When you spent the majority of your time living alongside your parents, you may find yourself living an entirely new lifestyle once you get to college. Many college students experiment with drugs or alcohol while attending school, but if you are a recipient of financial aid, you would be wise to steer clear of all illegal substances.
Why? If authorities catch you in possession of drugs, selling drugs or doing anything else that is illegal and drug-related while you are a recipient of financial aid, it may jeopardize your ability to use aid to pay for school.
Losing eligibility for financial aid
Any type of drug conviction may make you ineligible for financial aid as long as you were already receiving it when authorities placed you under arrest. Each year when you fill out the Federal Application for Free Student Aid, you are going to find a question that asks about drug violations. If you have one, you have to submit more information to determine whether you are going to be ineligible for aid for a year or longer because of it.
Regaining eligibility for financial aid
If you do become ineligible for financial aid on account of a drug violation, there are two potential ways to become eligible for it again. You may be able to do so by passing two random drug tests from a specific provider. You may also be able to regain eligibility for federal financial aid by enrolling in and completing an approved substance abuse treatment program.