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

esearch assistantships, readerships,
and preceptorships) upon completion of
the required financial aid forms referred
to above. Spring admissions applicants
will not be considered for departmental
funding. Continuing international
students must preregister for classes
during the preregistration period and
complete an enrollment status form to
be considered for departmental funding.
Most private student loan programs
are restricted to U.S. citizens and
permanent residents. However,
international students may be eligible to
apply for these domestic loan programs
with a credit worthy cosigner who is
a citizen or permanent resident in the
United States. Depending on the loan
program, you may need a valid U.S.
Social Security number.
Students who study at Columbia
Engineering on temporary visas
should fully understand the regulations
concerning possible employment under
those visas. Before making plans for
employment in the United States,
international students should consult
with the International Students and
Scholars Office (ISSO), located at 524
Riverside Drive, Suite 200; 212-854-
3587. Their website is www.columbia.
edu/cu/isso/.
Other Financial Aid—
Federal, State, and Private
Programs
Eligibility
To be considered for nondepartmental
financial aid (federal Stafford loans,
federal unsubsidized Stafford loans,
federal Perkins loans, and New York
State TAP grants), you must be a
U.S. citizen or permanent resident
admitted as at least a half-time student
to a degree program in Columbia
Engineering. If you are taking courses
but are not yet admitted into a degree
program, then you do not qualify
for federal or state aid. In addition,
to preserve your aid eligibility, you
must maintain satisfactory academic
progress, as defined in “The Graduate
Programs” section.
To apply for funds, you must
complete a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, a
Graduate Engineering Student Loan
Request Form, and an Express TAP
application (if you are a New York
State resident). Federal Student Loan
borrowers must also complete a
Columbia University Loan Entrance
Interview and a Master Promissory
Note. The information supplied on the
FAFSA form is used to determine your
eligibility for federal aid. The Express
TAP application acts as your request
for New York State Tuition Assistance
Program funds.
Columbia University prefers that
the FAFSA be filed after January
1, but preferably before May 1, for
fall enrollment. Students must give
permission for the application data
to be sent to Columbia University by
entering The Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science Title
IV school code 002707 on the FAFSA
form.
It is your responsibility to supply
accurate and complete information
on the FAFSA and to notify the Office
of Financial Aid and Educational
Financing immediately of any changes
in your enrollment plans, housing
status, or financial situation, including
information about any institutional
or outside scholarships you will be
receiving.
The Graduate Engineering Student
Loan Request Form is available online
at www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/
finaid/downloads.
Determination of your eligibility for
financial aid is, in part, based upon
the number of courses for which you
register. If you enroll in fewer courses
than you initially reported on your
Graduate Engineering Student Loan
Request Form, your financial aid may
be reduced.
University-administered federal and
state awards are not automatically
renewed each year. Continuing
graduate students must submit a
Renewal FAFSA each year by the
Columbia University deadline. Renewal
depends on the annual reevaluation
of your need, the availability of funds,
and satisfactory progress toward the
completion of your degree
New York State Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)
Legal residents of New York State who
are enrolled in a full-time degree program
of at least 12 points a term, or the
equivalent, may be eligible for awards
under this program. To apply for TAP,
list the Columbia University school code
002707 on the FAFSA form. When
the FAFSA has been processed, an
Express TAP application will be mailed
to you. Review the information, change
any incorrect items, sign the form, and
return it to the address indicated.
Veterans’ Benefits
Various Department of Veterans Affairs
programs provide educational benefits
for sons, daughters, and spouses of
deceased or permanently disabled
veterans as well as for veterans and
in-service personnel who served on
active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces
after January 1, 1955. In these
programs the amount of benefits varies.
Under most programs the student
pays tuition and fees at the time of
registration but receives a monthly
allowance from Veterans Affairs.
Since interpretation of regulations
governing veterans’ benefits is
subject to change, veterans and their
dependents should keep in touch with
the Department of Veterans Affairs. For
additional information and assistance in
completing the necessary forms, contact
1-800-827-1000, or consult their
website (www.va.gov).
Detailed information regarding
the veteran population at Columbia
and policies including the Veteran’s
Readmission Provision may be found
on the Veterans Affairs website
(veteranaffairs.columbia.edu).
Direct Loans
Federal Subsidized Student Loan
Program
Federal Unsubsidized Loan Program
Federal Perkins Loan
Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
Detailed information regarding the
above loan programs may be found on
the Student Financial Services website
(www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/
Grad_Fin_Aid).
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engineering 2011–2012