Unusual Enrollment History
What is Unusual Enrollment History?
The U.S. Department of Education utilizes the Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) Flag to identify instances of potential fraud and abuse of the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan Programs. This will appear on your Student Aid Report (SAR) in the comments section of the report under comment 359 or comment 360.
Why was UEH implemented by the U.S. Department of Education?
While some students have legitimate reasons for unusual enrollment histories, unfortunately there have been students who enroll in post-secondary schools long enough just to receive credit balance payments, leave the institutions, and repeat the process at other schools. This practice is considered to be an abuse of the Federal Student Aid programs.
How is UEH Identified on a Record?
Students with a UEH Flag, will have one of the following UEH comments and C code indicator on their Student Aid report (SAR). They will also have a to do list item for UEH in their CUNYfirst Student Center to do list item section.
| UEH Flag Value | C Code | Comment Code | Flag Description | School Action to Reslove Flag |
| N | No | None | Enrollment pattern not unusual |
No school action required. |
| 2 | Yes | 359 | Possible enrollment pattern problem |
School must review enrollment/ academic and financial aid records for past four academic years. |
| 3 | Yes | 360 | Questionable enrollment pattern | School must review enrollment/ academic and financial aid records for past four academic years. |
What is the Process for Determining Eligibility?
Your financial aid advisor will review the type of UEH flag that you have to determine if additional documentation is needed or if there is sufficient information already available to make a determination. Brooklyn College has established policies and procedures to determine whether the information available and any obtained documentation demonstrates that the student did not enroll only to receive a Title IV credit balance payment. Sometimes your financial aid advisor may need to obtain academic transcripts from prior institutions the student attended to determine their eligibility. Brooklyn College must document its decision in the student's file, and the student cannot appeal the decision to the U.S. Department of Education
How Do I know if the Determination is Approved?
If the documentation supports that the student did not enroll in multiple schools/programs solely to obtain the credit balance payment, then the student is eligible for Federal Financial Aid. Brooklyn College must document its determination in the student's file and process the student's Federal Financial Aid accordingly.
When could my Eligibility be Denied?
The student loses eligibility for all Title IV aid if both of the following are true:
- The student did not earn academic credit at one or more of the prior schools.
- After reviewing a student's submitted UEH Appeal Form, Brooklyn College determines that the documentation fails to disprove that the student enrolled in multiple programs solely to obtain the credit balance payment.
Brooklyn College will document its determination in the student's file and provide the student with an opportunity to question and appeal the decision. The Brooklyn College Office of Financial Aid will also provide students with information about regaining eligibility.
If my Eligibility is Denied can it be Reinstated?
All students who have lost eligibility Federal Aid Eligibility and would like to appeal for reinstatement must complete a UEH Appeal Form. If granted, students must adhere strictly to all conditions of their reinstatement.
Note: The U.S. Department of Education indicates that it expects the school's policies to require that the student complete academic credit as at least a part of the basis for an UEH appeal and potential reinstatement of Title IV aid.
When a student regains eligibility under these provisions, eligibility for Pell Grant and campus-based aid begins in the payment period during which the student regained that eligibility. For Direct Loans, eligibility begins with the period of enrollment during which the student regained eligibility.
