GEAR UP OHIO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM MANUAL

Transcription

1 GEAR UP OHIO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM MANUAL

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PROGRAM DESCRIPTION.Page 3 GEAR UP Program Overview PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND RULES....Page 4 Eligibility Requirements Maximum Years of Eligibility Packaging the Scholarship Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Eligible Institutions Types Transfer Students SCHOLARSHIP REQUEST AND DISBURSEMENT PROCESS...Page 6 Students: Application Process Students: Application Timeline Institutions: Payment Request Procedure Ohio Department of Higher Education: Payment Disbursement Ohio Department of Higher Education: Scholarship Award Table Ohio Department of Higher Education: Scholarship Award Timeline FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Page 10 2 P a g e

3 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION GEAR UP Program Overview GEAR UP or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs is a discretionary grant program which encourages applicants to provide support and maintain a commitment to eligible low-income students, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma, and preparing for and succeeding in postsecondary education. The GEAR UP program is designed to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides six- or seven-year grants to States to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools and through the first year of college. Services include: providing information regarding financial aid for postsecondary education to participating students, encouraging student enrollment in rigorous and challenging curricula and coursework, and improving the number of participating students who obtain a secondary school diploma and complete applications for and enroll in a program of postsecondary education A portion of the GEAR UP Ohio award also will be used to provide scholarships to eligible students. 3 P a g e

4 PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND RULES Eligibility Requirements For GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship funding consideration, an applicant must: 1. Successfully participate in GEAR UP Ohio programming for one year or more, 2. Possess a high school diploma or GED certificate; 3. Be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, have a green card, have an arrival-departure record, have battered immigrant status, or have a T-Visa; 4. Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree program at an eligible institution, 5. Meet institution's satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy for scholarship renewal, and 6. Be less than 22 years old at time of first scholarship award. Maximum Years of Eligibility Pending funding availability, eligible students may receive up to eight academic terms of GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship funding based on a semester system. A revised award table is available to institutions utilizing quarter, trimester, or other academic calendars. Packaging the Scholarship When packaging the GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship, please award the scholarship in the following order: Federal Pell Grant Other public or private grants, scholarships, or tuition discounts GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship Other financial assistance, such as loans or work-study 4 P a g e

5 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) As outlined in the eligibility guidelines, students cannot receive the GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship when they are denied federal or state aid for SAP reasons. At the end of each academic year, the institution must examine each scholarship recipient s progress and determine whether the student is making satisfactory progress toward his/her program requirements. Please note, GEAR UP does not define satisfactory academic progress. Instead, the academic progress policy of each institution determines the SAP status of each of its enrolled student. Eligible Institutions Types Students who are eligible for GEAR UP Ohio Scholarships may use their scholarship awards at any of the following institutions: Community College Public University Regional Campus Public University Main Campus Private, not-for-profit Private, for-profit Transfer Students GEAR UP Scholarship recipients are permitted to transfer from one eligible institution to another and maintain the scholarship. However, it is the GEAR UP Scholarship recipient s responsibility to notify the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) GEAR UP Scholarship and Program Coordinator of the intent to transfer to another institution. The award amount may adjust due to the change of institution. 5 P a g e

6 SCHOLARSHIP REQUEST AND DISBURSEMENT PROCESS Students: Application Process For GEAR UP scholarship funding, eligible students must apply online using the GEAR UP Scholarship Application survey located in Naviance. Eligible students must contact the local GEAR UP Site Director to access the survey. Once the survey is submitted, the Scholarship and Program Coordinator will contact the applicant s institution. Pending verification of eligibility, the Scholarship and Program Coordinator will send funding to the identified institution during the autumn and spring academic term for up to eight academic terms. If the student would like to utilize GEAR UP Scholarship funding during the summer academic term or decides to transfer to another eligible institution, the student must contact the Scholarship and Program Coordinator for assistance with this process. Students: Application Timeline The GEAR UP Scholarship Application survey window opens April 1 of each year and closes on July 1. The survey must be completed by new GEAR UP Scholarship applicants. 6 P a g e

7 Institutions: Payment Request Procedure GEAR UP Scholarship Application survey data are compiled and loaded to the institutional payment and data form. Payment and data forms are sent to the institution. Institutions must verify the information provided on the payment and data form (columns highlighted in grey will be pre-populated by the GEAR UP Scholarship and Program Coordinator). Institutions must provide student details in the columns highlighted in blue including: Campus (main campus or branch campus) First 5 digits of the student Social Security Number Enrollment Status (select full time, ¾ time, or ½ time) Pell Grant Eligible (select yes or no) Total Scholarships awarded from programs besides GEAR UP (term award amount) Total Grants awarded including the Pell Grant (term award amount) SAP Eligible (if the student does not meet SAP standards at your institution, please mark the field no ) Next, institutions must certify the information on the payment and data form by providing the phone number, printed name, address, and signature of the certifying official, as well as the date. In addition, the certifying official must provide the campus address. The payment and data form must be submitted by mail to ODHE using the contact information provided in Section 4. The form cannot be sent via as it contains sensitive data. It is strongly recommended that the institution maintain a copy of the completed payment and data form prior to sending a copy to ODHE. Incomplete or unreadable payment and data forms will be returned for corrections, which may delay processing. The payment and data form must be completed for each academic term that GEAR UP students are enrolled. GEAR UP funding will be requested primarily during the fall and spring terms, however GEAR UP students may also request funding during the summer term. 7 P a g e

8 ODHE: Payment Disbursement Disbursements will be made only after the institution submits the payment and data form to ODHE, confirming enrollment for the associated academic term. ODHE will send payment to the institution in the amount of the academic term award for all eligible GEAR UP students enrolled at the institution. Many institutions will receive the payment as an electronic fund transfer, some will receive payment by check. ODHE also will send a roster listing the name of each eligible student as well as providing the academic term award amount for each. ODHE: Scholarship Award Table To view the GEAR UP Scholarship award table, please visit The award table lists the semester award amounts based on institution type and enrollment status. The student must be enrolled at least half-time to receive an award. 8 P a g e

9 ODHE: Scholarship Award Timeline Designed on a Semester Calendar 1 APRIL The GEAR UP Scholarship application survey window opens April 1 of each year. Students may access the GEAR UP Scholarship application using Naviance JULY The GEAR UP Scholarship application survey window closes July 1 of each year. ODHE verifies the autumn enrollment of eligible students by sending the Payment and Data form to each institution that is projected to enroll eligible GEAR UP students during the autumn term AUGUST SEPTEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY MARCH 2 MAY JUNE Each institution that enrolls GEAR UP students completes and submits the Payment and Data form to ODHE ODHE will disburse payment to each institution for its enrolled and eligible GEAR UP students (autumn academic term) ODHE verifies the spring enrollment of eligible students by sending the Payment and Data form to each institution that is projected to enroll eligible GEAR UP students during the spring term Each institution that enrolls GEAR UP students completes and submits the Payment and Data form to ODHE. ODHE will disburse payment to each institution for its enrolled and eligible GEAR UP students (spring academic term) Students who plan to enroll for the summer academic term submit an request to ODHE ODHE verifies the summer enrollment of eligible students by sending the Payment and Data form to each institution that is projected to enroll eligible GEAR UP students during the summer term Each institution that enrolls GEAR UP students completes and submits the Payment and Data form to ODHE. ODHE will disburse payment to each institution for its enrolled and eligible GEAR UP students (summer academic term) 1 A revised scholarship awarding timeline is available for institutions utilizing quarter, trimester, or other academic calendars. Please contact ODHE GEAR UP Scholarship and Program Coordinator for details. 2 GEAR UP students are not required to enroll in courses during the summer academic term to maintain scholarship eligibility. 9 P a g e

10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is a GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship? A GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship is a type of financial aid to help eligible students pay for post-secondary education. The GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship does not need to be repaid. The funding may be used to pay for college tuition, room & board, books, and other college related expenses. Who is eligible to receive GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship funding? Refer to the eligibility requirements in Section 2 of this manual. How many academic terms may a student receive GEAR UP funding? Pending funding availability, eligible students may receive up to eight academic terms of GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship funding based on a semester system. My institution does not utilize a semester academic calendar. What should I do? Contact the Scholarship and Program Coordinator if your institution utilizes a quarter, trimester, or other academic calendar. How do students apply? For GEAR UP scholarship funding, eligible students must apply online using the GEAR UP Scholarship Application survey located in Naviance. Eligible students must contact the local GEAR UP Site Director to access the survey. Once the survey is submitted, the Scholarship and Program Coordinator will contact the applicant s institution. Pending verification of eligibility, the Scholarship and Program Coordinator will send funding to the identified institution during the autumn and spring academic term for up to eight academic terms. If the student would like to utilize GEAR UP Scholarship funding during the summer academic term or decides to transfer to another eligible institution, the student must contact the Scholarship and Program Coordinator for assistance with this process. 10 P a g e

11 What do students need to do to continue receiving the GEAR UP Scholarship? Students must stay in good academic standing and attend college at least half time. Who determines whether a student meets Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)? The identified institution will determine whether the student meets the SAP requirements. Who should I contact if I have questions about the GEAR UP Scholarship Program? Questions and concerns should be directed to: Carlos Bing Ohio Department of Higher Education GEAR UP Ohio Scholarship and Program Coordinator 25 South Front Street Columbus, OH Phone: (614) cbing@highered.ohio.gov Website: 11 P a g e