FINANCIAL AID How does it work for you?

FINANCIAL AID How does it work for you? The Office of Admission and Financial Aid, School of Social Work 1798 Asylum Avenue Wet Hartford Connecticut Telephone: 860-570-9125 Fax:860-570 9052

University wide information The School of Social Work Office of Admission and Financial Aid is committed to assisting students to determine eligibility for all financial aid to which they may be entitled according to federal, state, and university regulations and policies Check your Husky Mail often. Husky Mail is the official notification for UCONN. You are responsible for all information sent to this account. All documents sent through the mail utilize your mailing address. Please keep it updated by making changes directly in your People- Soft account. Bulletin boards are great sources of the latest information from scholarship opportunities to Credit extension course offerings.

Miscellaneous TABLE OF CONTENT Financial Aid is not available for Audit classes. Student will be responsible for charges incur from audit classes. Part of your scholarship aid may be taxable. Before you complete your taxes, be sure you have contacted the Bursar to see if you are due a 1098-T indicating the amount of taxable funds. Cost-of-Attendance information can be located at http://ssw.uconn.edu/admission/tuition-fees Notify Financial Aid if you Change enrollment status Change your expected graduation date Have a change in your financial situation Notify your lender if you Change your name, phone number, or address Change schools Change enrollment status Change your expected graduation date Cannot make a payment Other things to think about Types of Financial Aid Eligibility Dual Degree & Study Abroad Changes to Aid Received About Your Bill Intersessions Policies Miscellaneous Keep copies of all your financial aid and loan related documents

Grants TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID Don t have to be paid back, these are need based funds and qualification is determined by the information you provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the School in-house Financial Aid Application. Amounts vary based upon need, credit load, residency, etc. The School of Social Work offers two types of grant funding: The first is the Tuition Remission Grant. This grant is available to all students that apply for financial aid and have established need. The second grant type is the Human Rights and Opportunities Grant (HR & O). This grant is specifically designed for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Qualification will be based in the information from FAFSA, the in-house Financial Aid Application. Those that do not qualify may receive the Tuition Remission Grant. Approximately 80% of those that apply for aid will receive grant funding. However, grant funds are limited and awarded first to those that meet the financial aid application deadline. Failing to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress will make you ineligible to receive financial aid and/or dismissed from the school. Your financial aid eligibility will be reinstated, only if you receive permission to reenroll from the appropriate academic department, committee, or the Dean of the School. Refund Policy: This policy is separate and distinct from the Bursar Refund Policy. You can find information about the Bursar policy in the Student Handbook and on the Bursar website www.bursar.uconn.edu. If you receive a refund check from financial aid funds, funds must be returned to the school immediately. If you withdraw after 60% of the semester has passed, not return is needed. Please notify the Office of Admission and Financial Aid immediately upon determination of your intent to leave. The goal of this policy is to help reduced possible costs and to assist you in avoiding any financial difficulties that could arise of having received any Federal, State or Institutional funds. In some instances, students may incur a balance as of result of school separation. You are responsible for payment of this balance. Failure to make payment could result in an inability to receive your transcripts or register for subsequent semesters. Grant funds are applied directly to the Tuition and Fee bill.

Summer: Financial aid for the summer requires a separate summer application. Applications are made available by request at the Financial Aid Office at the beginning of March every year. You must take at least 3 credits to be eligible for aid. Like winter intersession, you may borrow any unused Federal Student Loan funds. However, you may utilize unused funds from both fall and spring. Student may also borrow GradPlus and alternative education loans. Limited grants and work-study funds are available to students for the summer term. They will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to students meeting the deadline to complete the application. Policies The Office of Admission and Financial Aid has some other important policies you need to be aware of. Satisfactory Academic Progress: Students are required to complete the degree requirements for the MSW Program within six years from the date of matriculation. You are also required to maintain a 3.0 or B average as stated in the Student Handbook. The School administration and faculty, or a faculty committee, will make a final determination of this status. Federal Work-Study Work-study is a federal program that offers part-time jobs. Jobs are. located either off campus at any of over 100 social service agencies, or on campus. On campus jobs are in either one of the offices or with a member of the faculty. Jobs work around your schedules and are flexible during exam times. You can work up to 20 hours each week based in the department needs or load school work and earn a bi-weekly paycheck. Earned funds do not automatically pay towards your tuition bill, it goes to the student. Work-study is awarded based upon need as determined by your completion of the FAFSA and School Financial Aid Application. Funds are limited and awarded to those that meet the application deadline first. Work-study is a great opportunity to gain additional knowledge in the field of social work. It s also another added feather to your resume. If you are awarded work-study, check out our website: http:// ssw.uconn.edu/admission/financial-aid then On and Off Campus Federal Work-Study. To find additional information including how to apply for on or off campus jobs, pay rate, documentation needed to receive a paycheck, etc. All job opportunities are posted at uconn.edu Student Employment page around six weeks prior the beginning of the academic year.

Federal Student/Loans Federal Student Loans are educational loans designed for just this purpose. We offer a non-need based program for up to $20,500 per academic year, you must complete the FAFSA to be eligible. The amount is limited by your cost-of-attendance minus other financial aid received. Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loan offers a fixed interest rate and is available to all students registered at least half time; repayment begins six months after a student's separation from the school, enrollment drops below half-time status or the student graduates, funds are applied directly to your tuition and fee bill. Any excess funds borrowed will come to you as a refund check. Keep in mind that Federal Student Loans must be repaid upon graduation and interest is charged during all periods, even during the time a student is attending school and/or during grace and deferment periods, so it is recommended do not borrow more than you need. Being careful now can save you a lot of money later. You can choose to pay the interest quarterly while you are still enrolled or you can capitalize it or defer the interest payments until after separation from the School. We recommend you pay the interest if you can. Failure to pay the interest can result in interest accumulating on top of interest. Paying the interest while in school now could save you a lot over the course of your loan repayment. Intersessions The School has two Intersession: Winter and Summer. Financial aid and billing policies are different for these terms than that for the fall and spring. Classes offered during this time are billed through the Credit Extension Program. What this means for you is that you will be paying reduced costs to take a class during this time. Winter: The Winter Intersession is the time between the fall and spring terms. No federal aid is offered for this intersession. Students are eligible to borrow any Federal Student Loan funds unused during the fall term to cover this term. You can also utilize a Grad PLUS or Alternative Education Loan. Please contact Financial Aid Office before the end of fall semester. You cannot use your spring refund to pay for winter intersession. You also cannot use your spring loan availability for this term. Please plan accordingly.

You can do this at www.bursar.uconn.edu. Be sure your funds have been credited to your account before you request your refund. Refund requests made before your funds are paid to your account will be disregarded. All refund checks can be picked up at the Bursar s Office located in the Undergraduate Building on the Greater Hartford Campus, second floor. You should be prepared to buy books and meet immediate living expenses for at least the first three weeks of classes in the event of delayed payment. Tuition: Students are billed based upon their credit load and residency status. Halt-time students or students taking 8 or less credits per semester are billed per credit. Full-time students or students taking 9 or more credits per semester are billed at the same rate for 9 credits as they would be for 12. For additional information about tuition and associated fees, please see the Tuition & Fees portion of the website at http://ssw.uconn.edu/ admission/tuition-fees The School Financial Aid Application is not necessary to receive a Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, but we do recommend you complete it anyway. Often times you might be eligible for grants and not realize it. Other times a change in your situation could occur. Having as much information on file as possible will allow us to expedite things more quickly. All students borrowing a Federal Loan for the first time at the UCONN School of Social Work must complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note. Your funds will not be available to the School until these requirements have been met. To complete these steps go to www.studentloans.gov or http://financialaid.uconn.edu/loans/ and follow the instructions. Please use University of Connecticut main campus federal code when completing these requirements. If you require further information contact our Financial Office immediately. The University has a payment plan instituted to assist with the payment of fall and spring semester bills only. Please check the Bursar site for details.

About Your Bill Scholarships Scholarships do not need to be repaid. They have a number of different criteria by which to qualify. There are two different kinds of scholarships; School Scholarships and Outside Scholarships. There are a number of scholarships offered through the School. Scholarships exist for STEP, MSW, and Ph.D. students. Scholarships are posted every year between October and November during the fall term; you don't need to apply for financial aid to qualify for these scholarships. School scholarships funds pay to your tuition and fee bill. Scholarships funds cannot exceed the cost-of-attendance. Recipients are required to attend the Scholarship Luncheon in the spring term. MSW and STEP students can check the Financial Aid bulletin board for information on application requirements. Ph.D. students must apply for financial aid as mandated by the Ph.D. Committee. Ph.D. scholarships are awarded based upon need. There is no separate application for the Ph.D. scholarships. By applying for financial aid, you are automatically considered. Outside scholarships are posted on the Financial Aid bulletin board as they arrive. You can also look for scholarships on your own. Criteria and application methods vary with each scholarship. Funds will come to you directly or come to the School. If you are the recipient of an outside scholarship, you must notify the Office of Admission and Financial Aid. As we stated in the previous section, changes in your financial aid can result in changes to your bill. There are other items that can change the amount of your bill. Health Insurance: The University requires all full-time students have insurance coverage for accidents and illnesses. Therefore, all students are charged for the cost of the University plan. If you have health insurance of your own, you can waive out of this plan and have the charge removed from your bill. You can do this at www.bursar.uconn.edu. Details about the plan can be found at www.shs.uconn.edu/insurance.html Fees: Some fees charged to your account are not directly related to tuition such as your parking fee. To ensure your financial aid pays towards these fees, you must complete the title IV waiver, giving permission for this to occur. The waiver can be found at www.bursar.uconn.edu. If you do not complete this waiver, you will be responsible for these charges. Additional information about these charges can also be found on the Bursar website. Refunds: Any financial aid you accept above and beyond your bill owed to the School will be given to you in a check called a refund. The refund can be used to assist with school related expenses incurred while attending school such as books, supplies and transportation. Refund checks are generally processed and available the first day of classes for each semester. They will continue to be processed automatically as your funds arrive through the first three weeks of each semester. After such time, you must request the refund to be processed.

Changes to Aid Received There are a number of situations that could impact changes to your financial aid awarded. These include: Assistantships Graduate assistantships are offered to Ph.D. students that apply for financial aid, and/or to those fulfilling a specific purpose of study as determined by the Ph.D. Committee. A separate application is not required. Scholarships/assistantships received Employer tuition assistance Changes in the family s financial situation MSW assistantships are awarded by the Graduate School based upon select criteria including out-of-state residency and evidence of academic excellence. Applications are not required. Students will be selected upon admission to the MSW program. Changes in your enrollment Changes in your residency status Separation from school If any of these things occur, you are obligated to notify the Office of Admission and Financial Aid immediately. Your file will be reviewed and your financial aid updated if necessary. You may also search out assistantship opportunities. Many of our students have obtained assistantships through the UCONN Health Center for example. Assistantships come with a stipend and a tuition waiver. They also cover the cost of health insurance. If you are selected to be a recipient of an assistantship, additional information will be sent to you. Some of these changes could also impact your bill. So be sure to your student account for any changes.

Grad PLUS Loan: These loans are alternate sources of funding to be used towards payment of tuition and fees. Funds are sent directly to the School and applied towards your bill. Funds accepted above and beyond the billing charges can be received as a refund. The Grad PLUS loan is for matriculated students that qualify for financial aid, non-need based program, credit check conducted to establish eligibility, student borrowers may defer payment while in school, FAFSA required. Like Federal Stafford Loans, Grad PLUS Loans have varying benefits and an interest rate set by the Federal Government. Grad PLUS will require to complete an online application via www.studentloans.gov The School will certify the amount of funds you are eligible for. The amount is limited only by the cost-of-attendance minus other financial aid received. The School recommends you apply for and exhaust all previously mentioned financial aid opportunities first before applying for Grad plus. Grants, scholarships, and work-study do not need to be repaid and Federal Student Loans have better interest rates and benefits. Graduate PLUS borrowers must also complete exit counseling upon separation from the school. To learn more about Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students visit our website: http://financialaid.uconn.edu/loans/ Once all information has been received and confirmed, you will be eligible to borrow a Federal Stafford Loan to pay for the costs associated with the trip. Grant funds may also be available on a case-by-case basis. Award Notification Once your eligibility for financial aid has been determined, you will be sent an Award Notification. It will come through your Husky Mail or through regular postal mail (one time new students only). Be sure you review the information thoroughly and follow the directions carefully. We recommend considering accepting loan funds you absolutely need. Remember, loans must be repaid. You will be able to decline or reduce the amount of the federal loan to fit your school expenses needs. Any remaining funds will be available, in case you need it later in the academic year and can be requested in writing. Often, students will use these declined/reduced funds to cover intersession classes. Be aware of the completion deadline noted on your Award Notification. If we don t receive the sign award letter by the deadline, the award will be cancelled.

Study Abroad If you are planning to study abroad for a semester, you must provide the Office of Admission and Financial Aid with the following items in order to qualify for aid: Alternative/Private Education Loans These loans are alternate sources of funding to be used towards payment of tuition and fees. Funds are sent directly to the School and applied towards your bill. Funds accepted above and beyond the bill can be received as a refund. Documentation of the dates of study Documentation of transportation costs including air fare and travel within the host country Alternative education loans can be borrowed by all students whether matriculated or not, U.S. citizens or not. Not all types of alternative loans can be used by all students so be sure to read the criteria carefully. Documentation of living expenses including room and board Documentation of personal expense expect to incur Documentation of costs for books and supplies Adequate documentation can include brochures for the program, a notice from the other school with the costs outlined or a consortium agreement. A consortium agreement is necessary for all trips taken through another institution. This form ensures both schools are aware of enrollment and payment issues. Alternative education loans also have varying types of benefits including not having to apply for financial aid to receive them. However, these private sector loan products vary and terms frequently depend on the creditworthiness of the borrower and/or cosigner. In general, borrowers must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents and enrolled half-time. Interest rates and repayment terms are unique to the loan product selected. Students may borrow cost of attendance minus any financial aid received. Student and co-signer, if applicable, must complete a Promissory Note. If you are not studying abroad through UCONN Social Work, you must provide contact information for the host school s financial aid office. You must also confirm with your advisor that the credits you will earn through study abroad will be transferable back to your program at Social Work.

Applying for Financial Aid School of Social Work graduate students who have been accepted and matriculated into a graduate degree program may apply for Financial Aid by completing the following steps: Step 1: Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year planning to attend the school, at www.fafsa.ed.gov. (UCONN School of Social Work school code: E00531) Deadline For maximum financial aid consideration, you must have FAFSA and School Financial Aid Application completed at the Financial Office by or before March 1 st each year. Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline might receive a fraction of any available funding. Step 2: Complete the In-house Financial Aid Application available on our website at http://www.ssw.uconn.edu/admission/financial-aid Acceptance or matriculation into your program and your application for financial aid must be complete and in place by: -March 1 st deadline You must be enrolled in at least 5 credit hours in each of the semesters for which you wish to receive financial assistance. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident You must not be in default on any previously borrowed federal education loan Other documents may be necessary if your application is selected for verification. You will be notified if you are selected. It is in your best interest to complete the FAFSA and School Financial Aid Application as completely and accurately as possible to ensure prompt processing and minimal delays. Returning students must reapply each academic year. FAFSA is not automatically renewed. Dual Degree Applicants If you are applying for admission to two different degree programs in hopes of being a dual degree student, you must all apply to both financial aid programs. Be sure you follow the procedures for financial aid at each school and pay careful attention to the deadlines. They may be different at each institution. Financial aid will be awarded to you by the school where you will obtain the greatest number of credits for that academic year. Be sure you meet with your advisor. Once you have discussed your course of student for that year, you will need to notify the financial aid offices at both schools. The appropriate school will then determine your financial aid. Financial aid is not renewable so be sure you complete the process of applying to each school each academic year.