Your opportunity to attend college in New York City is one that you are proud of. You anticipate moving beyond your former drug charges and building a successful and rewarding life and career.
However, will your drug charges affect your eligibility to receive financial aid? Understanding the implications that drug charges may have, could provide you with guidance as to how you should proceed with planning your education.
Financial aid and drugs
According to Federal Student Aid, there is a spot on the FAFSA form for you to provide an answer about any drug charges against you while you were previously a recipient of financial aid. Depending on your answer to this question, additional documentation from you will determine your eligibility status going forward. Also worth noting is that if you participate in drug crimes while you are a recipient of financial aid, you risk losing your aid immediately and face the challenge of having to pay back any money you received while you were not eligible to receive aid.
If you are ineligible based on the information you provided about your involvement with drugs, you may expedite the time it takes to begin receiving financial aid again. You can do this in one of two ways including the following:
- You will receive two drug tests at random times without any prior notification. If you pass these tests, administrators may reconsider your eligibility.
- You may show the successful completion of an approved drug rehabilitation program and request reinstatement of your eligibility.
Worth the effort
Even if the work seems overbearing right now, your decision to proactively pursue your education despite your history with drugs may enable you to stay focused on your vision of the future and prevent your past from dictating your success. Understanding what you need to do to receive financial aid may provide you with an incentive to continue getting your life back on track. If you would like more information about dealing with charges of drug distribution, please visit our webpage.