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

26
Screening. Upon returning to the School
of Engineering and Applied Science
following a required withdrawal period, a
student regains eligibility for financial aid.
Financial Aid Awards
Financial aid is awarded in the form of a
“package,” consisting of a combination
of the various types of financial aid
for which the student is eligible. Most
financial aid packages include a
combination of grant and “self-help.”
The self-help portion of a financial aid
package consists of a part-time job
during the academic year. Grants from
government sources or directly from
Columbia cover any remaining need
beyond that covered by the self-help
award.
Columbia determines the institutional,
federal, and New York State financial
aid programs for which each student is
eligible and awards funds appropriately.
In addition to applying to Columbia for
assistance, all financial aid applicants
are expected to apply for any other
grant/ scholarship aid for which they
may be eligible. Students must notify the
Office of Financial Aid and Educational
Financing if any outside awards are
received.
Students who receive financial aid
from Columbia grant permission to the
Office of Financial Aid and Educational
Financing to release relevant personal,
academic, and financial information
to persons or organizations outside
Columbia in order to institute or to
continue financial assistance that they
might be eligible to receive from such
sources. Students can expect that
Columbia will respect their right to
privacy and release information only as
necessary.
The following sources of financial
aid may be included in a financial aid
package from Columbia.
A. Grants and Scholarships
Through the Columbia University Grant
(CUG) program, need-based grants are
made to full-time matriculated Columbia
students without expectation of
repayment. Grants are funded through a
variety of University resources, including
annual gifts and endowed accounts.
Federal Supplemental Educational
Opportunity Grants (SEOG) are grants
made under Title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended,
from funds supplied entirely by the
federal government. These funds are
awarded to students who demonstrate
financial need and are made without
expectation of repayment. The amount
of an individual grant may range from
$200 to $4,000 per year.
The Federal Pell Grant program
is authorized by the Education
Amendments of 1972. Under this
program the federal government
provides grants to students who
qualify on the basis of financial need.
Pell grants may range from $1,176 to
$5,550.
The New York State Tuition
Assistance Program (TAP) provides
grants to full-time, matriculated New
York State residents who meet New
York State’s eligibility standards. Current
TAP award amounts range from $425
to $4,925.
Other grants/scholarships may be
available to students from a variety of
outside sources. These include, but are
not limited to, awards sponsored by
secondary schools, civic organizations,
parental employers, corporations, and
the National Merit and National Achievement
Scholarship programs. Outside
scholarships are used to reduce the
self-help component of the financial
aid package. Only after self-help has
been completely eliminated will the
scholarships begin to reduce any
Columbia grant.
B. Student Employment
All students who receive financial aid
from Columbia are expected to have
a part-time job to help meet the cost
of education. Most students work
on or near campus, but there are
many interesting and rewarding jobs
throughout New York City as well.
Columbia maintains an extensive
listing of student employment opportunities,
both for federal work-study positions
and other student employment
options, which do not receive federal
funding. These listings are available
online. (studentaffairs.columbia.edu/
finaid/forms/workstudy.php)
Federal Work-Study Student
Employment. The Work-Study Payroll
Office is dedicated to assisting Columbia
students with all processes related to
hiring and payment. The Federal Work-
Study (FWS) program is designed to
promote part-time employment for
students who are in need of earnings
to help finance their education and to
encourage participation in community
service. The goal of Columbia
University’s FWS program is to provide
student assistance that supports a
wide range of career objectives and
departmental needs within the University
and the community.
C. Financing Options
In addition to Columbia’s commitment to
meeting 100 percent of every student’s
demonstrated financial need, Columbia
is committed to assisting families in
meeting their family contributions. The
following financing options are available
to assist families in making educational
costs more affordable.
Monthly Payment Plan: Columbia
offers an interest-free monthly payment
plan through which parents may make
five equal monthly payments each term
rather than paying the term’s bill in
full at the beginning of each term. The
only cost associated with the plan is a
nominal enrollment fee.
Parent Loans for Undergraduate
Students (PLUS): Through the PLUS
program, parents may borrow for a
child’s educational expenses. Under the
PLUS program, parents may borrow
up to the total cost of attendance
less any other financial aid received.
Parents need not demonstrate need to
qualify; however, they must be citizens
or permanent residents of the United
States and must pass a standard credit
check. A fee of up to 4 percent will be
deducted from the loan at the time that
it is disbursed. Repayment begins 60
days after the second disbursement of
the loan.
How to Apply for
Financial Aid
In order to be considered for needbased
institutional financial aid at
any time during their four years of
undergraduate study, students must
apply for financial aid at the time
they apply for admission. Exceptions
may be granted only in the case
of extenuating circumstances that
result in a significant change in the
engineering 2011–2012