College is often a time of experimentation, but sometimes, experimenting leads to serious consequences. If your college student is among those who became ineligible for federal financial aid because of a drug offense, you may be scrambling to figure out how to pay for school in the absence of government assistance.
Your college student may be able to regain eligibility for financial aid early following a drug conviction if he or she does one of two things. How might your son or daughter potentially regain financial aid eligibility early after a drug violation?
By completing an approved program
Your child may be able to become eligible for financial aid again without waiting a year or longer by enrolling in and completing a program that targets substance abuse disorders. An approved provider must operate the program in order for this to happen.
By passing two random drug tests
Another way your son or daughter may be able to regain financial aid eligibility early after a drug conviction is by taking and passing two unannounced drug tests. As is the case with completing a program, the drug tests have to come from an approved provider.
Once you complete an approved program or take and pass two unannounced drug tests, be sure to notify your financial aid office promptly. Once you do so, you may be able to collect any aid remaining for that year. Keep in mind that no one else is going to tell your local financial aid office about completing these terms and that it is something you must do yourself.
