Florida State College at Jacksonville must re-inspect financial aid paperwork for this year to look for problems similar to those in 2010-11, when the school gave out $2.8 million worth of Pell Grants it shouldn’t have.
Those instructions came last week in a letter from the U.S. Department of Education.
View the letter.
FSCJ administrators said Tuesday that students who received Pell Grants in 2011-12 could have to repay if the money was given out in error. The numbers who may have to pay and amounts owed are being determined, according to Steve Bowers, FSCJ associate
vice president of administrative services.
Students who don’t qualify to receive Pell Grants because they didn't meet academic standards may submit an appeal. College staff can then decide whether the student made bad grades or dropped classes for a legitimate reason – such as illness or death in the family – and then give the student the money.
At least 700 students who got Pell Grants that way in 2010-11 didn’t have proper paperwork backing up their appeals, according to the college. Bowers said his department has sent letters to 700 students telling them to provide documentation plan to repay the grants.
Those students may owe anywhere from $219 to $8,325.
