Unusual Enrollment History
Richard V. Silva, Director
Student Financial Aid
Alamo Colleges – Processing Center
UEH – Background Information
 U.S. Department of Education (ED) is trying to prevent fraud
& abuse in the Federal Pell Grant Program
 Dear Colleague Letter – GEN-13-09 posted March 8, 2013
 Two new SAR ‘C’ Codes added to ISIR
 Two new ‘UEH’ Flags added to ISIR
 Flag value determines action needed
UEH Flag Value & SAR – C Code
 1.
UEH Flag Value:
‘2’
 Will generate SAR – Comment Code: 359
 Student received Pell Grant funds at 3 institutions over 2 AYs
 2.
UEH Flag Value:
‘3’
 Will generate SAR – Comment Code: 360
 Student received Pell Grant funds at 3 or more institutions in 1 AY
NSLDS –
UEH Flag
Description
SAR C
Flag?
SAR
Comment
1
For Federal Student Aid Use Only
No
N/A
2
Unusual Enrollment History 2
(Possible enrollment pattern problem, school may need to resolve)
Yes
359
3
Unusual Enrollment History 3
(Questionable enrollment pattern, school must resolve)
Yes
360
Resolution Guidance
 UEH Flag value of ‘2’
 Determine if student received a Pell Grant at the institution that is
performing the review.
 If yes, no additional action is required, unless institution has reason to
believe the student is one who remains enrolled just long enough to
collect SFA funds. If so, follow the guidance for UEH Flag value of 3.
 If no, institution must follow the guidance provided for UEH Flag value
of ‘3’
 In Summary of Changes for the Application Processing System:
2013-2014, new edits were added by CPS to set new NSLDS
Postscreening Reason Code, 24, which identifies applicants who
have a change in the UEH History Flag after initial prescreening.
Resolution Guidance (continued)
 UEH Flag value of ‘3’
 Institution must review academic records to determine if student
received academic credit at the institutions the student attended
during the three award year period (AYs 10-11; 11-12; & 12-13).
 Using information from NSLDS, institution must identify where the
student received Pell Grant funds over the past three award years
(10-11; 11-12; & 12-13)
NSLDS
UEH Flag
N
Blank
SAR C
Flag?
SAR
Comment
Enrollment pattern not unusual
(No school action required)
No
N/A
Record not sent for match
No
N/A
Description
Academic Credit Earned/Not Earned
 If institution determines student earned any academic credit at each
of the previously attended institutions during relevant AYs, no further
action is required unless the institution has other reasons to believe
the student is one who enrolls just to receive the credit balance.
 If the student did not earn any academic credit at a previously
attended institutions and, if applicable, at the institution performing
the review, institution must obtain documentation from student
explaining why he/she failed to earn academic credit. At this point,
this situation may be handled like professional judgment as provided
by section 479A of the Higher Education Act (HEA).
Approval of Continued Eligibility
 If institution approves student’s continued eligibility, FAA may
choose the following:
 Require student to establish an academic plan, similar to the type used
to resolve SAP appeals;
 Counsel student about Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) and impact of
student’s attendance pattern on future Pell Grant eligibility described
in DCLs GEN-12-01 & GEN-12-18 and Announcement posted on IFAP on
August 13, 2012.
Denial of Continued Eligibility
 If a student did not earn academic credit at one or more of the
relevant institutions and does not provide, to the FAA’s
satisfaction, an acceptable explanation and documentation for
each of those failures, the institution must deny the student any
additional Title IV, HEA program assistance.
 Student must be provided an opportunity to question & appeal
the decision, consistent with the opportunities to question &
appeal similar FA determinations such as SAP & PJ decisions.
Regaining Aid Eligibility
 If institution denies a student continued Title IV, HEA program
assistance under circumstances described in previous slide, it
must provide a student with information as to how he/she may
subsequently regain Title IV, HEA program eligibility. Since
basis of denial is student’s academic performance, it is
expected the following is could include:
 Meeting the requirements of an Academic Plan school established; and
 Meeting the school’s standards to regain eligibility for Title IV.
Resources
 ISIR Guide – 2013-2014
 Posted to IFAP on September 29, 2012
 2013-2014 SAR Comment Codes and Text,
 Posted to IFAP on October 30, 2012.
 Summary of Changes for the Application Processing System:
2013-2012
 Posted to IFAP on November 8, 2012
 GEN-13-09: Students with an Unusual Enrollment History Flag--”C” code on the ISIR