PLEASE NOTE: To protect your safety in response to the threats of COVID-19, we are offering our clients the ability to meet us via telephone or through video conferencing. Please call our office to discuss your options.

WE TREAT OUR CLIENTS LIKE FAMILY

– Not Just Another Case Number

Can a drug conviction make students ineligible for financial aid?

On Behalf of | Apr 26, 2021 | Criminal Defense |

A Nebraska drug conviction often means considerable criminal penalties. However, your college student may face additional consequences in the wake of a drug offense that may have a serious impact on his or her future. Students who receive drug convictions while they are recipients of financial aid often become ineligible for aid for a year or longer, making paying for college out of reach for some.

Your child must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year he or she wants to use aid. The application asks about whether your child received any convictions for drug crimes since filing the application for the year prior. If he or she answers yes, it may mean the end of financial aid.

Regaining financial aid eligibility

You may feel anxious if your college student becomes ineligible for financial aid. However, you should know that there are two possible ways he or she might become eligible for aid again earlier than planned. The first way to do so involves enrolling in and finishing an approved rehabilitation program. The second method involves successfully passing two random drug tests administered by an approved entity.

Notifying the appropriate parties

Should your college student take steps to regain financial aid eligibility early, make sure he or she informs your local financial aid office. This may enable your child to access any remaining financial aid for which he or she might be eligible.

Any type of drug offense may lead to ineligibility for financial aid. This includes drug possession and drug sales offenses, among others.