Introduction
Navigating the financial aid process can be daunting, especially if you are the parent of a first-time college attendee. Below we
have listed some tips and information to assist you with helping
your child utilize his or her financial aid at UNC Charlotte.
Please use these tips as well as information offered through our
website. The menu to the left is quite useful as well as our
News and
Announcements
section on our homepage and
our
Financial Aid Quick Links. Also, feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have.
Our contact information can be found
here.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and
Confidentiality
FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted in 1974.
The FERPA Regulations that implement that Act are available
here.
The primary purpose of FERPA is to protect the privacy of student
information, and this protection is achieved by controlling access to and
disclosure of students' "education records," as that term is defined in
FERPA.
Faculty, staff, and administrative officers at UNC Charlotte are required by
FERPA to treat education records confidentially, unless a
legal exception
applies, or the student provides written consent
to disclose.
Students also have the right to inspect and review their education records
and to request that their records be amended.
Confidentiality
Please be aware that the
Office of Student Financial
Aid will
not disclose financial
information or award amounts
in emails to anyone,
including the student.
Students
may access their specific
financial aid information by
logging in to
49er Express. (For information on how to
access 49er Express,
click
here.)
Applying for Financial Aid
Apply for financial aid early each year. The Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) can be completed as early as January 1, prior to the start
of the academic-year. When completing the FAFSA, be sure that
all questions have been answered to the best of your
ability and that you have supporting documentation, just in case the file is
selected for review.
The UNC Charlotte priority filing
deadline is April 1. This means that students who have filed a FAFSA by this
date will be among the first considered to receive certain types of financial
aid, which are limited. If the the priority deadline is missed, students may
still be eligible to receive other forms of financial aid.
When completing the FAFSA, you will be asked for our federal school code.
It is 002975.
The FAFSA can be completed
here.
We also encourage you to check out the 2009-10 edition of Funding Education
Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid which can be accessed
here.
The Cost of
Attendance (COA) - Student Budget
Make sure that you understand the cost of attendance (COA). The COA is the
estimated amount students may expect to pay for costs for the academic-year. In
addition to the direct costs of tuition/fees, books and supplies, and room and
board, estimates are considered for the indirect costs of transportation and
miscellaneous expenses (toiletries, clothing, and other essentials).
For
instance the 2009-10 cost of attendance for a North Carolina resident living on
campus or away from home is $15,824.
Except in rare circumstances, the amount of awarded financial aid cannot exceed
the cost of attendance. If for some reason the student is over-awarded
financial aid, then aid must be adjusted to the cost of attendance.
This may mean that the student will have to repay funds.
A good rule of thumb is to be aware that if an outside (non-institutional) award
results in the exceeding the COA then the student's award may be adjusted and he
or she may be required to repay funds.
Outside on non-institutional funds include scholarships, stipends, veterans educational
benefits, and etc.
You can download a copy of the 2009-10 cost of attendance sheet
here.
Information
Concerning Books, Supplies and Parking
Additionally books and supplies and transportation costs such parking cards are
considered indirect costs of education. This means that while they are
part of the cost of attendance they cannot be charged directly against financial
aid awards. Therefore, it is advisable to be prepared to pay for books,
supplies and parking cards out of pocket.
You can visit the bookstore's webpage
here and Parking Service's
webpage
here.
Cost Cutting Suggestions
The are ways to save monies while attending college. Consider the
following:
Housing Options
Explore different housing options that the university offers.
Click
here for more information on finding
housing that fits your needs and budget.
Scholarships
Scholarships can be a tremendous help in paying for education. Even a
relatively small scholarship can be help when paying for books or
incidentals. UNC Charlotte offers many scholarships throughout various
colleges and departments.
Most of the scholarships are merit-based and some are both merit and
need-based (require the completion of a FAFSA). To explore scholarship opportunities at UNC Charlotte,
please visit our searchable database by clicking
here.
Student Employment in Housing and Residence Life
Have your child consider student employment as a Resident Advisor (RAs) or
Resident Manager (RM). In these positions "student staff members
provide assistance, information, and support to residential students. RAs and RMs are selected for their leadership potential, interpersonal
abilities, positive, caring attitudes, and sense of commitment. RAs and RMs
are your primary resource for campus information and assistance."
Click
here for more information about
student employment opportunities in Housing and Residence Life.
Student Temporary Wage Positions and Jobs
Student Temporary Wage positions are jobs that are open to any UNC Charlotte
student. There are no financial eligibility requirements, such as Federal
Work Study, in obtaining a Student Temporary Wage position. There may be
specific skill requirements needed by the office/department posting the
available position. These requirements will vary with each position. The
offices/departments are responsible for the selection process of choosing
the most qualified student to fill the position.
Click
here for more information about
student temporary wage positions and jobs.
Information on Choosing
a Preferred Lender
In early fall of 2007, detailed information on loan products, services, and
borrower benefits was requested of ten major lending institutions. The
information received was reviewed by a committee comprised of University
administrators outside of the Office of Student Financial Aid. The goal was to
select the best loan products in terms of borrower benefits and cost savings
over the life the loan to students and parents. Click
here to read more.
Information on Parent PLUS Loans
Federal PLUS loans allow parents of dependent undergraduate students to borrow
up to the annual cost of education minus any financial aid. In addition, this
program also allows graduate students to borrow up to the annual cost of
education minus any financial aid. PLUS loans are not based on financial need,
but do require a good credit history. There is a 10-year repayment schedule and
deferment options do exist. For graduate students, payments are automatically
deferred while in school. Click
here to read more.
Billing, Direct Deposit, Payment Plans, and Student Refunds
Student Accounts begins billing typically three to four weeks before the beginning of of the
semester or term. Students can check their student account for balances
and financial aid awards by logging into their 49er Express account. Details about accessing 49er Express can be found
here.
Billing and Refunds
At the earliest, financial aid awards are posted to the student's account 10 days prior to the
beginning of each semester or term
Refunds are released no earlier than the first day of the semester or term.
If the student is due a refund, the
refund will be paid directly to the student (unless the refund is due from
parent PLUS Loan in which case the parent can opt to have the refund sent
directly to them).
Direct Deposit
It is advisable that students sign up for direct deposit which ensures faster
refunds. Direct deposit
accounts are managed by Student Accounts. The direct deposit the form to do so can
be downloaded
here.
