2008-2009 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

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These listings are available on the Center’s
Web site: www.careereducation.columbia.
edu/students/find_a_job/workstudy.php.
For further information, including information
on Columbia Student Enterprises,
see the section “Center for Career
Education’’ in this bulletin.
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. Loans are
made by banks and other commercial
lenders from their own funds, with
guarantees by the federal government.
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 3 percent will be
deducted from the loan at the time that
it is disbursed. Repayment begins sixty
days after the second disbursement of
the loan.
HOW TO APPLY FOR
FINANCIAL AID
In order to be considered for need-based
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 family’s
financial situation. Continuing students
must reapply for financial aid each
year. Continuing Student financial aid
application forms are made available by
the Office of Financial Aid and Educational
Financing in mid-March. The student’s
name and Columbia ID number should
be printed on all documents submitted
to the Office of Financial Aid and
Educational Financing. Financial aid
applicants whose application materials
are submitted after the published deadlines
cannot be guaranteed institutional
financial aid.
1. Columbia Application for
Financial Aid
All Columbia application materials
can be accessed through
www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/finaid.
First-year applicants should fill out the
Columbia Application for Financial Aid
for New Students, which is included
in the Admission Application Booklet.
The application must be returned by the
following deadlines:
November 15: Columbia Application for
Financial Aid for New Students:
first-year application for early
decision candidates
February 1: Columbia Application for
Financial Aid for New Students:
first-year application for regular
decision candidates
May 5: Columbia Application for
Financial Aid for Continuing
Students
2. College Scholarship Service (CSS)
PROFILE Form
First-time applicants (first-year and
transfer applicants, and continuing students
who are applying for financial aid
for the first time) must register with CSS
for the PROFILE Form by visiting CSS
online at www.collegeboard.com/profile.
Applicants who register online should
complete the CSS Profile online (requires
a secure browser and credit card). All
students must include the Columbia
University School of Engineer-ing and
Applied Science’s CSS code on their
PROFILE Form.
CSS code for SEAS: 2111
The deadlines to submit online are:
November 15: First-year early decision
March 1: First-year regular decision
April 20: Transfer applicants
May 5: Continuing students
3. Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA)
First-year applicants should obtain
a FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov,
from their high school guidance office,
or by calling 1-800-4FED-AID.
Transfer applicants should obtain
a FAFSA online, from their current college’s
financial aid office, or by calling
the number above.
Continuing students should apply
online each year.
All students must include the
Columbia University School of
Engineering and Applied Science’s
school code on the FAFSA form.
FAFSA code for SEAS: E00486
Students and their parents submitting
the FAFSA online should request
PIN numbers from the FAFSA Web site,
so that they may complete the FAFSA
with an online signature. FAFSA applicants
without PIN numbers may print
a signature page and mail it in to the
FAFSA Processor. All online FAFSA
applicants should wait for and print out
the confirmation page, to ensure that
their online submission has been received.
Columbia recommends waiting until
after federal income tax returns have
been completed before completing
the FAFSA form, but no later than the
SEAS 2008–2009