General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for federal student loans, an applicant must:

• demonstrate financial need (for most programs);
• be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen;
• have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
• be registered with Selective Service, if you’re a male (you must register between the ages of 18 and 25)
• be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program
• be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for Direct Loan Program funds
• not been convicted of possession or sale of drugs while enrolled and receiving Title IV Financial Aid
• maintain satisfactory academic progress in college
• sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) stating that
  • you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and
  • you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes; and
• show you’re qualified to obtain a college education by
  • having a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate;
  • completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law (or—if state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a completion credential—completing a high school education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law); or
  • enrolling in an eligible career pathway program and meeting one of the "ability-to-benefit" alternatives.

As of June 17, 2021, the FAFSA Simplification Act removed the Selective Service and Drug Conviction requirements for Title IV eligibility.