicant or parent did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Process—either at initial FAFSA filing or though the FOTW correction process.
▪ When information obtained by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool was changed before or after submission of the FAFSA or the FAFSA correction.
▪ When a married independent applicant and spouse filed separate tax returns.
▪ When the married parents of a dependent student filed separate tax returns.
▪ In all instances, when the dependent student’s legal parents are unmarried and living together.
▪ When an applicant or an applicant’s parents had a change in marital status after the end of an IRS tax year on December 31 of the year.
▪ When the applicant or parent or spouse filed an amended tax return. Under this condition, the institution must obtain the documents below to complete verification:
o an IRS Tax Return Transcript, or any IRS tax transcript that includes all of the income and tax information required to be verified, and
o a signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X that was filed with the IRS.

*IRS Tax Return Transcripts do not have to be signed by the tax filer.

Documentation Requirements for Tax Filers Who Have Special Filing Circumstances

Victims of Identity Theft:

Tax filers who are unable to obtain an IRS Tax Return Transcript due to identity theft must submit an alternative tax return transcript known as the TRDBV (Transcript DataBase View). The TRDBV is required to complete verification. The school must also collect a statement signed and dated by the tax filer indicating that he or she was a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and that the IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft. Schools completing verification on or after July 7, 2015 must collect both the TRDBV and signed statement from the tax filer. (GEN-14-05)

Tax filers who are denied an IRS Tax Return Transcript using one of the regular request processes due to IRS identity theft will be referred to the Identity Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU) toll-free number at 1-800-908-4490. Tax filers who believe they are victims of identity theft do not need to be referred to the IPSU; they may call the number directly or go to the IRS identity theft website at www.irs.gov. After the IPSU authenticates the tax filer's identity, the tax filer can request that the IRS mail to the tax filer an alternate tax return transcript known as the TRDBV (Transcript DataBase View).

IRS Extension for Filing Form:

Tax filers who have filed for an Extension must submit the IRS Extension for Filing Form 4846 (Notice of Approval), copies of ALL W2s, along with completed verification forms. IF they are self-employed, they must submit a signed statement with the amount of their AGI and their U.S. income taxes Paid along with completed verification forms. Financial Aid will be awarded and disbursed based off the information reported on the W2s or signed statement if self-employed.

Amended Tax Returns:

For any verifications completed on or after July 7, 2015, the school must collect all of the following for individuals who filed an amended tax return:

▪ A signed copy of the original tax return that was filed with the IRS;
▪ An IRS Tax Return Transcript (which does not have to be signed); and
▪ A signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X that was filed with the IRS

Separated, Divorced, Remarried, or Widowed:

When dependent students’ parents or independent students have filed a joint return and have separated, divorced, married someone else, or been widowed, they must submit:

▪ a copy of each W-2 form for the parent whose tax information is on the FAFSA. Similarly, an independent student must submit a copy of each of her W-2 forms if she filed a joint return and is separated, divorced, or a widow.
▪ Tax Return Transcript AND
▪ Signed Letter of Separation (if separated)-stating when the separation occurred and current situation along with current filing status.

*In the event additional documentation is needed to verify an individual’s circumstance, a specific request for the needed document will be computer generated through the forms tracking system or through a hand-written request at the time verification is performed. If the applicant does not comply with the request for additional documentation or submit an acceptable alternative, the application will not proceed further through the awarding process.

Items to be Verified and Acceptable Documentation

Number in College 

o Applicant must provide the name and age of each household member who is or will be attending an eligible postsecondary educational institution as at least a half-time student in the current award year and the name of the eligible institution(s) that each household member is or will be attending.

Number in Household

o Foster care – A foster child can be included in the household if they are considered to be in a “kinship foster care”. The foster parent does not receive any support, income or benefits from the state or foster agency and pays more than half of their support.
o The number of household members for dependent students must now include both of a dependent student’s legal (biological or adoptive) parents if the parents live together, regardless of the marital status or gender of the parents.

Food Stamps (SNAP), if receipt reported on FAFSA

o Documentation may be required from the agency that issues Food Stamps benefit or alternative documentation as determined by the institution to be sufficient to confirm that the applicant received Food Stamps.

Child Support Paid, if amount reported on FAFSA

o Statement signed by the applicant, spouse, or parent who paid child support certifying:

▪ Amount of child support paid
▪ Name of the person who paid child support
▪ Name of the person to whom child support was paid
▪ The name of the children for whom child support was paid

High School Completion

o Students must provide one of the following documents that indicate their high school completion status at the beginning of the 2013–2014 year:

▪ A copy of a high school diploma.
▪ A copy of a final, official high school transcript that shows the date when the diploma was awarded.
▪ A copy of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or GED transcript.
▪ An academic transcript that indicates the student successfully completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree (core curriculum).
▪ A copy of a secondary school completion credential for homeschool (other than a HS diploma or its recognized equivalent) if state law requires homeschooled students to obtain that credential.
▪ A transcript or the equivalent, signed by the parent or guardian of a homeschooled student that lists the secondary school courses the student completed and documents the successful completion of a secondary school education in a homeschool setting.
▪ Meeting the grandfathering requirements.

High School Completion Abroad - Applicants who completed secondary education in a foreign country and who are unable to obtain a copy of their high school diploma or transcript may document their high school completion status by obtaining a copy of a “secondary school leaving certificate” (or other similar document) through the appropriate central government agency (e.g., a Ministry of Education) of the country where the secondary education was completed. Institutions must determine whether foreign secondary school credentials are evidence of completing the equivalent of a secondary education in the United States. Institutions that do not have the expertise to make that determination themselves may use a foreign diploma evaluation service.

Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose

o Students should appear in person at the school and present a valid, government-issued photo identification (ID) such as a passport or a driver license or other state-issued ID. We must maintain an annotated copy of that ID that includes the date it was received and the name of the person at the school who is authorized to receive it.
o Students must also sign a statement of educational purpose that certifies who they are and that the federal student aid they may receive will only be used for educational purposes and for the cost of attending the school for the current academic year.
o A student who is unable to appear at the school must sign and submit the statement of educational purpose, and they must submit a copy of their ID with the statement signed by a notary public confirming that the student appeared before them and presented the ID confirming his identity.

we must receive the original wet ink copy, cannot be faxed or emailed

Tax Filers (From IRS Data Retrieval)

Adjusted gross income (AGI), taxes paid, specific untaxed income items from tax return, untaxed IRA distributions, untaxed pensions, education credits, IRA deductions, and tax exempt interest.

Nontax Filers

If an institution questions a claim that the tax filer has not, will not, and is not required to file an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) income tax return, the institution must require the applicant to submit a “Verification of Non-filing” from the IRS that the tax filer did not file an IRS income tax return. The request for “Verification of Non-filing” can be obtained by the tax filer using IRS Form 4506-T and checking box 7. IMPORTANT: According to the IRS, a response to the request for a “Verification of Non-filing” for the tax year will not be issued until after June 15 each year.

Discretionary Verification of Non-Required Items and Acceptable Documentation

The TTUHSC Financial Aid Office may choose to verify non-required data elements in addition to the required verification items. The institution has full discretion as to which applicants must provide documentation for any additional data elements and what constitutes acceptable documentation. Written statement on the Verification Form is acceptable documentation. Possible discretionary verification items and acceptable documentation might include but are not limited to the following:

▪ Welfare Benefits (other than welfare benefits which are prohibited by law from inclusion) - Documentation from the paying office; or a signed statement confirming the amount.
▪ Worker's Compensation - Documentation from the applicant's employer; or a signed statement confirming the amount from the applicant.
▪ Veterans' Non-educational Benefits - Documentation from the Department of Veterans' Affairs; or a signed statement confirming the amount from the applicant.
▪ Housing, food, and other living allowances - Signed statement confirming the amount from the applicant.
▪ Cash Support - Signed statement confirming the amount from the applicant.
▪ Untaxed Portion of Pensions - Signed copy of the 1040 or 1040A.
▪ Rollover – if untaxed pension is reported on the tax return for student or parent, the amount will be clarified to determine if it is a rollover. A signed copy of the tax return will need to be provided to exclude the rollover amount. The rollover amount will be removed with initial review.
▪ Tax-Exempt Interest Income - Signed copy of the 1040 or 1040A.
▪ Other Untaxed Income and Benefits - Signed statement confirming the amount from the applicant.

Verification Tolerance Options

It is the policy of the HSC Office Financial Aid to submit all discrepancies to CPS. During the process of verification, discrepancies may be discovered between the dollar amount reported on the application and the dollar amount reported on the back-up documentation. The difference between the two amounts may or may not cause the application to be corrected. The following tolerance options may be used to determine whether or not corrections are necessary. For all subsidized student financial assistance programs, the school will submit to CPS any changes to a non-dollar item or a single dollar item of $25 or more.

Processing Required Corrections

If it is determined through the process of verification that the application must be reprocessed, corrections will be made through CPS. Once the corrected ISIR has been received, eligibility for aid will be determined and aid awarded accordingly.

Interim Disbursements and Loan Certification Prior to Completion of Verification

It is the policy of HSC Office Financial Aid not to disburse any monies or certify any loans until verification has been completed.

Required Items to Document

Though an application may not be chosen for verification, the applicant may have a situation that requires some type of confirmation or documentation before processing can continue. If the CPS was unable to make a satisfactory match with available resources, a "C" will appear by the student's EFC on the SAR. A comment explaining the flag (C) will be in Section I of the SAR. The following items may cause a "C" to appear on the SAR:

▪ Unconfirmed Selective Service Registration Status
▪ Unconfirmed INS Eligible Non-Citizen Status
▪ Title IV Default
▪ Over Payments
▪ Veteran Status
▪ Drug Abuse Hold
▪ Social Security Number Discrepancy
▪ Citizenship Status

Documentation must be secured by the HSC Office Financial Aid and placed in the student's file before further processing can continue. For information concerning appropriate documentation, refer to the current Federal Student Financial Aid Handbook. In addition, if the applicant is a recipient of Veterans Educational Benefits, the amount of these benefits may be confirmed before processing can continue. Questions regarding Veterans Benefits are resolved through the Military & Veterans Programs (MVP) Office.

Overpayments, Fraud, and Abuse

If corrections resulting from the verification process decrease an applicant’s award and create an overpayment situation, the HSC Office Financial Aid will adjust the award according and Student Business Services will send notification of this situation to the applicant and attempt to collect the overpayment. Award amounts are returned to the Department of Education by the Financial Aid Office and the student is billed through Student Business Services.

The HSC Office of Financial Aid will report to the Office of Inspector General all instances of suspected fraud where a financial aid applicant, employee, or other individual has misreported and/or altered documentation for the purpose of increasing aid eligibility or fraudulently obtaining federal funds.

• Your Rights:
  • To know what financial aid programs are available at TTUHSC.
  • To know the deadlines for submitting the appropriate applications for each financial aid program that is available.
  • To know how your financial need was determined, including, how various expenses in your budget are considered.
  • To know what resources are considered in the calculation of your award.
  • To request an explanation of the programs in your financial aid package.
  • To consult with the Financial Aid Office staff concerning your financial aid application, budgeting and/or financial problems which might arise.

• Your Responsibilities:
  • To complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time.
  • To provide correct information. Misreporting information can be a violation of federal law and may be an indictable criminal offense.
  • To provide additional documentation, verification, information, or corrections as requested by the Financial Aid Office.
  • To read, understand and retaining copies of all forms you sign.
  • To accept responsibility for all agreements that you sign.
  • To understand the sources of financial aid you receive and whether the aid is a loan, grant or scholarship. If the aid is a loan, you must know to whom repayment is to be made and the terms of repayment.
  • To keep the Financial Aid Office informed of your correct address at all times, during school and after graduation until all loans are repaid.
  • To inform the Financial Aid Office of status changes, such as marriage, divorce, childbirth, employment of self or spouse, etc.
  • To arrange for an exit interview with the Financial Aid Office prior to your separation from TTUHSC, either by graduation or withdrawal

FERPA Compliance

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."

• Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.

• Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.

• Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):

School officials with legitimate educational interest;
Other schools to which a student is transferring;
Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
Accrediting organizations;
To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202) 260-3887 (voice).

Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Or you may contact us at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office TTUHSC
U.S. Department of Education 3601 4th Street
400 Maryland Avenue, SW MS 8310
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920 Lubbock, TX 79430 806/743-2300

HSC OP: 77.13 Student Education Records

For verification of dependency, students may access on of these forms and turn in the completed form to the TTUHSC Office of the Registrar.

• TTUHSC Annual Clery Campus Security Report
• Timely reporting of Crimes 668.46 – Included in report
• Hate Crime Reporting 668.46 – Included in report
• Emergency Response / Evacuation
• Missing Student Notification Policy 668.46h – No campus housing
• Fire Safety Report 668.49 – TTUHSC does not have campus housing.

• TTUHSC Emergency Preparedness

Title IV eligible institutions are required to conduct an educational program on the U.S. Constitution annually on September 17th. This effort is coordinated by the Office of Student Life.

• Student body diversity, can be found in the TTUHSC Fact Book

• Student Disability Services
• Psychological and Medical Disabilities

• Every participating school must certify that it has adopted and implemented a program to prevent drug and alcohol abuse by its students.
• A school that participates in the Campus-Based programs must take certain steps to provide a drug-free workplace, including—
  
   
  • establishing a drug-free awareness program to provide information to employees,
  • distributing a notice to its employees of prohibited unlawful activities and the school's planned actions against an employee who violates these prohibitions, and
  • notifying the Department and taking appropriate action when it learns of an employee's conviction under any criminal drug statute
    
     
    • Student Policy – HSC Student Handbook
    • Employee Policy Information
    • TTUHSC Alcohol and Illegal Drug Policy 10.03 

All students are encouraged to vote. The National Voter Registration Form is available here. 

• hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/it/admin/policy/copyright.aspx
• hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/it/admin/policy/
• hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/it/admin/policy/intellectual.aspx
• hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/it/admin/policy/disciplinary.aspx

 TTUHSC does not enroll First-Time, First-Year students.

• TTUHSC does not provide placement.
• Education enrollment information - The types of graduate and professional education in which graduates of the school's four-year degree programs enroll.

• Core & Transfer Compliance Policy

Estimate tuition and fees can be found under the Student Business Services  and on the school and programs websites.

Information related to the textbooks for each programs course work is available on each program’s website. It can also be located on the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Official Bookstore's website.

Information related to each programs course work is available on each program’s website.

Information is available in the TTUHSC Fact Book. MORE

TTUHSC does not have athletic programs. 

Under the General Provisions regulations the Department may fine, limit, suspend, or terminate the participation of any school that substantially misrepresents the nature of its educational program, its financial charges, or the employability of its graduates. Misrepresentation by a school of the nature of its educational program includes, but is not limited to, false, erroneous, or misleading statements concerning:

• Nature of Educational Program
• The particular types, specific sources, nature, and extent of its accreditation;
  
   
  • Whether a student may transfer course credits earned at the school to any other school; union or similar organization or receipt of a local, state, or federal license or a non-government certification required as a precondition for employment or to perform certain functions;
  • Whether its courses are recommended by vocational counselors, high schools, or employment agencies, or by government officials for government employment;
  • Its size, location, facilities, or equipment;
  • The availability, frequency, and appropriateness or its courses and programs to the employment objectives that it states its programs are designed to meet;
  • The nature, age, and availability of its training devices or equipment and their appropriateness to the employment objectives that it states its programs and courses are designed to meet;
  • The number, availability, and qualifications, including the training and experience, of its faculty and other personnel;
  • The availability of part-time employment or other forms of financial assistance;
  • The nature of availability of any tutorial or specialized instruction, guidance and counseling, or other supplementary assistance it will provide its students before, during, or after the completion of a course;
  • The nature and extent of any prerequisites established for enrollment in any course; or
  • Any matters required to be disclosed to prospective students under 34 CAR 668.43 (institutional information) and 34 CAR 668.46 (campus security).
• Nature of Financial Charges - Misrepresentation by a school of the nature of its financial charges includes, but is not limited to, false, erroneous, or misleading statements regarding:
  
   
  • Offers of scholarships to pay all or part of a course charge, unless a scholarship is actually used to reduce tuition charges that are applied to all students whether or not receiving a scholarship and are made known to the student in advance; or
  • Whether a particular charge is the customary charge at the school for a course.
• Employability of Graduates - Misrepresentation by a school regarding the employability of its graduates includes, but is not limited to, false, erroneous, or misleading statements
  
   
  • That the school is connected with any organization or is an employment agency or other agency in providing authorized training leading directly to employment;
  • That the school maintains a placement service for graduates or will otherwise secure or assist its graduates to obtain employment, unless it provides the student with a clear and accurate description of the extent and nature of this service or assistance; or
  • Concerning government job market statistics in relation to the potential placement of its graduates.

Written Agreements between the TTUHSC Schools and other universities are identified by each school.

Licensure and pass rate information for TTUHSC can be found in the TTUHSC Fact Book. MORE

TTUHSC does not have athletic programs.

TTUHSC has no Teacher Preparation Programs.

TTUHSC financial statements (audited) are available upon request.

Students receiving financial aid are assigned a financial aid budget, known as the cost of attendance (COA).  This COA contains estimates related to tuition & fees, books & supplies, room & board, transportation and miscellaneous expenses. 

Students should not confuse the cost of attendance with their actual billable amounts of tuition and fees.   Only tuition and fees will appear on a student’s tuition bill.  As none of the TTUHSC campuses offer on-campus housing, this will not appear as a billable amount.  Rather, the room and board component of the cost of attendance is an estimate of what the student might need to cover living expenses while in school.