Public Intoxication & Financial Aid

Austin's Alcohol Laws

Can Public Intoxication affect Financial Aid?

Will An Arrest Affect Or Make Me Lose My Student Loans (Fasfa)? Will I lose my Federal Student Loans if I am arrested? Can I lose other State Scholarships or Federal Student Loans because I am convicted of a crime?

Answer:

As of now, denial of Federal Student Loans and Student Aid focuses on Drug related crimes and offenses. Typically, loss of Financial Aid or Federal Student Loans & State Financial Aid Scholarships occur at Criminal Conviction, meaning a plea of guilty resulting in a criminal record. FASFA acknowledges and requests the following information when applying for Student Loans:

• You have never had a conviction for possessing or selling illegal drugs
• The conviction was not a state or federal offense
• The conviction occurred before you were 18 years of age and you were not tried as an adult
• The conviction was removed from your record
• The offense that led to your conviction did not occur during a period of enrollment for which you were receiving federal student aid (grants, loans, or work-study)

If you answer Yes to any of the above, then FASFA asks the Student Loan applicant to use the student aid eligibility worksheet to determine your eligibility. Past convictions do not automatically make you ineligible for student aid. Even if you are not eligible for federal student aid, it is recommended that a student seeking financial aid complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) because you may be eligible for state or school financial aid. For more information about Drug-Related Convictions, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

For more information, please see our other FAQs on Underage Drinking:

• What is being Drunk in Public?
• Can I be arrested drinking at a bar?
• Does an Officer need to give me a breath test for Public Intoxication?
• What if my passenger has an Open Container?
• Should I walk Home or Drive?
• Will an Arrest or Conviction affect my Student Loans?
• I'm a Student, Do You Offer Reduced or Discounted Rates & Legal Fees?
• Will I lose my Driver's License from a Public Intoxication Charge?