Financial Aid Handbook

Table of Contents

Getting Started

In This Section:

Check Your Status with UNCGenie Frequently Asked Questions Helpful Hints Useful Web Sites

The UNCG Financial Aid Office Important Eligibility  Requirements How Need is Determined

In addition to the UNCG Financial Aid Handbook, you will need the 2005-2006 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (if you filed in the previous year). The FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA should be filed electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov . You will also need personal records in order to complete required forms. You may have questions throughout the various steps in the financial aid process. The Frequently Asked Questions located throughout the handbook provide answers to several financial aid topics. Please note that the policies in this Handbook are subject to revision without notice or obligation.

 

Top

Check Your Status with UNCGenie

UNCG has an electronic network called UNCGenie that you can use to check your financial aid information, including any active messages you may have from the Financial Aid Office. UNCGenie can be accessed by going to the UNCG Home Page at www.uncg.edu. You will need your Student ID Number and UNCG PIN to access your account. Navigate the financial aid menus to view your awards, satisfactory academic progress (SAP) status, and document requirements.

You can reset your pin and change your mailing and permanent addresses while in UNCGenie. Also, if you have been admitted, you can go to accounts.uncg.edu to activate your e-mail and computer accounts. Visit the UNCG Financial Aid Office Home Page at www.uncg.edu/fia for more detailed instructions.

You can check your active messages from the Financial Aid Office by going to the My Overall Status of Financial Aid link from the Financial Aid page in UNCG.

 

Top

Frequently Asked Questions

For answers to the most commonly asked financial aid questions, check out the Frequently Asked Questions page.

 

Top

Helpful Hints

March 1, 2005
If the federal processor receives your FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA on or before this date, your application becomes a "Priority Application" at UNCG. All students should attempt to file before this date. Applications which are postmarked by March 1 but which are not received by the federal processor by this date will not have met the priority application deadline. Filing by March 1 assures that your application will be among the first reviewed.


List UNCG in Step 6 on the FAFSA
Unless you list UNCG as a school to receive your information, the Financial Aid Office will not award you aid. UNCG's federal school code is 002976.


Your Name and Student ID Number
Make sure that these two items are on every document submitted to the Financial Aid Office on your behalf.


Update Your Mailing and E-Mail Addresses
Your UNCG e-mail is the primary means by which FAO will communicate news and information. Check it often.

It is also your responsibility to make sure that UNCG has your current address. Otherwise, you may not receive important financial aid information. The University Registrar's Office can help you change your address. You can also update your mailing and permanent addresses using UNCGenie or Pipeline at the UNCG homepage, www.uncg.edu.


Where We Send Your Mail
During the academic year, financial aid information is mailed to your local address (campus box or mailing address) or your permanent address if you do not have a local address. During the summer and often during long breaks, we mail information to your permanent address. We frequently send revision notifications via your UNCG e-mail address. In addition, you should check messages from the Financial Aid Office via the Financial aid page on UNCGenie.


Respond to Requests for Information Promptly
The sooner you send us required information, the sooner we can continue processing your financial aid application. If you do not send us requested information in a timely manner, your aid may be canceled or its disbursement delayed. Do not wait until the beginning of the semester to take care of financial aid paperwork and questions.

 

Top

Useful Websites

www.fafsa.ed.gov
The FAFSA on the Web site allows you to file a FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA on-line.

www.cfnc.org
The College Foundation of North Carolina Web site provides information about North Carolina state resources for financial aid.

www.uncg.edu/fia
The UNCG Financial Aid Office Home Page contains scholarship information, Federal Work-Study information, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy, and links to everything in this handbook.

www.finaid.org
The FinAid! SmartStudentT Guide to Financial Aid Web Site is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of financial aid. It includes an estimator of college costs and financial aid, links to free scholarship searches, a loan repayment calculator, and more.

www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students
The U.S. Department of Education Office of Post-secondary Education's Web Site offers useful information for students. Here you will find an on-line version of The Student Guide, federal school codes, information on tax incentives, and more.

www.ftc.gov
The Federal Trade Commission Web Site contains information regarding scholarship scams to avoid and how to recognize them.

www.irs.gov/individuals/students
The IRS site provides valuable tax information for students, including descriptions of tax incentives for higher education expenses, such as the Hope Scholarship and the Lifetime Learning Credit.

www.students.gov
This web site is the student gateway to the U.S. government. It offer information on planning and paying for college.

www.studentaid.ed.gov
A to Z advice on attending college, from the application process all the way through the repayment of your loans.

Scholarship Searches
Fast Web
College Board

 

Top

The UNCG Financial Aid Office

Contacting Us By Phone
You can reach us by phone at (336) 334-5702. We are happy to assist you with any financial aid questions you may have. In order to discuss your confidential financial aid information (award amounts, your SAP decision, etc.) you must enter your Student ID number and UNCG PIN when asked for it. If you do not provide these, the information that we can give you is limited. Please keep in mind that during summer months and at the beginning of each semester, our phones are especially busy. UNCGenie will have much of the information that you need (see page 2). The FAO keeps students informed by regular mail or e-mail while handling as many calls as possible.

The Financial Aid Office Staff
Our front desk staff of trained counselors is available during regular office hours to answer your financial aid questions and assist you in completing financial aid form.

Counseling Hours:	Monday - Wednesday & Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
	Thursday: 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Confidentiality
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), commonly known as the Buckley Amendment, prohibits the release of a student's educational records, including award information, to parents, spouses, or other parties without the written permission of the student (or Student ID number and UNCG PIN authentication if calling on the phone). If students wish to release their records to another party, they can submit a notarized Information Release form to the FAO. This form must be reviewed and approved before any information is released. The student's authorization to release their information must be submitted on a yearly basis, and may be revoked by the student at any time. The Information Release Forms are available at the FAO.

 

Top

Eligibility Requirements

You must meet these guidelines in order to be eligible for any type of need-based or federal financial aid. Other UNCG scholarships may also require that you meet these criteria:

• You must be admitted to or enrolled in a degree program or approved certification program at UNCG. (Please note that some certificate programs have not been approved for aid eligibility.)
• You must be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. Please read the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for Financial Aid Eligibility to determine if you meet its requirements. If you are not making satisfactory academic progress, you may appeal your status by completing a SAP Appeal form. Refer to the SAP Appeal Calendar for deadlines.
• You must be a United States citizen or an eligible noncitizen. Eligible noncitizens may be required to present current, up-to-date, and valid US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) [formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)] I-551 or I-94 forms in person to the FAO to document their eligibility for federal aid. Students on F1, J1, J2 visas, and G series Visas are NOT eligible for federal financial assistance or financial aid from UNCG.
• You must provide all requested documentation. Your financial aid application cannot be processed without necessary documents.
• You must not be in default on a federal student loan or owe a repayment on a federal grant at any institution or the US Department of Education.
• If required, you must be registered with Selective Service. You can register on the Selective Service web site: http://www.sss.gov
• U.S. Citizens must have a Social Security card that carries a current and accurate legal name and Social Security Number. Applicants who have changed their legal name due to marriage, etc. must acquire a new card from the Social Security Administration Office.
• You must complete the university immunization requirements.

Different types of aid have specific eligibility requirements, including the minimum number of hours in which you must be enrolled. Refer to the UNCG Financial Aid Directory for more information about specific awards.


Semester Enrollment Requirements for Undergraduates:
Full-time status: 12 or more credit hours
Three-quarter-time status: 9 to 11 credit hours
Half-time status: 6 to 8 credit hours
Less than half-time status: 5 credit hours or below


Semester Enrollment Requirements for Graduates (credit hours must be at the 500 level or above):
Full-time status: 6 or more credit hours
Half-time status: 3 to 5 credit hours
Less tha half-time: 2 credit hours or less

 

Top

How Need is Determined

Many types of aid require that you demonstrate financial need in order to be eligible. To be considered for need-based (state, institutional, and outside) and all federal aid programs, you must file a 2005-2006 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA). The information you provide on the FAFSA establishes whether or not you have financial need.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
The federal processor uses a formula known as the Federal Methodology to estimate your family's ability to contribute toward your education. This formula, written into law by Congress and reviewed each year, evaluates your FAFSA answers related to income and assets, family size, and number of family members in college in order to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your EFC is how much money you or your family is expected to contribute to your educational expenses. You do not pay the EFC to UNCG. It is simply used to calculate your aid eligibility. If you have questions about what family members should be included on your FAFSA, see the instructions included online that are part of the application process. This Handbook will also give you important information in the section Step One: Apply for Aid.

Documented Need is defined as a student's Cost of Attendance (COA) minus the Expected Family Contribution (EFC):

	Cost of Attendance (COA)
	-  Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
	= Document Need

The Financial Aid Office will meet as much of each applicant's documented need as possible, given fund availability and fund eligibility requirements. You should not assume that your full need will be met.