Financial Aid Code of Conduct

Coastal Carolina University's Financial Aid and Scholarships is committed to the highest standards of professional conduct. As members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), all team members follow the code of conduct established by NASFAA. Further, each individual is responsible for adhering to principles of good practice as mandated by statute, regulation, and/or other University directives. In conducting professional services through Financial Aid and Scholarships, each member adheres to the following professional standards:

1. Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
2. Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interest of the students and parents he or she serves.
3. Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
4. Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of financial aid.
5. Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating, or processing of student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
6. Disclose to his or her institution, in such a manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.

Financial Aid and Scholarships will not require students to use a particular lender or in any way limit the choice of lenders for students. We will not recommend external lenders to students or their parents, and will also not maintain a list of lenders that are preferred over other lenders. We do provide a list of lenders who participate in the electronic loan process (participating lenders), which in no way should be recognized as preferring one over another. Loans, regardless of type or lender choice, will be processed through any lender a student or parent chooses.

Financial Aid and Scholarships will continue to maintain a professional relationship with at least four participating private lending institutions. The basis for these relationships will be the availability of competitive borrower benefits and each lender's record of service to borrowers. This service is expected to begin at the time of application and extend throughout repayment. A review of the services provided by these lenders will occur regularly and, when appropriate, adjustment to the relationship will be initiated. Because the market for educational loans changes constantly, better opportunities may emerge from other lenders from time to time. However, these lenders will not be placed on the participating lender list unless they can prove that these benefits will be long-standing. 

Students who wish to borrow a private educational loan may select their lender from a list of at least four participating lenders or a lender is established, it is suggested that all future alternative loan borrowing remain with that lender in order to prevent concurrent repayments.

All Federal Direct Loan borrowers are required to complete Entrance and Exit Loan Counseling pursuant to federal regulations. Direct Loans for students of Coastal Carolina University will not be disbursed until Entrance Loan Counseling has been completed. Upon separation from Coastal Carolina University, all Direct Loan borrowers are sent reminders to complete the necessary Exit Loan Counseling. Separation is defined as dropping below 6 credit hours during the fall or spring semester.

The following prohibitions are in effect for all employees of Financial Aid and Scholarships, immediate family members of employees of Financial Aid and Scholarships and any employee of CCU who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to educational loans:

1. The above mentioned will not solicit or accept anything of value from any lender in exchange for any advantage sought by the lender to make educational loans to students enrolled at, or admitted to, Coastal Carolina University.
2. The above mentioned will not accept from any lender any gift worth more than nominal value.
3. The above mentioned will not enter into any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide to a lender services relating to educational loans.
4. Any of the above mentioned who serve on an advisory board (or commission or group) relating to educational loans established by a lender or group of lenders will not receive anything of value from the lender or group of lenders in connection with serving on such advisory board (or commission or group). This is including, but not limited to, compensation for time, lodging, travel expenses and meals associated with time spent serving on the advisory board (or commission or group).

Financial Aid and Scholarships will neither request nor accept any office staffing services from employees of a lender. Should there be any conversation between a visiting lender and a student, an employee of Financial Aid and Scholarships will ensure that the lender employee does nothing to misrepresent him or herself to a student or parent in a way that might be construed as being a representative of Coastal Carolina University. Further, Financial Aid and Scholarships will never participate in the co-branding of materials associated with a particular lender/ loan program.