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Cragmor Hall, Room 201 (top floor) Hours of Operation:
(719) 255-3460 Monday: 8:00am to 7:00pm
1-800-990-8227 Tuesday through Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Fax (719) 255-3650
http://www.uccs.edu/finaid/
FAFSA code: 004509
The financial aid program is designed to assist students who would be unable to attend the university without aid. The university receives funding from the state of Colorado, the federal government, and private donors to meet the needs of students who can document their financial eligibility. The campus also uses its own resources to meet students’ needs.
Types of Financial Aid
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There are two basic types of financial aid available to help students meet their educational costs: need-based aid and non-need-based aid.
Need-based Aid
Need-based aid requires sufficient documentation of financial need. See the directions in the section below entitled “How to Apply for Financial Aid.”
Need-based aid consists of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study awards.
Grants
Grants are funds that do not have to be repaid. Examples include the federal government’s Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Grants funded by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado include the Colorado Student Grant, the Colorado Colleges’ Responsibility Grant and the Colorado Graduate Grant. A Grant funded by campus resources is the UCCS Tuition Grant.
Scholarships
Scholarships are funds that do not have to be repaid. UCCS looks at your academic performance and in some cases, your financial need for scholarship awards. All scholarships have different criteria and deadlines, so visit the scholarship website at www.uccs.edu/scholarships for applications and information. The deadline for most of the institutional scholarships is March 1. Postmarks will not be honored. Need-based scholarships require that students complete the FAFSA. Free outside scholarship searches are also listed on the scholarship website.
Loans
Loans are funds that have to be repaid at a future date. Examples include the Federal Perkins Loan and the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan. Repayment begins six months after the student is no longer enrolled half-time. These loans are considered need-based because the government subsidizes the interest rate while the student is in school more than half-time and during the student’s grace period.
Work-study
Work-study awards offer part-time, subsidized employment (approximately 10-20 hours per week) with both on-campus and selected off-campus employers. Federal Work-Study, Colorado Work-Study and Institutional awards are available. To be eligible for work-study employment, students must apply for financial aid and receive a work-study award. Students must also be enrolled at least half-time and comply with the financial aid policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress to maintain eligibility for work-study.
Note: State of Colorado funds are available only to students who qualify for resident tuition (not based upon military status or Olympic status). Both resident and nonresident students may be eligible for federal funds. See the Student Employment website at http://www.uccs.edu/stuemp/ for more information about work-study and all student employment options.
Non-Need-based Aid
Merit Scholarships
Scholarships are funds that do not have to be repaid. Examples of merit based scholarships include the Chancellor Resident Scholarship and the Kane Scholarship. All scholarships have different criteria and deadlines, so please visit the scholarship website at www.uccs.edu/scholarships for applications and more information. The deadline for most of the institutional scholarships is March1. Postmarks will not be honored. Free outside scholarship searches are also listed on the scholarship website.
Loans
These funds have to be repaid at a future date. An example is the Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. This loan is considered non-need based because the interest accrues immediately. The interest can be paid quarterly while attending school or can be added on to the principal once in repayment. Repayment begins six months after the student is no longer enrolled half-time.
For application information, see the section below entitled “How to Apply for Financial Aid.” While eligibility for these loans is not based on need, an applicant must first establish that he or she is not eligible for need-based aid; therefore, the financial aid application procedure described in the section entitled “How to Apply for Financial Aid” must be followed.
Colorado No-Need Work-Study
These funds are not based on financial need and offer part-time, subsidized employment (approximately 10-20 hours per week), on campus or at selected off-campus employers. Applications for no-need work study awards are available online and are due by the end of the first week of fall classes. This program is available during the fall and spring semesters only; awards are made only once, early in the fall semester.
Undergraduate degree students who are eligible for resident tuition (not military or Olympic status), who take at least six credit hours and who comply with the financial aid policy on Reasonable Academic Progress may apply for Colorado No-Need Work-Study. Students are selected for this award by a computerized random selection program.
PLUS Loans
These are low interest loans that parents of dependent students and graduate students may obtain to help pay the costs of attendance. The borrower must qualify for credit (not have adverse credit history). The borrower may apply for the full cost of attendance (as set by the Office of Financial Aid/Student Employment) for the year, minus financial aid awarded. Eligibility must be established each year. To establish eligibility and apply for the PLUS Loan, go to https://studentloans.gov
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Follow these instructions to apply for financial aid, including Federal Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized):
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Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov or obtain the paper FAFSA from a high school or any college financial aid office. The process can be completed after January 1 each year. We recommend that applicants file the FAFSA no later than MARCH 1 each year and that it is filed on the Web. The correct information must be on the UCCS Campus Solutions by March 1 to meet our financial aid awarding priority date. Students must also be admitted to a degree program by that date. Meeting this priority date does not guarantee a student will receive financial aid, but he or she will be considered for all types of assistance, including need-based grants.
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The FAFSA analyzes family income, assets, family size, and other factors, and allows the Financial Aid Office to estimate student contribution and/or the amount your family could reasonably be expected to contribute to the student’s education. The philosophy of the student assistance programs is that the student and family have the first responsibility to pay for the educational costs. The financial aid programs are available to promote access for students/families with the least ability to pay.
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After the processor receives the information, the results will be sent electronically to UCCS (assuming the correct FAFSA code of 004509 was listed on the Web application or the paper form). Students will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Students should carefully review, and if corrections are needed, contact the Financial Aid Office and we will make them electronically. If no corrections are needed, keep the SAR. Students are not required to submit the electronic or paper SAR to the Financial Aid Office.
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If students wish to apply for a Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized), follow all of the steps listed above and, in addition:
Temporary Assistance
The university has available a short-term loan program for students in need of temporary financial assistance (e.g., books). These loans are temporary in nature and have a maximum repayment period of one semester. The fee to borrow is $5 per $100 borrowed. Students may borrow only one loan per semester with a maximum of $700. Interested students should come to the Financial Aid Office.
Student Loan Deferment
(Includes Summer Term)
All special or unclassified students seeking an enrollment deferment for student loans will be considered undergraduates for verification purposes. In order to receive a deferment as a half-time student, the student must be enrolled for six credit hours. In order to receive a deferment as a full-time student, the student must be enrolled for 12 or more credit hours. Deferment forms are available on the Web at https://www.dl.ed.gov/borrower/BorrowerWelcomePage.jsp . The Office of Admissions and Records certifies the student’s enrollment status.
The Office of Financial Aid recommends that students wanting a deferment as a graduate student obtain degree status in their school or college.
The Financial Aid/Student Employment Office offers a self-referral employment service to currently enrolled students, and to students who have been accepted for the following term. Students need not document financial need to apply for these jobs; both work-study students and non-work-study (hourly) students are eligible to use the employment service. There is no charge for any of these services.
On-Campus Employment
On-campus employment is available to full-time or part-time degree status students or unclassified students who are at least half-time. Additionally, during the summer, degree-seeking students may work on campus without being enrolled if they were enrolled as at least a half-time student during the previous spring semester and will return in the fall semester. Jobs are generally part-time and are listed throughout the year depending upon employer needs. The majority of openings, however, are at the beginning of each semester.
Off-Campus Employment
Off-campus employment, both part-time and full-time, is available throughout the year depending upon employer needs. Openings range from highly skilled technicians and computer assistants to clerical work, food service and general labor. Temporary and on-call positions in such areas as day care, tutoring, house cleaning and furniture moving are also listed. Many residential nationwide camps list openings for the summer.
SEAN’S PLACE
Current job openings, both on and off campus, work study and non-work-study, are listed on SEAN’s PLACE, a computerized student employment assistance network for students. This service is strictly self-referral, and to apply for any job the student must contact the employer directly. Students may access SEAN’s PLACE on the Web at http://www.uccs.edu/~stuemp/ .
VINCE
The UCCS Volunteer Information Network and Community Exchange (VINCE) is a system that brings students and volunteer organizations together to do great things! If you are a student looking for a chance to volunteer, or an organization wanting to list a volunteer opportunity, VINCE is the place to start. Students and organizations may access VINCE’S PLACE on the Web at https://vince.uccs.edu/ .
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