2008-2009 Bulletin â PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University
2008-2009 Bulletin â PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University
2008-2009 Bulletin â PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University
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26<br />
FINANCIAL AID FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDY<br />
Office of Financial Aid and Educational<br />
Financing<br />
<strong>Columbia</strong> <strong>University</strong><br />
407 Alfred Lerner Hall<br />
Mail Code 2802<br />
2920 Broadway<br />
New York, NY 10027<br />
Phone: 212-854-3711<br />
Fax: 212-854-5353<br />
E-mail: ugrad-finaid@columbia.edu<br />
www.studentaffairs.columbia.<br />
edu/finaid<br />
Admission to <strong>Columbia</strong> is need-blind for<br />
all students who are U.S. citizens, U.S.<br />
permanent residents, Canadian citizens,<br />
or Mexican citizens. Financial aid is<br />
awarded only to students who demonstrate<br />
need. <strong>Columbia</strong> is committed to<br />
meeting the full demonstrated financial<br />
need of all applicants admitted as firstyear<br />
students. Financial aid is available<br />
for all four undergraduate years, providing<br />
students continue to demonstrate<br />
financial need.<br />
While transfer admission is needblind,<br />
financial aid resources for transfer<br />
students are very limited. Therefore, The<br />
Fu Foundation School of Engineering<br />
and Applied Science is unable to meet<br />
the full need of transfer applicants, with<br />
the exception of students who enter the<br />
Combined Plan Program and those who<br />
transfer from <strong>Columbia</strong> College.<br />
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY<br />
<strong>Columbia</strong> determines the amount each<br />
family can contribute to educational<br />
costs through an evaluation of the family’s<br />
financial information as reported on the<br />
application forms described in the section<br />
“How to Apply for Financial Aid.’’<br />
The difference between the family contribution<br />
and the total cost of attendance<br />
at <strong>Columbia</strong> (including tuition, room,<br />
board, fees, books, travel, and personal<br />
expenses) represents the student’s<br />
demonstrated need.<br />
The family contribution to the cost of<br />
attending <strong>Columbia</strong> consists of two elements:<br />
the parent contribution and the<br />
student contribution. The parent contribution<br />
is determined through an evaluation<br />
of parent income and assets, family<br />
size, and the number of family members<br />
attending college. The student contribution<br />
consists of a percentage of the<br />
student’s assets and a minimum contribution<br />
from income. Each student is<br />
expected to work during the summer<br />
and save a certain amount to contribute<br />
to educational costs.<br />
The minimum contribution from earnings<br />
is currently:<br />
First year $1,850<br />
Sophomore $2,050<br />
Junior $2,250<br />
Senior $2,350<br />
The expected summer earnings<br />
amount is separate from the amount<br />
that students are expected to earn by<br />
working a part-time job during the academic<br />
year.<br />
Eligibility for <strong>Columbia</strong> grant aid is<br />
normally limited to eight terms of undergraduate<br />
study. Students must reapply<br />
for financial aid each year and be registered<br />
for a minimum of 12 points during<br />
any term for which aid is requested.<br />
Changes in the family’s circumstances—<br />
for example, increased income or a<br />
change in the number of family members<br />
attending college—will result in<br />
changes in the family contribution. In<br />
addition, the individual elements in the<br />
financial aid package may vary from<br />
year to year. The amount of the federal<br />
loan will increase during the sophomore<br />
and junior years, because the federal<br />
government allows upper-class students<br />
to borrow more than first-year students.<br />
For details, see the section on student<br />
loans.<br />
The Office of Financial Aid and<br />
Educational Financing reserves the right<br />
to revise a financial aid award if the student<br />
withdraws from school or if any<br />
information reported on financial aid<br />
applications conflicts with information<br />
on tax returns or other verification documents.<br />
If a family’s financial circumstances<br />
change after submission of the<br />
financial aid application, an appeal may<br />
be made to the Office of Financial Aid<br />
and Educational Financing, in writing,<br />
for a reconsideration of the financial aid<br />
package. An appeal may be made at<br />
any time during the year if circumstances<br />
warrant; otherwise appeals in direct<br />
response to award letters must be<br />
made in writing within two weeks of<br />
receipt of aid packages.<br />
Satisfactory Academic Progress<br />
Students must continue to make satisfactory<br />
academic progress toward the<br />
degree to remain eligible for financial<br />
aid. Satisfactory academic progress is<br />
reviewed at the end of each term by the<br />
Committee on Academic Screening. All<br />
<strong>SEAS</strong> <strong>2008</strong>–<strong>2009</strong>
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