Using student aid to fly?

[Colorad007]

This is a bit out of left field, but I wanted a handful of opinions about it. Here’s the situation: I’m a married law student studying abroad this summer in Poland. I am able to receive financial aid to cover the cost of attendance, and I also have unused financial aid (loans) from the past couple of years in the bank. Is it wrong to use those loans to pay for my wife’s plane ticket so that she can come to Poland with me? Each promissory note I’ve signed says that loans can be used for only “educational purposes.” I’ve asked financial aid counsellors at my school what that means, and all have told me that it’s okay to use past loan money for my wife’s ticket and housing. I suppose I just feel weird about using tax-payer money to pay for my wife to come along, but I also wouldn’t go without her, so I’m not sure what to do. I do suffer from scrupulosity, and this may or may not be a result of that. They are loans, after all, that I’ll have to pay back, so I’m not “taking” anything from taxpayers–but I’m still unsure.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cristiano]

Rules are rule and if those in charge of verifying the rules (financial aid counselors) say that it is fine then it should be fine. If I were you I would get it in writing from someone else that works with the financial aid organization (e.g. comptroller) because a counselor could just give an opinion but he could not have the authority do do so. This is not about scrupulosity, it is about the difference between legality and fraud. If you verify that the rules allow for it I do not see anything immoral for you to use that money.

 

[Colorad007]

Rules are rule and if those in charge of verifying the rules (financial aid counselors) say that it is fine then it should be fine. If I were you I would get it in writing from someone else that works with the financial aid organization (e.g. comptroller) because a counselor could just give an opinion but he could not have the authority do do so. This is not about scrupulosity, it is about the difference between legality and fraud. If you verify that the rules allow for it I do not see anything immoral for you to use that money.

I should add that I’ve also gotten the same opinion from two other counselors, as well as two customer service representatives from the Department of Education. Rules are indeed rules, which is why I’m leery about it–but everybody in charge of this stuff seems to believe that these rules can be more loosely interpreted than how I’d interpret it (but,of course, I always err on the side of immense caution, so what do I know?).

 

[BillP]

The loans are designed to defray educational expenses which includes living and transportation expenses for you and your dependents.

No worries.

BTW, because we’re talking about loans, its not “taxpayer money” unless you default.

 

[Cristiano]

I should add that I’ve also gotten the same opinion from two other counselors, as well as two customer service representatives from the Department of Education. Rules are indeed rules, which is why I’m leery about it–but everybody in charge of this stuff seems to believe that these rules can be more loosely interpreted than how I’d interpret it (but,of course, I always err on the side of immense caution, so what do I know?).

Just get it in writing! Verba volant scripta manent!