Mar 29, 2024  
2016 Graduate Catalog 1.1 (WINTER - SPRING) 
    
2016 Graduate Catalog 1.1 (WINTER - SPRING) [ARCHIVED CATALOG - Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Financial Policies and Procedures


Academic Progress

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.
  1. Standards for Receiving Aid:
    1. 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.
  2. 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 Dean of Student Success and Provost will consider the student’s full history when determining if a waiver is appropriate. For further details regarding aid reinstatement, contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

Financial Aid

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 (2015-2016):
    • Students must file 2015-2016 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 Admissions and 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:
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loan

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.

  • Graduate PLUS Loan

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

  • Direct Unsubsidized Loan:

The interest rate for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is fixed at 5.84% for 2015-2016.
Each loan disbursement prior to October 1, 2015 will have a net fee of 1.073% deducted from each disbursement.  Each loan disbursement on or after October 1, 2015 will have a net fee of 1.068% deducted from each disbursement.
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.

  • Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans

6.84% fixed interest rate for 2015-2016.

An origination fee of 4.292% prior to October 1, 2015 is deducted from each disbursement.  On or after October 1, 2015 the origination fee will be 4.272%.

Loan Repayment

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

Return to Title IV Federal Refund Policy

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.

Institutional Refund Policy

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.*

Tuition and Expenses

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 2015-2016 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: $120
  • Health & Safety Fee: $200
  • Health Insurance (optional): $1,358 / Fall Spring Summer semesters (full year); $792 / Spring Summer Semesters
  • Graduation Fees:  $80

Tuition:  Graduate Programs (effective June 1, 2015)

Ground Graduate Programs

Program

Tuition

M.S. in Education (all specializations)

 $756 per credit hour*

M.B.A. Accounting

 $650 per credit hour

M.S. in Occupational Therapy

 $1,132 per credit hour/$16,973 for full time

Doctor of Physical Therapy

 $1,132 per credit hour/$16,973 for full time

Certificates of Advanced Study 

 $558 per credit hour
Non-matriculated courses

 $756 per credit hour

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 2015-2016 academic year (Summer 2015, Fall 2015 and Spring 2016). 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 full-time status if they are enrolled in six (6) credits per semester. An online graduate student is considered half-time if they are 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: ECM, CIF, PPtDPT
  • Graduate Tuition Deposit Fee: $200 (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 

Program Name

Tuition per Credit Hour

M.B.A. in Economic Crime and Fraud Management

 $855

M.S. in Financial Crime and Compliance  Management

 $880

M.S. in Cybersecurity - Intelligence, Forensics, and Cyber Operations

 $895

M.S. in Healthcare Administration

 $675

Health Care Advocacy and Navigation Certificate

 $440

M.S. Liberal Studies 

 $625

M.P.S. in Cyber Policy and Risk Analysis 

 $775

Post Professional Transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy

 $775

Securities Compliance Advanced Certificate  TBD
Financial Crime and Compliance Operations Advanced Certificate  $880

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.