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Financial Aid (FAFSA)

Types of Financial Aid

A grant is money set aside by both the state of Arkansas and the federal government for students who need it to pay for college. The most common federal education grant is the Pell Grant. Education grants do not need to be repaid.

Financial aid packages may include more than one type of award. However, the combined total of all awards must not exceed a student’s cost of attendance (COA). If a student’s financial aid package exceeds his/her COA, awards will be adjusted according to federal, state, and institutional guidelines.

Priority Deadlines

A priority deadline means that students that complete all financial aid and admission paper work by this date will have their financial aid awards ready for the beginning of the semester. Students who complete financial aid and admission processes after priority dates will be awarded financial aid sometime during the semester.

Pell

Fall - (priority deadline) May 1
Spring - (priority deadline) November 1
Summer - (hard deadline) April 15

SEOG

Fall - (hard deadline) May 1
Spring - (hard deadline) November 1

Apply for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA)

Students are encouraged to apply by April 1. This gives students the best chance of receiving state aid that is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students apply for Federal Financial Aid by completing the FAFSA each year.

The FAFSA will require the student's household information. If the student is married, the spouse's information will also be required. Students under 24 are generally required to submit the parent's information.

Complete UA Cossatot Admission Application

Complete the online admissions application or meet with an advisor at a campus for assistance. UA Cossatot will only award financial aid after a student has successfully completed our admissions process.

Complete FAFSA

Submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) through the U.S. Department of Education. If this is your first time completing a FAFSA, start by getting your Federal Student Aid ID

Note: The following school code is required for the FAFSA and UA Cossatot financial aid applications: 012432

Submit Additional Information

You may be selected for a process called Verification. If selected, you will be notified of any requirements through the mail. Promptly submit the requested information to avoid delays. See below for the Process for Financial Aid Verification.

Review your award

Once your financial aid awards have been processed, you will receive an award letter at the email address that you listed on the FAFSA. Returning students can also Review Financial Aid in Campus Connect.

Federal Grant Programs

Federal education grants are funds distributed by the United States government to students who need assistance paying for college. Federal grants do not need to be repaid. Visit the Federal Student Aid Guide provided by the US Department of Education for more details.

If this is not your first enrollment period at UA Cossatot and you received Title IV financial aid, your refunds for course withdrawals are calculated according to the Title IV refund guidelines (link to Return of title IV Policy page). Title IV financial aid includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.

Federal Grant Eligibility

To be eligible for Federal funding, you must:

demonstrate financial need;
be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen;
be registered with Selective Service, if you’re a male (you must register between the ages of 18 and 25);
be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program;
maintain satisfactory academic progress in college or career school;
sign statements on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) stating that  you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes; and show you’re qualified to obtain a college or career school education by having a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law.

Federal Pell Grant

To receive a Pell grant, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid.
You may be eligible for up to $5775 for the 2015 -2016 year                                
The amount you will receive will depend on:
- Your financial need
- Your cost of attendance
- Your enrollment
- Your plans to attend a full academic year or less
You may not receive Federal Pell grant funds from more than one school at a time.

Additional information on the Federal Pell Grants program.

Lifetime Pell Grant Eligibility

New regulations effective July 1, 2012 limits the receipt of a Pell Grant to a lifetime limit of up to 6 full-time years (600%) which is equal to 12 full-time semesters. This regulation applies to all institutions that award Federal Pell grant funds: community colleges, vocational schools, and four year public and private universities. The U.S. Department of Education will track the limits for students’ eligibility. The consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 provided changes to the Federal Pell Grant eligibility and reduced the lifetime limit for students. The bill reduced the number of semester a student is eligible to receive Pell funds from 18 semesters to 12 semesters.

Regardless of the Pell Grant amount (i.e. maximum or minimum Pell eligibility), if a student received the full year amount then he/she has received 100%.

For example, if a student’s Pell Grant for the year is $5,000 and the student receives $2,500 in Fall and $2,500 in Spring. The student has received the entire $5,000 or $100% for the year.

Fall $2,500 (50%) + Spring $2,500 (50%) = to 100% eligibility (which is 2 semesters at fulltime)

For example, if student’s Pell Grant for the year is $5,000 and the student receives $1,250 in Fall and $1,250 in Spring, the student has received 50% for the year.

Fall $1,250 (25%) + Spring $1,250 (25%) = to 50% eligibility (which is 2 semesters at part-time)

The 600% total eligibility applies at all schools and colleges. However, once the student has earned a Bachelor’s Degree, he/she is no longer eligible for a Pell Grant even if he/she has not received the entire 600% eligibility. In addition, a student must also meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress standards to remain eligible each year.

Students that have question about their eligibility should contact their UA Cossatot Financial Aid Office.

Want to read more about Federal Pell grant lifetime limits? Find out more at:

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/pell/calculate-eligibility

Federal SEOG Grant

Award amounts vary. To be eligible for Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), you must meet same guidelines as Pell Grant as mentioned in Federal Grant Eligibility section. The FSEOG is for undergraduates with exceptional financial need who receive Federal Pell Grants. It does not have to be repaid. There is no guarantee that every eligible student will be able to receive an FSEOG. Students at each school may be awarded an FSEOG based on the availability of funds.

Federal Work Study Program

The Federal Work Study Program is a campus based program that provides part-time employment for students who qualify based on financial need. Completion of the FAFSA is required for financial need to be determined. Upon completion of the FAFSA, students should contact the UA Cossatot Financial Aid Office to see if they are eligible to participate in the Federal Work Study program. Available Federal Work Study jobs are posted in the Financial Aid Office.

Students should contact the supervisor indicated on the job posting to apply for the position. Upon hire, students should complete the Student Job Assignment form with their supervisor and submit it to the Federal Work Study coordinator along with all required personnel documents. Students may work 12-15 hours per week and will receive a paycheck twice a month. The amount a student can earn in a year is determined by the amount of financial need and other aid awarded as part of the student’s financial aid package.

Applications for employment with UA Cossatot Federal Work Study Program are accepted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, or disability of qualified handicapped individuals. UA Cossatot complies with nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provision and laws.

Work Study Information

Federal Loan Program

UA Cossatot does not participate in any federal loan programs. Review the Title IV Code of Conduct for additional information.

Transfer Students

To receive any kind of federal financial aid at UA Cossatot, a transfer student must:

Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program
Complete the FAFSA application process through the Financial Aid Office
Not be in default on any Title IV loan or owe a refund on any Title IV aid

Transfer students are subject to the same satisfactory academic progress policy (link to SAP page) regarding length of time and grade point average in regard to hours that are attempted and /or transferred to UA Cossatot.

Transfer students who have previously attended another accredited post-secondary institution must have an official academic transcript submitted to Student Services.

Financial Aid Verification

Verification is a review process in which the Financial Aid Office is required to review various data elements reported by the student/parent on the student's FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education selects approximately 30% of all aid applicants for verification. Eligibility cannot be determined until the Verification process is completed.

Students will receive a letter if selected for verification and need to return requested documents as quickly as possible.

Students/Parents who did not select the "IRS data retrieval" option on the FAFSA, may have to submit an IRS tax transcript.

You may be asked to submit an IRS Transcript. Transcripts may can be requested on-line and are immediately available for print.

If all paperwork is satisfactory and admission requirements have been met, a financial aid award letter will be sent to the student’s email account that was provided on the FAFSA.

Award Letters

Award letters are sent to the email account that the student provided on their FAFSA. If email is not provided, award letters are mailed to the address provided to UA Cossatot Student Services. By accepting the award letter you are certifying that you understand and accept your rights and responsibilities concerning your financial aid at UAC and agree to them.  If you do not accept the award as listed on the award letter you must cross out the unwanted award, sign, date and return the award letter to the UA Cossatot Financial Aid Office.

Rights and Responsibilities:

I certify that I do not owe a refund on any grant or loan, am not in default on any loan, and have not borrowed in excess of the loan limits under Title IV Programs at any institution.  I will use all Title IV money received for expenses related to my study at UA Cossatot.
I certify that I am not receiving financial aid from any other institution other than UA Cossatot.
I understand the aid awarded is for one academic year only and that I must reapply annually by completing the required forms.
I must meet the eligibility requirements mandated by the institution and federal regulations which include maintaining satisfactory academic progress as defined by the University of Arkansas at Cossatot.
I understand that the financial aid offer may be adjusted due to changes in funding or other events unknown at this time.
I shall notify the Financial Aid Administrator in writing of any changes in my or my family’s financial situation as well as any aid that I receive from outside sources (other than those shown on the award letter).  This may result in an adjustment to my financial aid.
I am entitled to an explanation of the award process which includes the financial aid budget, expected family contribution, and award packaging.  Questions regarding any aspect of financial aid should be addressed to the UA Cossatot Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Definitions

Academic Year: The academic year is comprised of first and second semesters and the summer session (fall, spring, summer).

Appeal: A student who has been denied financial assistance because of failure to maintain satisfactory progress may appeal in writing to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee (link to Financial Aid Documents page). Current federal regulations require that students must maintain satisfactory academic progress to receive financial aid. However, under certain limited circumstances it may be possible for the committee to make a professional judgment and to certify that a student who was unable to complete the credit load or GPA requirements because of circumstances beyond his/her control is making satisfactory academic progress.

Cost of Attendance (COA): The total amount it will cost you to go to school—usually stated as a yearly figure. COA includes tuition and fees; room and board (or a housing and food allowance); and allowances for books, supplies, transportation. It also includes miscellaneous and personal expenses and an allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and dependent care expenses, and can also include room and board.

Enrollment Status: Students receive financial aid based on semester credit hour loads.

A student enrolled for 6-8 semester credit hours (half-time student).
A student enrolled for 9-11 semester credit hours (three-quarter student).
A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credit hours (full-time student).

Part-time students with 6 or more credits will be considered for reduced financial aid packages. Pell recipients receive 75% if enrolled as a three-quarter student, 50% if enrolled as a half-time student. Other aid may be reduced or eliminated.

Incomplete: An incomplete course is one for which no credits were earned. It is construed as an “F” until a positive letter grade is recorded with the Registrar.

Independent Study: Students will not be funded by financial aid.

Non-Degree Students (Undeclared Majors): A non-degree student is, by definition, not considered to be in a course of study and is, therefore, not eligible for financial aid through the UAC Financial Aid Office. Financial assistance may be given to students who are in the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Technical Certificate degree programs.

Non-Financial Aid Recipients: By law, students who have not received financial aid in the past but who intend to apply for financial aid must also maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Refund: Students receiving Title IV financial assistance will be subject to both the Institutional Refund Policy and the “Return of Title IV Funds”. (See Financial Aid Refund Policy and Refund of Title IV Student Financial Aid in College catalog).

Reinstatement: A student whose financial assistance has been canceled for failure to make satisfactory progress may: 1) petition the Financial Aid Appeals Committee in writing for reinstatement of financial assistance; or 2) pay one semester with own resources and make satisfactory progress per Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

Remedial Courses: Students may include as part of their minimum credit load remedial (GSTD) courses which do not apply toward graduation requirements.

Repeated Courses: Repeated courses for financial aid purposes are courses that have been previously attempted. Students may use Title IV funds to repeat a previously passed course one time.

School year: Two semesters plus summer session of the academic year constitutes the school year (fall, spring, summer). For financial aid purposes, the summer session concludes the school year.

Transfers: A student who transfers to UAC who was not eligible to receive financial assistance at a prior institution as a result of his/her failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress at that institution shall be on immediate financial aid suspension at UAC.

Verification: Some students will be required to submit tax returns and other documents to verify the information on their applications. If you are selected you will be advised as to the documentation required. Failure to provide requested documentation will stop further processing.

Withdrawals: Students who withdraw from UAC or otherwise earn no credits for a semester will be placed on exclusion and shall have their financial assistance canceled, subject to the reinstatement provisions listed in the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.