Financial Aid

• Financial Aid Counselors

• Eligibility
• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• The Online FAFSA
• Matching students’ FAFSA applications
• UIC’s School Code
• Tax Information Reported on the FAFSA
• Additional Document Requirements
• Applying for Summer Financial Aid

• Needs Analysis
• Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
• Student Budget or Cost of Attendance (COA)
• Calculating Financial Need
• Change in Financial Situation

• Award Letter
• Award Revisions

• Basics of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid
• Determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid
• Course Work Completion Rate for Financial Aid
• Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement for Financial Aid
• Degree Completion Requirements for Financial Aid
• Appeal Procedure

• The UIC Financial Aid Information Web Site
• Online Financial Aid Account Status and Detail

Director, Marsha S. Weiss

Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA)
1800 Student Services Building (SSB)
Phone: 312-996-3126
Fax: 312-996-3385
money@uic.edu
http://www.vcsa.uic.edu/MainSite/departments/financial_aid/home/

Office Hours
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Walk-ins and appointments accepted

The Office of Student Financial Aid provides a wide range of financial services designed to help students and their families meet the cost of attending UIC. Financial aid awarded is in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, employment, and tuition waivers that help pay the costs of tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and other personal expenses. OSFA coordinates and administers a variety of state, federal, private, and institutional programs (each with different regulations, requirements, procedures, and forms). However, the primary financial responsibility for meeting educational expenses rests with the student and the student’s family. The information presented here is subject to change.

Each student at UIC has a financial aid counselor. Students should contact OSFA at 312-996-3126 to find out the name of their assigned financial aid counselor. Students can also find this information OSFA Web site. Appointments are available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please arrive on time. Students can also contact their counselors by phone or by e-mail. Please allow 2 to 4 business days for a reply.

Applying for Financial Aid

Eligibility

Students must meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for the federal, state, and University programs outlined earlier:

• Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be making satisfactory academic progress
• Be enrolled in a degree-granting program
• Not be in default on any Title IV loans
• Not owe repayment of any Title IV funds
• Be registered with Selective Service (if required)

Students who wish to receive financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the only application necessary to be considered for the majority of the awards provided at UIC.

FAFSAs are available on January 1 of each year (for classes beginning the following September). The priority application deadline for financial aid is March 1 of each year. OSFA will begin mailing award letters to students in March of each year (for classes beginning the following September). The financial aid process may be lengthy; it is governed by federal, state, and institutional regulations. The process from application to disbursement will take up to 8 weeks from either the first day of classes or from the application date. The financial aid process can be further delayed if students do not return required documentation in a timely manner (2 to 4 business days). Required documentation will be discussed later in detail.

OSFA recommends that students complete the FAFSA online. Completing the application online reduces processing time and errors. Students can complete the online FAFSA at the following address:

FAFSA Web site: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

Although OSFA recommends that students complete the FAFSA online, paper FAFSAs are available in the reception area of OSFA.

To complete the FAFSA online, students will need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the Department of Education. Students can also request a PIN online. The PIN will be sent to the student via e-mail and regular mail. It usually takes less than 48 hours to receive a PIN by e-mail. For dependent students completing the online FAFSA, at least one parent must also have PIN. Students and parents can request a PIN online here:

FAFSA PIN Web site: http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp

Important Note: It is vital that students consistently report their Name, Social Security Number, and Date of Birth. A FAFSA application must exactly match both a permanent student record at UIC as well as a permanent Social Security record. If they do not exactly match, the application will not be processed.

Students must include this school code in order for their application information to be sent to UIC.

UIC’s School Code is 001776.

Students will need to provide tax information from the previous year on their FAFSA. Dependent students must also provide their parents’ tax information. If a student applies for financial aid before completing an annual tax form (or the parents’ tax form for a dependent student), the student is encouraged to use estimates when completing the FAFSA to avoid missing deadlines.

For the purposes of financial aid, the Department of Education will determine if students are dependent on their parents or independent of their parents. Dependency status for financial aid purposes is not necessarily equivalent to dependency status for tax purposes. Also, dependency status is not a status of choice. A student is considered independent automatically for several reasons: being married; having legal dependents other than a spouse; being a military veteran; being an orphan or ward of the court; or born before January 1, 1982. Students who do not meet one of these criteria, even if they live on their own and support themselves, are NOT considered independent for financial aid purposes. Occasionally a student not meeting one of the criteria will be considered independent. This is only done in extreme situations, which must be thoroughly documented. If a student thinks his or her situation warrants independent status, the student should make an appointment to discuss it with the financial aid counselor.

Under some circumstances, students are asked to provide additional documentation in order to qualify to receive financial aid. Tax documents and other information will be requested for evaluation.

Students should return the required documentation within 2 to 4 business days from initial correspondence. Awarding of financial aid is put on hold until all of the document requirements have been satisfied. Students may fax their documents in, mail them in, or drop them off in person either at the reception counter or in an appointment. OSFA encourages all students to obtain a receipt when dropping off required documents.

Students who wish to receive summer financial aid must complete a summer financial aid application in addition to the FAFSA. Students are not automatically offered summer financial aid after completing the FAFSA.

Summer financial aid applications are available in the reception area of OSFA on February 1 of each year with a priority deadline of March 1 (for classes beginning the following May). Summer financial aid programs are very limited. Primarily, summer financial aid consists of Direct Loans and Federal Work Study.

For additional details, please read the Summer Application packet available in OSFA.

Determining Financial Need

Needs Analysis

A financial need analysis is the first step to determining a student’s eligibility for many of the federal, state, and institutional programs for which the student has applied. Financial need is the difference between the amount the student and the student’s family can reasonably be expected to pay towards college expenses and the student budget or estimated cost of attendance.

The sum total of financial assistance a student receives from all sources (grants, scholarships, waivers, loans, and work study, etc.) cannot exceed the student budget or estimated cost of attendance.

After completing the FAFSA, the Department of Education will calculate the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) based on the income, asset, and family information provided on the FAFSA. The EFC is a specific dollar value the student and the student’s family are expected to contribute towards educational costs during a regular academic year. This is not the amount of money that a student will owe UIC.

UIC will then determine an estimate of the expenses the student will face during a regular academic year at UIC. This estimate is called the student budget or cost of attendance. Here is a sample student budget; this sample is based on the kinds of expenses a student should expect to incur at UIC:

OSFA has to make certain assumptions to create the student budget (the student’s living arrangements, for example). If the student plans to live in the residence halls, room and board expenses may be higher than they would be if the student lived at home with family.

The student’s financial need is determined by subtracting the EFC from the student budget. For example (this example does not reflect an actual budget):

Change in Financial Situation

If the student (or the parents) experiences a change in financial situation, the student should contact the OSFA. Such situations would include, but are not limited to: unusually high medical expenses (not covered by insurance), recent unemployment, divorce/separation, or death of an immediate family member. The student’s financial aid eligibility may be recalculated based on such changes.

Financial decisions, such as the purchase of a new car or home, are not considered “special circumstances.”

Award Information and Revisions

Award Letter

Once the application information has been fully processed, i.e. All documents returned and needs-analysis performed by OSFA, the student will receive the financial aid award letter. This letter is a detailed listing of the student’s financial aid eligibility at UIC.

Award Revisions

OSFA reserves the right to adjust the student aid package without prior notice. Packages are normally adjusted for one or more of the following reasons.

• The student did not respond to the Award Letter (mail back a signed copy of the Award Letter).
• OSFA learns of outside resources not originally taken into account, or the outside resource amount changes (for example, outside scholarships, tuition waivers, etc.)
• The student is no longer eligible for the aid awarded (i.e., no longer enrolled full time, or in a degree-seeking program).
• Changes were made in institutional, federal, or state policies and/or regulations since the time of the original award.
• Changes were made by the student or the OSFA to the FAFSA information

Award packages may be increased, decreased, or canceled for one of the reasons noted above, or for a variety of other reasons. If the award is adjusted, the student will be sent a “REVISED” Award Letter.

Applying for Other Assistance

Other scholarship and assistance opportunities exist. Each program will have its own application process and qualifications. For information on other financial assistance, contact:

• Individual colleges. Individual colleges may offer college or program specific scholarships. The College of Engineering, for example, has scholarship information available online http://www.uic.edu/depts/enga/current_students/scholarships.htm
• Student support programs. The Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services Program (LARES), for example, has scholarship information available online http://www.uic.edu/depts/lares/scholarships.htm
• The Office of Special Scholarship Programs http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/ssp/index
• The Scholarship Association for UIC http://tigger.uic.edu/orgs/scholar/index.htm
• The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) http://collegezone.com/
• FastWeb http://fastweb.monster.com/index.ptml

There are many illegitimate scholarship programs designed to exploit money from interested parties. Only provide personal information to very reputable sources. Be wary of any scholarship that asks for payment or requests bank account or social security information.

After a student’s file is completed, the financial aid funds will automatically disburse to the student’s UIC billing account. Financial aid will first be credited toward any outstanding balance assessed to the account. In addition to tuition and fees, this balance may also include housing, meals, and late fees, among other things. If the financial aid disbursed is greater than the total student account balance, Student Accounts Receivable will issue a refund to the student. This is done either by Direct Deposit (much faster and encouraged) or refund check.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid

Basics of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid

Federal and state regulations require the University to establish and implement a policy to measure whether students receiving financial aid are making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. UIC has implemented Satisfactory Academic Progress standards necessary to evaluate a financial aid recipient’s continued eligibility for funds. These standards apply to both full- and part-time students. Types of aid covered by the policy include the following:

Determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid

A student’s academic progress toward a degree for financial aid purposes will be monitored using three criteria: Course Work Completion Rate for Financial Aid, Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement for Financial Aid, and Degree Completion Time-Frame Requirements for Financial Aid. Failure to meet any one of the standards will result in the cancellation of the student’s financial aid.

A student must successfully complete at least 75% of the hours attempted each academic year. Hours attempted are defined as the hours a student is registered for on the tenth day of classes (classes added after that date will also be included). Successfully completed is defined as the total number of hours in which a student receives a grade of A, B, C, D, S, or CR (DFR will be considered an acceptable grade for graduate students only). If a student fully withdraws (drops all courses) from the term on or after the first day of classes, all courses are counted as attempted. If a student drops courses after the tenth day of classes, the dropped course(s) will be counted toward the total hours attempted. Incomplete courses and repeat courses are also included in hours attempted.

The standard of 75% will be monitored cumulatively at the end of each academic year (spring semester). If a student is below 75%, the student will be put on probation for one year. If, at the end of the probation period, a student is still below the cumulative 75% standard, the student’s aid will be canceled. Aid will be reinstated once the student has achieved the 75% cumulative completion rate.

The student’s cumulative UIC GPA will be evaluated at the end of each term. Once a student has attempted two years, the GPA must be at least 2.00/4.00. If the GPA falls below 2.00, the student’s aid will be canceled. Aid will be reinstated once the student has achieved a 2.00 cumulative UIC grade point average.

A UIC student must complete a bachelor’s degree within 180 semester hours. Students attempting to earn a second bachelor’s degree must complete the degree within the number of hours remaining of the 180 hours allowed for the first bachelor’s degree. Exceptions may be made for those programs that require more than 120 semester hours to complete the degree requirements.

Appeal Procedure

Students who meet SAP standards will be notified by mail of their current status once each academic year at the end of the spring semester. However, students who do not meet SAP standards at any point during the academic year will be notified by mail of their cancellation status. This notification is mailed at the end of the term during which the student fails to meet the SAP standards. OSFA will only send students notification of their cancellation status once—if a student does not resolve their SAP status, they will not continue to receive cancellation letters during future semesters in which they are cancelled. Students who wish to appeal being placed on cancellation status must complete the following procedures within 10 calendar days from the date postmarked on the notification letter sent from OSFA. Students must submit a signed, typewritten, and dated letter of appeal along with supporting documentation to OSFA indicating reason(s) why they did not meet the Standards of Academic Progress. Students may appeal for an emergency condition, family catastrophe, etc.

Documentation verifying the situation must be submitted with the appeal letter. Appeals will be considered by the Satisfactory Progress Appeal Committee, which meets at least twice a term, and once during the summer term. The Committee reserves the right to request additional documentation as needed. Submitting falsified documents to the Committee with result in disciplinary action taken. Any appeals received after the eighth week of the term will not be considered until the following term. OSFA will promptly notify the student in writing of the Committee’s decision.

Appeal deadlines. Materials must be stamped as received in OSFA or postmarked on or before the following dates: fall term aid—June 1, spring term aid—January 15, summer term aid—June 1.

If students withdraw, stop attending classes, or are dismissed by the University, they will be billed for any amount of their Federal/State aid that is considered “advance” payment. Students should come to the OSFA and meet with a financial aid counselor to discuss the potential impact withdrawing from all courses will have on their financial aid award and future eligibility. When withdrawing from the University, students’ charges will be prorated based on the time of the term in which they withdraw. See the Pro Rata Refund Schedule listed in the Schedule of Classes. Students will also be charged an administrative fee equal to $100, or 5% of their charges, whichever is less.

If students reduce their hours after their financial aid has been paid, their paid awards will be prorated based on their new reduced enrollment. If a student is considering dropping classes and is receiving financial aid, the student should contact OSFA to determine if and how his or her aid package will be affected.

UIC Financial Aid on the Web

The UIC Financial Aid Information Web Site

Students will find information on how to apply for financial aid, a financial aid “Frequently Asked Questions,” information on UIC scholarships, links to financial aid Web sites and forms on the Web, and information about how to contact OSFA.

The OSFA Web site http://www.vcsa.uic.edu/MainSite/departments/financial_aid/home/

By logging onto the UI-Integrate Student Self-Service System, students have access to their financial aid account details. Students can find out if they have any outstanding document requirements, review their financial aid packages, and find out if their financial aid has been disbursed.

The UI-Integrate Student Self-Service System
https://apps.uillinois.edu/
Click “Student & Faculty Self-Service”
Click “University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)”
Sign in using the student’s Enterprise ID and password
Click “Financial Aid”