2011-2012 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

financial aid for undergraduate study
25
Office of Financial Aid and
Educational Financing
618 Lerner Hall
2920 Broadway, MC 2802
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 212-854-3711
Fax: 212-854-5353
E-mail: ugrad-finaid@columbia.edu
www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/finaid
Admission to Columbia is need-blind for
all students who are U.S. citizens, U.S.
permanent residents, or granted U.S.
refugee visas. Financial aid is awarded
only to students who demonstrate need.
Columbia is committed to meeting
the full demonstrated financial need
of all applicants admitted as first-year
students. Financial aid is available for
all four undergraduate years, providing
students continue to demonstrate
financial need.
While transfer admission is needblind,
financial aid resources for transfer
students are very limited. Therefore, The
Fu Foundation School of Engineering
and Applied Science is unable to meet
the full need of transfer applicants, with
the exception of students who transfer
from Columbia College.
Determining Eligibility
Columbia determines the amount each
family can contribute to educational
costs through an evaluation of the
family’s financial information as reported
on the application forms described in
the section How to Apply for Financial
Aid. The difference between the
family contribution and the total cost
of attendance at Columbia (including
tuition, room, board, fees, books, travel,
and personal expenses) represents the
student’s demonstrated need.
The family contribution to the cost
of attending Columbia consists of two
elements: the parent contribution and
the student contribution. The parent
contribution is determined through an
evaluation of parent income and assets,
family size, and the number of family
members attending college. The student
contribution consists of a percentage
of the student’s assets and a minimum
contribution from income. Each student
is expected to work during the summer
and save a certain amount to contribute
to educational costs.
The minimum contribution from
earnings is currently:
First Year $2,400
Sophomore $2,810
Junior $3,020
Senior $3,150
The expected summer earnings
amount is separate from the amount
that students are expected to earn
by working a part-time job during the
academic year.
Eligibility for Columbia grant aid
is normally limited to eight terms of
undergraduate study. Students must
reapply for financial aid each year and
be registered for a minimum of 12
points during any term for which aid
is requested. Changes in the family’s
circumstances—for example, increased
income or a change in the number of
family members attending college—
will result in changes in the family
contribution. In addition, the individual
elements in the financial aid package
may vary from year to year.
The Office of Financial Aid and
Educational Financing reserves the right
to revise a financial aid award if the
student withdraws from school or if any
information reported on financial aid
applications conflicts with information
on tax returns or other verification
documents. If a family’s financial
circumstances change after submission
of the financial aid application, an
appeal may be made to the Office of
Financial Aid and Educational Financing,
in writing, for a reconsideration of the
financial aid package. An appeal may
be made at any time during the year
if circumstances warrant; otherwise
appeals in direct response to award
letters must be made in writing within
two weeks of receipt of aid packages.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students must continue to make
satisfactory academic progress toward
the degree to remain eligible for financial
aid. Satisfactory academic progress is
reviewed at the end of each term by
the Committee on Academic Screening.
All students are considered for financial
aid purposes to be making satisfactory
academic progress as long as they are
allowed to continue enrollment. For
details of The Fu Foundation School
of Engineering and Applied Science’s
process for evaluating student’s
academic progress, see the section on
Conduct and Discipline in this bulletin.
A student who is required to withdraw
because of failure to make satisfactory
academic progress may appeal the
decision to the Committee on Academic
engineering 2011–2012