Limits on Financial Aid
1. All students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress toward a degree to continue to be
eligible for federal and state financial aid.
2. Most federal and state grants are only available to undergraduate students who are pursuing
their first undergraduate degree.
3. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) State Grant offers a
maximum of four years (or the equivalent) of state grant funding for students pursuing a bachelor's
degree, and two years of funding for students pursuing an associate’s degree. Students who are
taking more than 50% of their classes online in any semester and students who are enrolled in
programs that are designed to be delivered 100% online are generally not eligible for the
Pennsylvania State Grant. However, Clarion University currently participates in PHEAA’s Distance
Education Pilot Program. Student Financial Services staff nominate online students who are
otherwise eligible for a Pennsylvania State grant to the DE Pilot Program. PHEAA notifies
nominated students of their award status.
4. Federal aid regulations state that a student may receive aid for up to a maximum of 150% of the
published length of the educational program.
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Most students pursuing a bachelor’s degree will lose eligibility after they attempt or earn
180 credits.
Most students pursuing an associate’s degree will lose eligibility after attempting or
earning 90 credits.
Most graduate students will lose eligibility after attempting or earning 50 credits.

Attempted credits are credits in which you enrolled and may include credits for courses you failed or
from which you withdrew. Attempted credits include any credits earned at a previous school
(transfer credits). Earned credits are credits you successfully completed. Your unofficial Clarion
transcript lists attempted hours (AHR) and earned hours (EHR).
5. Students are also limited by federal and state regulations as to the amount of aid that they can
receive in any one semester or academic year. This includes aid from any source, including private
loans, but not including institutional work study. Students may not receive more in financial aid than
the cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, room, meals, cost of books, transportation and
personal expenses. The cost of attendance is established by Clarion University each year.
6. Students must be enrolled for at least six credits per semester in a degree program to be eligible
for the Pennsylvania State Grant. In order to utilize a PHEAA state grant during a summer session,
the student must be enrolled for at least six credits over at least 8 weeks (two of the three summer
sessions).
7. Lifetime loan maximums:
Dependent undergraduate students may borrow up to a lifetime maximum of $31,000 through the
Federal Direct Loan program. Up to $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
Independent undergraduate students may borrow a maximum of $57,500. Up to $23,000 of this
amount may be in subsidized loans. Graduate students may borrow up to a maximum of $138,000.
Students must be enrolled for at least six credits per semester (or summer) and must be enrolled in
a degree program to be eligible to receive a federal loan.
8. Subsidized Loan Limit at 150%:

This rule applies to all first-time borrowers after July 1, 2013. A full-time student who is enrolled in
an associate’s degree program may only receive Federal Direct Subsidized Loans for a maximum of
three years. A full-time student who is enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program may only receive
Federal Direct Subsidized Loans for a maximum of six years. If a student is enrolled for longer than
150% of the time it normally takes to complete a degree program, s/he will lose the interest subsidy
on any previously borrowed Federal Direct Student Loans.
9. Lifetime PELL grant limits:
Students may only receive a maximum of six years of federal PELL grants.