Undergraduate Financial Aid

How Do I Apply for Financial Aid?

How do I apply for Federal Financial Aid?

The Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs are the largest source of student aid in the U.S. Last year, undergraduate and graduate students received more than $100 billion in financial aid. You should file the FAFSA as soon after October 1 as possible. Follow the three steps outlined below:

Step 1: Apply for an FSA ID and password. An FSA ID and password lets you apply, "sign" your online FAFSA, make corrections to your application information and more – all online. Go to https://fsaid.ed.gov to apply!

Step 2: Collect the documents including income tax returns, W-2 forms, and other records of income to apply. A complete list of what you need may be found at www.fafsa.gov.

Step 3: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible, preferably in October, in order to meet school and state aid deadlines. Apply online at www.fafsa.gov. Fredonia’s school code is 002844. If you are a New York State resident, please complete and submit the TAP application at www.tapweb.org.

How Do I Apply for the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)?

It is also recommended that you apply for TAP online at www.tapweb.org. As mentioned above, you should start the application process with the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will use the FAFSA data as part of your online TAP application. After completing your FAFSA, there will be a link to the online TAP application on your FAFSA Confirmation Page.

To apply for TAP online, you need a HESC PIN (Personal Identification Number). Use the HESC PIN to "sign" your TAP application, keep track of your application information, or make changes. Once you have the HESC PIN, complete your TAP application online and insert SUNY Fredonia's TAP School Code (0915 undergraduate). Information from your FAFSA and your family's calculated New York State net taxable income are pre-filled on your online TAP application. You will be able to check the status of your TAP application online at any time.

Please be alert to HESC e-mails and respond to any requests or instructions. If you received TAP the year before and your application information is unchanged, you may only have to file a FAFSA to get TAP. The TAP application deadline is May 1 of academic year for which aid is sought.

Early application is strongly encouraged for both federal and state financial aid. Since funds are limited, early applications are given first consideration.

When Will I Hear About My Financial Aid?

1. For the 2018-2019 aid year, both new and returning students will receive an initial Financial Aid Award Letter in December that will list all federal, state, and institutional aid that the applicant is eligible to receive.
2. If you have been awarded a Federal Work Study position, the TEACH Grant, and/or a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, you must go to http://www.fredonia.edu and log in to YOUR CONNECTION to accept, decline or accept partial amounts of these awards. Federal Work Study must be accepted by July 31 or the award will be cancelled and offered to another student. Refer to our website or the Financial Literacy Guide for instructions.
3. To move federal awards to an authorized status for billing purposes, applicants may be required to go through the federally mandated verification process. If requested, federal tax returns and W-2 forms for the student and parents, as well as a verification worksheet, must be submitted. This information is needed in order to verify the accuracy of the data reported on the original FAFSA application (see below).
4. Throughout the summer the Financial Aid Office processes student aid paper work with the intention of making aid authorized for credit on the university bill by mid-July. Students must submit paperwork on a timely (as early as possible) basis in order to ensure that this occurs.

How is Aid Awarded?

Applicants for aid are considered based on all of the following criteria:

1. Funds available to the university from governmental, institutional and private sources.
2. Financial eligibility as determined by the U.S. Department of Education's FAFSA processing.
3. Date of receipt of FAFSA results from the Federal Central Processor.

Verification

Federal Verification of FAFSA Information

Many financial aid applicants will be required to verify the information that is reported on the FAFSA/Renewal FAFSA completed each year. Financial data, such as income, and non-financial data, such as family size and dependency status, will be verified. If you are selected for Verification by the Federal government, you will have to submit the following to the Office of Financial Aid:

• 2018-2019 Federal Verification worksheet;
• Parent(s)/Student tax filer income information either by the IRS Data Retrieval Process or 2016 IRS Federal Tax Return Transcript;
• If the Parent(s) did not file a Federal tax return, an IRS Verification of Non-filing letter confirming their  non-tax filing status will be required for each parent on the FAFSA along with proof of income earned such as 2016 W-2's;
• Parent(s)/Student's signed 2016 Amended Federal Tax Return IRS Form 1040X (if applicable) AND 2016 IRS Federal Tax Return Transcript;
• Parent(s)/Student's signed copy of pages 1 & 2 of their 2016 Federal tax return for their Pension/IRA distribution;
• 2016 Amended Federal Tax Return IRS Form 1040X, if applicable, AND 2016 IRS Federal Tax Return Transcript;
• High School Completion Status-Certain applicants will be required to verify their high school completion status- high school diploma, recognized equivalent of a high school diploma, or home school, if requested;
• Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose - Certain applicants will be required to verify their identity and resubmit a Statement of Educational Purpose, as was originally provided as part of the FAFSA submission, if requested.

To request an IRS Federal Tax Transcript, go to www.irs.gov and use Form 4506-T, or quickly request a transcript by clicking on "Get Your Tax Record," or call 1-800-908-9946.

FAFSA applicants who are selected for Verification must complete this process in order to move their Federal financial aid towards their direct charges. The FAFSA Verification process takes a minimum of four to six weeks, so it is highly recommended that students file their FAFSA early and turn in all requested Verification paperwork as soon as possible.

Updating FAFSA Through The Mandated IRS Data Retrieval Process

All FAFSA on the web applicants, and the parents of dependent applicants, who indicate that they have filed their Federal tax returns prior to completing their FAFSA and who are otherwise eligible will be directed to use the FAFSA-IRS Data Retrieval process to complete their FAFSA more easily and accurately. Applicants who choose not to use this process, or who retrieve IRS data but subsequently change it on their FAFSA, will be informed that they will be subject to being selected for the FAFSA Verification process and will be required to support their reported FAFSA data with information obtained directly from the IRS. We strongly encourage families to file their initial FAFSA as soon after October 1.

Good Academic Standing and Receipt of Undergraduate Financial Aid

Requirements

State and federal regulations require that all financial aid recipients maintain program pursuit and make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of degree program requirements. The Financial Aid Office at Fredonia evaluates student aid academic progress according to state requirements for TAP, SUNYTC, SUSTA, APTS, and PTAP at the completion of each semester and according to federal requirements for SEOG, PELL, TEACH, Work Study, Direct Stafford and Direct Plus loans at the completion of the academic year. All three criteria in the charts below must be met in order to retain financial aid for the following semester. If a student withdraws from a course, it may affect his/her aid for the next semester.

New York State Good Academic Standing Chart for Undergraduate Students who first received TAP in 2010-11 and thereafter (TAP, SUNYTC, SUSTA, APTS, PTAP)

Before receiving this TAP payment you must meet all 3 criteria below	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9*	10*
Receive passing/failing grade for this percent of credit hours attempted during last semester	0	50% ft=6 pt=3	50% ft=6 pt=3	75% ft=9 pt=6	75% ft=9 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6
Must have accrued at least this many total credits	0	6	15	27	39	51	66	81	96	111
Maintain at least this Grade Point Average	0	1.5	1.8	1.8	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0

ft = full-time pt = part-time

* Only students in approved five-year programs (EOP and Public Accountancy) are eligible for 10 semesters of undergraduate TAP. All other students are limited to eight semesters of undergraduate TAP.

New York State Good Academic Standing Chart for EOP Undergraduate Students and Students Whose First TAP Payment was 2006-07 through 2009-10 (TAP, SUNYTC, SUSTA, APTS, PTAP)

Before receiving this TAP payment you must meet all 3 criteria below	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9*	10*
Receive passing/failing grade for this percent of credit hours attempted during last semester	0	50% ft=6 pt=3	50% ft=6 pt=3	75% ft=9 pt=6	75% ft=9 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6	100% ft=12 pt=6
Must have accrued at least this many total credits	0	3	9	21	33	45	60	75	90	105
Maintain at least this Grade Point Average	0	1.10	1.20	1.30	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00

ft = full-time pt = part-time

* Only students in approved five-year programs (EOP and Public Accountancy) are eligible for 10 semesters of undergraduate TAP. All other students are limited to eight semesters of undergraduate TAP.

Repeated Courses

Courses in which the student has already received a passing grade cannot be included in meeting full-time study requirements for state-sponsored financial aid. Repeated courses may be counted toward full-time study requirements if a student repeats a failed course, if a student repeats the course for additional credit, if a student has received a grade that is passing at the institution but is unacceptable in a particular curriculum, or when a student repeats a previously withdrawn course.

Notification Procedure

The Financial Aid Office will notify the student within one month after the conclusion of the Fall semester if good academic standing requirements were not met while the student received State aid, and within one month after the Spring semester while the student received State aid. The letter will inform the student of loss of aid at Fredonia for the semester immediately following the one in which the program pursuit and satisfactory academic progress standards were not met and will also apprise the student of the waiver procedure to follow if the student feels financial aid should be reinstated.

Waiver Procedure

A request to reinstate State aid for the next semester at Fredonia will be evaluated and granted only if exceptional circumstances (e.g., family illness or death, personal illness, personal emotional disturbances, changes in education objective) can be documented by the student. Waivers of the Good Academic Standing criteria and reinstatement of aid are not automatic. They are approved only if in the best interest of the student and only if unusual circumstances prevented the student from meeting the expected criteria. A waiver to reinstate State aid is available only once during undergraduate study (with the exception of "C" average waiver). The waiver request form is mailed with the notification of aid loss to the student by the Financial Aid Office. A student choosing to use the waiver process to reinstate aid the next semester at Fredonia must complete and submit the waiver form along with appropriate documentation to the Office of Financial Aid for evaluation.

Good Academic Standing Chart for Federal Aid (PELL, SEOG, TEACH, Work Study, Direct Stafford, Direct Plus Loan)

Before receiving Federal aid at this grade level, you must meet all 3 criteria below	Grade Level 1	Grade Level 2*	Grade Level 3	Grade Level 4	Grade Level 5	Grade Level 6
Receive passing/failing grades for this percent of credit hours attempted during the last two semesters	0 ft=0 pt=0	50% ft=12 pt=6	75% ft=18 pt=9	100% ft=24 pt=12	100% ft=24 pt=12
Must have accrued this many total credits	0	12	30	54	78	102
Maintain at least this cumulative Grade Point Average	0	1.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00

ft = full-time pt = part-time

Receipt of federal aid is limited to 12 semesters (for students enrolled full-time), according to Federal Regulation 34CFR PART 668.16.

Students should be aware that course repeats do not count as a completion in determining Good Academic Standing.

Part-time students enrolled beyond 12 semesters (up to 24 semesters maximum) must continue to complete 100 percent of hours attempted and maintain a 2.0 GPA.

As a rule, students should always check with the Financial Aid office when considering a withdrawal from courses or the university.

Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Final regulations published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2010 (668.16 and 668.34) by the U.S. Department of Education require institutions that participate in the student financial aid programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended to (the HEA), to implement new guidelines, effective July 1, 2011; tied to the annual Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) review for federal student aid. Fredonia conducts a review of Satisfactory Academic Progress tied to the receipt of federal student aid on an annual basis, at the completion of the Spring semester. If a student fails to achieve satisfactory academic progress at that time, the institution may not award and disburse federal Title IV program funds to the student.

Incompletes and WD’s

Effective July 1, 2011, GPA and pace of completion are affected by course incompletes and withdrawals. Transfer courses must count as both attempted and completed hours when measuring quantitative progress.

Financial Aid Probation

This will be a new status assigned to a student who fails to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress review at the completion of the Spring semester, who has appealed that determination via the institutional Waiver process, and has subsequently had eligibility for federal aid reinstated. This status will be assigned for a single consecutive payment period and the student will receive Title IV funding while in this status. At the end of that payment period, the student must meet the institution’s SAP standards or meet the requirements of the “academic plan” that may have previously been developed by the institution to qualify for further federal aid.

The institutional SAP Waiver Policy and Use of Academic Plans is based on the following set of procedures:

• A student will be notified within four weeks at the conclusion of the Spring semester if they fail to meet federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.
• If the student chooses to appeal the loss of federal student aid for the subsequent semester, they must submit a letter and include supporting documentation with the Waiver Application that supports the reason for failing to meet federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.
• The basis on which a student may file an appeal are the death of an immediate family member, student illness, illness of a family member, and/or other personal and emotional difficulties.
• The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Waiver Committee will review the documentation and either approve or deny the Federal Waiver request and will subsequently notify the student via written and electronic means.
• If the federal aid waiver is approved, the student is placed in a Financial Aid Probation status for the next semester.
• Once in a Financial Aid Probation status, a determination will be made as to whether or not a student could meet the required SAP standards after the subsequent payment period and if not, the Advisor/Department Chair will develop an “academic plan” in collaboration with the student to ensure that the student meets Federal SAP standards by a specific point in time. The “academic plan” then becomes the students mandate to meeting federal Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in place of the standard federal SAP Chart.

2018-2019 University Costs

	N.Y.S. Resident	Out-of-State Resident
Tuition	$   6,870	$ 16,650
Fees	$   1,618	$   1,618
Room	$   7,500	$   7,500
Food	$   4,990	$   4,990
Totals	$20,978	$30,758

Although every effort is made to keep university costs as low as possible, the costs can change during the year. The above figures are estimates and are subject to change but were accurate at the time of printing. Students should plan on other indirect expenses (books, transportation, and personal costs) which may range from $2,000 to $3,000 for an academic year.