Financial Assistance Award Information

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Financial Assistance
Award Information
Rights and Responsibilities
You Have the Right to Know:
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What financial aid programs are available: What is Financial Aid
The priority date for submitting applications March 15.
How financial aid will be distributed: RECEIVING YOUR AID
How financial aid is determined: NEED
Costs of attending the university: STUDENT'S BUDGET
The good standing and satisfactory academic progress requirements for aid recipients:
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
SATISFACTORY
The following are available at their respective web site:
 University graduation/completion rates: UTEP-Graduation Statistics
 Requirements for the return of Title IV funds: Return of Title IV Funds
 Requirements for officially withdrawing from school: Return of Title IV Funds
 Information on your rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974: FERPA
 Annual security report: UTEP Crime Statistics
 Report on Athletic Program Support and Participation Rate. UTEP Athletic Compliance
Rights and Responsibilities
In Accepting Financial Aid, You Accept the Responsibility to:
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Complete all forms accurately and submit them on time;
Provide correct information;
Return all additional documentation, verification, corrections and or/new information requested by
the Office of Student Financial Aid;
Report any additional aid or resources;
Read and understand all forms that you are asked to sign, and keep copies of them;
Live up to all agreements that you sign;
Perform the work agreed on in accepting a Federal College Work-Study job;
Be aware of and comply with priority dates for application or reapplication for aid;
Report any changes in name and/or address to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Records;
Read and understand all written materials provided to you;
To understand that giving misinformation on financial aid forms is a violation of law and may be
considered a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code.
Award Letters Are Conditional
In order to mail out award letters as early as possible, they are mailed out conditionally
pending the meeting of Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and the return of
the Financial Aid Authorization Form mailed with the award letter packet. Please also
be aware that these awards are based on information submitted on the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and can be adjusted due to new
information and course loads.
Abbreviations
The following are used for some of the programs listed on your Award Letter:
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Fed. Sup. Ed. Op. Grant
= Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
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Tex. Pub.Ed.
Grnt. Res. (TPEG-R)
= Texas Public Educational Grant (in state)
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Tex. Pub. Ed. Grnt.= Texas Public Educational Grant (out of state)
Nonres. (TPEG-O)
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Texas Legis. Grant
= Texas Legislative Grant
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SDS Nursing
Scholarship
= Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students (Health Science Majors)
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Fed. Sub.
Stafford Ln.
= Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
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Fed. Unsub.
Stafford Ln.
=
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Determining Financial Need
Your “financial need” for assistance from federal and state student financial aid programs
is equal to your cost of attendance minus your calculated EFC (Expected Family
Contribution) minus financial aid from other sources such as but, not limited to
scholarships, stipends or third party payments. The total aid you can receive from federal
and state student aid programs and other sources for the period of enrollment, when
added to your EFC, cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
What is Need?
How You Will Receive Your Aid
 The Financial Aid Authorization Form authorizes use of financial aid funds for payment
toward tuition, fees and any other outstanding debts to the university including housing. The
form must be signed and returned to the office of Student Financial Aid.
 If money is left over, after current year debts are paid to the university, it will be mailed to
you by check or deposited into your savings or checking account through direct deposit.
 Awards are based on full-time enrollment. If you enroll for less than full-time you may no
longer qualify for the program or receive an adjusted amount.
 If you withdraw or are administratively withdrawn for whatever reason and fall below the
necessary course load you may be required to pay back funds that have been disbursed.
This could also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress.
 Students are encouraged to register as soon as possible in order to assure a timely
disbursement of funds.
 If you indicated summer enrollment, be aware you will receive notification of any awards
after you register for the session.
Questions On Awards
Requests for reconsideration of awards will be made only in cases where a significant
change in the student’s or the family’s circumstances has occurred and is substantiated by
supporting documentation. Please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid to speak with
one of our counselors, if you have a question about your awards or feel you have grounds
to have your awards re-evaluated.
E-Mail your Questions.
The necessary applications are at: Financial Aid Application Forms
Stafford / Federal Perkins Loans
Stafford Loans
Be aware all loan recipients are required to attend a yearly loan counseling session. If a
Federal Stafford Loan has been included as part of your package and you wish to receive
the loan, you must sign up for the appropriate counseling session.
The dates and times can be found at: Loan Counseling
Perkins Loan
If you are awarded a Federal Perkins Loan, you must attend a Pre-Loan Counseling
Session before a Promissory Note is processed. If you have not, contact our office to
make arrangements to attend one. Refer to your semester class schedule for the dates and
times you can sign the promissory note. The promissory note must be signed every
semester. Failure to sign will result in cancellation of the loan.
For More information on Loans: Federal Student Loans
College Work -Study
Students awarded College Work-Study for the first time must attend an informational
workshop.
Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid or go to Work-Study Sessions
for the dates and locations of these sessions. If you are a current Work-Study employee,
it is not necessary to attend another session.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Criteria
Report Any Changes or Additions
Report any changes, additional aid or resources.
The aid offered is based on the results of the need analysis you completed. If, after
applying for aid, there are any changes (i.e. residency status, additional or decreased
resources) it is your responsibility to inform this office. There are several outside
resources that may be acquired during the school year that could impact the aid
offered. They include but are not limited to the following:
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Participant support (grant money provided by a department for educational enrichment),
Tuition support (grant money provided to help pay tuition by a department or outside
agency),
Service award (grant money given by a department for a service done), and
GIA (Grants In Aid) scholarships (scholarship money received from an outside donor).
By law, this office must review and, if necessary, adjust financial aid awards in order to
prevent over awards. If an over award occurs, the student is responsible for paying back
any excess funds received.
Keep Your Address and E-Mail
Current
Make certain your correct address is always on file in our office. We usually mail
correspondence to students at least once during the semester. We want you to receive and
respond (when necessary) to all correspondence we mail to your attention. All students have a
“utep.edu” e-mail address to assist us in contacting you and since, important
financial aid information can be distributed through mass e-mails.
Withdrawing or Dropping Classes
You may have to repay all or part of your aid, depending on the date of withdrawal, as
well as have any remaining Stafford Loan disbursements cancelled. Refer to the Class
Schedule for more information on dropped classes and refunding for students receiving
financial assistance. Students owing monies, as a result of withdrawing or drops, will be
responsible for any necessary collection and attorney fees. In addition, any future
financial aid application will be placed on hold.
Financial Aid and Concurrent
Enrollment
Students attending two or more colleges concurrently must be aware that financial aid
can be obtained at only one school. Federal guidelines specify that students, who
attend two or more colleges at the same time, are only eligible to receive financial aid at
one of the schools. If, for some reason, a student receives aid at each school, they will
be notified and the student’s files will be placed on hold until the ineligible funds are
repaid. In order to avoid such a problem, students should advise their financial aid office
that, they will be attending more than one school at the same time and which school they
will be receiving financial aid.
Consortium Agreement Between
UTEP and EPCC
This agreement allows students to attend both institutions and receive financial aid at
UTEP based on the combined hours. Classes taken at EPCC must be applicable
toward the degree being sought at UTEP. The required application is available at the
UTEP Office of Student Financial Aid or at: Consortium Agreement
Money Management
Financial aid programs may not meet the full amount of your expenses. Therefore, you
should budget available resources (including aid offered) to meet the total cost of attendance.
Avoid future money worries by establishing good habits now. They will last a lifetime. It is
especially critical, as a student receiving financial assistance, that you know how much money
you have and that you keep your spending under control.
Transient Students
Transient students are students enrolled at this university (usually during the summer)
who take classes here and transfer them back to their home institution. Since, they are
not pursuing their degree at UTEP, they are not eligible to receive federal aid through
UTEP. The only program, that is available for such students, is the Emergency Loan
Program.
Renewal of Aid
Financial assistance is not automatically renewed. Remember, you must reapply for aid
annually and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress criteria requirements. Every
spring semester, this office conducts workshops to assist you in completing the upcoming
year’s application. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available at
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
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