This policy refers to graduate students who are receiving student loans and other federally funded financial aid. In addition to meeting the standards for receiving financial aid, students must also meet the standards of their academic program at Utica College.
- Standards for Receiving Aid:
- All graduate students must earn 67% credits attempted per year, complete a master’s program within 6 academic years, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better after their first academic year.
- Failure to Meet Academic Standards: Students who fail to meet the criteria for federal, College, and satisfactory academic progress will be notified by the Office of Student Financial Services. Students should contact their Student Financial Services counselor to discuss their options. Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress will lose eligibility for financial aid from federal, and College sources. Students may appeal for reinstatement of aid on the basis of physical illness or extraordinary personal difficulty, due to unusual circumstances. The Executive Director of Student Success will consider the student’s full history when determining if a waiver is appropriate. For any questions regarding aid reinstatement, contact the Office of Student Financial Services.
1. Forms of Aid:
There are two main forms of financial assistance: grants and loans. Grants (often called graduate awards) are direct awards for which repayment is not required. Federal loans usually are guaranteed and offered at low interest; repayment usually is due after the student leaves college, or drops below half time. All forms of aid are awarded on an annual basis. Students are responsible for reapplying each year.
2. Sources of Aid:
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans: Students make application by filing the FAFSA and completing a promissory note and entrance counseling at www.studentloans.gov
- Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: To be eligible for a Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loan, a student must be: (1) a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien; and (2) enrolled in or admitted as a matriculated student, at least half-time, at Utica College.
- Loan Schedule: Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 per academic year. Borrowers are responsible for payment of the interest that accrues on unsubsidized loans while they are in school. The rate is subject to change annually. Interest may be capitalized. Loan fees are deducted from the loan prior to disbursement of funds. The interest rate is fixed and changes annually on July 1.
- Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: Students may borrow at a relatively low interest rate, with no repayments as long as they remain enrolled at least half-time. Refer to the statement of borrower’s rights and responsibilities on the promissory note for further details.
- Application Procedures for Financial Aid:
- Students must file FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov.
- Students must provide documentation of all income by the deadline, if requested, to the Office of Student Financial Services. Documentation includes, but is not limited to, IRS tax transcripts, 1099 forms, and letters from sources such as social security, welfare, pension, etc.
- Students have to actively accept or decline offered awards through Bannerweb.
- Appeal Procedure:
- Students who feel that they have been given an inappropriate financial aid award may do the following:
- Submit a letter of appeal and a complete application form to the Office of Student Financial Services.
- If the student remains dissatisfied with the award, the student may request in writing a review by the Financial Aid Committee. The committee will not review requests for changes of an individual award that entail a revision of general policies.
Graduate Students
Students applying for financial aid at UC are treated with fairness and confidentiality. A counselor from our Office of Student Financial Services will work closely with students to help them take full advantage of the resources available to them.
For Graduate students, there are two types of Federal Direct loans:
Eligibility for Direct Unsubsidized loans is determined using the FAFSA.
This type of loan accrues interest while the student is enrolled. Students can choose to pay the interest each month while in school, or allow the interest to accumulate.
Borrowing limits are a maximum of $20,500 per academic year.
Eligibility for Graduate PLUS loans is determined using the PLUS loan application found on www.studentloans.gov.
The Graduate PLUS loan is based on a credit check and the student may borrow up to the cost of attendance less any other aid received.
Graduate students are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to use the Direct Graduate PLUS loan program.
This type of loan accrues interest while the student is enrolled. Students can choose to pay the interest each month while in school, or allow the interest to accumulate.
Interest rates
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Direct Unsubsidized Loan:
The interest rate for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is fixed for the life of the loan and is announced each year on June 1. Each loan disbursement will have a net fee deducted from each disbursement. The net fee changes annually on October 1.
No credit check is required. If a student is not in default on a prior educational loan, does not owe a repayment of federal grant funds, and meets federal aid eligibility requirements, a student will be approved to borrow the Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
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Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans
The interest rate for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is fixed for the life of the loan and is announced each year on June 1. Each loan disbursement will have a net fee deducted from each disbursement. The net fee changes annually on October
A Credit check is required for this loan. If adverse credit history is present, a credit worthy co-signer is needed.
For graduate students your Federal Direct Loan will be placed into deferment while you are enrolled at least half-time and for an additional six months after you cease to be enrolled at least half-time.
Alternative Educational Loans
Alternative loans are another option to fill in the gap between the offered aid and the total cost of attendance.
Students who wish to find out more information about alternative loan programs, please select the link below. By doing so, students will have access to a list of several alternative loan lenders.
www.utica.edu/loan-compare
This policy is for all students receiving Federal and Institutional aid who completely withdraw from classes or students who unofficially withdraw by ceasing to attend classes.
Federal financial aid (Title IV funds) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws or stops attending all of their classes before completing more than 60% of the enrollment period, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of federal financial aid the student was originally awarded.
A student who withdraws or stops attending a class that only meets for part of the term and who is not attending another class at that time may provide a written statement to the college indicating their intent to attend the future class within that term. If the student does not submit the statement or submits the statement and doesn’t actually attend, the student is considered a withdrawal and a Return to Title IV calculation must be completed.
A student’s federal aid must be recalculated based on the number of days the student actually attended classes. This return calculation is not the same as the College’s tuition refund policy.
A simple equation to explain the process is:
(% of term completed) x (total aid awarded) = earned aid
(Total aid awarded) (earned aid) = unearned aid to be returned to federal government
If you are considering dropping or withdrawing from your courses, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services immediately regarding the financial implications of this decision.
Return to Title IV Federal Refund Policy for Programs Offered in Modules
A program is considered to be offered in modules if a course or courses in the program do not span the entire length of the payment period or period of enrollment. For example, for online programs at Utica each semester is 16 weeks, but each course is only 8 weeks. This means that our online programs are considered modular programs.
As defined in the October, 29, 2010 final regulations, for all programs offered in modules, a student is a withdrawal for Title IV purposes if the student ceases attendance at any point prior to completing the payment period or period of enrollment unless the institution has written confirmation from the student that they will attend a module that begins later in the same enrollment period.
The regulations require the institution to determine whether Title IV funds must be returned based on the number of days actually completed versus the number of days the student was scheduled to attend in the payment period. The new regulations prevent students from enrolling in modules spanning the period, completing a portion of the period, and retaining all aid for the period.
Schools can determine whether a student enrolled in a series of modules is a withdrawal by asking the following questions:
After beginning attendance in the payment period or period of enrollment, did the student cease to attend, or fail to begin attendance in a course s/he was scheduled to attend?
If the answer is NO, this is not a withdrawal.
If the answer is YES, go to question 2.
When the student ceased to attend or failed to begin attendance in a course s/he was scheduled to attend, was the student still attending any other courses?
If the answer is YES, this is not a withdrawal; however other regulatory provisions concerning recalculation may apply.
If the answer is NO, go to question 3.
Did the Student confirm attendance in a course in a module beginning later in the period (for non-term and nonstandard term programs, this must be no later than 45 calendar days after the end of the module the student ceased attending)?
If the answer is YES, this is not a withdrawal, unless the student does not return.
If the answer is NO, this is a withdrawal and the Return to Title IV Funds requirements apply.
Loan Options
Grad (PLUS) Loan
A Grad (PLUS) Loan is a federal loan that is available to graduate students. The Grad (PLUS) Loan is taken out for the entire academic year (Summer/Fall/Spring, if applicable).
If you would like to apply for a Grad (PLUS) Loan, please visit www.studentloans.gov to complete an application. Please be advised, only one application may be submitted and changes cannot be made to an application after its submission. If you would like to make changes to the Grad (PLUS) Loan, please contact your Student Financial Services Counselor.
A credit check is required for a Grad (PLUS) loan. You will receive notification of approval shortly after you submit the application. If the Grad (PLUS) Loan is not approved, you have the option to appeal this decision with the Direct Loan Program Center or obtain a credit worthy endorser. If you chose the endorser option, they will need to complete an addendum online at www.studentloans.gov.
Private/Alternative Education Loan
An Alternative Education Loan is an education loan in the student’s name. It is not a guaranteed federal loan and must go through an approval process that usually requires a credit-worthy co-signer. We encourage you to research various private loans. New York State provides a useful private loan comparison tool at www.utica.edu/loan-compare.
Once you have decided on a loan product you should apply directly through the lender. Borrowers will be required to submit several time-sensitive disclosures back to lenders as part of the loan process. It is important to carefully read all of the communication sent to you electronically or by mail from Utica College and your alternative loan lender. Like the (PLUS) Loan, the Private/Alternative Education Loan is taken out for the entire academic year (Summer/Fall/Spring, if applicable).
Direct Payments
If, after viewing your billing statement, you would prefer to make a payment directly to Utica College, we offer two payment options. To view your billing statement and access our payment site, please
• visit the website bannerweb.utica.edu and Enter Secure Area to log in. Then …
• navigate to your account settings through Student Services > Student Account > Access My Account.
Payment in Full
If you choose to pay your balance in full, please click on Make Payment located the first box on the left side of your payment screen.
Enroll in the Payment Plan
Main Campus Students
Enrolling in our payment plan allows you to pay the semester balance with 3 installments. When you enroll in the payment plan, you will be required to make an initial down payment of 1/3 of the total amount due plus a $75 enrollment fee.
On line Students
When you enroll in the payment plan, you will be required to make an initial down payment of 1/4 of the total amount by the due date.
If the balance is not completely paid on or before the last installment, a $50 late fee will be charged to the student’s account.
Refund Policy for Main Campus Students
The date on which a student notifies the Office of the Registrar of his or her complete withdrawal in writing will be used as the basis for determining tuition refund. There is no rebate applicable to deferred fees or other fees. (See also “Housing Policy” in the student handbook). The following refund schedule applies only to the standard fall and spring terms for complete withdrawal from the college.
Please be aware Programs with earlier start dates will not follow this refund schedule. Please refer to your department for exact dates. This may affect any financial aid and the billing statements. Any concerns, please contact a Financial Counselor in the Office of Student Financial Services at 315.792.3179 or sfs@utica.edu .
Refund Schedule:
Tuition
On or before the scheduled drop/add deadline for the term: 100%
through the 7 days following drop/add deadline for the term: 90%
through the 14 days following drop/add deadline for the term: 50%
through the 24 days following drop/add deadline for the term: 25%
Thereafter, no refund will be given.
Room
100% Refund through end of week 2
Board
100% prior to 1st meal offered.
Pro-rated through end of week 9
Students who partially drop but are still in attendance for one or more classes at the College will receive a 100% refund for the first week only (fall and spring terms). Thereafter, no refund will be given.
During any term there are no refunds for partial withdrawals after the drop/add period.
Refund Policy for Online Students
The date on which a student notifies the Office of the Registrar of his or her complete withdrawal in writing will be used as the basis for determining tuition refund. Please refer to your department for exact dates. The student will need to contact his or her Student Financial Services (SFS) counselor to discuss the financial implications of the withdrawal. The student may need to receive an official withdrawal code from the SFS counselor to complete the process.
Please be aware - this may affect any financial aid and the billing statements. Any concerns, please contact a Financial Counselor in the Office of Student Financial Services at 315.792.3179 or sfs@utica.edu
Online Students
- Tuition (complete withdrawal)
- 100% refund on or before the scheduled drop/add deadline for the period of enrollment (up until midnight EST)
- Thereafter, no refund will be given
Maryland residents - please see the following:
http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/SubtitleSearch.aspx?search=13B.05.01.*
Wisconsin residents - please see the following:
http://www.utica.edu/finance/sfs/wisconsin.cfm
All students are responsible for any College debts they have incurred, including library fees, parking fines, tuition, fees, monetary penalties, fines, and any changes in their financial aid packages. A student will not receive a transcript until all bills, including the graduation fee, have been paid. A student who is graduating will not receive a diploma and will not be able to obtain transcripts until all outstanding debts have been paid.
The following figures are for the 2016-2017 fiscal year (June 1 - May 31). Tuition is based on the number of credit hours taken. There is financial aid for students who qualify.
Fees per year:
- Distance Learning Fee: $70 per on-line course
- Technology Fee: $100 (for part time students), $200 (for full time students)
- Student Activities Fee: $150
- Health & Safety Fee: $200
- Health Insurance (optional)*: $1,358 / Fall Spring Summer semesters (full year); $792 / Spring Summer Semesters
- Graduation Fees: $80
*All international students and international visiting faculty are required to take the Utica College international health insurance plan. There is no waiver for this plan.
Tuition: Graduate Programs (effective May 9, 2016)
Ground Graduate Programs
Graduate students are considered full-time status if enrolled in six (6) credits per semester and are considered half-time status if enrolled in at least three (3) credits per semester.
Online Programs
The following figures are for the 20162017 academic year (Summer 2016, Fall 2016 and Spring 2017). Tuition is based on the number of credit hours taken. There is financial aid for students who qualify. Tuition for experience credit is charged by the program rate.
Utica College school policy states that a graduate student matriculated into an online program is at fulltime status if s/he is enrolled in six (6) credits per semester. An online graduate student is considered halftime if s/he is enrolled in at least three (3) credits per semester.
Fees
- Distance Learning Fee: $70 per on-line course
- Graduation Fees: $80
- Residency & Technology Fee: $500 per residency (only applies to those programs with residency requirements: FCM, CIF, PPtDPT
- Graduate Tuition Deposit Fee: $300 (one-time fee; if you have a FAFSA on-file you may not be required to pay this fee, or are using VA tuition benefits you are not required to pay this fee. Please annotate the fact that you have a FAFSA or VA benefits on your tuition deposit card)
Graduate Online Programs
For a list of current tuition rates, fees, and other expenses, contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (315) 792-3179
Tuition charges and fees are subject to change, please refer to the Utica College website for the most uptodate information.
*This program is currently not accepting students.
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