Northwest State Community College • 22600 State Route 34 • Archbold • OH • 43502
Phone: 419-267-1333 • Fax 419-267-5587 • finaid@northweststate.edu
U.S. Department of Education
Unusual Enrollment History
Regulation (GEN-13-09)
Unusual Enrollment History Flag - N
‘N’ indicates that there is no unusual enrollment history and no action is required
Unusual Enrollment History Flag – 2 (C-FLAG 359)
Review the student’s enrollment and financial records to determine if, during 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-
2020 the student received federal financial aid at NSCC.
Yes – no additional action is required UNLESS the student remained enrolled just long enough to collect
financial aid funds. In this case, must follow the guidance provided for Flag 3
No – follow the guidance provided for Flag 3
Unusual Enrollment History Flag – 3 (C-FLAG 360)
Review the student’s academic records to determine if the student received academic credit at the institutions the student
attended during 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020. Based on the academic transcripts from the institutions
attended, determine whether academic credit was earned during the award year in which the student received federal
financial aid.
Academic Credit Earned – if the institution determines that the student earned any academic credit at each of
the previously attended institutions during relevant award years, no further action is required unless the
institution has other reasons to believe that the student is one who enrolls just to receive the credit balance. In
such instances, the institution must require the student to provide additional documentation as outlined below.
Academic Credit is considered to have been earned if the academic records show that student completed any
credit hours or clock hours.
Academic Credit Not Earned – if the student did not earn academic credit at a previously attended institution
and, if applicable, at the institution performing the review, the intuition must obtain documentation from the
student explaining why the student failed to earn academic credit. The institution must determine whether the
documentation supports (1) the reasons given by the student for the student’s failure to earn academic credit;
and (2) that the student did not enroll only to receive credit balance funds.
Reasons could include illness, family emergency, change in students living arrangement, and military
obligations. The institution should, to the extent possible, obtain third party documentation to support the
student’s claim. The financial aid administrator may choose to require the student to establish an academic
plan, similar to the type of plan used to resolve satisfactory academic progress appeals.
If the student did not earn academic credit at one or more of the relevant institutions and does not provide
acceptable explanation and documentation for each of those failures, the institution must deny the student any
additional title IV program assistance.
If the institution denies a student continued Title IV program assistance, it must provide the student with
information as to how the student may subsequently regain title IV program eligibility. Since the basis for the
denial is the student’s academic performance, it is expected that successful completion of academic credit
would form the basis for the student’s subsequent request for renewal of title IV eligibility. This could include
meeting the requirements of an academic plan that the institution established with the student.
