Stay Smart – Don't Let A Drug Conviction Suspend Your Federal Student Aid Status

When you are arrested on charges of illegally possessing drugs, there are many obvious consequences. Jail time, attorney fees, possible loss of your driver's license, and of course, fines and court costs are to be expected. However, you may not even know about another consequence.

Simply put, a drug conviction can affect your ability to receive federal grants and student loans. If you are attending college or plan to any time in the future, carefully consider the consequences of a conviction or any plea deal offered to you.

The Federal Student Aid office explains that there are several ways that a conviction can affect your federal student aid eligibility depending on your specific situation.

The offense occurred while you were already receiving federal student aid.

This can cause a suspension of your current and future aid. You may even be responsible for repaying the aid that you received during the ineligible period. When applying for future aid, you must disclose your conviction status when completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) worksheet. You will be required to fill out an additional worksheet that will help determine if you are eligible for any federal aid.

In some cases, students can regain their federal aid eligibility early if they complete a convicted drug rehabilitation program and pass random drug tests.

You are currently incarcerated.

If you are looking to receive federal aid while you are in jail or prison on drug charges, your eligibility is severely limited. You will not be able to receive any federal student loans to help cover the cost of your education. Depending on the type of facility you are in, you may be eligible for some grants; however, it is unlikely that you will actually receive them because preference is usually given to students who are not incarcerated.

You are on probation or parole.

If you received only probation for your conviction or are released on probation or parole, you may be eligible to receive some federal student aid, but it depends on the particulars of your conviction, such as whether or not you were already receiving aid when you committed the offense.  

As you can see, a drug conviction can greatly affect your future by reducing your ability to receive federal student grants, loans, and work-study programs to help you pay for the cost of college. Be sure to discuss your federal aid eligibility with a drug defense attorney like Kassel & Kassel A Group of Independent Law Offices before entering your plea with the courts.