Financial Aid

Director: Jed W. Spencer
 
Location: Student Service Center, Room 120
 
Telephone: 801-626-7569
 
Internet Address: weber.edu/financialaid

The Financial Aid Program was established to assist students in achieving educational goals. The following sources of financial aid are available for eligible students:

Grants - funds that are considered gifts and do not have to be repaid if satisfactory progress is maintained.
Student Loans - funds that are loaned to students and must be repaid.
Work-Study - employment opportunities that allow students to earn funds to help pay for school.

Each form of financial aid has different regulations. The following is only a brief summary of the financial aid process. Students desiring financial aid should contact the Financial Aid Office as early as possible for guidance and assistance. Applications for financial aid need to be submitted by March 1.

General Eligibility Requirements

Types of Financial Aid Available at WSU

Grants/Gifts

Grants are gifts that do not have to be repaid if satisfactory academic progress is maintained. All grants require a minimum GPA of 2.00 by the end of the second year (60 credit hours).   All grants require that the student demonstrate a financial need. The types of grants available are:

Federal Pell Grant - Available to undergraduate students. Awards may range up to $4,050 per year.
Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant) - Awarded to help undergraduates pay for their education after high school. Awards may range up to $4,000 per year.
LEAP (formerly SSIG - State Student Incentive Grant) - Available only for Utah resident undergraduate students. The maximum yearly award varies.
UCOPE (Utah Centennial Opportunity Program for Education) - Available only for Utah resident undergraduate students. Maximum yearly award varies.
UHEAA GRANT

Student Loans

Loans are aid that must be repaid. The types of loan programs available are:

Employment - FWSP (Federal Work-Study Program)

This program provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students who meet the basic eligibility requirements for financial aid and demonstrate financial need. Jobs are available both on-campus and off-campus. The Career Placement Center (Student Service Center, Room 230) has a listing of all available jobs and, where possible, will help students with employment that relates to their course of study. Work study earnings are not reported as income in the application for federal aid, which makes the student eligible for more grant money.

Application Process

Students should first determine if they are eligible for financial aid. Refer to the General Eligibility Requirements. The early application deadline is March 1; this does not guarantee receipt of any specific type or types of grants. Applications received after the deadline will be processed as quickly as possible with no guarantee that the award will be ready to meet fall semester tuition and fees payment deadlines.

Application Steps

The WSU FINANCIAL AID CODE IS 003680. This code will be needed to complete your application. All applications and forms are available online at www.weber.edu.

  1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Application (for continuing students). (Students should make a copy for their records.)
    Students apply for Federal Student Aid via the Internet at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
  2. Complete the WSU Supplemental Application for Financial Aid form (available online at weber.edu/financialaid).
  3. Submit a copy of the student's personal 1040 tax return, if filed, and spouse and/or parent 1040 forms, if applicable.

Special Requirements

Students are advised to apply online (see items 1 and 2 above for appropriate Web sites). Applications will go through a Federal "needs analysis." The ability of a student and the student's family to contribute, as well as other resources, will determine the need for financial assistance. Students will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which will provide information on family contribution and financial need. To make changes to the data, students should contact a Financial Aid counselor.

When a student's file is complete, an award notice will be e-mailed to the student directing them to the web which will list the financial aid programs and the monetary amounts for which the student is eligible.  Students should accept their award online at weber.edu/financialaid.

An award may be canceled if the Award Offer is not accepted within the specified time period.

Satisfactory Progress

Students working toward a first bachelor's degree may receive financial aid up to a maximum of 189 semester credit hours. For students enrolled in a two-year degree program the maximum credit hours will be prorated accordingly.

Qualitative (Academic Standing)

In addition to the University's standards, all students who receive financial aid must maintain at least a "C" average cumulative GPA (2.00) by the end of their second year (60 credit hours) of attendance.   Students not meeting this requirement will be disqualified from financial aid until they bring their cumulative GPA to the minimum requirement.

Quantitative (Completion Rate)

Students who receive financial aid must satisfactorily complete (receive grades other than I, T, W, UW, NC, E, or AU) a specified minimum number of credit hours based upon their award level. Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the Financial Aid Committee. Only cases resulting from mitigating circumstances will be reviewed by the committee.

Eligibility Status

Students who receive financial aid and are under the minimum number of credit hours required by their award level will be put on probation or suspended  from financial aid.  

Students may reduce the deficit hours by taking extra credits each semester  or enroll in the summer term without using financial aid.. (Transfer work cannot be used to reduce a WSU deficit).

Credit hours transferred from other colleges/universities will be included in the total hour eligibility for satisfactory progress whether or not financial aid was received at the other institution(s).

If students change their program of study, credit hours completed for the previous major or majors will still be included in the total number of hours for financial aid eligibility even though the credit hours may or may not satisfy program requirements for the new major.

Appeals & Reinstatement of Aid

Students disqualified from financial aid can regain eligibility by making up deficit hours without using financial aid and/or by bringing their cumulative GPA to at least 2.00.

Appeals for an exception from satisfactory progress requirements may also be made to the Financial Aid Committee.

Refunds and Repayments

Students who officially withdraw from school no later than the ninth week of the semester may be entitled to a proportionate refund of tuition and fees. All refunds and repayments are returned to the federal program from which they were paid. The amount is determined according to the federal return of Title IV funds policy.

Students who withdraw completely from school may be required to repay a portion of the money received for living expenses. These students should contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Student Expense Budget (Cost of Attendance)

The cost of attending Weber State University includes direct educational costs such as tuition, fees, books and supplies, as well as living costs such as room and board. Below is a table that gives an approximate budget for students attending the 2005/2006 fall and spring semesters. Students should use this only as an estimate when planning their education expenses.

Sample Budget: 2005-2006 Undergraduate - 9 months

Description

Living
with Parents

Other Resident

Non-Resident

Tuition/fees*

$3165

$3165

$9600

Books/supplies

900

900

900

Room/board**

2,835

6,030

6,030

Transportation

1,258

1,258

1,258

Miscellaneous

1,275

2,614

2,614

Total Expenses

$9,433

$13,967

$20,402

*Based on attending full time. Please note that these amounts are from last year. Graduate tuition and fees vary by program. Current tuition and fee amounts by credit hour load are published on the web at weber.edu/costs.xml.

**Room and board can vary greatly depending on whether or not students live in the dorms and what meal plan they select.

 

Weber State University 2006-2007 Catalog