Aid Options & Application Process

Financial 
Additional Sources of Financial Aid     Application Procedure     Applying for Financial Aid     Award Notification     Budgets     Declining Financial Aid     School Code     Special Circumstances & Appeals for Additional Aid     State Grant Information     Student Employment     Student Loan Programs     Terms & Conditions for Merit-Based Assistance     Types of Aid
 

Additional Sources of Financial Aid

A helpful way to begin the search for additional financial assistance is on the University’s Scholarship Bulletin Board. Additional financial aid websites are listed below. Students are cautioned not to pay for financial aid information.

• www.pheaa.org
• www.fafsa.ed.gov
• www.finaid.org
• www.fastweb.com
• www.ed.gov

Application Procedure

All students who wish to be considered for financial aid must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The information must be released to the U.S. Department of Education and to the University.

A student cannot be considered for any type of need-based financial aid until an accurate and complete FAFSA has been processed.

The University does not require the CSS, ACT, FAF, Profile, or other financial aid applications to be considered for financial assistance.

The Department of Education has provided an easy way to apply electronically for aid through filing the FAFSA on the Internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Applying for Financial Aid

Deadlines

Deadlines are necessary to ensure that all students have equal opportunity to be considered for financial aid. It should be noted that the University must determine how to distribute available funds to the many students who wish to be considered for aid before those funds can be allocated. Deadlines are also in place to ensure that the University will receive and communicate the necessary information in time to allow students to make informed decisions regarding their enrollment and related financial plans.

Students who miss the filing deadlines may receive less financial aid than students who apply on time. Late applicants may not be able to register for or attend classes if their late application results in outstanding balances.

All eligible students are considered for financial assistance regardless of filing date, depending upon availability of funds. However, University-administered funds will not be used to replace federal or state grants or loans for which a student may have been eligible but for which he/she failed to apply successfully.

The University of the Arts’ deadline for submission of the FAFSA is March 1.

All students who plan to attend the University during the fall or spring semesters must file the FAFSA by the above deadline. Incoming students are considered on a rolling, funds-available basis after the March 1 deadline. Applicants are advised to submit all application materials by March 1 or as soon as possible. Some sources of funding are limited and will not be available to otherwise eligible but late applicants.

Pennsylvania Undergraduate Students PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) State Grant Deadline

PHEAA’s deadline for receipt of the completed FAFSA application is May 1 for the following academic year. Applications received after that date may render a student ineligible for PHEAA Grants as well as the other types of aid specified above.

Duration of Eligibility

Students are not permitted to delay graduation once degree requirements have been met in pursuit of additional coursework or to continue their eligibility for financial aid.

Students can exhaust their eligibility for financial aid by failing or withdrawing from courses, which may negatively impact progress towards degree completion and grade point average. Students are strongly encouraged to work with their academic advisor to plan a program that will encourage their continued academic success in a timely manner and to contact the Office of Student Financial Services with any questions regarding their status.

Undergraduate Students

Under federal and University guidelines, undergraduate students may continue to receive financial aid for only eight semesters, or until the first baccalaureate degree or its equivalent has been earned. Students who transfer to the University may continue to receive financial aid for a prorated number of semesters based on credits transferred to the University.

Students may not receive undergraduate grants to complete minors, double degrees, or teacher certification programs that extend beyond eight semesters if the other requirements for the completion of the undergraduate degree have been met.

Graduate Students

Under federal and University guidelines, graduate students may continue to receive financial aid for only the published length of the program as listed in this catalog, or until the first master’s degree or its equivalent has been earned.

Award Notification

Award letters will be sent to new students beginning in February and to returning students beginning in April. The Student Financial Services staff will be available to counsel students at any point during the application process. Students should be aware that some aid is conditional on the availability of funds to the University, and if these funds are reduced, the University may reduce aid accordingly.

If an award is estimated, that means some additional steps must be taken by the student before the student can receive those funds, such as completing verification, an entrance interview, or other required documents.

Additional steps are required to claim these forms of financial aid:

Federal Work Study

To earn a FWS award the student must locate an eligible job. Once hired, the student must come to the Office of Student Financial Services to complete the necessary payroll paperwork. Students cannot work, nor can they be paid, until this paperwork is submitted and proper identification is documented. FWS cannot be deducted from the tuition invoice.

Pell Grant

Approximately four weeks after the FAFSA is filed, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). This document will notify a student as to Pell Grant eligibility. All of the information on the SAR must be correct and complete.

The award letter will list the Pell Grant amount. Changes to the FAFSA information may affect the student’s Pell Grant eligibility.

Perkins Loan

To claim these funds the student must endorse a Perkins promissory note in the Office of Student Financial Services. Funds cannot be credited until a complete, correct note is negotiated.

Direct and Direct PLUS Loans

These loans must be applied for through the U.S. Department of Education website for student loans at www.studentloans.gov. Proceeds from these loans are disbursed to the University. Direct Loans will be disbursed to the University electronically and will not require the student’s signature.

The award notice is subject to revision under the following circumstances:

• If government funding levels to the University are reduced, individual awards will be adjusted accordingly.
• Verification: The Office of Student Financial Services is required by federal regulation to resolve any discrepancies in information submitted per verification with that already in a student’s file. Once the discrepancies are resolved, the student’s aid amounts and/or types may be revised based on the changes.
• As above, if at any point in the year the University becomes aware of information that conflicts with other documentation in the student’s file, we will resolve the discrepancy and revise the award accordingly.
• Outside Scholarships: Per federal regulation, a student is not permitted to be “over awarded.” That is, a student’s total amount of scholarships, grants, loans, and work study may not exceed the student’s calculated need. If a student is over awarded due to an outside scholarship, we are required to adjust the other elements of the aid package to eliminate the over award. We encourage students to seek outside scholarships, and will adjust institutional aid only if absolutely necessary.
• The University may substitute other aid funds of equal amount and type at any point in the year at its discretion and without any notice.
• If the student changes enrollment, housing or meal plan status.
• If the University is required to adjust the student’s award for any other reason.

Budgets

Educational costs include not only the direct cost of tuition and fees, university housing and meal plans, but also the indirect costs of out-of-pocket expenses such as off-campus housing, food, books, supplies, and personal expenses, including but not limited to clothing, medical expenses, personal items and transportation. Direct costs reflect the actual amount a student will be billed by the University. Indirect costs are what a typical student might expect for out-of-pocket expenses over a nine-month period.

These direct and indirect expenses are used in formulating a student’s budget and determining financial need. The Office of Student Financial Services will assign each student a budget depending on the information provided on the FAFSA. If the budgets shown below differ significantly from the expenses you expect to incur, please inform the Office of Student Financial Services.

Individual habits and personal spending patterns will dramatically influence the scale of the indirect costs. Therefore, the budgets that follow are estimates only.

Estimated Expenses for 2013-2014

Budget for Off-Campus Students (not living at home/commuting) 

Budget for Commuter Students (living with parents or relatives)

Budget for Student Living On-Campus

Budget for Graduate Students

Definitions

Commuters: Students who live within reasonable commuting distance of the University and reside with parents or relatives.

Resident/Off-campus: Students who reside in University-owned housing or who reside in housing that is owned by neither the University nor their parents or relatives. Students who live within commuting distance of the University will not be funded as resident students, or as off-campus students.

Graduate Students: Most graduate students maintain their own homes and have correspondingly higher living expenses. Graduate students who live with parents or relatives will be assigned a commuter budget.

Part-time Students: Budgets for part-time students are determined on an individual basis.

Declining Financial Aid

If a student declines his/her offer of financial aid or admission, the University will rescind all offers of financial assistance (scholarships, grants, loans, and work study). If that student decides at a later time to enroll at the University for the upcoming academic year, he/she will be reconsidered for assistance at that point. Eligibility for financial assistance will be affected by the timing of the student’s decision to enroll, and availability of funds at the time when the student communicates their decision to enroll.

If the student decides to seek financial aid for a subsequent academic year, the student must re-apply for financial aid by completing a new FAFSA in accordance with the published deadlines and processes in place at that time.

A student may choose to decline a portion of his/her financial aid award by sending a letter to the Office of Student Financial Services noting the type and amount of aid the student is declining.

School Code

The University of the Arts Federal Title IV code is 003350.

Special Circumstances & Appeals for Additional Aid

Changes in a student’s family or academic circumstances may necessitate a review of the estimated family contribution and related financial aid award. Such reviews are conducted in response to a written request for an appeal from the student, in which the change in circumstances is described in detail, and submitted for consideration to the Office of Student Financial Services.

Income Reduction

The FAFSA collects information about a family’s income and assets from the previous year. For most people this information is a good predictor of the current year’s income, since most people do not experience wide swings in income from year to year.

If, however, a family’s income in the current year will be significantly different (more than 10 percent) from last year’s, the family should notify the Office of Student Financial Services in writing, including all available documentation. Reductions in income that are caused by involuntary job loss, unusually high medical expenses, separation, divorce, death of a wage earner, or the like will be considered.

If a family’s circumstances meet these criteria, the University will calculate the financial aid award based upon the estimated current year figures for the fall semester. At the end of the fall semester the family will be required to provide documentation (such as final pay stub or an estimated tax return) for evaluation of the spring semester’s award.

Unfortunately, the University is not generally able to consider reductions in income due to voluntary job changes, back taxes owed, high consumer debt, multiple mortgages, employment bonuses received in the previous year, overtime, self-employment losses, fluctuations in income from commission sales, or discretionary purchases.

Divorce or Separation

When a married student or an enrolled student’s parent/guardian separates from or divorces his/her spouse subsequent to the filing of the financial aid application, the divorcing/separating student or custodial parent/guardian of the enrolled student should notify the Office of Student Financial Services in writing. In the case of a separation or divorce involving the parents/guardians of a student, the Office of Student Financial Services is permitted to discuss the student’s record only with the custodial parent.

Death

Sadly, the University occasionally is called upon to assist a student whose parent or spouse has died subsequent to the filing of the financial aid application. Should this occur, the Office of Student Financial Services should be contacted immediately, and it will offer every assistance possible.

Dependency Override

The Office of Student Financial Services is occasionally asked to re-evaluate a student’s status due to the student’s assertion that he or she should be considered independent of parental support.

The guidelines for dependency are set by federal law, and thus each student must first be evaluated against them.

Any student who is listed on the federal or state income tax return of his or her parent or legal guardian or who receives more than half of his or her financial support from their parents or legal guardian is considered to be dependent.

An independent student must meet one of the following conditions:

• Be born before January 1, 1990.
• Be enrolled in a master’s or doctorate program (beyond a bachelor’s degree) at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.
• Be married as of the day the student applies (or you’re separated but not divorced).
• Have children who receive more than half their support from the student.
• Have dependents (other than their children or spouse) who live with the student and who receive more than half their support from the student at the time the student applies and through June 30, 2014.
• Both of the student’s parents are deceased, or the student is (or were until age 18) a ward or dependent of the court.
• Be currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training OR be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• A high school homelessness liaison or director of a homeless shelter/transitional program has deemed the student homeless, or at a risk of homelessness.
• The student is or was in legal guardianship, or an emancipated minor, as determined by your state of legal residence.

Federal and institutional policy is that the first responsibility for college costs is the student’s and his/her family’s; thus appeals are rarely granted.

A student who wishes to be considered independent must write a letter of appeal to the Office of Student Financial Services. The letter must clearly state the reasons for appealing the dependency status. The student will be required to document his/her means of support as well as other items. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Services for additional information.

Other Appeals

The Office of Student Financial Services cannot consider proposals for a recalculation of financial aid eligibility based on any circumstances other than those listed above.

State Grant Information

The FAFSA serves as the state grant application for residents of Pennsylvania (per PHEAA’s guidelines), and will be used to evaluate the student’s eligibility for a PHEAA Grant. The PHEAA deadline for filing of the FAFSA is May 1. Residents of Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, or West Virginia, may be eligible to receive a state grant at UArts and should contact the higher education assistance agency in their state of residence for deadline information.

Students who are residents of these states and are currently receiving a state grant MUST file the FAFSA by the state’s filing deadline. A separate state grant application form may also need to be submitted to the higher education assistance agency in the student’s home state.

If the state grant can be used in Pennsylvania, it is “portable.” Portable state grants may be less at UArts than if used at a college in a student’s home state.

Residents of states not listed above are generally prevented by their state from using their state grants in Pennsylvania.

Student Employment

Federal Work Study (FWS)

FWS is a federally funded program administered by the University. Eligibility for this program is based upon the availability of funds to the University and the student’s EFC.

The Office of Student Financial Services will make a determination of the student’s eligibility to earn money through the FWS Program. Notification of eligibility will be included in the award letter.

An FWS award is not an offer or a guarantee of a job; it is the amount a student is eligible to earn should she or he secure a job. Work study awards are not applied against the student’s bill. Payment is made directly to employed students by a University payroll check based on the hours worked.

Eligible students are permitted to work up to 20 hours weekly when classes are in session. Students are paid at least minimum wage, and hours may be arranged to accommodate the class schedule. The FWS award can be used between July 1, 201 and June 30, 2014.

Jobs are usually available throughout the University in academic departments, Public Safety, University offices, the University Libraries, etc. Positions require various levels of skill and experience. Additional positions with approved off-campus, non-profit organizations provide students the opportunity to be employed in community service positions and receive payment through the FWS program.

Non-federal Work Study (NFWS)

Students who do not qualify to work under the Federal Work Study program may be able to find work on campus under the NFWS program.

Information about job availability and placement is as listed in the Federal Work Study section of the UArts portal.

General Information About Student Employment

The Student Employment Handbook contains expanded information about FWS and NFWS, job openings, and additional information for fall placement. The handbook is available on the UArts portal in late summer.

Students are reminded that falsifying time cards is a criminal offense, which can subject them to criminal prosecution, civil action, disciplinary action, expulsion, and/or loss of all financial aid.

Student Loan Programs

Federal Direct Student Loans are available to assist students in meeting both tuition and living expenses, with low interest rates, and extended repayment terms. Because loan indebtedness has serious implications, students should carefully consider the amount of their borrowing (both yearly and cumulative) and borrow the minimum necessary to reasonably meet those expenses that remain above the financial aid award.

All students, regardless of state of residency, should review the UArts Direct Loans web page for general information on Direct Loans and for instructions to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN).

All loan applications are based on the FAFSA application; thus this application must be completed before the loan application is considered. While the loan application is an element of the financial aid application process, it is also a separate transaction between the student and the federal government. It is critical that the student understand that it is he or she alone who is responsible for repaying funds borrowed, and that for most students this will be the most serious long-term financial obligation yet undertaken.

All first-time borrowers are required to complete an Entrance Interview according to the Department of Education’s (DOE) instructions before the University is permitted to release loan funds.

Federal Direct Student Loans

A Direct Loan cannot be approved until a complete FAFSA has been processed.

Students wishing to use proceeds from the direct loan must submit a complete application by March 15. Students can apply for the Direct Loan electronically through the UArts Direct Loans Web page or at www.studentloans.gov.

Under federal regulations, only one direct loan may be processed for each student each year.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students are required to register for at least six credits each semester in order to receive funding from the Direct Loan Program. Direct Loan eligibility is determined based upon the number of credits the undergraduate student has completed, according to the following schedule:

The above loan amounts may be subsidized or unsubsidized depending upon the student’s financial eligibility. If the loan is subsidized the federal government will pay the interest on the loan while the student is in school, in addition to the first six months after the student leaves school. If the loan is unsubsidized the student is responsible for the interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. The student can choose to pay the interest or allow it to accrue and be capitalized (added to the principal amount of the loan). Capitalizing the interest will increase the amount the student has to repay.

Undergraduate students who are independent and dependent students whose parents cannot qualify for the PLUS Loan are eligible for the following additional amounts under the Unsubsidized Direct Loan Program:

Most direct loans will be disbursed to the University electronically and will not require the student’s signature.

Students receiving financial assistance - including Direct Loans - are required by federal regulation to be making satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive financial assistance while enrolled at The University of The Arts.

Graduate Students

Graduate students are required to register for at least 4.5 credits each semester in order to receive funding from the Direct Loan Program.

Direct Student Loan

Unsubsidized Direct Loan eligibility up to $20,500
Total graduate maximum Direct Loan eligibility per academic year $20,500

Direct (Parent) PLUS Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

The federally-sponsored Parent PLUS Loan is a low interest student loan for parents of undergraduate, dependent students. With a Parent PLUS Loan, families can fund the entire cost of a child’s education (less other financial aid).

The parent of a dependent student may borrow up to the cost of education (which includes living expenses) minus any other financial aid the student is scheduled to receive. For PLUS Loans made to parents that are first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, the borrower has the option of beginning repayment on the PLUS Loan 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed. The PLUS Loan interest rate is fixed. Approval for the PLUS Loan is based upon credit history. You must have a Federal pin number to apply. An application and MPN (Master Promissory Note) are required. Please remember to apply for the entire year, not only a single semester.

Typically the loan application process requires six to eight weeks. In order to deduct the anticipated proceeds from a PLUS Loan from the invoice, the loan must have been approved. The PLUS Loan cannot be certified until a complete FAFSA has been processed.

Graduate PLUS Loan

The Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is a student loan for graduate and professional students who need additional funds to meet educational costs. Graduate students should utilize Direct Loans before Graduate PLUS Loans to take advantage of lower interest rates. The interest rate is fixed. An entrance interview and MPN are required.

Private Education Loans

Private education loans are privately funded loans which may be used to supplement students’ federal and University-based aid. When combined with all other forms of aid, alternative loans may not exceed the University’s cost of attendance. Approval for these loans is credit-based; the University encourages students to apply with credit-worthy co-borrowers whenever possible.

Federal Perkins Loan

Perkins is a need-based federal loan program awarded by the University. The Federal Perkins Loan is currently offered at a fixed five percent interest rate and is repayable to the University over a maximum 10-year period. Repayment begins nine months after graduation separation or cessation of at least half-time enrollment at an eligible institution in an approved program of study.

Because Perkins loan funds are limited, this loan is offered to the earliest applicants whose Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is lowest. Perkins loans are usually awarded to freshman and sophomore students (junior and senior students have greater eligibility for Direct Loans). Notification of eligibility for this loan is included in the award letter.

To claim these funds, the student must endorse a Perkins promissory note in the Office of Student Financial Services. Funds cannot be credited until a complete, correct note is negotiated.

Disbursement Amounts

The lender may deduct origination and insurance fees from Direct, PLUS, and other alternative loans before they are disbursed. These fees can total up to 4.204 percent (or more for some alternative loans) of the principal amount; thus, the amount available from the loan to pay educational costs may be less than the amount borrowed.

Terms and Conditions for Merit-Based Assistance

Presidential Scholarship • International Presidential Scholarship •Trustee Scholarship • Promising Artist Award • Director’s Talent Scholarship • Artist Grant • Named and Endowed Scholarships

Any University merit-based award will be awarded and renewed under the following terms and conditions:

• You must be admitted to The University of the Arts.
• You must not have received a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
• With the exception of the International Presidential Scholarship, Promising Artist Award and Artist Grant you must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or eligible non-citizen.
• You must enroll as a full-time undergraduate at The University of the Arts. Full-time is defined as completing between 12 and 18 credits each semester. If you complete fewer than 12 credits each semester, your merit award may be revoked.
• The Presidential Scholarship, International Presidential Scholarship, Trustee Scholarship, Promising Artist Award, Director’s Talent Scholarship, Artist Grant, and Named and Endowed Scholarships will not be granted for more than eight (8) semesters. If you transfer to The University of the Arts, your scholarship will be pro-rated based on the number of semester you have remaining to complete your degree after your transfer credits are evaluated.
• You must maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with University regulations.
• Your merit award may be revoked should you withdraw from or take a leave of absence from The University of the Arts. The University reserves the right to terminate this merit award if your enrollment is not continuous from the date of your original entry.
• Should you be subject to disciplinary action, academic probation or dismissal while enrolled at The University of the Arts, your merit award may be revoked.
• The University of the Arts reserves the right to reduce this merit award to eliminate any cash refund to you should your merit award, when combined with other financial aid, outside scholarships, or benefits, exceed tuition and/or the cost of attendance.
• The merit award is a tuition scholarship, which cannot be combined with other University sponsored grants, scholarships, or benefits (which include, but are not limited to, tuition remission, tuition exchange, or tuition discounts) to be used toward dormitory fees or other non-tuition expenses.
• PHEAA grant recipients are subject to PHEAA’s gift aid test and may not receive grants and scholarships exceeding tuition, fees, and an allowance for books and supplies.
• Should you decline a merit award, the offer becomes void and is canceled. If your merit award is canceled, you may reapply, but you will then be considered on a funds-available basis and may not be awarded the same amount.
• The merit award cannot be combined with tuition remission, the alumni discount or the sibling discount. The sibling of a merit award recipient will, however, qualify for the sibling discount.
• Merit award recipients are required to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA (both semester and cumulative). We reserve the right to revoke the merit award in full or in part should the recipient’s GPA fall below 2.0.
• The majority of Named and Endowed Scholarships are nonrenewable from year to year.

Types of Aid

Each student who completes a FAFSA will be considered for all of the following types of aid. Parental higher education enrollment cannot be considered when eligibility for aid is calculated.

Institutional Scholarships and Grants

University Scholarships

University scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and demonstrated talent. The Presidential, Promising Artist, and Artist Grant are types of University scholarships. University scholarships are awarded when students are admitted.

To assist students and their families with financial planning for their enrollment, scholarship amounts are fixed and renewable so long as the student makes satisfactory academic progress and complies with the terms of the award(s).

Named/Endowed Scholarships

The University offers a number of scholarships that have been donated by individuals, families or groups to help support promising artists. These named scholarships are awarded based on specific criteria, which may include need and/or merit. The majority of these scholarships are not renewed annually.

University Grant

University grants are generally need-based and are awarded by the Office of Student Financial Services to supplement all other financial aid assistance. Undergraduate students must be enrolled for at least twelve credits in order to receive institutional aid that is merit or need-based. Graduate Students must be enrolled for at least nine credits to be considered for such assistance.

Federal/State Grants

Pell Grant

The Pell Grant is a federally funded program that awards individual grants to students who have not received a bachelor’s degree, nor have been aided for the maximum number of semesters allowed and meet all other eligibility criteria. The amounts of the grants are determined by the federal government.

Eligibility is determined by the federal government and notification is sent directly to the student in the form of a Student Aid Report (SAR). The student should expect to receive the SAR approximately four weeks after the FAFSA has been filed. The SAR should be reviewed for accuracy and corrected if necessary. A copy of the corrected SAR should be retained by the student as confirmation of receipt of the FAFSA. Students must enroll for at least three credits in order to be eligible for the Pell Grant.

PHEAA Grant

Awards are made to Pennsylvania residents who are seeking a first bachelor’s degree and who have not yet completed the maximum number of semesters allowed (eight).

Eligible students must demonstrate sufficient financial need as determined by PHEAA, Pennsylvania residency, and be enrolled for at least twelve credits. To continue to be eligible for state grant assistance, a full-time student must complete a minimum of 24 credits per academic year. An award letter may indicate an estimated state grant amount; however, eligibility is determined by the state and official notification is sent directly to the student beginning in May.

Students must meet state residency requirements in accordance with PHEAA guidelines. PHEAA’s filing deadline is May 1.

Other states have scholarship programs for their residents. Information and applications are available from the respective states.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

FSEOG is a federally-funded, University-administered program. These grants are awarded to students who demonstrate significant financial need and are seeking a first bachelor’s degree, and who have not yet completed the maximum number of semesters allowed (eight). Typically, FSEOG grants are first awarded on a funds-available basis to Pell Grant recipients who have met the filing deadlines.

Outside Scholarships

The University encourages students to explore all options for outside scholarship assistance. Local businesses, foundations, churches, unions, civic organizations, etc., often sponsor scholarships that can be used toward educational costs.

A good place to begin the search for outside scholarships is on the University’s online Scholarship Bulletin Board.

The University of the Arts advises students to never pay for financial aid information or for scholarship searches.

Students who receive outside awards or scholarships are required by federal regulation to notify the Office of Student Financial Services. In some cases, outside scholarships may cause the revision or reduction of other types of aid.