Your Financial Aid Award

Transcription

1 Your Financial Aid Award The Financial Aid Office of California Institute of the Arts is pleased to enclose your Financial Aid Award Letter. After carefully reviewing your application, we have offered you the funds for which you are eligible. We have designed this information to help you understand your Offer and what your acceptance of it entails; we intend to save you time by answering most of the questions students ask us. This guide also explains your rights and responsibilities as a financial aid recipient. We suggest you keep it handy for reference throughout the year. Please read the contents of your Offer letter and this publication carefully; then follow the steps listed in the checklist. Your financial aid award letter must be signed and returned to the Financial Aid Office, California Institute of the Arts, McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA If, after reading this information, you still have questions, please stop by our office or call us at (661) or (800) Best wishes for a successful academic year. Bobbi Heuer Director of Financial Aid

2 How Your Financial Aid Award Was Determined Your financial aid award letter has four main components: (1) Your estimated college expenses, (2) Your resources, (3) Your financial aid eligibility, and (4) Your financial aid award. Stated as a formula, the components interact as follows: Your college expenses - Your resources - Your financial aid eligibility = Your financial aid awarded. Budget Used represents an estimate of your costs for the academic year. These include direct charges such as tuition, fees and campus housing, if applicable. They also include an estimate of indirect costs such as books and supplies, meals, personal expenses, transportation and medical/dental costs. For those students not living on campus, they also include an estimate for off-campus living. Unless otherwise indicated, your college expenses have been calculated to cover a two semester academic year. We recognize that some of the indirect costs may differ from student to student. To assure fair distribution of financial aid resources, however, we have used standard estimates based on your area of study. Expected Family Contribution is a figure that represents the portion of your college expenses you and your parents are expected to contribute if you are a dependent student. CalArts estimate of your parents ability to contribute is determined on a yearly basis, according to a federally prescribed system of need analysis written into law by Congress. This need analysis views families as being the primary source of funds for an undergraduate s college education. It attempts to evaluate families resources in a consistent and equitable manner. The parents contribution is calculated from the information provided on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Declaration of Finances (international students), information from tax returns, and other supporting documents. Expected Student Contribution represents the portion of your college expenses you are expected to contribute if you are an independent student. This contribution is calculated from employment and other resources. Student s assets including cash, savings, trusts and investments may also be used in the calculation. Other Resources include income not included in the tax analysis. Financial Need is the difference between the budget used and your resources. Total Aid reflects the total amount of aid you have been offered. Your financial aid award may equal up to 100% of your financial need as long as federal, state and institutional funds are available. The Unmet Need reflects that amount for which we have no funds with which to assist you at this time.

3 The Aid Package Since students are often eligible for several different types of aid from various sources, CalArts offers a financial aid package. A financial aid package usually consists of one or a combination of the following fund sources: grants, scholarships, loans, and on-campus/off-campus employment made available by the federal government or the Institute. We generally assemble the package in the following order: Pell Grants in the dollar amount of eligibility as determined by the need analysis. (Undergraduates with no prior degree.) California State Awards. This would include Cal Grant A or B (California undergraduate residents with no prior degree.) All private scholarships and grants awarded other than those disbursed by CalArts. CalArts/Donor Scholarships. Recommended Subsidized William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan to the maximum of eligibility. Recommended Unsubsidized William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan to the maximum of eligibility. Federal/CalArts Work Study. Exceptions to this step may be made in circumstances where students have off-campus jobs, teaching assistantships, resident hall assistantships, etc. Federal Perkins Loans. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (undergraduates with no prior degree). Priority to Pell Grant recipients. This packaging procedure will be used until funds are depleted. International students will be packaged using steps 3, 4 & 7 Students may accept all or any portion of the aid; however, when funds are declined, all aid listed below the declined aid may be withdrawn. This is applicable for all forms of aid except Work/Study. Grants

4 CalArts/Donor Scholarships CalArts/Donor Scholarships are gifts awarded from an institutional fund or endowment specifically established for the purpose of assisting students. The amount of the award depends on your merit placement within your area of study and your financial need. A few merit-only awards are available. These awards are renewable each year based on your completing the financial aid application process, reflecting continued financial need and retaining merit placement in your program. Since many donors are friends of the Institute and enjoy hearing directly from students, you will be required to write a thank-you letter to each of your benefactors. Federal and State Grants Federal Pell Grants are direct grants from the federal government. If you are eligible for this program your estimated grant will appear on your award letter. After review and verification, this grant will become finalized and listed as a credit on your billing statement. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are awarded from campus-based federal funds awarded to the Institute to provide aid to students with exceptional financial need. Students with Federal Pell Grants have priority to these limited funds. Cal Grants are awarded by the California Student Aid Commission to California residents. New grants may be listed on the award letter as projected Cal Grant until confirmed by the state of California. Renewable grants are listed as Cal Grant A/B. Cal Grant A is awarded on the basis of financial need and academic achievement. It is designed to assist with the cost of tuition and fees. Cal Grant B is awarded on the basis of financial need and disadvantaged background. During the first year Cal Grant B recipients are awarded a stipend for living costs. Renewal Cal Grant B recipients are awarded the stipend and, in addition, assistance with tuition and fees. Employment Working part-time enables students to earn part of their college expenses. Work programs offer students a double incentive money toward college expenses plus job experience. Federal College Work Study is a federally funded program that provides part-time employment for students with calculated financial need. Students may earn up to the amount listed on their award letter and may work up to 25 hours per week. Off-campus Community Service jobs are available under this program. Job opportunities are listed on line and students may select a job, complete the required paperwork and begin work after registration. CalArts Work Study is an institutionally funded program that is operated in the same manner as the

5 federal program with the exception that it is available to international students. Students may earn up to the amount listed on their award letter and may work up to 25 hours per week. International students may work up to 20 hours per week. Federal Loans Loans are an invaluable resource to many students and their families in financing a college education. Loans allow you to postpone paying a portion of your educational costs until you complete your education or leave school. Loan repayment generally extends up to a minimum of 10 years after you graduate or leave school. Federal Perkins Loans are campus-based funds awarded by the Institute to students with demonstrated financial need. Funds are obtained from the federal government and former CalArts students who are in the process of repaying their loans. No interest is charged on the loan while you maintain at least a half-time academic load. Repayment begins nine months after you leave school or drop below half-time status. Interest is then charged at 5 percent per year on the unpaid balance. A separate application and promissory note is required and will be provided to you. Willliam D. Ford Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans are low-interest loans made available through the Federal Government. Interest will be paid by the federal government for those students who qualify for need-based loans. Students not qualifying for need-based loans may still borrow under the program but will be responsible for repaying both the principal and interest. Loan amounts are based on student s year level and dependent/independent status. Dependent BFA/Cert. 1 students may borrow up to $5,500 (2,000 unsubsidized); BFA/Cert. 2 students may borrow up to $6,500 (2,000 unsubsidized) ; BFA/Cert. 3, 4, 5 may borrow up to $7,500 (2,000 unsubsidized) per year. Independent BFA/Cert. 1 students may borrow up to $9,500 ($6,000 unsubsidized); BFA/Cert. 2 students may borrow up to $10,500 ($6,000 unsubsidized); BFA/Cert. 3, 4, 5 students may borrow up to $12,500 ($7,000 unsubsidized). Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 ($12,000 unsubsidized). Loan proceeds will be disbursed to student accounts each semester one-half of the total amount. After all billed fees have been paid, the remaining funds will be disbursed to the student. Entrance interviews are required for all first-time borrowers at CalArts. Federal Plus Loans are loans available to assist parents of dependent students and graduate students. These loans enable parents and graduate students with good credit to borrow up to the student s cost of education minus any financial aid received. There is no aggregate limit and interest rates may vary but will not exceed 9 percent. Loan applications will be available on line. Institutional Loans Clifford/Whitaker, Parsons and Jones Loans are institutional loans awarded by the Institute to students with demonstrated financial need. Funds are obtained from private donors and no interest is charged on the loan

6 while you maintain a full-time academic load. A responsible co-signer is required for these loans. The Jones and Clifford Whitaker interest rate is 5% while the Parsons is 1/2 of prime at the time the loan document is signed. All other conditions such as deferment or cancellation provisions are treated in the same manner as Perkins Loans. Repayment on both the Jones Loan and the Clifford Whitaker Loan begins nine months after you leave school or drop below full-time status. Interest only payments on the Parsons Loan begins three months after you leave school or drop below full-time status with both principal and interest repayment beginning after six months. Maximum repayment time is 10 years with a minimum monthly payment of $25. Verification Before financial aid funds can be credited to your account or released to you, information submitted on your FAFSA must be verified. CalArts performs 100% verification and you will find the Verification Worksheet on line. Complete this Worksheet (Dependent must be completed by parents and student; Independent must be completed by the student), attach a copy of both parents and/or students 2009 IRS return. Include only pages 1 and 2 of the return along with Schedules A, B, C, D, E and all W-2s. Send all of the documents to the Financial Aid Office. Date required is April 18, Parents and Students not required to file a return will find the Certificate of Non-Income Tax Filing on line. This form must be completed, signed and returned to the Financial Aid Office. Attach all W-2s or verification of income earned. Getting Your Money The way financial aid funds are disbursed depends on the type of aid and the source. CalArts scholarships, as well as state and federal grants, are automatically credited to your student account. Funds from these sources will be credited to your account at the beginning of each semester, usually at the time you are registering. Federal Perkins Loans are also credited to your student account. Since these are loans, however, they will not be credited until you have signed a promissory note. Promissory notes will be available on-line. Willilam D. Ford Federal Student Loan proceeds will be credited to your account. Refunds, if applicable, will not be available prior to registration and incoming students must go through the mandatory pre-loan counseling on line. PLUS loan proceeds will be used as a credit on the student s account. Refunds will be issued to the parent and/or the student borrower. Paychecks from College Work Study jobs are disbursed to you from the Accounting Office window on alternate Fridays. Check your Work Study information for complete details.

7 Outside scholarships are disbursed according to the sponsor s specifications (that is, the entire amount the first semester or equal disbursements each semester). If the funds are sent to the Financial Aid Office, they will be credited to your student account. How Do I Pay My Family s Contribution? In early July, bills for registration will be on line. Direct costs (tuition, fees, on-campus housing and the meal plan) will appear as charges on the statement. Financial Aid will appear as credits on the statement. Loans and aid not finalized will be reflected as pending aid. In most cases you can use this pending aid during the registration process. This process is repeated again in November for the Spring semester. CalArts does not bill for indirect costs (personal expenses, books & supplies, travel, etc.), therefore these costs will not appear on the statements. However, these estimated costs are included in your budget on your Offer letter. Many students will need some of their expected family contribution for these indirect costs, in addition to the amount due on the statement. Therefore, the expected family contribution reflected on the award letter will not match the amount due on the student statement. Full Time/Part Time Status Financial Aid recipients must be enrolled as full-time students in order to receive full-time financial aid funding. Students must be enrolled in not less than 12 units to retain full financial aid funding. Part-time enrollment must be approved by the Dean of your school and aid will be reduced accordingly. Satisfactory Academic Progress In order to continue to receive financial aid at CalArts, you must maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of your degree as defined in the Course Catalog & Policies. Refund and Repayment Policy CalArts has established an equitable refund policy for students who find it necessary to withdraw from the Institute. Students who officially withdraw from the Institute during an academic semester will receive a tuition refund based on the schedule published in the Course Catalog & Policies. Questions?

8 The Financial Aid Office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. These same hours are applicable Monday through Thursday from late May through the end of August. The Offices are closed on Fridays during those months. Our telephone numbers are (661) or (800) Our FAX number is (661) Please feel free to call or stop by the Financial Aid Office if you would like us to explain your award in detail or to answer other questions concerning your financial aid. Important Information Your rights and responsibilities: You have the right to know the name of CalArts accrediting organizations and information pertaining to our programs; our instructional, laboratory and other physical facilities; and our faculty. You have the right to know the cost of attendance and our policy on refunds for those who withdraw. You have the right to privacy. All records and data submitted with your application for financial aid will be treated as confidential information. You have the right to a complete explanation of the award process. If you do not understand your financial aid award, or feel your application has not been evaluated fairly, please contact us. You have the right to be notified of cancellation or withdrawal of aid and to be told why this action is being taken. You have the right to appeal. An administrative appeal process has been established to review student requests for reconsideration. Should you wish to appeal your award, please direct the appeal to the Financial Aid Office who will convene the committee. Appeals will not be heard when aid has not been granted because funds have been depleted. * * * * * You have the responsibility to report changes in your financial status. Additional funds or benefits, from any source (such as outside scholarships) that you receive or are promised, before or after you are awarded financial aid from the Institute, must be reported. The Financial Aid Office is required by law to make adjustments to prevent or correct over awards. We take this charge seriously, and you will save yourself frustration and inconvenience and possible financial penalty by reporting any changes in your financial status promptly. You have the responsibility to report any change in your student status immediately. If you move, change your name, drop below full-time status, withdraw from school, or do anything else that affects

9 your financial situation, please report that information to the Financial Aid Office and any student loan lender. If you plan to take a leave of absence, please let us know in advance by completing the Leave of Absence petition provided by the Registrar s Office. If you are a CalGrant recipient, you must complete a Leave of Absence form or give the financial aid office permission to report this electronically. Failure to do this might cause cancellation of your grant. Inform your Stafford lender in writing and keep a copy for your records. You have the responsibility to use financial aid funds only for educationally related expenses such as tuition and fees, books, supplies and living costs. You have the responsibility to respond to requests and inquiries from federal, state, and college auditors. You have the responsibility to repay loans on time. Acceptance of any loan carries a serious obligation to repay and failure to meet this obligation affects the availability of loans to future students and will affect your credit in future years. Before you accept loans for financing part of your education, you should carefully consider the total amount and the repayment requirement that you will be responsible for when you terminate your education. Remember: You will be simultaneously repaying the minimum monthly or quarterly payments for ach type of loan you receive. For example, you may have to repay a Federal Perkins Loan and a Federal Stafford Loan simultaneously. If you have any questions about your loan obligations, contact the Financial Aid Office. How to Accept, Reject or Appeal Your Award You should retain a copy of the Offer of Financial Aid is for your records. If you are accepting all or any portion of the award (please indicate accept or decline in the columns provided) you must return a copy by the date listed on the Offer. Offers not returned within the required time period will be voided. Should you receive a change in your award, you will be sent a revised Offer letter and the same requirements apply. Please be aware, however, if you decline one of the programs, all the programs listed below the declined aid may be withdrawn. It is CalArts policy that all students must tap all outside resources available to them prior to receiving the limited federal campus-based aid. Checklist Read your Offer of Financial Aid award letter carefully. Check for accuracy in your name, social security number, school, and year level. Correct any errors or

10 attach a note to our copy of your award letter calling the problem to our attention. If you have received a Cal Grant, but it is not listed on your financial aid award letter, send us a copy of your award announcement from the California Student Aid Commission. If a Cal Grant is listed on your financial aid award letter, and you learn that you will not be receiving a Cal Grant or your grant has been adjusted, send us a copy of your announcement as soon as you receive it from the California Student Aid Commission. Check accept or decline for each type of aid awarded. Return your signed Offer letter within the time frame listed on your Offer. Retain a copy of the Offer letter for your records. Follow the on line directions for all loan applications for those loans you have accepted. Complete and return your Verification Statement signed by both you and your parents if applicable. Attach all 2009 IRS required information. Complete the summer address information. Stay in Touch!!