Office of Student Aid : Other Aid Programs : Attendance at a School Other Than Penn State

You may be considering attending another school for one or more of the following reasons:

• You would like to participate in a study abroad program.
• You would like to participate in an internship program.
• You would like to temporarily take classes at a college or university closer to your home.
• Your academic college or department supports study at another college or university (other than Penn State) because it benefits you academically.

You need to know that, in most cases, Penn State currently does not process student financial aid for you if you attend another college or university. This is due to the high risk of potential liability related to the following federal aid program issues, specifically:

• Repayment of Federal Student Aid
  • Because the monitoring of attendance is a manual process for both Penn State and the other college or university you choose to attend, Penn State may not be informed if you do not attend or withdraw from classes during an enrollment period.
  • If Penn State is not informed, the Office of Student Aid is obligated to repay any federal student aid that you received when you were thought to be enrolled at another college or university.
• Participation in Federal Aid Programs
  • Manual disbursement of student aid is required if you register at a college or university other than Penn State.
  • This manual disbursement of student aid results in weak audit trails, which could jeopardize the Penn State Office of Student Aid's ability to participate in federal aid programs.

The Office of Student Aid can, in most cases, process your student financial aid in the following situations:

• You are planning to participate in a Penn State established study abroad program.
• You are planning to register for a Penn State course (and pay tuition to Penn State) for classes delivered at a college or university other than Penn State.
• You meet general eligibility requirements.

If you are considering attending a college or university other than Penn State and currently rely upon student financial aid to assist in paying your educational expenses, please contact the Office of Student Aid to discuss your options.