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Graduate Catalog 2004-2006

Financial Aid:

Financial Aid Rights and Responsibilities

Aurora University students may be eligible for financial aid from a variety of sources, including federal, state, institutional, and private organizations in the forms of grants, loans and work. In 2003-04, over $8 million in aid was awarded to almost 800 graduate students at Aurora University. Aid is available for both full-time and part-time graduate students and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students should be cognizant of the following FAFSA filing priority dates and financial aid file completion dates:

NOTE: There is no financial aid awarded during the May Term.

The priority and completion dates listed above are given in order to provide quality service to the financial aid recipient. The financial aid process must be completed by the end of the first semester of attendance each academic year to assure that the financial aid will be applied to a student’s account.

To apply for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Application.

Student Employment Opportunities: The Office of Admission and Financial Aid and the Career Services Office assist students in locating employment, both within the university and throughout the local area.

Federal Work Study (FWS) funds may be earned by working in departments on-campus or at off-campus agencies that are participating in the Community Service program. To apply for on-campus or community service employment, contact the Career Services Office or the Office of Admission and Financial Aid.

Contact the Career Services Center for further information regarding employment opportunities and workshops.

Financial Aid Rights and Responsibilities

Graduate

• Students have the right to know the criteria used to determine their financial need and the aid they have been awarded. Students also have the right to decline any or all of the awarded aid.
• No federal or state aid will be awarded to a student who owes a refund or repayment on a Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) or who is in DEFAULT on a Federal Stafford Student Loan or Perkins Loan.
• All financial aid received in excess of the need and/or cost of attendance MUST BE REPAID.
  Students must re-apply for financial aid every year. Financial aid at AU is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students filing the FAFSA after April 15 for the following Fall Term may only receive Federal and State aid and may experience delays. If a student has been selected for verification through the Federal process must submit certain documents to the Office of Admission and Financial Aid. Verification must be completed before any financial aid, including loans, is credited to their account.

Students MUST be enrolled at least half-time and maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to receive Federal, State and institutional student aid. For additional information, refer to the “Definitions of Enrollment” and to the ‘SAP’ information provided in the catalog and on AU’s website.
Financial aid received in addition to that listed on a student’s award offer, including tuition reimbursement, must be reported to a financial aid counselor.

If a student is borrowing a Federal Stafford Student Loan for the first time, he/she must complete an ENTRANCE interview. He/she must also complete an EXIT interview, as a Federal Stafford student loan borrower, prior to graduation or upon leaving the university. The diploma and/or academic transcripts could be withheld if this exit interview is not conducted.

Gift assistance will not exceed the cost of tuition and room and board (if a resident student).

Each student is responsible for reporting to a financial aid counselor any change in status, this includes enrollment, living arrangements, and academic level. Any change in these items may require an adjustment to the student’s financial aid.

A Student Authorization Form must be completed. This form gives the Student Accounts Office permission to pay allowable charges with Federal financial aid as well as authorizing excess funds, if applicable, to remain or not remain on the student’s account. If the student authorizes a refund of excess funds, they will not be available until all financial aid and allowable charges have been applied to their account. If a student has a credit balance on his/her account and withdraws, registers for less than half-time, or is academically dismissed from school, the remaining credit balance must be returned to the lender. If a student receives a refund of credit and then has a reduction in financial aid, he/she is responsible for paying all outstanding charges. This also applies if additional charges are incurred.

Federal Refund Policy — Refunds for students attending AU, who receive Federal financial assistance and withdraw before completion of 60% of an enrollment period for which the student was charged, will be calculated as federally mandated. Further details regarding the federal refund calculations are available in the Office of Admission and Financial Aid.

AU Refund Policy

• First week of classes – 100% refund
• Second week of classes – 90% refund
• Third week of classes – 50% refund

Refer to the Billing Information form, the Withdrawal and Refund Policies Section. Contact Residence Life for room and board refund policy. The board charge is refunded on a pro-rated basis. Withdrawing from courses may reduce or eliminate financial aid based on your final enrollment.

Definitions of Enrollment

• Graduate/Doctoral
  • Full-Time = 9 or more semester hours/term
  • Half-Time = 4-8 semester hours/term

Summer Financial Aid is awarded separately. Applications may be picked up and returned to the Office Admission and Financial Aid. If eligible, a student will receive an award letter outlining their summer term financial aid. If a student is not eligible, he/she will also be notified.

Specific Circumstance: If a student and/or student’s family experience unexpected circumstances throughout the year, consult a financial aid counselor regarding a special circumstance request.
Falsification of information will result in cancellation of aid and referral to the appropriate judicial body.

NOTE: These Rights and Responsibilities are subject to change without prior notice.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures for Financial Aid Recipients

A student is required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in the course of study that he/she is pursuing, according to the standards and practices outlined by the Federal government for the institution.
Schools are required to monitor the SAP of students at least once each academic year. The following guidelines are now in effect. Aurora University reserves the right to review and revise this policy annually.

1. Qualitative and Quantitative Regulations (Graduate)
   Graduate students must achieve a minimum total cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of the academic year to be eligible for financial aid the following year.
   To earn a master’s degree at Aurora University a student must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours. Students may receive financial aid for up to 150% of the hours required to complete their program. A student must complete at least two-thirds (66.67%) of all courses attempted in an academic year to maintain quantitative eligibility for financial aid.
2. Policy on Course Incompletes, Audits, Withdrawals, Repetitions
   Aurora University will not allow the following to be considered as credits successfully completed:
   ‘NCR’ - No Credit Courses ‘W’ - Withdrawals
   ‘I’ - Incomplete Courses ‘AU’ - Audits
   ‘F’ - Failure ‘X’ - Deferred Grade
   Students who receive an Incomplete or Deferred Grade for a course while on SAP probation will be reviewed on an individual basis. Students are eligible to repeat courses but only the higher grade will be calculated in the GPA and credit towards graduation. Non-credit remedial courses are counted toward the minimum amount of courses required for financial aid eligibility.
3. Early Warning
   The financial aid staff will monitor the student’s academic progress throughout the academic year. The student will receive a letter from the Office of Admission and Financial Aid notifying the student that he/she is in jeopardy of losing his/her financial aid eligibility for the following reasons:
   • The student’s cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0 for graduate students
   • The student’s cumulative GPA falls below the minimum GPA required for their scholarship
   • The student does not complete at least two-thirds (66.67%) of the courses attempted
     During this jeopardy (warning) status, financial aid eligibility may be continued; however, a student who does not remove his/her warning status by the end of the academic year will lose his/her financial aid and/or scholarship. Unless a student successfully appeals this determination, he/she shall be ineligible for financial aid.
4. Appeal Process
   If a student does not meet the qualitative and/or quantitative requirements and loses financial aid, he/she may appeal in writing by completing and submitting the provided form to the Appeals Committee within ten business days of the notification. The appeal process takes into consideration special circumstances.
   The Appeals Committee will meet to review the appeal and will be responsible for the final decision regarding financial aid funding for the next academic year. The student will be notified in writing of the Committee’s decision. All specifications for continued academic achievement will be included in the letter and will be monitored on a term-by-term basis to determine financial aid eligibility.
   If the student chooses to enroll in courses over the summer at Aurora University or at another school to improve their cumulative GPA or their completion percentage, he/she must notify the Financial Aid Office in writing upon successful completion of the course work. To transfer course work from another institution, a Prior Approval Form must be completed, submitted and approved by the Registrar prior to enrolling in the course. The student must appeal for a financial aid eligibility review before the Friday prior to the start of the next academic term.

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