HOMESCHOOLERS AND FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID
In 2012, federal financial aid underwent some changes that led to some confusion on the part of universities and colleges around the country. Many received improper information, stating that ALL students needed either an accredited high school diploma or GED in order to qualify for federal financial aid.
This is not true. You can read more about it here and here on the HSLDA website.
Our family encountered this situation directly. We had applied for financial aid and our son was awarded a substantial Pell Grant, but his school, Clovis Community College, informed us we would either need the accredited diploma or GED. I knew that sounded fishy, so I looked into it and found the above links. I shared the information with CCC's financial aid office and that requirement was waived.
I am hopeful that as it has been a year since we ran into this, this situation is no longer happening for new students, and that colleges and universities now fully understand the laws and changes. But just in case you ever need it, here is a modified copy of the letter I wrote to CCC, which you can use to send to any school. Just note: I am NOT a lawyer. I cannot guarantee anything here. This worked for us, but if you get someone who still won't back down, you may need to call in the big guns (HSLDA) for help.
This is not true. You can read more about it here and here on the HSLDA website.
Our family encountered this situation directly. We had applied for financial aid and our son was awarded a substantial Pell Grant, but his school, Clovis Community College, informed us we would either need the accredited diploma or GED. I knew that sounded fishy, so I looked into it and found the above links. I shared the information with CCC's financial aid office and that requirement was waived.
I am hopeful that as it has been a year since we ran into this, this situation is no longer happening for new students, and that colleges and universities now fully understand the laws and changes. But just in case you ever need it, here is a modified copy of the letter I wrote to CCC, which you can use to send to any school. Just note: I am NOT a lawyer. I cannot guarantee anything here. This worked for us, but if you get someone who still won't back down, you may need to call in the big guns (HSLDA) for help.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR FLORIDIANS: Also note the wording of the law, as highlighted by HSLDA: "In order for a student … to be eligible for any [federal financial] assistance … the student shall have completed a secondary school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under State law.” (20 U.S.C. 1091(d), as amended by Public Law 112-74)." (emphasis added by me)
This is significant, because it means those of us who use umbrella schools aren't cut out of the homeschool equation, since our state laws do allow us to homeschool through what the state calls a "private school." So, you don't have to be registered with your county to still be considered a homeschooler and be eligible for federal financial aid, and you don't have to have a GED or accredited diploma, either.
This is significant, because it means those of us who use umbrella schools aren't cut out of the homeschool equation, since our state laws do allow us to homeschool through what the state calls a "private school." So, you don't have to be registered with your county to still be considered a homeschooler and be eligible for federal financial aid, and you don't have to have a GED or accredited diploma, either.
Name
Address
Phone
Email
Address
Phone
Name of Financial Aid Administrator
The Office of Financial Aid
Name of School
Dear Name of FA Admin,
I am writing with regards to the financial aid application for my child, Name of Child (and ID# if available). As you are aware, in July of 2012, certain new requirements went into effect that determine the eligibility of students who may be awarded federal financial aid. This has unfortunately led to some confusion within colleges and universities where homeschool graduates are concerned. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), a nation-wide advocacy group for homeschoolers, addressed this issue in a March 2012 online article, which may be viewed at this link: http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/2012/201203010.asp.
As the article explains, while changes were made to the federal financial aid laws, homeschoolers were not included within these new regulations. “Congress made no changes to homeschool eligibility. What the law actually says is, 'In order for a student … to be eligible for any [federal financial] assistance … the student shall have completed a secondary school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under State law.' (20 U.S.C. 1091(d), as amended by Public Law 112-74).”
I would also like to call your attention to the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website, which says the following:
“To receive federal student aid, you’ll need to…
Qualify to obtain a college or career school education, either by having a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or by completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law...” (source: http://studentaid.ed.gov/eligibility/infographic-accessible)
Please note where this states that students must have either a high school diploma or GED, or a homeschool education. Homeschool graduates are not required to produce either a high school diploma or a GED to be eligible for federal financial aid. Further, the Federal Student Aid website defines a homeschool as, "A school in which children are educated at home either by parents, legal guardians, or tutors, rather than traditional public or private school." There is no specified requirement for the student to have any sort of accredited transcripts or diploma in order to qualify.
If you would like to research this matter further, you may wish to read the following letter, sent by the HSLDA to the Federal Department of Education, going into greater detail and explanation. http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/2012/Letter_re_homeschool_eligibility_for%20FSA.pdf.
Meanwhile, I am asking that you waive the hold on my child's financial aid that was placed along with the request for a GED or accredited transcript and diploma, as he is a homeschool graduate and does not need to provide any of these documents. We are very eager to get started in the upcoming term and would like to register for his classes.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
The Office of Financial Aid
Name of School
Dear Name of FA Admin,
I am writing with regards to the financial aid application for my child, Name of Child (and ID# if available). As you are aware, in July of 2012, certain new requirements went into effect that determine the eligibility of students who may be awarded federal financial aid. This has unfortunately led to some confusion within colleges and universities where homeschool graduates are concerned. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), a nation-wide advocacy group for homeschoolers, addressed this issue in a March 2012 online article, which may be viewed at this link: http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/2012/201203010.asp.
As the article explains, while changes were made to the federal financial aid laws, homeschoolers were not included within these new regulations. “Congress made no changes to homeschool eligibility. What the law actually says is, 'In order for a student … to be eligible for any [federal financial] assistance … the student shall have completed a secondary school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under State law.' (20 U.S.C. 1091(d), as amended by Public Law 112-74).”
I would also like to call your attention to the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website, which says the following:
“To receive federal student aid, you’ll need to…
Qualify to obtain a college or career school education, either by having a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or by completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law...” (source: http://studentaid.ed.gov/eligibility/infographic-accessible)
Please note where this states that students must have either a high school diploma or GED, or a homeschool education. Homeschool graduates are not required to produce either a high school diploma or a GED to be eligible for federal financial aid. Further, the Federal Student Aid website defines a homeschool as, "A school in which children are educated at home either by parents, legal guardians, or tutors, rather than traditional public or private school." There is no specified requirement for the student to have any sort of accredited transcripts or diploma in order to qualify.
If you would like to research this matter further, you may wish to read the following letter, sent by the HSLDA to the Federal Department of Education, going into greater detail and explanation. http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/2012/Letter_re_homeschool_eligibility_for%20FSA.pdf.
Meanwhile, I am asking that you waive the hold on my child's financial aid that was placed along with the request for a GED or accredited transcript and diploma, as he is a homeschool graduate and does not need to provide any of these documents. We are very eager to get started in the upcoming term and would like to register for his classes.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,