Disbursement Authorization Eligibility Requirements

PowerFAIDS has built-in eligibility checks that run in the background as part of the Disbursement Authorization Export process. These checks prevent aid that should not be disbursed from being disbursed. If a disbursement can’t happen due to failing one of these checks, a message is displayed in the results report. In addition, there are rules that can be applied to none, one, many, or all funds depending on your institution’s policies and needs. For more information on rules that can be customized by your institution, see Disbursement Rules.

Student Eligibility Checks

These checks are performed on all students included in the population for which the disbursement authorization export process is being run. The first three are performed for both authorizing and negating disbursements. The last is only performed when authorizing disbursements.

Check Performed	Logic	Message if Fails
Student ID Exists	The Student ID field is not blank.	A student ID is required for disbursement authorization.
Payment Period Exists	At least one of the Payment Periods selected for disbursement is assigned to the student record. Example: Selecting payment periods Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are selected as the Payment Periods for disbursement. If a student record has Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or both (regardless of the Academic Year) then the record will pass. If they have neither, then the record will fail.	None of the payment periods selected are associated to the student.
Valid Tracking Status	The Tracking Status for at least one Academic Year associated with at least one of the Payment Periods selected for disbursement is valid for disbursement. Example: Selecting the tracking status Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are selected as the Payment Periods for disbursement. Fall 2024 is associated with Academic Year BBAY 2024 and Spring 2025 is associated with Academic Year BBAY 2025. The Tracking Status for BBAY 2024 OR BBAY 2025 must be Ready for Disbursement (RD), Disbursements Made (DM), or In Disbursement, Fund Requirements (DF) for the student record to pass. If neither are in any of those three statuses, the record will fail.	Tracking status is not valid for disbursement in at least one of the academic years associated with the selected payment periods.
Payment Period is Active	At least one of the Payment Periods selected for disbursement that is assigned to the student record is active. This rule only applies for authorizing disbursements. Example: Selecting active payment periods Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are selected as the Payment Periods for disbursement and the student record has been assigned both. At least one of the Payment Periods must be active for the record to pass. If both are inactive, then the record will fail.	None of the payment periods selected are active for the student.

Distribution Eligibility Checks for Authorize Disbursements

Each distribution being considered for a negate disbursement is checked for the following:

Check Performed	Logic	Message if Fails
Award is Accepted	The award with which the distribution is associated has a status of Accepted.	Award associated with this distribution is not in an accepted status.
Distribution Needs Disbursement	The distribution amount is not equal to the distribution disbursed to date amount.	Distribution has no amount to disburse.
Within Disbursement Date	If the Actual Disbursement Date exists, then the specified Disbursement Date is on or after the Actual Disbursement Date.	Actual Disbursement Date for the distribution is after the Disbursement Date for this disbursement authorization.
Within Disbursement Date	If the Actual Disbursement Date does not exist, then the specified Disbursement Date is on or after the Scheduled Disbursement Date.	Scheduled Disbursement Date for the distribution is after the Disbursement Date for this disbursement authorization.

Distribution Eligibility Checks for Negate Disbursements

Each distribution being considered for a negate disbursement is evaluated using the following rule:

Check Performed	Logic	Message if Fails
Disbursement Exists	The Distribution Disbursed to Date Amount is greater than 0.	There is no disbursement to negate.
Within Disbursement Date	The specified Disbursement Date is on or after the Actual Disbursement Date.	Actual Disbursement Date for the distribution is after the Disbursement Date for this disbursement authorization.

System-Driven Rules

These system-driven rules are applied on all students included in the population for which the disbursement authorization export process is being run.

Check Performed	Logic	Message if Fails
Student is Federally Eligible for the Academic Year	Applies to all federal funds except those with a government ID of other. The Eligible to Receive Federal Aid field on the academic year associated with the disbursement is Yes.	Federal funds cannot be disbursed to a student who has been flagged as ineligible to receive federal aid for this academic year.
Program is Federally Eligible	Applies to all federal funds except those with a government ID of other. The Title IV Eligible field on the Program associated with the disbursement is Yes.	Federal funds cannot be disbursed to a student under a program that is not Title IV eligible.
Origination Accepted	Applies to Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Unsubsized Stafford Loans, Federal TEACH Grants, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Parent PLUS Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans. The Origination must be sent to COD and accepted before federal aid can be disbursed.	Origination must be sent to COD and acceptance must be received before federal aid can be disbursed.
Credit Requirements Met	Applies to Graduate and Parent PLUS Loans. The Credit Requirements Met field for the award associated with this disbursement is Yes.	Federal PLUS loans cannot be disbursed until the associated credit requirement is met.
Linked MPN	Applies to federal loans. The MPN Status Code field for the award associated with this disbursement is Accepted or Pending.	Federal funds cannot be disbursed without a pending or accepted MPN.