If I get a check in the mail for financial aid, can they take it back?

I can almost guarantee she called because of that check. If you're not taking classes, you're not entitled to ANY financial aid. You need to either return the check, or pay it back if you already cashed it. You will most likely have to pay back any other aid that was applied to the classes you dropped, too. You don't get a paycheck from your job if you didn't work. What makes you think you should get financial aid if you're not going to school?

I can almost guarantee she called because of that check. If you're not taking classes, you're not entitled to ANY financial aid. You need to either return the check, or pay it back if you already cashed it. You will most likely have to pay back any other aid that was applied to the classes you dropped, too. You don't get a paycheck from your job if you didn't work. What makes you think you should get financial aid if you're not going to school?

She is probably calling about the check. You earn financial aid by attempting your classes, so if you withdrew, there is a chance that you are no longer eligible for not only the check that you received, but also at least some of the financial aid that was used by the school to help pay for your current semester. If they ask for this check back, you should give it back. If you don't, you might end up in "Pell Overpayment" which means that you would owe the Department of Education for the unearned Pell that you received. This will hinder you from getting financial aid in the future (until it is paid) and you would be in a collections account with the US government. Of course, I don't know for sure that's what's happening, but you will need to call them and figure it out. In the meantime, I suggest that you wait to spend any of that money that you received. You may need it now, but spending it could put you in a very bad position.

financial aid has to be "earned". You earn it by attending classes. When you drop classes or stop attending, you don't EARN the fin aid and thus are not entitled to it so the school sends it back to the source. This means that NOW you NOT ONLY owe 350 dollars they sent you, you ALSO OWE the government for the amount of your aid that paid for your classes... since dropping them means you shouldn't have gotten it. Yes this is why she was calling you and yes they can (and do) take aid back. You did not fulfil your end of the bargain in getting student aid. You did not continue to be a student. By now you should be realizing that since your fin aid is sent back you NOW OWE the school for those classes that you enrolled in and then dropped. (this amount of aid that paid for your tuition minus the 350 refund check). Remember, just because you dropped courses does not mean you still don't have to pay for them. !! You are in a bit of a pickle.. and owe everyone some amount of money. LOL All for a semester you aren't going to get any credits for. Was it worth it?

financial aid has to be "earned". You earn it by attending classes. When you drop classes or stop attending, you don't EARN the fin aid and thus are not entitled to it so the school sends it back to the source. This means that NOW you NOT ONLY owe 350 dollars they sent you, you ALSO OWE the government for the amount of your aid that paid for your classes... since dropping them means you shouldn't have gotten it. Yes this is why she was calling you and yes they can (and do) take aid back. You did not fulfil your end of the bargain in getting student aid. You did not continue to be a student. By now you should be realizing that since your fin aid is sent back you NOW OWE the school for those classes that you enrolled in and then dropped. (this amount of aid that paid for your tuition minus the 350 refund check). Remember, just because you dropped courses does not mean you still don't have to pay for them. !! You are in a bit of a pickle.. and owe everyone some amount of money. LOL All for a semester you aren't going to get any credits for. Was it worth it?

More than likely she is calling to tell you to NOT cash the check. If you withdrew from the class, you now owe the money from that course. If you cash the check, they will bill you for any money owed from your dropped class.

Why don't you just call back....

You will have to wait until Monday & call her For all you know, they have put a stop-payment on that check and, if you knowingly cash that check.... it is going to cost you a whole lot more in the long run Additionally, if they don't have a stop-payment on that check & because of the class you dropped you are no longer eligible, then you will end up owing the school a whole lot of money..... how do you plan on getting all of that straightened out before the end of the semester? Most likely, you owe them back that check along with tuition for the portion of aid you received to pay for that class & then withdrew from. Additionally, if you dropped from full-time to part-time as a result of dropping that class, your Fin Aid total could be adjusted (or completely lost)... for all we know you now owe back every penny of Fin Aid received this semester in addition to needing to give back that check. Again.... don't cash that check.... you will be causing yourself academic suicide if you do! The question that I can imagine you having next week: "I withdrew from a class & that dropped me to less than part-time... I returned the check for $350, but even with that my school says I owe $500 dollars that I must pay within 30 days... I don't know what to do.... what happens if I don't pay it? Will I be able to continue going to school? If they don't let me continue school, can I be forced to pay this back? Will my student loans come due in 6 months if the reason I am not in school is because I could not pay this?"

You will have to wait until Monday & call her For all you know, they have put a stop-payment on that check and, if you knowingly cash that check.... it is going to cost you a whole lot more in the long run Additionally, if they don't have a stop-payment on that check & because of the class you dropped you are no longer eligible, then you will end up owing the school a whole lot of money..... how do you plan on getting all of that straightened out before the end of the semester? Most likely, you owe them back that check along with tuition for the portion of aid you received to pay for that class & then withdrew from. Additionally, if you dropped from full-time to part-time as a result of dropping that class, your Fin Aid total could be adjusted (or completely lost)... for all we know you now owe back every penny of Fin Aid received this semester in addition to needing to give back that check. Again.... don't cash that check.... you will be causing yourself academic suicide if you do! The question that I can imagine you having next week: "I withdrew from a class & that dropped me to less than part-time... I returned the check for $350, but even with that my school says I owe $500 dollars that I must pay within 30 days... I don't know what to do.... what happens if I don't pay it? Will I be able to continue going to school? If they don't let me continue school, can I be forced to pay this back? Will my student loans come due in 6 months if the reason I am not in school is because I could not pay this?"