Drug
Convictions May Affect Your Financial Aid
By law, some students
who have drug-related convictions under any federal or state law may
be ineligible for federal student aid.
According to the law, if you are convicted of a drug-related offense
you may fact these restrictions:
- For possession
of illegal drugs, you are ineligible from the date of conviction
(not arrest) for:
- 1 year for a first
offense
- 2 years for a second
offense
- Indefinitely for
a third offense
- For sale
of illegal drugs, you are ineligible from the date of
conviction (not arrest) for:
- 2 years for a first
offense
- Indefinitely for
a second offense
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Do all drug convictions
count?
No, do not count any conviction that was reversed, set aside,
or removed from your record. Also, do not count any conviction that
occurred before you turned 18, unless you were prosecuted as an adult.
Alcohol and tobacco
are not illegal drugs under this law.
If I have drug convictions,
should I still apply for student aid?
Yes, even if you have drug convictions, you should completed and
submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may
be eligible, depending on the date and number of convictions.
Even if you are ineligible for federal student aid, you should complete
and submit your FAFSA. Many states and schools use information from
the FAFSA, and you may still be eligible for scholarships or other
types of aid from other programs. There is a way that you can regain
eligibility for the federal programs no matter how many or what type
of drug convictions you have. You must successfully complete an acceptable
drug rehabilitation program that meets the standards set by Congress
and the Department of Education, and you will regain eligibility on
the date you complete the program.
How do I answer question
35 on the FAFSA?
Question 35 on the FAFSA asks about drug convictions.
Do not leave this question blank. If you answer "YES"
you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID
(1-800-433-3243) or go to www.fafsa.ed.gov
if you need help filling out the worksheet after you receive it in
the mail.
What is an acceptable
drug rehabilitation program?
An acceptable drug rehabilitation program must have TWO unannounced
drug tests AND it must either:
- Be qualified to receive funds from a federal, state or local
government agency or program, or from a state or federally licensed
insurance company, or
- Be administered or recognized by a federal, state or local government
agency or court, or by a state or federally licensed hospital, health
clinic, or medical doctor.
How can I get more
information?
If you still have questions about the law, call the Federal Student
Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Your personal
information is confidential, and you will remain anonymous.
If you want to find out
if a drug rehabilitation program meets the described standards, you
need to contact the rehabilitation program.
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