Financial Aid Terminology

Transcription

1 Financial Aid Terminlgy ACADEMIC YEAR A perid f at least 30 weeks f instructinal time during which a full-time student is expected t cmplete at least 24 semester r trimester hurs, r at least 36 quarter hurs, at an institutin that measures prgram length in credit hurs. ACCRUAL DATE The day interest begins t accrue r be charged mnthly n an educatinal lan. AWARD OFFER (r Financial Aid Package) The fficial award, issued by the Financial Aid Office, which lists all the financial aid awarded t the student. CAPITALIZATION The prcess by which unpaid interest is added t the principal balance f an educatinal lan; thereby, increasing the ttal amunt t be repaid. CITIZEN OR ELIGIBLE NON-CITIZEN Yu must be ne f the fllwing t receive federal student aid: U.S. Citizen U.S. natinal (includes natives f American Sama r Swain's Island) U.S. permanent resident with a current permanent resident card, an I-151, I-551, r I- 551C (Alien Registratin Receipt Card) A persn in the U.S. fr ther than temprary purpse with the intentin f becming a citizen r lawful permanent resident, as evidenced by the United States Citizenship and Immigratin Services (USCIS) in the Department f Hmeland Security (DHS). Yu must have an Arrival-Departure Recrd (I-94) frm the U.S. Immigratin and Naturalizatin Service (INS) shwing ne f the fllwing designatins: Refugee Asylum Granted Indefinite Parle and/r Humanitarian Parle

2 Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending Cnditinal Entrant (valid nly if issued befre April 1, 1980) Other eligible nn-citizen with a Temprary Resident Card (I-688) Yu can als be eligible based n the Family Unity Status categry, with apprved I-797s (Vluntary Departure and Immigrant Petitin), r if yu have a suspensin f deprtatin case pending befre Cngress. Permanent residents f the Trust Territry f the Pacific (Palau) may be eligible fr federal student aid. Citizens f the Federated States f Micrnesia and the Marshall Islands are eligible fr Pell Grants, SEOG, r Wrk Study nly. Yu are NOT eligible fr federal financial aid if yu nly have a Ntice f Apprval t Apply fr Permanent Residence (I-171 r I-464A), r if yu are in the U.S. n an F1, F2, J1, J2, r G series visa. CONSOLIDATION One new lan is created when a brrwer cmbines varius educatinal lans. By extending the repayment perid (up t 30 years depending n the lan amunt) and allwing a single mnthly payment, cnslidatin can make lan repayment easier fr sme brrwers. COST OF ATTENDANCE (COA) The ttal amunt it shuld cst a student t g t schl--usually expressed as a yearly figure. The cst f educatin cvers tuitin and fees, rm and bard, an allwance fr bks and supplies, transprtatin, and miscellaneus expenses. DEFAULT Failure t repay a student lan accrding t the terms agreed t when yu signed a prmissry nte. If yu default, yur schl, the rganizatin that hlds yur lan, the state, and the federal gvernment can all take actin t recver the mney, including ntifying natinal credit bureaus f yur default. Yur wages and/r tax returns may be garnished, and yu will n lnger be eligible t receive federal r state financial aid. DEFERMENT An authrized perid f time during which a brrwer may pstpne principal and interest payment. Deferments are available while brrwers are in schl at least half time, enrlled in a graduate fellwship prgram r rehabilitatin training prgram, and during perids f unemplyment r ecnmic hardship. Other deferments may be available depending n when and what yu brrwed. Cntact yur lender fr additinal details. Interest will cntinue t accrue n the unsubsidized and PLUS lans even if yu are granted a deferment n the lan.

3 DISBURSEMENT When financial aid funds are paid int tuitin accunts. ENTRANCE/EXIT INTERVIEWS Cunseling sessins that brrwers are required t attend befre receiving their first lan disbursement and again upn graduatin, leaving the schl r drpping belw half-time enrllment. EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC) An amunt, determined by a frmula established by Cngress, that indicates hw much f yur (and yur parents' if yu are classified as a dependent fr financial aid purpses) financial resurces shuld be available t help pay fr schl. The EFC is used in determining yur eligibility fr need-based financial aid. FAFSA (Free Applicatin fr Federal Student Aid) The federal student aid applicatin. This must be cmpleted by all eligible students wh wish t be cnsidered fr financial aid. FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM (DL) Educatin lans prvided by the U.S. Department f Educatin Direct Lan Servicing Office and guaranteed by the federal gvernment. Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Direct Lans, Parent PLUS and Grad PLUS lans are included in this prgram. FINANCIAL AID Financial aid is funding prvided t students and families t help pay fr pstsecndary educatin expenses. FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE (r Award Offer) The ttal financial aid a student receives. Federal and nn-federal aid such as grants, lans, and schlarships are cmbined in a "package" t help meet the student's need. FINANCIAL NEED The difference between the Cst f Attendance (COA) and the Expected Family Cntributin (EFC). This amunt is yur ttal eligibility fr need-based aid frm all surces, and is used in determining what yur aid package will be.

4 FORBEARANCE An authrized perid f time during which the lender agrees t temprarily pstpne a brrwer's principal repayment bligatin. Interest cntinues t accrue and usually must be paid during the frbearance perid. Frbearance may be granted at the lender's discretin when a brrwer is willing t repay their lan but is unable t d s. FULL-TIME ENROLLMENT Undergraduate students are cnsidered enrlled full-time when registered fr 12 credit hurs per semester. Graduate students are cnsidered enrlled full-time when registered fr 6 credit hurs per semester. GRACE PERIOD The perid between the time a brrwer graduates, leaves the schl r drps belw half-time and the time they are bligated t begin repaying their lans. GRANT A type f financial aid award based n need that des nt need t be repaid by the student. HALF-TIME ENROLLMENT Undergraduate students are cnsidered enrlled half-time when registered fr 6 credit hurs per semester. Graduate students are cnsidered enrlled half-time when registered fr 3 credit hurs per semester. INTEREST A fee charged fr the use f brrwed mney. Interest is calculated as a percentage f the principal lan amunt. The rate may be cnstant thrughut the life f the lan (fixed rate) r it may change at specified times (variable rate). As f July 1, 2006, all federal educatin lans made t new brrwers have fixed interest rates. Alternative r private lans tend t have variable interest rates. LENDER A financial institutin such as a bank, savings and lan, r credit unin that prvides the funds fr students and parents t brrw educatinal lans. Fr the Direct Lan Prgram, the lender is the federal gvernment. MPN (MASTER PROMISSORY NOTE) The legal dcument brrwers sign when they brrw an educatin lan. It lists cnditins under which the mney is brrwed and the terms under which brrwers agree t repay the lan with

5 interest. Brrwers shuld keep the brrwer cpy f their prmissry ntes until the lans are fully repaid. NEED ANALYSIS A prcess f reviewing a student's aid applicatin t determine the type and amunt f financial aid a student is eligible t receive. Cmpleting a need analysis frm (FAFSA) is the required first step in applying fr mst types f financial aid. NEW (First-time) BORROWER A brrwer wh has n utstanding (unpaid) lan balances n the date the brrwer signs the prmissry nte fr a specific educatinal lan. New brrwers may be subject t different regulatins than brrwers wh have existing lan balances. ORIGINATION FEE A fee charged by the federal gvernment and deducted frm lan prceeds befre disbursement t partially ffset administrative csts fr the lan. PELL GRANT A federal grant prgram fr first-time undergraduates wh demnstrate financial need thrugh the FAFSA. PRINCIPAL The amunt brrwed. Interest is charged n this amunt, and riginatin fees will be deducted prir t disbursement. REPAYMENT SCHEDULE Disclses the brrwer's mnthly payment, interest rate, ttal repayment bligatin, due dates and length f time fr repaying the lan. SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) STANDARDS The plicy f the Financial Aid Office t measure quantitative, qualitative, and maximum academic prgress fr financial aid eligibility. If a student fails t meet the minimum standards required by this plicy, the financial aid award t that student is canceled. SCHOLARSHIP A type f financial aid award based n merit, athletic r artistic talent, r in a specific field f study that des nt need t be repaid by the student. Schlarships have a separate applicatin and criteria.

6 STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR) A reprt sent t the student after submitting the FAFSA t the federal prcessr. The SAR shws the infrmatin that was prcessed and allws the student t make crrectins t their infrmatin. Since American Sentinel University can make electrnic crrectins, the student shuld cnsult with their financial aid advisr befre submitting any crrectins n their Student Aid Reprt. SUBSIDIZED LOAN A need-based lan n which the interest is paid by the federal gvernment during the in-schl, grace, and deferment perids. THREE-QUARTER-TIME ENROLLMENT Undergraduate students are cnsidered enrlled three-quarter-time when registered fr 9-11 credit hurs per semester. UNMET NEED The amunt f financial aid eligibility that is nt met with financial aid awards. UNSUBSIDIZED LOAN A nn need-based lan n which interest is nt paid by the federal gvernment. Brrwers are respnsible fr interest n all unsubsidized lans frm the date the lan is disbursed. Brrwers can elect t pay the interest peridically r t ask the lender t add the interest t the principal f the lan fr repayment at a later date. VERIFICATION A prcess f review t determine the accuracy f the infrmatin n a student's financial aid applicatin. Students are selected by the prcessing agency after the FAFSA is filed. Apprximately 30% f applicants are selected and the American Sentinel University Financial Aid Office will ntify yu if additinal verificatin dcuments are needed.