Skip to Main Content

Verification of Student Enrollment

Federal Title IV regulations require that a student begin attendance to qualify for Title IV aid. The College must be able to document verification of enrollment in each course or participation in an academically related event connected to that course. A student is considered to have begun attendance if the student attends at least one day of class or is otherwise active and participating in the course or academically related activity (e.g. by submitting assignments, attending a  required study group, academic conference or tutorial) for each course used to determine Title IV eligibility.

Academically related activities include, but are not limited to:

  • physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students;

  • submitting an academic assignment;

  • taking an exam, an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction;

  • attending a study group that is assigned by the school;

  • participating in an online discussion about academic matter;

  • engaging in an online academically related activity, or initiating contact with the  instructor to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course or ask a course-related question. Note: Logging into an online class is not sufficient, by itself, to demonstrate  participation  in an academically  related  activity  by the student.

A course for which the College is unable to document that the student ever attended cannot be included as a course eligible for the disbursement of federal aid.

Faculty members at all schools and colleges of The City University of New  York are to be provided a census date roster at the end of the program adjustment period/census date of each term/session including Winter and Summer. Faculty and instructors are required to indicate on the  rosters verification of enrollment for students enrolled in the class.  They must complete the official roster and submit it on or before one week after the census of the term/session. At that point in time, submission of the roster will  effectively certify that the listed students noted as present are enrolled and have attended & participated at least once in the class indicated on this roster (i.e., began attending classes and/or pursuing the prescribed course work or is otherwise active and participating in the course, e.g. by submitting assignments, attending a required study group, academic conference or tutorial).

The College will effectively process administrative withdrawals (WN) for students who have been reported as never participated in an academically related activity, i.e. have not begun attending. Daily attendance rosters or grade books will not be required.

Where the College cannot establish that the student began attendance or participated in an academically related activity, federal grants and loan funds need to be returned. Federal regulations require that the College return federal funds no later than 30 days after the College becomes aware that the student did not begin attendance. At an institution that is not required to take attendance but that has a census date on which it reports its enrollment levels to a state, local jurisdiction or outside agency, once the institution has determined that a student has or has not begun attendance, it would be reasonable to expect the institution to return funds as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days following the census date.