PACKAGING POLICIES
Conflicting Information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), CSS Profile, Tax Return(s) or W-2 Forms
草榴社区鈥檚 Office of Financial Assistance must resolve conflicting information before awarding or disbursing any financial assistance. Examples of conflicting information include but are not limited to the following:
- Parents indicate on the FAFSA, CSS Profile and/or on the 草榴社区 Application for Financial Assistance that they are married but file separate US or Puerto Rico Income Tax Returns with at least one parent filing as head of household.
- Interest and/or dividend income reported on the income tax return is not consistent with the amount of assets and/or dividends reported on the FAFSA.
- Individuals report on the FAFSA or CSS Profile that they are a non/tax filer but there is reason to believe that a tax return is required to be filed.
- Marital status not consistent with the CSS Profile, 草榴社区 Application for Financial Assistance, Federal tax return and/or the FAFSA.
草榴社区's Office of Financial Assistance reserves the right to utilize internet-based resources to verify information on forms submitted and to request Form 4506 for tax/income confirmation from the IRS if warranted during the file review.
Eligibility
A student's eligibility for need-based financial aid is determined through the following formula:
Cost of Attendance - Student Aid Index (Federal/State Aid Eligibility) / Expected Family Contribution (Institutional Aid Eligibility)
= Financial Need
In order to determine a student's Cost of Attendance, the University considers your Direct Costs (charges that the student is billed) such as: tuition, fees, average housing and 21 meal plan-if living on campus and Indirect Costs (expenses the student may incur but is not billed by the University) such as books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is determined as a result of your completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is determined as a result of your completing the CSS Profile (Profile). These forms collect income and asset information from you and your parent(s)/stepparent. Beginning for students entering 草榴社区 in the Fall of 2023, non-custodial parent information will be required, and considered when evaluating institutional need-based assistance. Other information that is important in determining your EFC household size, the number of children in college, and the age of your parents. Eligibility for federal and state aid is determined based on information from the FAFSA and eligibility for institutional need-based aid is determined from data provided on the CSS Profile.
After your "Financial Need" has been determined, the Office of Financial Assistance will attempt to meet as much of your need as possible using federal, state and institutional funding which can be awarded in the form of grants, loans and/or student employment.
Treatment of Outside Scholarships on Financial Assistance Packages
草榴社区 Grant when combined with outside privately funded or non/need based gift aid, scholarships, tuition benefits, and tuition remission cannot exceed need. If need is exceeded, an adjustment is made to reduce self-help aid first (loans, Federal Work-Study) then grant funds.
Treatment of State Grants
草榴社区 Office of Financial Assistance reserves the right to reduce the 草榴社区 Grant once the state grant award has been confirmed for the student.
Professional Judgement to Override Dependency Status
The Federal Student Handbook states: 鈥淚n unusual cases, an aid administrator can determine that a student who doesn鈥檛 meet any of the independence criteria should still be treated as an independent student. The Higher Education Act allows an aid administrator to make dependency overrides on a case-by-case basis for students with unusual circumstances.鈥� The administrator must document the reason(s) for that decision in the student鈥檚 file.
草榴社区 subscribes to the basic federal tenets regarding the awarding of financial aid which expect that the family (parents and student) primarily are responsible for meeting the cost of post-secondary education.
The policy of the University will be to consider requests to override a student鈥檚 dependent status on a case-by-case basis, in keeping with Federal regulations. In reviewing each case the office will consider the circumstances that exist and whether there are compelling reasons to certify the student as an independent student through the use of professional judgment. A parent鈥檚 unwillingness to provide financial support and/or information needed to determine a student鈥檚 eligibility is not justification to declare the student as independent.
Examples of circumstance that are considered 鈥渃ompelling鈥� would include but are not limited to:
abusive home situation (physical as well as psychological)
substance abuse by parents
intolerable home environment
In addition to information being received from the student applicant, corroboration must be provided through a written statement provided by a reliable third-party (e.g. clergy, counselor, lawyer, etc.)
The decision to use professional judgment in order to override normal dependent status will be made only by administrative staff. The Director of Financial Assistance will be the person to whom students may appeal decisions made by other administrative staff who does not deem circumstances compelling or documentation insufficient. Overrides do not carry over from one year to the next; the Office of Financial Assistance must reaffirm each year that the unusual circumstances persist and that an override is still justified.
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Per FAFSA, "Homeless means lacking fixed, regular, and adequate housing, and Unaccompanied means you are not living in the physical custody of your parent or guardian."
In determining whether a student is considered an unaccompanied homeless youth, the student may submit documentation from the following:
- A local educational agency homeless liaison, as designated by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), or a designee of the liaison
- The director of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or other program serving individuals who are experiencing homelessness, or a designee of the director
- The director of a Federal TRIO program or a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate program (GEAR UP) grant, or a designee of the director.
If the student is unable to obtain any of the documentation listed above, the student should make an appointment with their financial aid counselor.
Special Circumstances- Reduced Income From Prior Tax Year
A Request for Revision form must be submitted that explains the reason for the change in income (unemployment, death, disability, divorce/separation) along with supporting documentation, such as layoff or closure letter, final pay stub, divorce decree, separation papers, etc.
Roth IRA rollovers will be excluded from the families Adjusted Gross Income if indicated on the CSS Profile or 1099-R that is submitted with the tax documents.
The Office of Financial Assistance may consider a reduction to Social Security Benefits and/or child support. Documentation is required which includes a signed statement from the parent(s) and student stating the month and year that the benefit will cease and the amount received until that date.
Number in College
Siblings Enrolled in Graduate school, as a Part Time Student, Seeking a Second Baccalaureate Degree, or Enrolled at a community college or any of the Military Academies are not considered in determining the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for purposes of awarding the need-based 草榴社区 Grant. For the purposes of determining 草榴社区 Grant eligibility, only siblings enrolled in full time undergraduate programs will be counted towards number in college. For students who filed the CSS Profile, siblings that are 24 years of age or older are NOT included in the household size or number in college when determining eligibility for the 草榴社区 Grant. **(Please note this age requirement does not apply to the parent(s) of the student).
Special Circumstances that May Not Be Considered
草榴社区 does not consider private school tuition (elementary or secondary), non recurring income such as but not limited to overtime, moving expenses, work bonuses, gambling winnings as well as prior debt/bankruptcies/payments to educational loans.
Financial Aid Notice With Incomplete/Missing Documents
If a student receives a financial aid notice indicating that the financial aid file is incomplete, the offered aid is only an estimate and subject to change pending receipt of all missing documents. As such, the aid will not be deducted from the student鈥檚 tuition account until all documents have been received and reviewed.
Business And/Or Farm Net Worth
The net worth of a business and/or farm will be considered regardless of the number of full-time or full-time equivalent employees.