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Federal Student loans are available to assist students in meeting both tuition and living expenses, with low interest rates, and extended repayment terms. Because loan indebtedness has serious implications, students should carefully consider the amount of their borrowing (both yearly and cumulative) and borrow the minimum necessary to reasonably meet those expenses that remain above the Financial Aid Award. All students, regardless of state of residency, may borrow from a Pennsylvania bank and are urged to do so. New students should visit the UArts Financial Aid website for instructions to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Students who have previously received a Stafford using an MPN are not required to file another MPN for 10 years. If the student has previously borrowed under any of the student loan programs, he or she is encouraged to use the same bank to avoid having multiple loan payments upon graduation. All loan applications are based on the FAFSA application; thus this application must be completed before the loan application is considered. While the loan application is an element of the Financial Aid application process, it is also a separate transaction between the student and his or her bank. It is critical that the student understand that it is he or she alone who is responsible for repaying funds borrowed, and that for most students this will be the most serious long-term financial obligation yet undertaken. All first-time borrowers are required to complete an Entrance Interview according to the lender’s instructions before the University is permitted to release loan funds. This may be coordinated with the student’s lender. Federal Stafford Student Loan (Stafford)A Stafford loan cannot be approved until a complete FAFSA has been processed. Students wishing to use proceeds from the Stafford loan must submit a complete application by March 15. Students can apply for the Stafford Loan electronically at http://www.uarts.edu/admission/loans.html Under federal regulations, only one Stafford loan may be processed for each student each year.
Undergraduate students are required to register for at least six credits each semester in order to receive funding from the Stafford program. Stafford loan eligibility is determined based upon the number of credits the undergraduate student has completed, according to the following schedule:
The above loan amounts may be subsidized or unsubsidized depending upon the student’s financial eligibility. If the loan is subsidized the federal government will pay the interest on the loan while the student is in school, in addition to the first six months after the student leaves school. If the loan is unsubsidized the student is responsible for the interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. The student can choose to pay the interest or allow it to accrue and be capitalized (added to the principal amount of the loan). Capitalizing the interest will increase the amount the student has to repay. Undergraduate students who are independent and dependent students whose parents cannot qualify for the PLUS loan are eligible for the following additional amounts under the Unsubsidized Stafford Program:
Most Stafford loans will be disbursed to the University electronically and will not require the student’s signature. If a student loan is disbursed by check, it cannot be credited to the student’s account until he/she signs the check. (Stafford loan checks will be available in the Student Financial Services Office for signature; PLUS checks will be mailed to the parent borrower.)
Graduate students are required to register for at least 4.5 credits each semester in order to receive funding from the Stafford Loan program.
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Student Employment |
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FWS is a federally funded program administered by the University. Eligibility for this program is based upon the availability of funds to the University and the student’s EFC.
The Student Financial Services Office will make a determination of the student’s eligibility to earn money through the FWS Program. Notification of eligibility will be included in the Award letter.
An FWS award is not an offer or a guarantee of a job; it is the amount a student is eligible to earn should she or he secure a job. Work study awards are not applied against the invoice. Payment is made directly to employed students by a University payroll check.
Eligible students are permitted to work up to 20 hours weekly when classes are in session. Students are paid at least minimum wage, and hours may be arranged to accommodate the class schedule. The FWS award can be used between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010.
Jobs are usually available throughout the University in academic departments, Public Safety, University offices, the University Libraries etc. Positions require various levels of skill and experience. Additional positions with approved off-campus, non-profit organizations provide students the opportunity to be employed in community service positions and receive payment through the FWS program.
Students who do not qualify to work under the Federal Work Study program may work on campus under the NFWS program.
Information about job availability and placement is as listed in the Federal Work Study section.
The Student Employment Handbook contains expanded information about FWS and NFWS, job openings, and additional information for fall placement. The handbook is available on the UArts portal in late summer.
Students are reminded that falsifying time cards is a criminal offense, which can subject them to criminal prosecution, disciplinary action, expulsion, and/or loss of all financial aid.
Award Notification |
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Award letters will be sent to new students beginning in February and to returning students beginning in May. The Student Financial Services Office staff will be available to counsel students at any point during the application process. Students should be aware that some aid is conditional on the availability of funds to the University, and if these funds are reduced, the University may reduce aid accordingly.
If an award is estimated, that means some additional steps must be taken by the student before the student can receive those funds, such as completing verification, an entrance interview, or other required documents.
Federal Work Study
In order to claim a FWS award the student must locate an eligible job. Once hired, the student must come to the Student Financial Services Office to complete the necessary payroll paperwork. Students cannot work, nor can they be paid, until this paperwork is submitted and proper identification is documented. FWS cannot be deducted from the tuition invoice.
Pell Grant
Approximately four weeks after the FAFSA is filed, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). This document will notify a student as to Pell Grant eligibility. All of the information on the SAR must be correct and complete.
The award letter will list the Pell Grant amount. Changes to the FAFSA information may affect the student’s Pell Grant eligibility.
Perkins Loan
To claim these funds the student must endorse a Perkins promissory note in the Student Financial Services Office. Funds cannot be credited until a complete, correct note is negotiated.
PLUS and Stafford Loans
These loans must be applied for through the student’s lender. Proceeds from these loans are disbursed to the University. Most Stafford loans will be disbursed to the University electronically and will not require the student’s signature. If a student loan is disbursed by check, it cannot be credited to his/her account until he/she signs the check. (Stafford loan checks will be available in the Student Financial Services Office for signature; PLUS checks will be mailed to the parent borrower.)
The award notice is subject to revision under the following circumstances:
Special Circumstances and Appeals for Additional Aid |
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Changes in a student’s family or academic circumstances may necessitate a review of the estimated family contribution and related financial aid award. Such reviews are conducted in response to a written request for an Appeal from the student, in which the change in circumstances is described in detail, and submitted for consideration to the Student Financial Services Office.
The FAFSA collects information about a family’s income and assets from the previous year (2008). For most people this information is a good predictor of the current year’s (2009) income, since most people do not experience wide swings in income from year to year.
If, however, a family’s income in the current year will be significantly different (more than 10 percent) from last year’s, the family should notify the Student Financial Services Office in writing, including all available documentation. Reductions in income that are caused by involuntary job loss, unusually high medical expenses, separation, divorce, death of a wage earner, or the like will be considered.
If a family’s circumstances meet these criteria, the University will calculate the financial aid award based upon the estimated current year (2009) figures for the fall semester. At the end of the fall semester the family will be required to provide documentation (such as final pay stub or an estimated 2009 return) for evaluation of the spring semester’s award.
Unfortunately, the University is not generally able to consider reductions in income due to voluntary job changes, back taxes owed, high consumer debt, multiple mortgages, employment bonuses received in the previous year, overtime, self-employment losses, fluctuations in income from commission sales, or discretionary purchases.
When a married student or an enrolled student’s parent/guardian separates from or divorces his/her spouse subsequent to the filing of the financial aid application, the divorcing/separating student or custodial parent/guardian of the enrolled student should notify the Student Financial Services Office in writing. In the case of a separation or divorce involving the parents/guardians of a student, the Student Financial Services Office is permitted to discuss the student’s record only with the custodial parent.
Sadly, the University occasionally is called upon to assist a student whose parent or spouse has died subsequent to the filing of the financial aid application. Should this occur, the Student Financial Services Office should be contacted immediately, and it will offer every assistance possible.
The Student Financial Services Office is occasionally asked to re-evaluate a student’s status due to the student’s assertion that he or she should be considered independent of parental support.
The guidelines for dependency are set by federal law, and thus each student must first be evaluated against them. A dependent student is someone who is younger than 24, is not a veteran, is not a graduate or professional student, is not married, is not an orphan or ward of the court, or does not have legal dependents.
An independent student is someone who is older than 24, a veteran, currently serving on active military duty, a graduate or professional student, married, or has legal dependents. (See the FAFSA.)
Federal and institutional policy is that the first responsibility for college costs is the student’s and his/her family’s; thus appeals are rarely granted.
A student who wishes to be considered independent must write a letter of appeal to the Student Financial Services Office. The letter must clearly state the reasons for appealing the dependency status. The student will be required to document his/her means of support as well as other items. Please contact the Student Financial Services Office for additional information.
The Student Financial Services Office cannot consider proposals for a recalculation of financial aid eligibility based on any circumstances other than those listed above.
Satisfactory Academic Progress |
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Students receiving financial assistance are required by federal regulation to be making satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive financial assistance while enrolled at The University of The Arts.
Federal regulations require that an institution establish, publish, and apply reasonable standards for measuring whether a student, who is otherwise eligible for assistance, is maintaining satisfactory academic progress in his or her program of study. The standards must be the same or stricter than the institution’s standards for a student enrolled in the same academic program who is not receiving financial assistance. Listed below is the complete statement of Minimum Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial assistance recipients.
This policy is separate from The University of The Arts Merit Aid Terms and Conditions and from any policies that individual colleges or programs may have.
Students must complete at least 24 credits per year when full time, or a pro-rated number of credits when enrolled for a portion of the year as calculated below under Quantitative Standards.
Students must complete 66.67percent of all credits they are registered for on the last day of the drop/add period as calculated below under Quantitative Standards.
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 as calculated below under Qualitative Standards.
Students may submit an appeal to the Student Financial Services Office if they fail to meet the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for Student Financial Assistance.
Students must make quantitative and qualitative progress toward their educational goals each academic year to receive assistance. The academic year consists of two regular semesters and the summer sessions.
Although 12 credits is the minimum per-semester credit accumulation to maintain eligibility for financial assistance, a student completing only this minimum WILL NOT be on track to graduate in four years at this rate. In addition, “D” grades will cause a student to fail the qualitative (GPA) progress standard.
The maximum number of remedial credits for which a student may receive financial aid is one year’s worth of noncredit remedial course work. The University of the Arts has established 12 credits as one year’s worth of noncredit remedial course work. The need for remedial coursework does not increase the maximum numbers of University assistance available to a student.
If the student is dismissed or suspended from the University, a College, or a program for any reason, the student is automatically ineligible for financial assistance.
Students may petition the Student Financial Services Office to re-establish their eligibility for assistance, which may be granted on a permanent or probationary status.
Academic progress will be measured in May of each year. Measurement begins with the fall semester and ends with the last summer session. Students who were enrolled during the fall and/or spring semesters and failed to meet the qualitative and/or quantitative requirements for academic progress can attempt to complete additional credits and bring up their GPA during the summer sessions. Please note that only those credits earned at The University of The Arts will affect the GPA. Credits taken at another college or university post to the UArts transcript as transfer credits only (no grades are posted), and will only affect the number of total credits earned, not the semester or cumulative GPA. Upon completion of the additional credits, a new determination of academic progress will be made.
Transfer students are evaluated for academic progress in May, after the first spring semester attended at The University of The Arts. Students who transfer to the University for the spring semester, and are required to take summer Foundation classes in the summer semester, are evaluated for adequate progress towards degree after the end of the summer Foundation semester.
Students enrolled in the low-residency MFA program must complete their coursework exactly as described in the University’s course catalog.
All students seeking financial assistance are subject to the Satisfactory Academic Standards regardless of whether or not they received financial assistance previously.
Failures and withdrawals are counted as courses attempted, not completed. Incompletes are not counted toward credits completed until after the course work is successfully completed and grades are posted by the Registrar. Required classes that are repeated as a result of a failed or inadequate grade will only be counted once towards the calculation of credits completed, while all attempts will be included in the calculation of “credits attempted.”
A student who does not make satisfactory academic progress will be placed on Financial Assistance Suspension until the requirements for satisfactory academic progress are met. The student will be notified in writing of the financial assistance suspension. In such cases, the student can appeal the decision to the Student Financial Services Office. The appeal must be submitted in writing within two weeks of being placed on financial assistance suspension and contain the following:
The following types of mitigating circumstances may be considered when a student appeals: extended illness, recent diagnosis of documented learning disability, death in the family, and changes in educational objective. The Student Financial Services Office may request additional documentation and/or require a personal interview with the student. After the review, the Student Financial Services Office will notify the student in writing of the action taken.
If the Student Financial Services Office determines that the Academic Progress Standards can be waived for one semester, the student will be placed on Financial Assistance Probation. At the end of the probationary semester if academic requirements have been met, the probationary status will be removed. If academic requirements have not been met, the student will be placed on Financial Assistance Suspension.
Once financial assistance has been discontinued, it will be reinstated provided:
Reinstatement is not automatic. The student is responsible for making certain that the grades and credits completed have been properly posted with the Registrar prior to requesting reinstatement of financial assistance. Students are encouraged to file all financial assistance application forms by The University of The Arts’ established deadline so that once reinstatement has been granted, he or she can be considered for assistance as quickly as possible.
A student who is denied assistance based on qualitative or quantitative standards will be considered for assistance when standards have been met. No aid may be awarded retroactively to the semester(s) in which standards were not met.
The University has no authority to make exceptions to PHEAA state grant policies. Students wishing to appeal the loss of state grants must write a letter of appeal to PHEAA. Appeal letters must include documentation of those significant events (major illness, severe injury, or family upheaval such as divorce or death) that impacted the student’s academic performance. Students wishing to appeal the loss of state grant eligibility are urged to do so as soon as such information is known, as the state requires several weeks (typically 8-10) to respond to appeals.
A merit-based scholarship, grant or award, including Presidential, Director’s, Promising Artist, and Artist Grant will be renewed under the following terms and conditions:
Named/endowed scholarships are generally not renewed.
Change in Enrollment Status: Undergraduate Students |
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Unless specifically designated otherwise, all awards are issued based upon the student’s anticipated enrollment as a full-time undergraduate (completing 12 credits or more per semester, in a degree-granting program). Students who become less than full time or who enroll as “non-degree” may lose their eligibility for aid in full or in part.
The Student Financial Services Office periodically reviews all student accounts and immediately removes any aid credited to the account of a student who has failed to satisfy progress or enrollment requirements as stated above.
Students who are considering withdrawing (either from the University or from individual classes) are urged to meet with a financial aid counselor to discuss the impact of the withdrawal on their eligibility for aid. Please read the information about refunds in the “Tuition and Expenses” section of this catalog.
Students are reminded that withdrawing from their courses (either in full or in part) may cause them to lose their eligibility for aid in current and future semesters.
To avoid unexpected balances, students must contact the Student Financial Services Office with any questions pertaining to this subject.
Graduate Students |
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Graduate students are eligible to apply for Stafford and Grad PLUS loans and should refer to the section on student loans for further information. Graduate students may also be eligible for assistantships or fellowships through the department in which they are enrolled. Contact the departmental office for additional information and application instructions.
Graduate students are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive financial aid as specified in this catalog.
Students who have attained a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent are not eligible to receive Pell, PHEAA, FSEOG, FWS, Perkins, and most other forms of financial aid including institutional grants.
Graduate students who are in default on a federal student loan are not eligible to receive assistance of any type while enrolled at the University.
Students who enroll at least half-time (4.5 credits) in the Low-residency MFA program may borrow under the Stafford Loan and Grad PLUS programs.
Students who matriculated as of June 2000 and follow the 12, 4.5, 4.5 credit pattern are permitted to borrow during all semesters of enrollments and qualify for deferments; these students may borrow up to $20,500.
Students who matriculated prior to June 2000 and follow the 10, 3, 3 credit pattern are not permitted to borrow during the fall and spring semesters. Summer MFA students who are enrolled less than half-time are not permitted to borrow and do not qualify for deferments.
Transfer Students |
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Undergraduate transfer students are eligible for aid and should apply following the same application procedures as other undergraduates (with exceptions listed below).
Transfer students who have borrowed the undergraduate maximum under the Stafford Loan program are not eligible for continued Stafford assistance while enrolled at the University.
Any transfer student who is in default on a federal loan or otherwise ineligible for federal aid, is ineligible for financial aid of any type while enrolled at the University.
Transfer students who enroll for the spring semester should be aware that financial aid received for enrollment during the fall semester at another institution is not transferable. Students must reapply for most forms of aid at the University. Contact the Student Financial Services Office for additional information and instructions.
Bachelor’s Degree Holders |
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Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and who enroll as undergraduates are eligible to apply for Stafford loans, unless they have previously borrowed the undergraduate maximum under the Stafford Loan program. In some cases these students may also be eligible for University-sponsored aid. Students are not eligible to receive Pell Grants, PHEAA Grants, FSEOG, and Perkins Loans.
Part-time Students |
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Part-time students who are enrolled in degree programs may be eligible for Pell, University, and PHEAA grants, as well as Stafford loans.
Part-time students are subject to all requirements governing the financial aid programs, except that they be enrolled on a full-time basis.
Part-time students are not eligible for merit-based aid.
Part-time students should follow application procedures as detailed in this catalog.
Continuing Education Students |
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Students who enroll through the Continuing Education program are eligible for a very limited selection of loan programs. Continuing Education students are not eligible for any other type of financial aid. Contact the Student Financial Services Office for additional information.
International Students |
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Students who are neither U.S. citizens, nor eligible non-citizens (as confirmed by the federal government), are not eligible to receive any form of Federal Title IV financial aid while enrolled at The University of the Arts.
International students will be reviewed for scholarships when offered admission to the University. Those students who demonstrate exceptional academic and artistic ability will be considered for the University’s Scholarship Program.
International students may be eligible to borrow money through a very limited selection of loan programs. International students must have a U.S. citizen serve as the co-signer on the loan. Contact the Student Financial Services Office for additional information.
Study Abroad and Off-campus Study |
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Study abroad, domestic mobility, and exchange opportunities are available through programs hosted or coordinated through regionally accredited U.S. institutions or through direct application to a foreign institution. The selection of a program should be made carefully, as it may have implications for financial aid, transferability of credits, progress in the major and the completion of degree requirements.
Students who have submitted an approved Petition for Off-campus Study remain active degree candidates at UArts. Please note that in cases where the student prefers to register and pay tuition at the overseas host institution the student must request a Leave of Absence or withdraw from UArts. In most cases, it will be to the student’s advantage to remain an active UArts student through the Off-campus Study process; the student can thus register and pay tuition at UArts.
Below is an outline of the three different options available to students who wish to study off-campus.
Note: This option is recommended for students who wish to study at an affiliated institution whose tuition is similar to or higher than the tuition charged by UArts.
Note: This option is recommended for students who wish to study at an unaffiliated institution whose tuition is similar to or higher than the tuition charged by UArts.
Note: Students who are interested in studying at an unaffiliated institution whose tuition is significantly lower than the UArts tuition may be interested in this option.
Students who plan to study abroad should apply for financial aid adhering to normal deadlines and procedures. Additionally, such students must provide The University of the Arts Student Financial Services Office with the following:
Reminders:
Budgets |
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Educational costs include not only the direct cost of tuition and fees, but also the indirect costs of out-of-pocket expenses such as housing, food, books, supplies, and personal expenses, including but not limited to clothing, medical expenses, personal items and transportation. Direct costs reflect the actual amount a student will be billed by the University. Indirect costs are what a typical student might expect for out-of-pocket expenses such as supplies, books, clothing, food, medical expenses, personal items, and transportation over a nine-month period.
These direct and indirect expenses are used in formulating a student’s budget and determining financial need. The Student Financial Services Office will assign each student a budget depending on the information provided on the FAFSA. If the budgets shown below differ significantly from the expenses you expect to incur, please inform the Student Financial Services Office.
Naturally, individual habits and personal spending patterns will dramatically influence the scale of the indirect costs. Therefore, the budgets that follow are estimates only.
These figures are intended for your use in estimating your costs for the upcoming academic year.
First Year Undergraduate | Commuter | Resident/Off-campus |
Tuition (12-18 credits/sem) | $30,700 | $30,700 |
Technology Fee | $300 | $300 |
Dorm/Housing | $7,200 | |
Subtotal | $31,000 | $38,200 |
Indirect Expenses | ||
Books & Supplies | $4,600 | $4,600 |
Housing | $4,491 | |
Food | $1,665 | $1,665 |
Personal Expenses | $1,665 | $1,665 |
Transportation | $1,404 | $1,053 |
Estimated Total | $44,825 | $47,183 |
Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors |
Senior |
Senior |
Sophomore, Junior and Non CAD Senior Commuter |
Sophomore, Junior and Non CAD Resident/ Off-campus |
Tuition (12-18 credits/sem) | $30,700 | $30,700 | $30,700 | $30,700 |
Technology Fee | $1,350 | $1,350 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
Dorm/Housing | $7,200 | $7,200 | ||
Subtotal | $32,050 | $39,250 | $31,800 | $39,000 |
Indirect Expenses | ||||
Books & Supplies | $2,100 | $2,100 | $2,100 | $2,100 |
Housing | $4,491 | $4,491 | ||
Food | $1,665 | $1,665 | $1,665 | $1,665 |
Personal Expenses | $1,665 | $1,665 | $1,665 | $1,665 |
Transportation | $1,404 | $1,053 | $1,404 | $1,053 |
Estimated Total | $43,375 | $45,733 | $43,125 | $45,483 |
Graduate | Museum Exhibition Planning & Design or Art Education |
(09-10) Summer MFA | All Other Graduate Programs |
Tuition (9-18 credits/sem) | $30,700 | $19,320 | $30,700 |
Technology Fee | $1,850 | $450 | $300 |
Subtotal | $32,550 | $ 19,770 | $31,000 |
Indirect Expenses | |||
Books & Supplies | $2,100 | $2,100 | $4,600 |
Housing | $8,991 | $11,988 | $8,991 |
Food | $1,665 | $2,200 | $1,665 |
Personal Expenses | $1,665 | $2,200 | $1,665 |
Transportation | $1,215 | $468 | $1,404 |
Estimated Total | $48,186 | $38,726 | $49,325 |
Students who live within reasonable commuting distance of the University and reside with parents or relatives.
Students who reside in University-owned housing or who reside in housing that is owned by neither the University nor their parents or relatives. Students who live within commuting distance of the University will not be funded as resident students, or as off-campus students.
Most graduate students maintain their own homes and have correspondingly higher living expenses. Graduate students who live with parents or relatives will be assigned a commuter budget.
Budgets for part-time students are determined on an individual basis.
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 includes tax credits for education. The Hope Scholarship is a tax credit of up to $1,500 that covers 100 percent of the first $1,000 in qualified tuition and related expenses, and up to 50 percent of the second $1,000, required for enrollment during the first two years of college.
The Hope tax credit is generally available for tuition and fees paid, less grants and scholarships, for classes that begin on or after January 1, 1998. The credit is phased out for single taxpayers with adjusted gross income between $40,000 and $50,000 ($80,000 to $100,000 for joint returns). Students who do not qualify for the Hope Scholarship may qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit.
For specific information about how these tax credits may affect you, contact your tax professional.
Confidentiality and Privacy of Financial Aid Information |
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Under FERPA, educational privacy and access rights accrue to the student when she/he turns 18 OR enrolls in a post-secondary institution. The University of the Arts is a post-secondary institution. Persons who have applied to but who have not attended the University as an enrolled student are not covered under FERPA. Under institutional policy, applicants are extended the same privacy and access rights to their financial aid information as students.
Applicants, students, and parents should be aware of the following institutional Financial Aid Privacy policies.
The Student Financial Services Office staff is permitted to discuss or otherwise disclose a student’s financial aid information to the following parties:
Students and parents should be aware that their signatures on the FAFSA and other financial aid documents (e.g. loan applications) authorize the release of their information to certain federal and state agencies. Please read the FAFSA and other financial aid documents for more information.
Depending upon the scope of the information requested by the student or other authorized parties, the Student Financial Services Office may require time to present the records requested. When the information requested cannot be produced immediately the Student Financial Services Office may require such time as is permitted under the University’s FERPA policy to retrieve and present the records requested.
The Student Financial Services Office staff is not permitted to discuss or otherwise disclose a student’s financial aid information to others including but not limited to:
The Student Financial Services Office staff is not permitted to discuss or otherwise disclose academic information (which includes but is not limited to scholarship eligibility, financial aid eligibility, grades, grade point average, academic standing, or probationary status) to anyone (except the federal and state agencies responsible for processing the student’s financial aid or having authority under FERPA to access such information) other than the student (whether or not the student is dependent, whether or not the parent pays the invoice) without the student’s written authorization.
When extraordinary circumstances exist that prevent the student from accessing and understanding Financial Aid information, the Student Financial Services staff will discuss normally confidential information with the individual(s) that the student designates on the disclosure authorization form. Students may request a disclosure authorization form from the Student Financial Services Office. Students must complete and sign the disclosure authorization form in the Student Financial Services Office in the presence of a Student Financial Services staff member. Students can rescind the disclosure authorization at any time. Due to the highly sensitive nature of financial aid and academic information, facsimiles, photocopies or mailed disclosure authorization forms will not be accepted.
Rights and Responsibilities |
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The receipt of financial aid is a privilege, which creates both rights and responsibilities.
Students have the right to know the method used to determine their need; the right to have access to information and records used in determining need; and the right to be awarded aid as equitably as funds permit.
Students applying for financial aid are responsible for accurately portraying financial resources and circumstances and notifying the Student Financial Services Office of any changes in status; for applying in a timely manner; and for maintaining satisfactory academic progress and good standing.
Students who fail to maintain adequate progress may be placed on probation. Failure to correct academic deficiency will result in the loss of financial aid until the required credits and grade point average have been earned.
Students or parents who knowingly provide false information on any financial aid form (financial aid forms include but are not limited to the FAFSA, verification forms, work study time cards and loan applications) will be denied financial aid and will be refused for all subsequent years without the possibility of appeal. Additionally, students so identified will be billed for all aid disbursed and may face prosecution by the Department of Education, which may result in fine, imprisonment, or both.
While the Student Financial Services Office staff is available to assist students through the application process, it is the student’s responsibility to see to the correctness and completeness of his or her application. If a student receives notification that his/her FAFSA or loan application is incomplete, the student must determine what is necessary to complete the application(s) and submit the required information.
An application for financial aid will have no effect on the decision concerning admission. The admission decision is made without access to financial aid data.
A helpful way to begin the search for additional financial assistance is on the University’s Scholarship Bulletin Board. Additional financial aid websites are listed below. Students are cautioned not to pay for financial aid information.
http://www.pheaa.org
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
http://www.finaid.org
http://www.fastweb.com
http://www.ed.gov
For Additional Information |
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Listed below are numbers to call if a student receives an incomplete notification or does not receive notification within six weeks of application filing.
1-319-337-5665
1-800-4-FEDAID
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
PHEAA Grant Line
1-800-692-7435
http://www.pheaa.org
PHEAA Loan Line
1-800-692-7392
http://www.pheaa.org
The University of the Arts
1-800-616-ARTS
http://www.uarts.edu
Student Financial Services Office
1-215-717-6170
fax 1-215-717-6178
http://www.finaid@uarts.edu
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