Drug Conviction Policy Disclosure

Federal regulations require that we provide this information to all students who enroll at Cal State, East Bay. Although penalties are only imposed when students are receiving Federal Title IV student financial aid, including student loans, we must make this notification to all students.

Please take a moment to read and understand this information. You may direct any questions to the Office of Financial Aid.

Students convicted of possession or sale of drugs

A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify a student from receiving financial aid.

Convictions only count if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV aid—they do not count if the offense was not during such a period. Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record does not count, nor does one received when they were a juvenile, unless they were tried as an adult.

The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for financial aid, depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether the student had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)

Period of Ineligibility for Financial Aid
Possession of Illegal DrugsSale of Illegal Drugs
1st Offense 1 year from date of conviction 2 years from date of conviction
2nd Offense 2 years from date of conviction indefinite period
3+ Offenses indefinite period --

If the student was convicted of both possessing and selling illegal drugs, and the periods of ineligibility are different, the student will be ineligible for the longer period.

For questions please contact the Office of Financial Aid, at (510) 885-2784, Option 2 Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Or e-mail finaid@csueastbay.edu

Notice after loss of eligibility

After loss of eligibility, you are no longer eligible for Title IV financial aid due to a federal or state drug conviction.

How to Regain Eligibility

The information that follows describes the methods by which you may regain eligibility:

A student regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when they successfully complete a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further drug convictions will make them ineligible again.

Students denied eligibility for an indefinite period can regain it only after successfully completing a rehabilitation program or if a conviction is reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record so that fewer than two convictions for sale or three convictions for possession remain on the record. In such cases, the nature and dates of the remaining convictions will determine when the student regains eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to certify they have successfully completed the rehabilitation program.